Abstract: The milling machine disclosed herein offers significant advantages over prior milling machines, particularly in the field of milling composite panels. The structure of the milling machine, having a C-shaped frame with a clamping mechanism that cooperates with roller transfer balls, provides an accurate and stable reference during the milling operation. A vacuum system substantially eliminates the dust produced during the milling operation, so that the machine is cleaner and grinds more accurately. An electrical system, having a retractable bit control and emergency stopping modes, facilitates even more accurate grinding without undesirable results.

Abstract: A variable contour control surface (30a) and a transition section (30a) are designed to eliminate the discontinuities that exist between an aircraft wing control surface and the wing itself. The variable contour is provided by translating the top skin of the control surface relative to the top surface of the wing with the bottom surfaces of the wing and control surface being joined as a single surface. This movement results in a change in the camber of the control surface. The transition section (30a) is a flexible connection between the inboard and outboard ends of the control surface (30a) and the wing. The transition section (30a) is stiffened by rods (40, 41) which run both fore to aft and spanwise within an elastomeric material. The transition section (30b) may be used in conjunction with either a fixed contour control surface or a variable contour control surface.

Abstract: A system for monitoring strains and stresses on rope structures and rigid structures containing the ropes is provided wherein a fiber optic is included in a rope structure and change in the fiber's light transmissive/reflective properties, which are caused by strains and stresses on the fiber, are monitored.

Abstract: Provided is a method and apparatus for deploying an inflatable antenna from a compressed storage position on the trailer bed of a transport vehicle. A support structure is provided having a pair of spaced apart actuating rails for engagement with the antenna during deployment and a storage compartment stored on the trailer bed of the transport vehicle. The storage compartment is formed of a base wall which is pivotally affixed to both the trailer bed and one end of the compressed antenna, and a deployment structure affixed to the opposing end of the compressed antenna. The deployment structure is partitioned lengthwise to form first and second shelter compartments which are hinged together at one end and pivotable with respect to one another between a closed storage position and an open A-frame position.

Abstract: Devices and methods are taught by this invention of populating excited energy levels with fundamental particles. When these populated excited energy levels are further pumped, a population inversion used in quantum electronic applications can result. Each of the various methods involve pumping on an excited energy level of an elemental physical system to cause, by the absorption of energy, the transition of fundamental particles from the excited energy level to a higher energy level. Part of the energy is used for transition of fundamental particles residing in neighboring elemental physical systems from the lowest energy to the excited energy level.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for mounting a gate array device 12 on a printed circuit board 14. The device 12 includes at least two pin-type electrical contacts 22, 24 and a plurality of button-type contacts. A sheet of boron nitride 26 is positioned between the printed circuit 14 and the gate array device 12. The sheet of boron nitride 26 includes a plurality of openings extending therethrough in a pattern corresponding to the pattern of electrical contacts 18 on the gate array device 12. The openings 32 in the sheet of boron nitride 26 have resilient electrical contacts 34 disposed therein. The printed circuit board 14 includes a plurality of button-type contacts 40 disposed on a surface thereof in a pattern corresponding to the button-type contacts of the gate array device 12 and the resilient electrical contacts 34.

Abstract: Provided is a collapsible antenna formed of one or more generally planar and vertically inclined inflatable panels. According to the invention, each of the panels has a continuous outer wall, a continuous inner wall and a plurality of web partitions extending between the inner and outer walls to form a series of tubular members. The inner wall of the collapsible antenna is at least partially covered by a metallic material and a plurality of dipole elements are affixed to the web partitions and spaced from the inner wall in a predetermined relationship such that the antenna will operate at a preselected frequency when inflated.

Abstract: A hand-held joystick has spaced-apart groups of accelerometers and is free to move or rotate on multiple axes. Each group has, for example, three mutually perpendicular accelerometers, with each one producing an electrical signal responsive to linear acceleration along one axis. The signals are combined to derive a definition of acceleration of the joystick along the three mutually perpendicular linear axes and/or rotation about these axes. The combined signal is used by an electrical control system which provides input to a device being controlled. The signal to the device under control is responsive to the motion of the joystick.

Abstract: A digitizing system for automatically recording data points representative of, for example, sheet metal templates having varying shapes is disclosed. A stylus connected to a tracing arm is guided along the edge of a template. As the arm moves, digital scales generate a stream of encoded electrical pulses which yield direction and distance information. These pulses are then decoded, counted, and stored. If the operator has selected the automatic digitize mode, a data point is automatically stored each time the stylus moves a predetermined distance in the X, Y, or Z direction. The present invention also provides an improved method of optimizing or compressing the stored set of data points.

Abstract: A metal structural component (10) is formed by placing metal tubes (16) between two metal sheets (12) and plastically deforming the tubes (16) by injecting pressured gas therein. The injected gas expands the tubes by superplastic deformation until diffusion bonding occurs between the metal sheets (12) and expanded tubes (16) to form the desired support structure between the metal sheets (12).

