Abstract: An aircraft servicing system comprises four robot arms mounted to the ground so as to form a lane with the base of two of the robot arms delineating one side of the lane and the base of the other two robots delineating the other side of the lane. The robot arms may assume a low position which allows an aircraft's wings to pass over the arms while the aircraft enters the lane between the arms. Thereafter, the arms may be moved so that a nozzle array at the end of each arm may de-ice or wash the aircraft. Subsequently, the arms may again assume a low position to allow the aircraft to leave the lane. Each robot arm has an elongated member connected to the base by a yaw joint, a first arm segment connected to the elongated member by a pitch joint, second arm segment connected to the first arm segment by a pitch joint, and a third arm segment connected to the second arm segment by a telescoping joint.

Abstract: A system for converting all or part of a passenger cabin in a fuselage of an aircraft for the carriage of freight, the cabin having internally finished longitudinal walls and ceiling defining an internal cross-sectional profile of substantially uniform cross-section. The system includes a dismountable rigid liner structure having an external profile receivable within the internal profile of the cabin without contacting the walls and ceiling. It is formed of interlocking modules individually small enough to pass through a cargo door in the fuselage and is supported between ends of the cabin solely by releasable anchorages engaging seat tracks installed in the cabin, the liner structure including transverse cargo restraints releasably secured thereto for restraining movement of cargo through said liner structure.

Abstract: A magnetic torquing system for a spacecraft using conducting coils is disclosed. In one embodiment, the conductors (44, 46) on a spacecraft's (10) solar wing (28, 30) which connect the solar cell strings (38) to the voltage controller (48) are wired to produce a magnetic torque which can be regulated by shunting individual strings to ground (52) or by opening a string circuit. This embodiment does not require the extra weight of a coil because the panel's solar string produces the torque normally produced by an additional coil. In another embodiment, a coil (44, 46)is wired between a shunting switch (54) in the spacecraft voltage controller (48) and a ground (32) so that shunting a string to ground (52) supplies current first to the coil to generate a magnetic torque in the desired direction.

Abstract: A tilt wing VTOL aircraft has a fuselage with sides and an upper surface, an upper wing having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a chord, a lower surface and an upper surface. The wing is pivotally mounted on the fuselage for rotation from a cruise flight position in which the upper surface of the wing is flush with the upper surface of the fuselage to a hover position in which the wing is perpendicular to the upper surface of the fuselage. Aircraft engines are mounted on the wing. The aircraft has a pair of flaps at the trailing edge of the wing, each located between the fuselage and an engine and each spaced the same distance from the fuselage and each of the engines. The flaps are mounted for selective movement from colinearity with the chord of the wing to a first angle of about +30.degree. with the chord and about 30.degree. with the upper surface of the wing and to a second angle of about -30.degree. with the chord and about 30.degree. with the lower surface of the wing.

Abstract: A cabin spray system of an aircraft is supplied with water channeled from the aircraft's environmental control system. The channeled water can be stored in a tank containing potable water. The ECS water would replace the potable water removed.

Abstract: A thermal control surface for a spacecraft includes flexible OSR tiles (310) 0.0015 inches thick. Each tile includes a transparent substrate (312) with a reflective second surface (314), such as a coating of silver. The front or space-facing side is coated with a transparent, electrically conductive layer (316) of indium oxide (IO) or indium-tin oxide (ITO), which laps over the edges of the OSR tile, and is in electrical contact with the reflective coating.The IO or ITO coating, or a separate electrically conductive coating (610) such as nichrome, forms a protective coating for the reflective surface, and maintains contact with the front surface of the tile. The IO or ITO layer (316) in conjunction with the back side coating provides front-to-back electrical conduction. The OSR is mounted to an electrically conductive surface (110) of the spacecraft, such as an aluminum or graphite-fiber-reinforced epoxy resin, by a sheet of transfer adhesive (410).

Abstract: An emergency escape slide for a commercial passenger airplane includes a girt bar which connects the slide to the airplane. The girt bar includes a middle portion having a rectangular cross section to which the slide is connected, and cylindrical end fittings which are attached to opposite ends of the middle portion. When the escape slide is armed, the cylindrical end fittings are positioned within floor mounted receptacles which permit the end fittings to rotate. Thus, when the escape slide is deployed, the girt bar is permitted to rotate so that the wide axis of the girt bar remains aligned with the loads generated by the slide deployment. In this manner, the strongest portion of the girt bar is in position to react the loads.

Abstract: The spreading of a fire outside of an aircraft body into the cabin through the windows is retarded by a fire retardant slide member that is movable into a window covering position guided by guide rails or the like. Both, the sliding member and the guide rails are made of fire retarding material such as thermosetting material, preferably glass fiber reinforced thermosetting materials. A thermoplastic locking element that holds the sliding cover member in a recessed position releases the cover member when the locking element melts at elevated temperatures to cover the window automatically, e.g. with the aid of gravity or with the aid of one or more biasing springs.

Abstract: A VTOL/STOL free wing aircraft includes a free wing having wings on opposite sides of a fuselage connected to one another respectively adjacent fixed wing inboard or center root sections fixedly attached to the fuselage for free rotation about a spanwise access. Horizontal and vertical tail surfaces are located at the rear end of a boom assembly rotatably connected to the fuselage. A gearing or screw rod arrangement controlled by the pilot or remote control operator selectively relatively pivots the fuselage in relation to the tail boom assembly to enable the fuselage to assume a tilted or nose up configuration to enable VTOL/STOL flight.

