Abstract: A method is disclosed for creating a strong point for the attachment of carbon composites to metallic bodies that is suitable at high temperatures (1600.degree. F.) as well as ambient temperatures. A pocket of suitable dimensions and depth is molded into the carbon composite structure on both sides at an edge, with the edge relieved and rounded. A hole for a fastening member is molded or drilled in the approximate center of the pocket. After preparation of the surface the pocket, through hole, and relieved edge are nickel-plated to produce a rigid strong point. A doubler can be brazed to the nickel plate to strengthen the bond. The disclosed method can be used for attaching any type of electrically conductive composite material to a metallic structure.

Abstract: A folding wing structure for a missile or other airframe comprises a supporting strut assembly including a leading strut and a trailing strut pivotally secured together at their common ends and pivotally mounted at spaced locations relative to the airframe at their opposite ends, the struts being moveable between a collapsed, storage position in which they are substantially colinear and an expanded, erect position in which they project radially out from the missile. A biassing device urges the struts into the erect position. A double walled, pocket-like wing member of flexible fabric material encloses the strut assembly and conforms substantially to the extended configuration of the struts, and a series of spaced, parallel reinforcing ribs extend chordwise across each wall of the wing member in its erect position between the leading and trailing struts.

Abstract: An optical processing system for performing a matrix multiplication Mx where M is a matrix and x is a vector involves two two-dimensional arrays of optically transmissive elements with each element of the first array communicating light to the corresponding elmement of the second array. The optical transmittance of each row of one of the arrays is controlled according to the values of the vector x, and the optical transmittance of each element of the other array is controlled according to the corresponding matrix value m(i,j). The first array is uniformly illuminated and the amount of light transmitted through the two arrays is detected by a suitable array of photodetectors. The output of each photodetector will be proportional to the sum of the products of the vector x(i) with each value of the matrix in the corresponding column of the matrix array.

Abstract: A sealing assembly for protecting the exposed components of a mounted electrical connector from the environment provides a seal between a connector backshell and a mounting plate to which the connector is mounted. The bell housing sealing assembly generally comprises a tubular member having a bottom end and a top end, the member being of sufficient inside diameter and length for surrounding an electrical connector having a backshell between the connector backshell and a mounting plate to which the connector is mounted; a top seal for sealing between the top end of the tubular member and the backshell of the surrounded connector; and a bottom seal for sealing between the bottom end of the tubular member and the mounting plate. The sealing assembly is threadably attached to either the connector backshell or, preferably, to the receptacle mounting nut. A second embodiment employs a force fit double lip seal as a top seal.

Abstract: A bimetallic shaped-charge liner is formed by explosively bonding two metal disks and then shear-forming the bonded disks simultaneously into a conoidal shape over a mandrel. An exemplary method for manufacturing a ductile, bimetallic, shaped-charge liner comprises the steps of explosively bonding a plate of one metal to a plate of another metal; annealing the bonded plates; cuting forming blanks from the bonded, annealed plates; shear-forming the blanks with the light metal side outward into a conoidal shape over a mandrel; and then annealing the resulting conoid.

Abstract: An array of photosensors is electrically connected to an array of individually readable capacitive storage cells in a one-to-one correspondence, each photosensor and each storage cell having a parasitic resistance. The interconnection is performed in an environment which is adapted to minimize photon impingement upon said photosensors cells and thereby minimize photocurrent. Each connection, if successfully made, places the parasitic resistance of a photosensor in electrical parallelism with the parasitic resistance of its corresponding capacitive storage cell.

