Abstract: A relatively simple variable area divergent exhaust nozzle and low drag afterbody integrated with a target-type thrust reverser and used in conjunction with a convergent nozzle for application to the propulsion system of a high performance jet powered aircraft. Two or more aerodynamically shaped afterbody surfaces may be pivoted with a common actuation system to form: first an efficient nozzle-afterbody suitable for subsonic operation; second, a divergent nozzle-afterbody for efficient supersonic operation and; third, a target-type thrust reverser for in-flight or ground roll deceleration.

Abstract: An acoustical laminate comprising multi-ply glass fabric impregnated with an epoxy resin and a method of manufacturing the laminate. The laminate may be bonded to suitable backing, such as a honeycomb core with a solid backing, to produce an acoustical panel. The panel provides excellent, substantially linear, sound absorption characteristics.

Abstract: A cantilevered seat for a transit vehicle having a seat shell and a back pan molded from polycarbonate structural foam plastic. The seat shell has contoured into its front surface two seat recess areas and two back recess areas. The seat shell is an integral member having a front panel with a laterally extending flange formed around its periphery. The rear surface of the seat shell has plurality of integrally molded horizontal, diagonal, and vertical structural rib members. Substantially in the center of the seat shell is a major vertical structural rib member and the matrix formed by said vertical, diagonal, and horizontal rib members is symmetrical about said major vertical rib member whereby the seat shell can be used either as a right hand mounted or a left hand mounted cantilevered seat. The back pan has integrally molded channels on its inwardly facing surface for receiving the vertical and horizontal rib members extending outwardly from the rear surface of the seat shell.

Abstract: The head portion of a T-shape strip of elastomeric material is threaded lengthwise into the undercut sides of a channel formed in one of two members to be joined together so that the stem or body portion of the strip projects therefrom. The strip is so located, and this projecting stem portion is of such thickness, as to enter a narrow channel with serrated sides formed in the other of said members. Supported as on a fulcrum on a narrow neck portion projecting from the free edge of the strip stem portion, and spaced slightly from the stem portion, is a transversely curved portion which is slightly wider than the serrated channel. Upon movement of the two members toward each other, the stem portion forces the transversely curved portion to flex, and enter into the serrated channel, in which position the edges of the curved portion are in gripping relation with the channel serrations, and thus resist its withdrawal.

Abstract: For assemblying a plurality of extruded aluminum strakes with their edges formed for interconnection by plastic key joints, thereby to form a side wall for a transit vehicle, a panel support is formed to support a required plurality of the strakes in completed conformation. Clamping mechanism then squeezes the strakes laterally to a designed assembled width, thereby interlocking the joints, and opening up a key-forming passage lengthwise within each joint. An adhesive injecting manifold is mounted for reciprocation toward and away from one end of a panel on the support, with a nozzle on each of a plurality of outlets of the manifold for sealed engagement, one with each panel joint passage. The manifold inlet has controlled connection to a supply of pressurized, flowable, hardenable, key-forming compound for injection into the joint passages, with flushing means arranged for alternate connection to the nozzles for flushing out the nozzles and manifold after use.

Abstract: A plurality of sub-assemblies comprising elements of a transit vehicle are first completed individually in their respective jigs. Each of selected ones of these sub-assemblies has embodied therein an extrusion having a trackway formed thereon for alignment with a selected conveyor way provided therefor in a collector, which travels in successive cycles along a selected path on a final assembly floor. Each of said selected sub-assemblies has joint means formed thereon for interlocking engagement with complementary joint means provided on one or more of the other sub-assemblies. The selected sub-assemblies are conveyed, by means of their trackways riding along their respective conveyor ways, into the collector, and thus into interlocked relation with each other in positions of final assembly therein, where they are secured permanently in such interlocked relation. Other sub-assemblies are then added to produce a complete transit vehicle.

Abstract: A diffusion and brazing method of bonding honeycomb core material to its facing sheets wherein the core and facing sheets have a predetermined configuration and either the facing sheets or the core edges have had deposited thereon a laminate formed of diffusion bridge or braze alloy material. First, the faying surfaces of the facing sheets and the core are positioned together with the core located between the facing sheets to form the assembly. Secondly, a male plug is inserted into the interior of the assembly wherein the dimensions of the male plug are slightly smaller than the interior dimensions of the asembly and wherein the male plug is formed from a metal having a thermal coefficient of expansion greater than that of the material of the facing sheets and core.

