Abstract: A method for accelerating projectiles comprises introducing the projectile into an accelerator barrel, feeding a combustible gas mixture into said barrel and igniting said mixture to accelerate the projectile, and is characterized in that a fluid is stored in the projectile and is ejected therefrom into the space between the projectile and the barrel. Suitable accelerator systems are disclosed.

Abstract: A portable tripod of the kind in which first, second and third telescopic legs are hinged to a head portion and each telescoping leg has a fixed tubular leg member and at least one telescoping leg member slidably mounted therein. The fixed tubular members of the first and second legs are interconnected by telescoping bracing means to form a leg assembly the two legs of which have two degrees of swinging freedom. There are provided backpacking means on the leg assembly.

Abstract: An apparatus for creating controlled temperature changes on a contact surface, comprises: a) a probe having a contact surface, which probe is suitable for creating fast temperature changes at the contact surface; b) temperature generation assembly, coupled to the probe, being capable of creating cryogenic and above 0.degree. C. temperatures at the contact surface of the probe; and c) processing assembly to control the temperature generation assembly according to predetermined operating conditions.

Abstract: A method and device for creating a surface having a fast changing temperature, comprises providing a heat exchanger coupled to an orifice opening into a jacket which is in contact with the surface to be heated and cooled, the said jacket forming a reservoir capable of housing a fluid in contact with the surface to be heated and cooled, and providing two gas sources, each gas source being independently connected to the said heat exchanger, one source providing a first gas, which liquefies when it expands through the said orifice, and the other gas source providing a second gas, having an inversion temperature lower than the temperature obtained by the liquefaction of the first gas, and causing the exhaust gas flowing out from the said jacket, to flow through the said heat-exchanger to preheat or precool the inflowing gas, as the case may be, and further causing the said first and the said second gas alternately to flow through the said heat exchanger and orifice, to cool or to heat the said surface; structure

Abstract: A staring infrared microscope which includes optics for focusing a magnified image of an object onto a 2D array detector of IR sensitive elements, a processor for processing the information received from the 2D array detector, including controlling the integration time of the 2D array detector as a function of the magnification of the object to generate a thermal descriptive image of object, and a display for displaying the thermal descriptive image. Also disclosed is a scanning infrared microscope which includes optics for focusing a magnified image of an object onto a linear array detector of IR sensitive elements including a scanning mirror for scanning the object and a processor for processing the information received from the linear array detector to generate a thermal descriptive image of object. The scanning infrared microscope further includes an output display for displaying the thermal descriptive image.

Abstract: A station-to-station communication system with a built-in testing arrangement in at least one of the stations. The testing arrangement includes a transmitter/receiver pair with associated light/electricity and electricity/light transducers connectable at will by controlled switching means. When the transmitter/receiver pair is connected to each other, electro-optical light signals emitted by the transmitter are returned to the receiver and produce perceptible signals.

Abstract: A method of protecting a predetermined area, comprises the steps of: a) providing a base station positioned essentially at the center of the area to be protected, the said base station being provided with scanning laser beam generating and receiving means, image and signal processing units, memory means, voice receiving and transmitting means and image viewing means; b) causing a laser beam generated by the base station to be reflected from the surveyed area into the receiving means of the base station; c) processing the received reflected light to generate an image of the surveyed area; d) storing one or more scanned images in memory means, to be used as reference images; e) at any given time, comparing a real-time scanned image with one or more stored reference image(s), to determine changes which have occurred on the image, which exceed predetermined threshold values, and alerting the operator of the base station of any such changes; f) providing one or more moving station(s) comprising emitting/receiving

Abstract: A large area movement robot including a chassis, controllable apparatus for displacement of the chassis, navigation apparatus for controlling the operation of the controllable apparatus, the navigation apparatus comprising a scanning range finder mounted on the chassis, apparatus associated with the scanning range finder for determining the azimuthal orientation of a retroreflecting object whose range is simultaneously determined by the scanning range finder and apparatus responsive to the sensed range and angular orientation of the retroreflecting object for providing operating instructions to the controllable apparatus.

Abstract: An airborne obstacle collision avoidance apparatus which includes an object sensor for sensing objects within a field of view of the aircraft and an aircraft navigation system for navigating the aircraft through space. The apparatus also includes a signal processor for receiving data from both the object sensor and the aircraft navigation system, for generating map data of the objects within the field of view of the aircraft, for dynamically changing the map data as the aircraft moves through space and for determining the probability that the aircraft is on a collision course with respect to each sensed object. The apparatus further includes an alarm which is activated when the signal processor determines that there is a high probability that the current aircraft flight direction is on a collision course with respect to a sensed object.

Abstract: A multiple access communications system reuses a set of N carrier frequencies in adjacent communications sites to provide more than N minimally cross-correlated frequency-hopping communications channels. A first set of communications channels is associated with a first of the communications sites. No two of the channels in the first set employ the same frequency at the same time. A second set of communications channels is associated with a second of the adjacent communications sites. No two of the channels in the second set of channels employ the same one of the N carrier frequencies at the same time. One or more sets of the minimally cross-correlated channels are further defined so that none of the channels in such sets employ the same frequency at the same time as more than a predetermined number of the channels in another of the sets of the minimally cross-correlated frequency-hopping communications channels.

