Abstract: A ballistic armored component attaches to the existing retention straps of common combat helmets and provides protection to the otherwise exposed lower skull and upper neck region. A fabric covering contains a soft armor or hard armor insert, and is mounted by straps or other fasteners to existing straps found in conventional helmets. The armor component may be fabric of aramid fibers, or fabric of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, or may be fabricated of a rigid plate of ceramic, polymer, or metal. The armored component adds additional protection from ground-level or subterranean munitions, by placing a ballistic shape on the lower skull region (occipital region), providing significant additional ballistic coverage with minimal weight and bulk. The fabric shell may also be connected directly to the helmet shell, to allow the component to withdraw within the helmet when the wearer's neck is flexed rearwardly.

Abstract: An augmented reality system in which video imagery of a physical environment is combined with video images output by a game engine by the use of a traveling matte which identifies portions of the visible physical environment by techniques such as Computer vision or chroma keying and replaces them with the video images output by the video game engine. The composited imagery of the physical environment and the video game imagery is supplied to a trainee through a headmounted display screen. Additionally, peripheral vision is preserved either by providing complete binocular display to the limits of peripheral vision, or by providing a visual path to the peripheral vision which is matched in luminance to higher resolution augmented reality images provided by the binocular displays. A software/hardware element comprised of a server control station and a controller onboard the trainee performs the modeling, scenario generation, communications, tracking, and metric generation.

Abstract: Support assemblies releasably extending between a ballistic vest and a waist encircling belt transfer the loads from the vest to the belt relieving the stress on the wearer's shoulders and spine. Each support assembly has a stiff carbon fiber bar enclosed within webbing which is attached to a side section of the vest such as by extending within a downwardly opening pocket, and is attached to the belt such as by an upwardly opening pocket.

Abstract: A ballistic armor helmet of parts which allow the helmet to be configured for particular uses and threats. The ballistic armor helmet is provided with two side wings which are fastened, removably or otherwise, to the helmet. Each side wing is fashioned of ballistic material and has a vertical part which extends downwardly to a position below the user's ear, and a front part which projects frontwardly from the vertical part to shield a portion of the user's cheek and provide additional sideward protection. With both side wings in place the front of the user's face is still unobstructed, as there is a substantial gap between the front parts of the side wings, leaving the user free to speak, eat, and breath without significant obstruction. The side wings may be attached by one or more fasteners.

Abstract: A ballistic armor helmet has two or more shell elements which are fixed to one another to define one or more ventilation gaps. The shell elements preferably overlap to keep projectiles from entering the helmet. By dividing the helmet into two or more parts, the depth and extent of the compound curvature of the shells being formed can be reduced, reducing or eliminating the need for gores, by bringing the depth of the compound curves within the inherent formability of polymer coated ballistic fabrics. The helmet more efficiently uses materials, and promotes cooling when in use, resulting in a helmet which covers a greater percentage of the head which is more comfortable and less costly.

Abstract: Ballistic fabric layers are combined to form a multilayered ballistic panel which is enclosed in a thermoplastic bag which forms a waterproof layer around the ballistic panel. An outer cover has fabric sheets which may have sewn on attachments and with an inside thermoplastic coating. The ballistic panel within the thermoplastic bag is inserted within the outer cover and sewn therein. The assumably is heated and placed in a bladder press and formed to a three-dimensional shape normally conforming at least in part to the human body. The final ballistic vest or ballistic component is a thin form-fitting ballistic armor part which is waterproof without stitching through the thermoplastic inner bag and the ballistic panel.

Abstract: A ballistic resistant groin protector is provided. The groin protector includes a groin panel and a deployable groin wrap. The groin panel can be suspended from clothing or equipment to protect a wearer's anterior pelvic region from ballistic impact. The groin wrap is moveable from a stowed position adjacent the anterior pelvic region to a deployed position between the wearer's legs and adjacent a posterior pelvic region. One or more fasteners secure the groin wrap to the wearer's clothing or equipment to maintain the groin wrap in the deployed position. Optional left and right femoral protective portions extend downwardly from the groin wrap to protect the wearer's medial thigh regions against ballistic injury in the deployed position.

Abstract: Support assemblies releasably extending between a ballistic vest and a waist encircling belt transfer the loads from the vest to the belt relieving the stress on the wearer's shoulders and spine. Each support assembly has a stiff carbon fiber bar enclosed within webbing which is attached to a side section of the vest such as by extending within a downwardly opening pocket, and is attached to the belt such as by an upwardly opening pocket.

Abstract: A ballistic armored component attaches to the existing retention straps of common combat helmets and provides protection to the otherwise exposed lower skull and upper neck region. A fabric covering contains a soft armor or hard armor insert, and is mounted by straps or other fasteners to existing straps found in conventional helmets. The armor component may be fabric of aramid fibers, or fabric of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene fibers, or may be fabricated of a rigid plate of ceramic, polymer, or metal. The armored component adds additional protection from ground-level or subterranean munitions, by placing a ballistic shape on the lower skull region (occipital region), providing significant additional ballistic coverage with minimal weight and bulk. The fabric shell may also be connected directly to the helmet shell, to allow the component to withdraw within the helmet when the wearer's neck is flexed rearwardly.