Abstract: A stair and stairwell construction for interconnecting two different decks, especially in an aircraft, includes stair treads, stringers, and a stairwell enclosure or housing. At least one of the just enumerated components is constructed to be positionable or tiltable relative to the planes defined by the decks. One of these components is positionable into an open position, thereby providing a passageway, or into a closed position thereby blocking the passageway. In both positions, this positionable component is lockable.

Abstract: A launch vehicle (e.g., a rocket) carrying a payload consisting of:1) a first set of one or more satellites for delivery to a designated first orbit in a first orbital plane, and2) a second set of one or more other satellites for delivery to a designated second orbit in a second orbital plane,is launched from earth in a conventional manner to an orbit in the first orbital plane where the satellites of the first set are released into the designated first orbit in the first orbital plane. Then, after the first set of satellites has been released, a first acceleration is imparted to the launch vehicle to change the inclination and the longitude of the ascending node of the launch vehicle by an appropriate amount so as to cause a nodal drift of the launch vehicle from the first orbital plane to the second orbital plane over a specified time interval.

Abstract: An elongated, rigid boom for the in-flight refueling of rotary wing aircraft in which a forward end of the boom is adapted for attachment to the fuselage of a rotary wing tanker aircraft and is of sufficient length to extend rearwardly of the tanker aircraft for the rear end of the boom to be clear of the tanker aircraft rotor path. The forward end of a funnel refueling drogue configured to receive the fueling probe of an aircraft to be refueled is swivelly attached to the rear end of the rigid boom and a fuel line supported by the boom extends from a connection into the tanker aircraft refueling tanks to a female refueling aircraft probe connection in the drogue.

Abstract: In a VTOL or STOL aircraft in which a lift device is housed internally within the aircraft fuselage or wing an outlet nozzle is stowable within the lift device exit aperture. A pair of doors, which when closed conceal the aperture from the sides of the nozzle, and a third folding member form the forward side of the nozzle and support a frame carrying variable vanes which vector the lift thrust.

Abstract: A new hinge fairing design for control surfaces such as ailerons, elevators, and rudders. By staggering the two curved hinge fairings, one mounted to the fixed airfoil and the other to the leading edge of the control surface, a curving load path is opened up that allows installation of hinge fittings and actuators without having to make cut-outs in the curved fairings. This principle makes it possible to keep the control surface faired and sealed over its entire span and during its entire motion range. This improves the effectiveness of the control surface. The principle of the present invention is applicable to trailing edge control surfaces of subsonic and supersonic airplanes and is of particular benefit for hinged leading edge flaps on a supersonic commercial transport.

Abstract: A triaxially stabilized satellite having a Cartesian axis system with mutually perpendicular X, Y and Z axes, two electric propulsors for orbital maneuvers and attitude control of the satellite and having respective versors including a right angle between them and lying in an X-Y plane, the versors being orientable in the plane about the Z axis to include a variable angle a with the X axis to impart two degrees of freedom of movement to the electric propulsors, the electric propulsors generating thrust vectors in line with the versors away from a center of gravity of the satellite at an intersection of the versors, the electric propulsors being firable independently and for respective angles of arc in their displacement with the degrees of freedom to maneuver the satellite orbitally, control attitude of the satellite and dissipate angular momentum of the satellite. The electric, preferably ionic, pulsars can be used with triaxially stabilized satellites with an LEO or GEO.

Abstract: An omnidirectional propelling type of airship can be propelled in any direction in three-dimensions. The airship includes an airtight gas chamber, gas having a specific gravity smaller than that of air and filling the gas chamber, a section capable of accommodating men, cargo and the like, and propellers supported by gimbals and capable of propelling the airship in any spacial direction.

Abstract: A utility vehicle is shown for towing and servicing aircraft. The vehicle includes a frame and at least one tow hitch attached to the frame for towing an aircraft. An internal combustion engine is mounted on the frame within an enclosed interior and is connected by a power train to a pair of drive wheels for powering the vehicle. A heat recovery system within the enclosed interior receives warmed cooling air from the engine and products of combustion from the engine exhaust to route heated air to a flexible duct. The flexible duct is connected to an aircraft engine to be serviced in order to preheat the engine. The drive train of the vehicle includes a hydrostatic transmission and a differential gear box connected to the drive wheel axles. The hydrostatic transmission includes a self-centering servo mechanism for controlling the rate of speed change of the vehicle to prevent jerking an aircraft.

Abstract: A hinge arm (16) has opposite ends (18, 20) pivotably connected to an aircraft door (2) and a door frame (8). First and second sprockets (22, 26) are fixed to the door (2) and frame (8) adjacent to the ends (18, 20). A programming chain (30) extends around the sprockets (22, 26) and the arm (16). A linear motor (36) is mounted on the arm (16) in-line with the chain (30). When pressurized gas is supplied to the motor (36), it moves the chain (30) to open the door (2) and maintain it parallel to its closed position as it moves toward and into its fully open position. The door (2) may be opened manually without moving the motor piston (44) because the motor rod (52) slides freely through an axial opening (46) in the piston (44).

Abstract: A vertical lift and short takeoff airplane achieving a powered lift which is generated by deflecting downward on the order of nearly 90.degree. the slipstream from the driven propellors by means of the wing flap system of the airplane.

Abstract: A folding wing assembly for use on an aircraft is disclosed. The folding wing assembly includes inboard and outboard wing sections which are pivotally interconnected such that the outboard wing section may pivot between folded and unfolded positions. A fairing unit is further pivotally interconnected to both the wing sections and extends chordwise across the wing assembly. The fairing unit is provided with a seal extending chordwise across an inner spanwise end of the fairing. The seat is adapted to engage the underside of a sealing flange attached to the upper surface of the inboard wing section. The other spanwise end of the fairing is adapted to engage a seal carried by the outboard wing section when the outboard wing section is in its fully unfolded position.