Abstract: For the diffusion bonding of members of titanium and some titanium alloys, layers of Cu, Ag and Ni are deposited by plating on both sides of a sheet of etched, chemically clean, titanium or titanium alloy foil of a thickness preferably less than 0.001 inch. The plated foil is interposed between faying surfaces of the members to be bonded together, and the members, with the interposed foil, are sealed under pressure, in an inert atmosphere and under partial vacuum or hard vacuum of, for example, 10.sup..sup.-4 Torr. The parts thus prepared are heated to brazing temperature to render liquidus plating material and thereby establish a diffusion bridge between each plated face of the foil and the adjacent faying surface of each of the members. Heating is continued to induce atomic diffusion in the zone thus established between the titanium of the foil and the members, and between the members themselves, until the diffusion zone becomes principally titanium with traces of plating materials diffused throughout.

Abstract: In a bus having a replaceable power drive unit docked in a compartment provided in the rear end of the bus body, jacking devices are provided between the power drive unit and the body for raising the rear end of the body relative to the power drive unit, thereby tilting the body about the axes of the front wheels of the bus as a fulcrum to provide increased working clearance between the body and the bus propulsion engine, which is mounted on the power drive unit. Safety support devices are provided to retain the body in elevated position, and latch devices to retain it in lowered, operative position.

Abstract: A temperature compensating strain gage for measuring elongation of parent elastomeric material. The strain gage comprises an elongated elastomeric strap having the same or similar temperature characteristics as the parent elastomeric material, a clamp secured to the parent material for securing one end of the strap, a transducer, a pair of side by side spaced apart transducer mounts, one of the mounts is attached to the free end of the strap and the other is attached to the parent material, a heat transferring medium is positioned between the parent material and the strap intermediate the ends and a strain gage element is mounted on the transducer.

Abstract: A thrust reverser arrangement for a fan-type jet propulsion engine comprising a split cowling surrounding the engine and forming a bypass duct with the engine outer wall. The rear portion of the split cowling is translatable rearward for forming a space between the cowling portions. A translatable sleeve having cascades through portions of its walls is interconnected with the rear portion of the cowling and translates therewith and fills the space between the cowling portions. Blocker doors are interconnected to the rear portion and are rotated into the bypass duct during the terminal rearward movement of the rear portion.

Abstract: A thrust reversal system for an aircraft jet engine comprising a pair of thrust reverser doors constructed of a thin flexible material movable between a stowed and a deployed position and mechanism for moving same.

Abstract: An improved laminated motor core for a linear induction motor utilizing windings. The pole piece portion of the core has at least one laterally offset section along its length. There is additionally provided a core having a plurality of offsets along its length as well as cores with pole pieces rectilinearly tapered toward their face.

Abstract: In a plastic key joint wherein edge portions of two adjacent strakes are in relatively superposed, interfitted, edgewise engagement with each other in a manner to define a fully enclosed keyway therebetween, the present invention resides in deforming, preferably in an undulating or sine wave pattern, laterally opposite sides of the keyway prior to injecting, under selected pressure, flowable, hardenable key material into the keyway, thereby greatly increasing resistance of the joint to longitudinal shear stresses.

Abstract: Attenuating structural honeycomb sandwich panels with a cellular core having a portion of the adjacent cell walls removed forming an enlarged cell area positioned between and bonded to two facing sheets. The sheet adjacent the enlarged cell area is imperforate. The other face sheet remote from the enlarged cell area is perforate. Each enlarged cell area communicates to the atmosphere through a single perforation in the perforated sheet.

Abstract: An open area photometer for determining the amount of light energy dissipated when a light source of known intensity is passed through a light restricting test specimen. The photometer includes a light source whose intensity level is established by an adjustable shutter positioned in front of the light source, a light diffusing element positioned between the shutter and a fresnel lens, a field effect phototransistor whose output is monitored on a micro-ammeter and a housing confining the components to prevent unwanted light loss. The specimen is positioned between the lens and the light diffusing element.

Abstract: In order to provide increased ramp clearance for the front end of a bus body forwardly of the front wheels, the underbody of the bus is angled upwardly and forwardly toward the lower edge of the front bumper from a transverse line just forwardly of the front wheel wells, and a lower front step for the bus is hingedly mounted at its rear end to swing between a raised, stowed position, flush with the angled underbody, and a lowered, deployed position with the step horizontal and supported to carry the weight of passengers boarding and leaving the bus. Mechanism is provided for operating the step synchronously with the opening and closing of the bus front doors.

Abstract: An annular frame having a biased target plate thereon is mounted in a selected path of advance of each of the usual plurality of tools of a N.C. machine. Two micro-switches are mounted for operation in sequence upon selected movement of the target plate by each advancing tool. Actuation of the first of these micro-switches slows the advance of the tool, while actuation of the second arrests tool advance and notifies the computer of the N.C. machine that such tool is then in a selected, zero position, from which position all further computer controlled operations of the tool are programmed.