Abstract: A safety and arming mechanism for a munition having a housing with a first detonator and an explosive mounted within the housing and in alignment with one another. A shaft is mounted within the housing. A first component is rotatingly fixed to the shaft and is moveable between a first and a second position. A second component is mounted on the shaft between the first detonator and the explosive. The second component is releasably fixed to the housing and is moveable between a safe and an armed position when it is released from the housing. The second component has a bore formed therethrough. The bore is aligned with the first detonator and the explosive when the first component is in the second position and the second component is in the armed position.

Abstract: A fuzing system and method for arming a fuzing system of a projectile using global positioning system (GPS) information from a GPS satellite system. The system determines when two independent verifications have been met before arming the system. The first verification is the detection of a physical characteristic such as sensed acceleration which, if detected by the system, satisfies the first verification criterion. The second verification is detection of flight data via the GPS signals that are received and processed by the system which also indicates that the warhead has been fired (or launched) from a gun, tube or other launching platform. Only when both of these verifications are satisfied does the system arm or permit arming of the system. The use of GPS information to assist in making the second verification reduces the complexity of the system since GPS signals are typically already being used to guide the projectile.

Abstract: In one aspect, an artillery projectile apparatus is provided that includes a carrier projectile containing a payload, and a fuze disposed at an ogive of the projectile and which is configured to eject the payload when the fuze is detonated. The fuze includes a receiver configured to receive location information from a radionavigation source and a processor configured to acquire position data from the receiver. The processor is also configured to estimate a projectile flight path using the position data, to determine intercept parameters of the artillery projectile relative to an ejection plane of its payload cargo, and to adjust an ejection event initiation command time of the payload in accordance with the determined intercept parameters. In some configurations, the present invention dramatically decreases range errors typically associated with delivering artillery payloads to specific targets.

Abstract: A detonator for initiating a detonation event in an explosive charge. The detonator comprises an exploding foil initiator and a switch. The exploding foil initiator includes a detonator bridge with a bridge member and a bridge contact that are electrically coupled to one another. The switch includes a switch contact that is spaced apart from the detonator bridge such that a spark gap of a predetermined width is defined between the bridge contact and the switch contact. A discharge arc, which is formed when a voltage in excess of a predetermined gap breakdown voltage is applied across the spark gap, closes the switch to thereby permit current to flow between the bridge contact and the switch contact.

Abstract: A fuze for a munition adapted to prevent unintended arming thereof. The fuze incorporates an arming screw having a keyed portion and a centrifugal locking mechanism for preventing rotation of the arming screw unless the fuze mechanism is in a rapidly spinning condition such as that experienced when the fuze and its associated munition are deployed from an airborne rocket or artillery shell, and thus spinning at a rate of at least several thousand rpm. The centrifugal locking mechanism includes a pair of locking members which are biased by biasing elements into engagement with the keyed portion of the arming screw. This prevents the arming screw from being accidentally unscrewed from an inertia weight within the fuze, thus placing the fuze in an unintended armed condition.

Abstract: A munition incorporating a fuze mechanism adapted to prevent momentary disarming of the mechanism once same is placed in an armed state. The fuze mechanism incorporates a fuze housing having a slide member movable slidably longitudinally between an unarmed position and an armed position. In an unarmed position, a firing pin tip of an arming screw engages a lock post disposed within an opening in the slide member to hold the slide member in the unarmed position. When the arming screw is unscrewed during airborne deployment of the munition, the firing pin tip is withdrawn from the lock post. This enables a spring to urge the slide member into a laterally extended position. As the slide member moves into its laterally extended position, the lock post drops partially out of the slide member into abutting engagement with a bottom cover of the fuze mechanism, thus preventing the slide member from moving back towards its unarmed position.

Abstract: A high precision electro-mechanical fuze mechanism for a munition such as a hand grenade. The fuze mechanism includes an electromagnetic signal generator having an armature, a permanent magnet, a coil and a magnetic impulse generator (MIG) member. The armature is preloaded during assembly through the use of a spring. Releasing an actuating lever of the grenade allows the armature to begin spinning and to dissipate the energy stored by the spring. This causes a current to be electromagnetically generated in the coil, which is transmitted to an electronic control circuit in the fuze mechanism. The electronic control circuit implements two time delays from two separate timers which each must time out before the control circuit can send an electric firing signal to an electric detonator. Movement of the armature also causes a simultaneous movement of a rotor, which moves a stab detonator into a position closely adjacent the electric detonator.

