Abstract: A split retaining ring for locking a separable tire bead flange on a wheel rim has inboard and outboard facing portions and two circumferentially aligned terminal ends, each terminal end characterized by an outboard facing tab having a drilled-through bore. A buckle member having a pair of apertures is mounted on the retaining ring such that each tab passes through a respective aperture and the buckle functions to maintain the terminal ends of the retaining ring in a specific orientation when it is mounted on a wheel rim. A wire fastener is positioned through each drilled bore in a tab to retain the buckle member on the split retaining ring.

Abstract: An airborne spin dispensing apparatus (100,101) and method of dispensing a plurality of sub-units (60) such that the ground plane impact pattern of the plurality of sub-units substantially corresponds to a particular geometric ground target. An onboard microprocessor (24) which receives flight data (26) and a selected target data (28) also has a program store of sub-unit ejection sequences each of which corresponds to a particular target impact geometry. The microprocessor (24) selects an appropriate sub-unit ejection sequence in accordance with the flight and selected target data and effects a release of the sub-units (60) from the spinning apparatus such that their ground impact pattern substantially matches the geometry of the ground target.

Abstract: A plurality of polyurethane layers, some of which have a contrasting color with respect to an adjacent layer is formed into a laminate. During preparation, each layer is separately formed, as by spraying, and the contrasting color ensures that the preceding layer can be fully covered. The laminate can be utilized to cover areas or objects which are otherwise difficult to ensure that it has a continuous or complete coating. The invention is suitable for use as a coating and for the preparation of various in situ articles or enclosures, for example a fuel tank, such as commercial and military aircraft.

Abstract: This invention provides for heating a brake assembly electrically to prevent it from freezing. More specifically this invention provides for heating electrically an aircraft multi-disk brake assembly.An electric resistance heating element 12 is adapted to form a heater 10 to provide heating to a brake stack 44. Heat may be transferred either directly to the brake stack 44 or indirectly by first heating a member of the brake assembly 36. This member in turn transfers heat to the brake stack.The heater 10 may be formed to fit within the cavity formed by a torque tube 26 wherein the heater abuts a substantial portion of the torque tube 26.Signals from a thermocouple may be used for activation and deactivation of the heater 10.

Abstract: An indicator for monitoring both the temperature and the degree of wear of a brake. Specifically this invention may be used with multi-disk brakes, especially aircraft brakes. Upon brake actuation, a pressure plate compresses stationary and rotating members to provide braking. A probe member moves with and in contact with the pressure plate. The degree of wear of the brake stack is determined by the relative distance traveled by the probe. The probe member may be marked with indicia for indicating the wear or remaining brake life. The probe member also has a thermocouple embedded within it, thereby providing temperature indication of the brake stack. Signals from the thermocouple may be transmitted for indication and/or processing. Furthermore, this invention provides for modification of existing wear pins by the attachment of a thermocouple assembly.

Abstract: A spray nozzle extension is affixed to the output of a conventional spray gun apparatus to allow an operator to spray a polymeric elastomer into enclosed spaces of an integral fuel tank cavity such as to form an in situ tank within the cavity. The nozzle tip is extended from the spray gun by a flexible hose and the complete unit includes variously arranged in-line filter and swivel connectors to achieve dispersion of lumps in the spray material and axial, yaw, and pitch rotation of the nozzle tip respectively.

Abstract: A system of enhancing a limited field of view (LFOV) aircraft simulator, having less than a full 360.times.360 degree continuous field of view, such that while a primary object is tracking within the field of view it is fully reproduced as an aircraft, target, runway, etc. and once it migrates outside of this area, or if another primary object is located outside of this area, the object is represented and tracked as a light spot. Once the primary object migrates within the limited field of view, the light spot will be extinguished and replaced by the fully reproduced object. The relative distance of the primary object to the simulated cockpit is illustrated by varying the magnitude of the light spot.

Abstract: A split retaining ring 60 locking a separable tire bead flange 14 on a wheel rim 10 has inboard 60a and outboard 60b facing portions and circumferentially aligned terminal ends 40, 50, each terminal end characterized by a drilled-through bore 46, 56 extending in the axial direction of the ring from the inboard facing portion to the outboard facing portion. A lockwire 70 is positioned through each drilled bore 46, 56 to retain the terminal ends 40, 50 of the split ring in a predetermined circumferential spaced-apart relationship.

Abstract: A fusible thermally responsive device (20) for mounting in a bore (12) provided for it in a wheel (10) to vent an overpressure condition caused by heat generated in an aircraft wheel and brake assembly comprises a rod-shaped length of a thermally activated virgin eutectic alloy (34) exhibiting a tolerance within .+-.1.degree. F. of a specific melt temperature established for the alloy, which rod-shaped eutectic alloy in its virgin solid form has one end (34b) machined to a self-holding taper such as to be press-fit into a mating bore (28,48) having the same self-holding taper (28b,48b) in a cylindrical carrier member (22,42). The carrier is mounted in the wheel bore, either from the inside (22) or the outside (42) of the wheel, and a pair of O-ring type seals (32,52,62) provide a positive sealing relationship between the virgin eutectic (34) and the carrier (22,42) and between the carrier (22,42) and the wheel (10).