Abstract: A pay out system for paying out a flexible elongated element such as a filament, connecting a first object such as an air vehicle, to a second object such as a launcher, includes a bobbin carried by the first object and having a first flexible elongated element wound therearound one end of which is connected to the first object and the opposite end of which is connected to the second object by a second flexible elongated element wound in loop form on a second bobbin adjacent to the second object. A tension sensor senses the tension in the second flexible elongated element. A clutch normally couples the second bobbin to the tension sensor but is effective, when the tension in the second flexible elongated element reaches a predetermined value, to decouple the second bobbin and to permit it to rotate in a direction to pay out the second flexible elongated element from the second bobbin.

Abstract: An active defense system against ballistic missiles. The system includes a fleet consisting of a plurality of flying platforms fitted with interceptor missiles which loiter over hostile territory. The flying platforms communicate with each other by suitable data links and at least some of them also communicate with a ground station located in friendly territory. The interceptor missiles have electro-optical seeking and tracking capabilities and the data which the missile generates while in captive flight are communicated to a processor of the associated flight platform for autonomous decision whether to launch or not to launch the missile.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring the rate of rotation and linear acceleration of a moving body in two perpendicular axis (X and Y). The rate of rotation is determined by measuring the force resulting from the Coriolus effect and the linear acceleration is determined by measuring the resulting force in the axis of acceleration. The apparatus includes an integral flexing unit which during rest extends in the Z axis, having a flexure zone with two degrees of flexing freedom. A proof mass is resiliently mounted on the flexing unit remote from the flexure zone with one degree of oscillation in parallel to the Z axis. The proof mass is caused to oscillate at constant amplitude by suitable electric means whereby, upon rotation of the body or linear acceleration thereof, the flexure unit oscillates by periodic bending of the flexure zone and the extent of flexure which is proportionate to the rate of rotation and/or linear acceleration, is determined by suitable electro optical means.

Abstract: A mobile pneumatic apparatus for combined pneumatic and manual lifting and lowering of heavy objects. A vertically reciprocable carriage is mounted on a trolley and is linked by a hauling device to a vertically reciprocable pneumatic piston associated with gas flow controls and a weight sensor. The piston may optionally be coupled with hydraulic braking means.

Abstract: A device, particularly a missile, includes a body having an appendage, e.g., a wing, normally folded in an inoperative position and to be unfolded to an operative position when the body is accelerated in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the body. The appendage is pivotally mounted about a first pivot axis extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the body, and also about a second pivot axis extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. The center of gravity of the appendage is outwardly of the first pivot axis in the folded condition of the appendage such that the acceleration of the body produces a moment pivotting the appendage about the first pivot axis.

Abstract: A device for cleaning surfaces of chemical contaminants. The device comprises a hopper-like vessel having upper and lower chambers separated by a horizontal partition that constitutes the bottom of the upper chamber; an inverted U-shaped withdrawal tube located within said upper chamber and having intake and delivery legs which intake leg terminates short of the bottom of the upper chamber and which delivery leg opens into said lower chamber; an injector pipe having a nozzle located within the lower chamber and aligned therewith a delivery pipe having its intake end located within the lower chamber, the injection and delivery pipes producing together a pumping effect whereby the decontaminating agent is sucked from the upper chamber and a dispersion is formed in situ.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining the rate of rotation of a body rotating with an angular velocity .omega. about a first axis. The apparatus comprises a housing adapted to be fixed to the body so as to rotate with the angular velocity .omega. about the first axis and a mechanical system within the housing having more than two degrees of freedom. Electromagnetic drive coils are provided for applying a forced vibration to the mechanical system about a second axis substantially perpendicular to the first axis, thereby producing a Coriolis response along a third axis mutually perpendicular to the first and second axes, the forced vibration having a predetermined magnitude and a frequency which is constrained to lie within a predetermined range such that there is produced a coupling between the degrees of freedom whereby the magnitude of the Coriolis response is substantially insensitive to frequency.

Abstract: An electromagnetic pulse simulator includes two large-area electrodes mounted in spaced apart relation, and a high voltage generator electrically connected to the two electrodes to apply a high voltage between them. The electrical connection of the high-voltage generator and at least one of the electrodes comprises a plurality of electrical conductors in mutually-spaced relation with each conductor being enclosed within an insulating sheath filled with an insulating gas under pressure.

Abstract: A new two-axis accelerometer comprising a rotating body linked to the motor rotor via a flexure zone. In a first type the rotating mass is concentrated and the flexure zone permits the rotating mass to perform a transversal parallel shift. In a second type the rotating body is an inertia rotor and the flexure zone is an extension of the rotor shaft that embodies a flexible portion. In either type the rotating body/flexure zone combination has two degrees of flexing freedom with two different flexure coefficients in two mutually perpendicular directions both normal to the electric motor shaft. The accelerometer further comprises a deflector shaft coaxial with the rotor shaft and extending beyond the rotating body and associated with electro-optical measuring means and processor means for measuring linear acceleration components in said two mutually perpendicular directions.

Abstract: A composite protective body suitable, among others, for making protective garments comprises a pliable flat case with at least one panel of soft ballistic material, and an insert within the case. The insert is composed of a plurality of consituent bodies of glass or ceramic material. The constituent bodies of the insert are of axisymmetrical or centrosymmetrical shape and of a size commensurate with that of the kinetic missiles against which protection is to be afforded. The bodies are arranged in at least two superimposed layers in each of which the constituent bodies are spaced from each other by a distance smaller than the size of a body with each body in one layer bridging a gap between two bodies of the adjacent layer. Each constituent body of the insert is glued to all surrounding bodies by thermoplastic or thermosetting material.