Abstract: A liquid level sensor for detecting when an upper level of a liquid in a reservoir has reached a predetermined or critical point in the reservoir. The sensor includes a first input plate and a second input plate disposed concentrically relative to the first input plate. Each of the input plates are further of a shape such that an imaginary line extending through the centroid of the first input plate divides each of the first and second input plates approximately in half. An output or receiver plate is positioned closely adjacent the two input plates. The input plates are further disposed in the reservoir such that the centroid is at the predetermined or critical level in the reservoir. The two input plates are alternately electrically excited and the signals coupled to the output plate are detected and repeatedly compared against one another. The output signals will differ in magnitude because of the difference in the dielectric constant of air and the liquid in the reservoir.

Abstract: A digital liquid level sensing apparatus for detecting variations in the dielectric of a substance being sensed. The apparatus includes a capacitive element array including a plurality of individual (i.e., segmented) input plates positioned along an axis of measurement of a fluid to be detected. The array also includes a common output plate having a length sufficient to span the entire accumulated length of the input plates. A controller sequentially applies DC excitation pulses to the input plates which cause a series of output currents to be coupled onto the output plate. The output currents are input to a current-to-voltage amplifier which generates a series of corresponding analog output voltages. The analog output voltages are then input to a peak voltage detector circuit to generate a series of peak voltage signals representative of the magnitudes of the analog output voltages.

Abstract: A digital liquid level sensing apparatus for detecting variations in the dielectric of a substance being sensed, to thereby provide a signal indicative of the level of the liquid being sensed in relation to a known full level. The apparatus includes a reservoir having an output plate and an input plate assembly associated therewith. The input plate assembly includes a plurality of independently electrically excitable input plates which transmit a signal through the liquid being sensed to the output plate. The signals from the output plate are processed and a determination is made as to the level of liquid in the reservoir relative to a known full level. If the input plate assembly is located against the exterior surface of one wall of the reservoir, then both of the interior and exterior portions of that particular wall should be devoid of any metallic surface. In an alternative embodiment, a discardable interior reservoir is provided which fits nestably within the reservoir of the sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus adapted to be coupled between a keyboard and a computer to enable a user to define desired keys as coded keys which are associated with MACROS defined by the user. The apparatus includes a microcontroller and an electrically erasable, programmable read only memory (EEPROM) which monitors codes transmitted from the keyboard and is placed in a programming mode when a predetermined program code is received from the keyboard. Once in the program mode, the next key depressed by the user is denoted as a coded key and the following keys depressed by the user are designated as a user programmed MACRO associated with the coded key. The apparatus stores this information in the EEPROM and thereafter when the coded key is depressed by the user the associated MACRO is generated and transmitted to the computer. The apparatus forms a very compact, relatively inexpensive means for enabling conventional keyboards to function as programmable keyboards.

Abstract: A digital liquid level sensing apparatus and method for detecting variations in the dielectric of a substance being sensed. The apparatus includes a capacitive element array which is disposed in a fluid to be measured and which includes a plurality of individual (i.e., segmented) input plates positioned along an axis of measurement of the fluid to be detected. The array also includes a common output plate having a length sufficient to span the entire accumulated length of the input plates. A controller sequentially applies DC excitation pulses to the input plates which cause a series of output currents to be coupled onto the output plate. The output currents are input to a current-to-voltage amplifier which generates a series of corresponding analog output voltages. The analog output voltages are then input to a peak voltage detector circuit to generate a series of peak voltage signals representative of the magnitudes of the analog output voltages.

Abstract: A remote controlled battery which can be readily substituted for any standard size battery includes a smaller standard size battery and a remote controlled switching circuit inside a hollow casing identical to that of the standard size battery. An anode and a cathode can be electrically connected and disconnected with respect to each other by operation of the remote controlled switching circuit so that any appliance, toy or electrically operated device can be converted into a remote controlled device by substituting the remote controlled battery for a standard battery in the device.