Abstract: A store load and ejector device for carrying stores on the exterior of an aircraft or the like and for dispensing same at the option of a pilot comprising a cap plate for connecting with the aircraft, struts connected with the cap plate and carrying at their bottom ends support beams having ejector racks capable of selectively dispensing the stores and at least two cross braces connected to and between respective support beams forward and aft of the struts so as to maintain separation of the support beams and any stores thereon. The cross members and the struts have biconvex shape with leading and trailing edges sweeping at respective angles within the range of 20.degree.-50.degree. so as to present low radar reflection or radar cross section. The struts, support beams and cross braces have biconvex shape for reduced drag.

Abstract: An improved missile tail fin assembly. The missile utilizes four tail fin assemblies, each assembly comprising a fitting having three locking portions, each of which comprises a gudgeon having a pair of locking teeth, and a fin having mating recesses for the locking portions. A portion of the material associated with recesses of the two forward locks of each fin is removed, leaving clearances which permit limited rotation about the fin pivot axis in one direction only. When the fin is loaded in a direction to produce clockwise torque, all three locks which form the lock assembly are loaded approximately equal and this locates the elastic axis of the tail lock approximately just aft of the center of pressure which produces a small increase in cant angle with load. When the tail fin is loaded in the direction to produce a counterclockwise torque, the aft lock of the assembly will take all the torque. This moves the elastic axis further aft thus producing a larger increase in cant angle with load.

Abstract: A deployable truss structure particularly adapted to space applications which has high structural efficiency, packages in a volume efficient manner and can be remotely deployed in a controlled, sequential manner. The truss in its deployed configuration exhibits a "diamond" cross section. Each of the four sides of the structure is essentially a "Warren" truss. Diagonals on the opposite sides of each diamond incorporate a mid-span hinge and the other two diagonals are rigid tubes. When packaged, all elements of the truss are folded so that they are parallel to one another and contained between two guide rails. The guide rails are located on either side of the diamond truss. The horizontal strut connection points or nodes are fitted with rollers that are locked in the guide rails for movement therealong. At the start of deployment the upright truss members are lifted to the vertical position, forming the basic diamond shape of the truss.

Abstract: An erectable wing structure for a supersonic airframe that is stowable within the body of the airframe includes a housing defining an elongated cavity in which is mounted a wing supporting strut assembly having an elongated leading edge strut pivoted at one end within the stowable cavity and including a trailing strut that is foldable and pivotally connected at one end to the cavity structure and at the other end to the outer end of the leading edge strut and including a single layer of fabric stretched between the strut and clamped between the strut structure made up of separable, mirror image, strut links.

Abstract: A wing support structure for a self-erecting collapsible wing includes a telescoping strut assembly including a leading strut and a trailing strut each pinned at an inner end to fixed pins on a base support structure and pinned to a common pivot pin at the outer end and each strut being telescoping for retraction to a colinear position and spring biased to an outward fully deployed position. Each strut includes inner and outer tubular strut members in which is confined a compression spring with the inner and outer members including an antirotation lock and an anticollapse lock.

Abstract: A piston-controlled locking mechanism including an external cylinder having annular retaining means, a first elongated piston located adjacent the cylinder and having ball lock positioning apertures in the extension, a second coaxially located piston positioned inside of the skirt of the first piston and having indentations capable of mating with the ball positioning portions of the first piston, and positioning elements for first moving the inner piston to release the balls and thereafter moving the outer piston to either release or lock the cylinder.

Abstract: A multi-channel frequency synthesizer, including a crystal oscillator circuit that may be selectively operated to provide a reference signal at a selected reference frequency that is one of a given plural number of frequencies; an IF generator for processing the reference signal to provide an IF signal at a selected intermediate frequency that is one of a given plural number of submultiples of the selected reference frequency; a comb generator for processing the reference signal to provide a comb of signals separated from each other by the selected reference frequency; and a phase-locked loop.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for establishing the alignment of heat seeking missiles with the longitudinal axis of a launch pod within which the missiles are contained is disclosed. A housing containing a heat source and collimating optics provides a simulated distant infrared target for the missiles. A tapered probe rigidly attachable to the housing fits securely into a central alignment socket in the launcher pod. The probe is accurately offset from the center line of the alignment socket by the housing to establish the optical axis of the simulated target parallel to the axis of the launcher pod, and in front of the stored missiles. The position of the missile within the launch pod is adjustable to maximize the target signal strength received by the missile from the simulated target to achieve missile alignment with the axis of the launcher pod.

Abstract: An optical RF bandpass filter employing a noncoherent optical carrier. The filter consists of a section of multimode optical fiber having a length equal to half the modulation wavelength with mirrors deposited at each end of the fiber. The fiber section functions as a resonant cavity for the intensity modulated light which is directed into the fiber and which exits at one end through one of the partially reflecting mirrors.

Abstract: A mobile vehicle having a high degree of survivability against a nearby nuclear blast. The vehicle includes a chasis on which wheels or the like are mounted for movement along the earth's surface and a protective shell covering the vehicle. A skirt extends downwardly from the shell to a substantially uniform distance above the earth's surface during normal conditions. In the event of a nearby nuclear detonation, sensors on the top of the shell detect the initial flash and initiate braking, retraction of the wheels, and closure of any vents. The vehicle comes to rest on the skirts, which may include seals in contact with the earth. Blast overpressure and winds cannot leak underneath the vehicle. Overpressure on top then forces the vehicle tightly against the earth, preventing it from being overturned or blown away by the blast winds. Thereafter, the vehicle can return to its normal function, e.g. erect and launch a missile contained therein, extend the wheels and resume movement, etc.