Abstract: A rocket exhaust recirculation obturator or cover member is designed to extend across the base of a missile in a launch tube between the exit nozzle of the missile rocket exhaust and the walls of the launch tube. The cover member has a central opening which seals against the rocket motor nozzle exit, and an outer periphery which seals against the launch tube walls. During launch, pressure of exhaust gases recirculating back up the launch tube will urge the obturator against the base of the missile, and both the missile and obturator will accelerate together up the launch tube. A release assembly is provided at the upper end of the launch tube which engages corresponding release devices at the outer periphery of the obturator. The engagement releases the pressure bond between the obturator, the missile base, and the launch tube. This allows the rocket exhaust to impinge upon the upper surface of the obturator in opposition to the obturator's momemtum.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying inertial reference unit (IRU) errors in a guided missile employing a multi-mode guidance system and constructing correction terms to recover the missile true position. Discrepancy parameters are introduced to indicate misalignment between missile and launching platform (or ship) inertial frames where the missile onboard executive computer simultaneously processes the data provided from missile onboard sensors and target relevant data uplinked from the launching platform. The discrepancy parameters are employed to construct correction factors used to reduce the discrepancies. This updated missile configuration is then coupled with the target state estimator outputs to reconstruct smoothed line-of-sight (LOS) angles for terminal homing engagement.

Abstract: A missile support structure comprises at least two sabots or packing bodies which surround a missile in a launch tube and extend along at least part of its length. The sabots substantially fill the gap between the outer surface of the missile and the walls of the launch tube to restrict lateral movement. A capture assembly is provided to capture the sabots at the launch tube exit as the missile leaves the tube, and a return mechanism is provided on each sabot for intercepting the missile exhaust flow to urge the sabots back down into the launch tube.

Abstract: An attachable, ablating shield comprises a metalized sheath for fitting closely over, for covering, and for protecting an electronics section in a missile from external electromagnetic radiation, particularly from high-energy radio frequency radiation, during launch. The sheath has weakened seams so that the sheath will separate from the missile when a seam is split. The sheath splitting system comprises an explosive device located near a seam, a detector for sensing the firing of the rocket motor, and a transfer line therebetween for receiving a motor-fire signal from the detector and for transferring a corresponding signal to the explosive device to split the sheath. A preferred embodiment employs a low-explosive and a transfer line that is a high-intensity shock pulse tube. The transfer line ablates with the sheath.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing the pressure and thermal impingement effects of a supersonic exhaust gas plume emanating from a rocket motor nozzle. A disrupter body positioned within the exhaust plume along the central longitudinal axis thereof disrupts and disperses the plume concentration. The body has a central passage through which a portion of the exhaust may pass. The body and passage are sized and shaped to provide a flow area normal to the exhaust flow less than the cross-sectional area of the exhaust plume at the position of the body. The reduced flow area causes the exhaust flow to undergo a normal shock wave upstream of the body before passing through and around the body at a subsonic velocity. The presence and configuration of the body disrupts and disperses the plume concentration, and the reduced flow velocity significantly reduces the downstream pressure and thermal effects of the exhaust gas plume.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for providing a floating seal for an inert gas solder reflow chamber. The seal floats with respect to upper and lower chucks and is made of a substantially non-deformable material. The seal permits lateral, axial and rotational movement between the lower and upper chucks while facilitating accurate control of bonding pressure. The structure of this floating seal permits use of seal materials which facilitate use of higher melting point solders, some in excess of 350.degree. C., for flip-chip bonding.

Abstract: An antenna feed structure for use with a parabolic reflector in amplitude-comparison monopulse radar applications employs a dedicated transmit feed centered within a four-port receive array of conventional element spacing to eliminate the need for a circulator or other transmit/receive device while retaining satisfactory receive array performance. Isolation pins placed around the transmit port act to decouple it from the receive ports, and a double waveguide run to the transmit port reduces uneven heating and related phase imbalance in adjacent receive waveguide runs.

Abstract: A dissipator device comprises a container having an inlet for connection to a rocket exhaust and a plurality of exhaust orifices of smaller dimensions than the inlet for exhaust flow out of the container in a plurality of different directions. A deflector member is positioned in the container in alignment with the inlet in the path of incoming exhaust gases for deflecting the flow. A disrupter member is positioned between the inlet and deflector member, and has a through bore defining an orifice of area less than the exhaust flow area at the plane of the disrupter member, so that exhaust gases flow both through and around the disrupter member, substantially reducing the downstream pressure and impingement heat transfer.