Abstract: A system of printed circuit boards is interconnected by using connectors having electrically conductive assemblies that include both pins and sockets. The pins of the assemblies of one connector pass through apertures in the printed circuit boards and engage the sockets of assemblies of another connector on the other side of the printed circuit board. In this manner any number of printed circuit boards may be interconnected to form continuous electrical circuits from one printed circuit board to the next and also provide a mechanical means of holding the system of printed circuit boards together.

Abstract: The flooring structure of this invention controls electrostatic charges. The normal presence of moisture will not affect the flooring structure's ability to control electrostatic charges. A moisture detector circuit will, however, indicate the presence of moisture, and can activate means for drying this moisture. The resistance of the flooring structure can be adjusted so that electrostatic charges are dissipated at different rates. Multiple flooring structures with different resistance values can be placed side by side.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hole profile gage comprising a probe that senses deviations in the contour of the inner surface of a bore while it is retracted through the bore. The profile gage includes a processing unit that samples the output from the probe, develops a profile for the hole, and evaluates whether the profile is within predetermined tolerance limits. In a preferred embodiment, the probe comprises a split ball probe coupled with a transducer. In use, the probe is retracted through the bore by a spring coupled with a damping device.

Abstract: An encoder circuit utilizes a pair of digital memories clocked at a slower write than read rate to compact analog input data, blanking and synchronization pulse intervals, and generate NTSC video. The NTSC formatted data may be stored utilizing conventional NTSC tape or disc recording equipment or may be transmitted, duplicated, monitored or transcribed utilizing readily available NTSC video equipment. A decoder circuit is provided to reprocess the NTSC video formatted data and restore it to its original form by removing the synchronization and blanking intervals and, utilizing a pair of digital memories clocked at a faster write than read rate, re-stretch the data which was compacted in the time dimension by the encoder circuit.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for controlled crystal growth. The apparatus involves two tandemly aligned heat pipes separated by a conductive sleeve. The heat pipes establish two different isothermal temperature zones while the sleeve defines a gradient zone. A crystallization zone is located in this gradient zone. The method for controlled growth of a crystal involves lowering an ampoule through the gradient zone at an effective rate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for stabilizing the frequency at which a laser cavity oscillates comprising a passive system which provides a plurality or continuum of optical paths of differing lengths. The various paths correspond to differences in mode parameters in the cavity, and involve compensating changes in polarization, beam direction, beam divergence, and the like, in exchange for a constant optical path length in the laser cavity. The unchanging optical path length results in a stable frequency of oscillation despite physical changes in the cavity which might otherwise alter that path length.

Abstract: A method for applying a uniform sealant coating over the portion of a fastener exposed above a panel includes applying a sealant retaining shell over the exposed portion of the fastener to define a closed volume between the shell, fastener and panel. The shell has an aperture, removed from the mouth of the shell, for receiving sealant therethrough. An injection nozzle receiving structure for receiving a sealant injector nozzle therein is provided adjacent and substantially aligned with the aperture. Sealant is injected into the shell through the injection nozzle receiving structure and through the aperture therein to fill the area between the fastener and the shell. A pressure is selected for injecting the sealant such that injection is stopped when the shell is filled. The sealant is allowed to cure and the retaining shell is removed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an optical reimaging system which incorporates multiple sets of lenses to transmit an image from one plane to another in the form of image segments which are detected by one or more discrete detector arrays. Signals generated by the detector array or arrays can be used to recombine the image segments to reproduce the image transmitted from the first focal plane. These image segments can be contiguous or separated, inverted or not, depending on the lens arrangment and magnification used. In infrared applications, all or a portion of the reimaging system may be cooled to reduce contaminating warm radiation.

Abstract: A system of printed circuit boards is interconnected by using connectors having electrically conductive assemblies that include both pins and sockets. The pins of the assemblies of one connector pass through apertures in the printed circuit boards and engage the sockets of assemblies of another connector on the other side of the printed circuit board. In this manner any number of printed circuit boards may be interconnected to form continuous electrical circuits from one printed circuit board to the next and also provide a mechanical means of holding the system of printed circuit boards together.

Abstract: A process for producing reinforced laminate plastic panel structures by thermoplastic compression employing internal mold mandrels which are significantly embrittled during or subsequent to the compression step. Hat stiffened panels formed from two thermoplastic resin sheets may be produced by using elongated mandrels formed of ceramic particulate material adhered together by a binder such as an alkali metal silicate. The mandrels are arranged between a skin sheet and hat stiffener sheets with the respective sheets disposed between the platens of a hydraulic press or other suitable compression molding mechanism. Sandwich laminate structures can be formed employing free thermoplastic resin sheets with a first set of ceramic particulate mandrels interposed between one adjacent pair of sheets and a second set of such mandrels interposed between the other adjacent pair of sheets.