Abstract: A ballistic protection garment assembly has a two sleeves joined by front and back yolks. The sleeved garment can be attached to a variety of ballistic vests with front and rear attachment assemblies which are removably connected to the yolks by zippers. For ballistic vests with appropriate patches of hook and look fastener material, the attachment assemblies comprise mating hook and loop fastener material. For ballistic vests with webbing sewn in the U.S. Army's PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System) arrangement, the attachment assemblies comprise a panel with connected straps which are extended through loops of the vest webbing, and held in place by buckles and C-shaped retaining elements.

Abstract: Support assemblies releasably extending between a ballistic vest and a waist encircling belt transfer the loads from the vest to the belt relieving the stress on the wearer's shoulders and spine. Each support assembly has a stiff carbon fiber bar enclosed within webbing which is attached to a side section of the vest such as by extending within a downwardly opening pocket, and is attached to the belt such as by an upwardly opening pocket. Alternatively, plastic shelves mounted to the belt can support the weight of the vest.

Abstract: A MOLLE system compatible garment has a lightweight attachment structure with a skeleton of horizontal bands connected by a vertical bands. The garment has a unitary bearing frame assembly composed of a glued layup of a substrate which is adhered to an outside layer. The layup is cut to define holes delimiting horizontal bands interrupted at regular intervals by vertical bands presenting attachment points that correspond to those of a conventional PALS webbing system.

Abstract: An augmented reality system in which video imagery of a physical environment is combined with video images output by a game engine by the use of a traveling matte which identifies portions of the visible physical environment by techniques such as Computer vision or chroma keying and replaces them with the video images output by the video game engine. The composited imagery of the physical environment and the video game imagery is supplied to a trainee through a headmounted display screen. Additionally, peripheral vision is preserved either by providing complete binocular display to the limits of peripheral vision, or by providing a visual path to the peripheral vision which is matched in luminance to higher resolution augmented reality images provided by the binocular displays. A software/hardware element comprised of a server control station and a controller onboard the trainee performs the modeling, scenario generation, communications, tracking, and metric generation.

Abstract: A ballistic protection garment assembly has a two sleeves joined by front and back yolks. The sleeved garment can be attached to a variety of ballistic vests with front and rear attachment assemblies which are removably connected to the yolks by zippers. For ballistic vests with appropriate patches of hook and look fastener material, the attachment assemblies comprise mating hook and loop fastener material. For ballistic vests with webbing sewn in the U.S. Army's PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System) arrangement, the attachment assemblies comprise a panel with connected straps which are extended through loops of the vest webbing, and held in place by buckles and C-shaped retaining elements.

Abstract: A revolver type cylinder with a plurality of chambers for a shotgun. The rotating cylinder is generally hexagonal in cross-section and formed as an injection molded plastic part with openings that receive metal chamber sleeves. The cylinder has a rotation axis and a seventh opening surrounding the axis. The cylinder is mounted to, and rotatable on a receiver on a rotor and a cylinder pin captured within the seventh opening so as to prevent rotation of the cylinder pin with respect to the cylinder body. The cylinder pin has portions forming a central axial opening which extends along the rotational axis and a spring arranged to retract the cylinder pin into the cylinder body. A trigger linkage is mounted for movement in the central axial opening for linking a trigger to a firing mechanism through the opening.

Abstract: A stowable outerwear garment is provided. The outerwear garment includes a shortened torso portion that deploys from an integral pouch to provide protection to a wearer's upper torso when worn in combination with a load-bearing vest. The shortened torso portion can include an elastic band extending about the wearer's torso and a plurality of fasteners supported by the elastic band to detachably secure the garment to the load-bearing vest. Sleeves can extend from the torso portion and can include an outer waterproof shell, an inner lining and an insulating material therebetween.

Abstract: A MOLLE system compatible garment has a lightweight attachment structure with a skeleton of horizontal bands connected by a few vertical bands. The horizontal bands are thus accessible from both the interior and the exterior permitting accessories to be attached to either side of the garment. The bands may be sewn with regularly spaced vertical seams to each other or to a plastic substrate. The horizontal bands are connected with supportive vertical bands which serve to retain the shape of the garment, and which do not interfere with the regularly spaced loops of the horizontal webbing bands. Conventional accessories can be attached to both the interior and the exterior of the garment.

Abstract: A quick-release garment has portions connected about a wearer and held in place by hook and loop fasteners. Quick-release tabs are connected to a rear portion of a hook and loop fastener element so as to extend along it and to project along an opposite end in a position making a loop piece accessible by the wearer. By pulling on the loop piece, the wearer causes the connected fastener to fold on to itself, thereby peeling apart the hook and loop fastener assembly. Such an arrangement is provided in a plate-carrying vest garment at a shoulder and at a cummerbund to allow convenient and rapid doffing of the garment, while being simply reassembled after such removal.