Abstract: A reciprocating drive for operative axial communication with a brake disk stack through a pressure plate to compress the disk stack for braking of a rotatable wheel comprises: a relatively stationary annular housing; an annular ram member mounted coaxially within the housing and adapted for axial movement and contacting engagement with the pressure plate to effect compression of the brake disk stack; a relatively rotatable annular ring gear member mounted coaxially between the housing and the ram member; a plurality of rollers operative between the rotatable ring gear and ram members to effect an axial movement of the ram member when interacting with the rotatable ring gear member; and at least two high torque motors mounted within the housing and having pinion drives for operative engagement with the ring gear member to rotate the member in response to an electrical signal.

Abstract: A flexible and collapsible storage tank (10) for holding large volumes of material is fabricated in a rectangular shape from long lengths of a rubberized square-woven fabric. The lengths of fabric are oriented with overlapping adjacent edges to form inner (122) and outer (124) envelope structures which are integrally vulcanized into a homogeneous tank body (20). The inner envelope (122) is formed by longitudinally oriented fabric plies (22) having overlapping adjacent edges (22a) while the outer envelope (124) is formed by edge plies of fabric (26) folded about the peripheral edges of the inner envelope (122) and orthogonally oriented fabric plies (24) positioned on either side of the inner envelope (122). The tank (10) includes an air vent valve (40) mounted in its top and a closure (30) which clamps and seals a corner exposure (20a) of the tank body (20) and provides access and communication into the tank for filling and emptying.

Abstract: A control circuit for regulating the application and release of brake force in an electric brake. A pulse width modulator presents an output signal of regulatable duty cycle to power drivers connected to the electric motors of the brake. A control circuit regulates the direction of current flow through the motors to achieve either brake application or brake release. The output of the pulse width modulator is set by the position of the brake pedal or by a signal which is a function of the correlation betwen brake torque and the position of the brake pedal, whichever is larger.

Abstract: Apparatus for electrically controlling the application and release of aircraft brakes. In one embodiment, the invention includes a slurry clutch controlling a reciprocating member which is operatively connected to the pressure plate. In another embodiment of the invention, a torque motor is adapted to have an armature which comprises a ball screw, the ball screw being in engagement with a longitudinal drive rod interconnected with the pressure plate. Rotation of the armature causes the drive rod to move the pressure plate into forceful engagement with the brake disk stack or to retract the same. In yet another embodiment of the invention, a plurality of torque motors are interconnected with a bull gear which is operative for driving the pressure plate.

Abstract: An armored panel construction for a shelter to defeat ballistic fragment and thermal radiation threats comprises an inner structural panel of aluminum alloy sheets bonded to a honeycomb core and an outer face panel of an aramid fiber fabric in a multi-ply resin matrix laminate. The face panel is in a specific spaced relationship to the inner structural panel such that the energy of an impacting projectile is distributed over a large area and the face panel is allowed to flex inwardly in the absorption of such energy.

Abstract: A plurality of polyurethane layers, some of which have a contrasting color with respect to an adjacent layer is formed into a laminate. During preparation, each layer is separately formed, as by spraying, and the contrasting color ensures that the preceding layer can be fully covered. The laminate can be utilized to cover areas or objects which are otherwise difficult to ensure that it has a continuous or complete coating. The invention is suitable for use as a coating and for the preparation of various in situ articles or enclosures, for example a fuel tank, such as commercial and military aircraft.

Abstract: A friction brake disk is formed having a plurality of T-shaped slots extending through a peripheral edge thereof from one braking face surface to the other and each slot carries a keyslot reinforcement comprised of a metallic insert member having the same T-shaped configuration such as to be easily inserted in the slot in the axial direction of the disk but restrained from being removed in the radial direction. Each insert member is locked within the slot in the axial direction by at least one retaining clip that is fastened to the insert member and extends beyond the slot into the face surface of the disk.

Abstract: A transparent moisture-resistant mercaptan composition is made utilizing an amino-titanate catalyst. The composition can be utilized in association with high heat-resistant transparent compositions containing a boroxine compound.

Abstract: A method for preparing a polyurethane suitable for lining fuel tanks, said polyurethane having good, fuel resistance and improved hydrolysis resistance by using a ketimine of an aliphatic diamine as a curing agent in a three-component system composed of a prepolymer solution, a cement solution and a curing agent solution.

Abstract: A method for preparing a polyurethane which has good long term flexibility, solvent resistance and resistance to hydrolysis, said method comprising mixing three components just prior to curing said components comprising a prepolymer solution, a cement solution and a crosslinking solution, said crosslinking solution comprising a solvent, an aromatic diamine and the ketimine of an aliphatic diamine.

Abstract: A retaining ring (30) for use in combination with a wheel rim (10) having a separable bead flange (14) to secure the separable bead flange on the rim in the absence of a properly inflated tire is characterized by an inboard facing portion (30a) and an outboard facing portion (30b) and a split in the ring defining terminal ends, (32,33) each terminal end having a circumferentially oriented first bore (36,37) in the inboard facing portion (30a) and a second bore (38,39) in the outboard facing portion (30b) at an angular relationship with respect to the first bore.