Abstract: A transfer unit for serial re-orientation of plural items comprising an item supply train and a rotatable drum within a cylindrical housing. The items are provided serially to an inlet to the housing by a chain ladder or other mechanical means, and are longitudinally and axially re-oriented in the housing for transfer out of the housing. The drum is rotatable about its axis to provide further re-orientation of the items. All internal components of the rotatable drum are synchronously driven by mechanical means, and positive mechanical control of the serially supplied items is maintained at all times.

Abstract: A compound parallelogram four-bar linkage is provided wherein a first primary link is connected to a second primary link through connector links of substantially the same length and the pivotal angles of the first primary link and second primary link are maintained at substantially ninety degrees as movement is transferred from one primary link to the other so that the resonant frequency of the linkage does not vary and the linkage stiffness is independent of the angle of rotation.

Abstract: A method for electroless overplating of a conductive metal on printed wiring circuitry components mounted upon a plastic substrate which eliminates deposit metal overgrowth upon the plastic substrate and plastic bonding materials. The substrate and printed wiring are treated by exposure to a tetrafluoromethane plasma environment to chemically passivate, or neutralize, the plastic or adhesive substrate surface areas prior to electroless plating of the printed circuitry elements, thus preventing the establishment of catalyzing ions on the plastic or adhesive surfaces and subsequent lay down of the deposited metal thereon.

Abstract: A self-erecting collapsible wing for an airframe includes a telescoping strut assembly including a leading strut and a trailing strut each pivoted at an inner end to fixed pins on a base support structure of a wing housing within a slot in the airframe for retraction to a colinear position within the housing and spring biased to an outward fully deployed position. A releasable cover conforming to the curvature of the airframe is normally latched in position over the slot when the wing is in the collapsed position within the wing housing and is jettisoned to permit automatic self-erection of the wing.

Abstract: A projectile trajectory correction system, the projectile itself including a unique steering arrangement. The projectile, initially part of a shell cartridge, is fired, and its position is automatically sensed. A corrected trajectory necessary to hit a target is calculated and data commands are transmitted to the projectile. The data command signals are sensed by an antenna on the projectile. The antenna in turn generates a signal which is fed to the projectile steering mechanism which is deflected in response thereto to steer the projectile onto the correct trajectory. The steering mechanism includes an elongated rod extending from the rear of the projectile into the surrounding air stream. Deflection of the rod provides the actual steering.

Abstract: A device for securing a workpiece to a fixture for performing machining operations includes a tubular, radially expansible mandrel. The mandrel is carried in a passage provided in the fixture and extends into a hole provided in the workpiece. An expander stem is carried within a bore of the mandrel. The stem has an upper end that is tapered for expanding the mandrel. The lower end of the stem is connected to a hydraulic piston. A spring applies an upward force on the mandrel. A hydraulic cylinder moves the stem downwardly, while the spring retains the mandrel in a stationary position until it grips the workpiece. Then, the hydraulic force overcomes the force of the spring to pull the mandrel downward slightly to secure the workpiece to the fixture.

Abstract: Reusable mandrels for fabricating bumped circuit base sheets may be formed by alternative methods. One method involves the selective etching of a copper sheet to develop pits or cavities at predetermined locations. A thin plating layer is deposited on the base sheet, covering the surface including the depressions to form the mandrel. After passivation of the plated surface, copper is plated thereon to form the sheet with the bumps in place. This sheet is then peeled off the mandrel so that the mandrel may be reused for making subsequent bumped sheets. An alternative method of forming the reusable mandrel involves the selected build-up of a base metal sheet by plating with a compatible material about islands of photoresist. Thereafter, the photoresist is removed, leaving cavities where the islands had been. This surface is then plated with a thin layer of nickel to form the permanent mandrel.

Abstract: A projectile trajectory correction system, the projectile itself including a unique steering arrangement. The projectile, initially part of a shell cartridge, is fired, and its position is automatically sensed. A corrected trajectory necessary to hit a target is calculated and data commands are transmitted to the projectile. The data command signals are sensed by an antenna on the projectile. The antenna in turn generates a signal which is fed to the projectile steering mechanism which is deflected in response thereto to steer the projectile onto the correct trajectory. The steering mechanism includes an elongated rod extending from the rear of the projectile into the surrounding air stream. Deflection of the rod provides the actual steering.

Abstract: A graphic aid device is disclosed which may be used with computers having a mouse-type computer cursor controller. The device provides a specific geometric orientation to the mouse, thereby enabling a tracing member attached onto or near the mouse to be used to manually trace complex figures while simultaneously and accurately transferring the complex figures to the computer memory. The device of the present invention utilizes a drawing machine arm to maintain a specific geometrical relationship of the mouse with respect to the surface over which the mouse is moved to trace the complex figure.

Abstract: A cable shield to connector back shell termination device includes a back shell of a multi-pin cable connector, a plurality of metallic tubes adapted to receive individually the end of a shielded cable such that substantially full circumferential conductive contact is maintained between each cable shield and a tube, and a cluster of such tubes conductively bonded together and shaped to fit the back shell for conductive bonding to the back shell. A second embodiment employs a conductive sleeve for conductive mounting on the cable shield. Ridges or fins extending generally lengthwise on the sleeve frictionally, conductively contact the metal tubes. In this manner an uninterrupted conductive surface is maintained at the connector. The connector enclosure thus provides a shield against the intrusion of electromagnetic energy in the environment in which the electrical or electronic wiring and circuits must operate.