Abstract: A seal for a piano hinge for preventing passage of electromagnetic energy through the hinge; said seal comprising a first sealing member of conductive material comprising a connecting section for attachment to and for electrical contact with one hinge leaf and an arcuate section shaped to fit over the hinge knuckles, and a second sealing member of conductive material comprising a connecting section for attachment to and for electrical contact with another hinge leaf and an arcuate section for overlapping and for making electrical contact with the arcuate section of the first sealing member. Preferably the sealing members are of hard copper alloy. Another embodiment includes a detachable sealed hinge assembly wherein the hinge includes three leaves; an attached leaf, an insertion leaf, and an attachable leaf.

Abstract: A ring-wing assembly for use in combination with a missile or mortar adapted to be launched from a launch tube or barrel allows attachment of large lifting surfaces to the projectile as it is launched from a barrel. The ring-wing assembly generally comprises a stop ramp for generally encircling a missile body. The stop ramp having a forward-tapering ramp portion, and a sleeve assembly comprising a sleeve for encircling a body of a missile and a plurality of wings peripherally mounted on the sleeve. The sleeve has a rear inside tapered portion having a taper angle that is less than that of the ramp portion of the stop ramp. In use, the sleeve assembly is mounted on the nose end of a launch barrel. Upon missile launch, the sleeve assembly slides over the missile body until encountering and engaging with the stop ramp whereupon the sleeve assembly travels with the missile for extending the range and controllability of the missile.

Abstract: A rigid packaging material having a coating of heat-sealable, anti-static plastic. A fiberboard sheet substrate is coated with a lamina of polyethylene made electrostatic-free by the addition of an organic anti-static compound. When skin-packaged with a film of heat sealable, anti-static plastic material, a static-sensitive item is completely enclosed by a static-free barrier package.

Abstract: A stripline tapped-line filter is disclosed including a first substrate upon which a plurality of N hairpin resonators are disposed alternately on opposite surfaces of the first substrate. Each one of the hairpin resonators is in a parallel coupled relationship with an adjacent hairpin resonator disposed on an opposite surface of the first substrate. The first and last hairpin resonators each have an interconnected member disposed on the substrate for respectively coupling a signal into and out of the plurality of N hairpin resonators. Second and third substrates are included with each being respectively located adjacent to ones of the plurality of N hairpin resonators on opposite surfaces of the first substrate. First and second groundplanes are included with each respectively located adjacent the second and third substrates.

Abstract: A dual mode target seeking system for airborne vehicles which operates under two different frequencies simultaneously includes a radio frequency antenna comprising a slotted plate defining a ground plane with an image plate positioned in front of the ground plane at a distance chosen such that multiple reflected rays are in phase with each other and with waves incident on the image plate. The slotted plate and image plate have aligned central openings through which an electro-optical system for operating under a chosen electro-optical frequency range, for example under infrared frequencies, projects. The electro-optical system includes a detector unit positioned behind the antenna and a focussing system for directing incoming electro-optical radiation into the detector unit. The focussing system includes first and second lenses mounted in the openings in the image plate and slotted plate, respectively.

Abstract: Pivotable deflector panels are installed in the transition sections between a plurality of rocket storage and launch chambers and a lower plenum or manifold chamber which is provided to dispose of the exhaust gases from missile firings. The deflector panels are in addition to the sets of doors which are provided to close off the missile storage chambers upon the firing of a missile in another chamber in order to prevent recirculation of exhaust gases into the closed off chambers. The deflector panels act with the doors to control exhaust gas flow, thereby improving the effectiveness of the gas plug which is formed by exhaust gases within a transition section.