Abstract: A cartridge has a shell casing with a primer end and a projectile end. A projectile mounted in the projectile end is made of four segments held together by first and second retainer rings. In one form each segment contains shot. One form of the projectile has an air brake which is deployed as the projectile leaves the muzzle. The air brake is partially deployed or fully deployed, depending of the shredding of third and fourth retainer rings which hold the air brake. When the shredder is inserted in a barrel in a first position, the last horizontal retainer ring is shredded and the air brake is partially deployed. When the shredder blades are further positioned in the barrel, both retainer rings which hold the air brake are shredded and the air brake is fully deployed. Additional positions of the shredder ring first shred the second ring, releasing the segments, and then shred the first retainer ring, releasing the shot and other contents from the segments.

Abstract: A cartridge loader for inserting cartridges into a gun magazine. The cartridge loader fits onto a person's thumb and more particularly fits onto the distal phalange of a person's thumb. In one embodiment of the invention, the cartridge loader includes a thumb protecting member and a cartridge-pushing member. The thumb-protecting member defines interior and exterior surfaces and an interior open cavity of sufficient volume and shape to accommodate a distal phalange of a person's thumb. The cartridge-pushing member defines opposite first and second ends. The first end of the cartridge-pushing member is attached to the exterior surface of the thumb-protecting member. The second end of the cartridge-pushing member defines, at least in part, a concave surface to suit the exterior shape of a cartridge casing.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a toy projectile launcher for discharging a toy projectile attached thereto that may include a housing, a hollow outer cylinder, and a compression member that may be disposed on the housing, and slidably received within the hollow outer cylinder. The compression member may include a fluid passage therethrough in fluid communication with the interior of the outer cylinder. The interior of the outer cylinder may be moveable between an uncocked position and a cocked position such that movement of the outer cylinder from the cocked position toward the uncocked position compresses air in the interior of the outer cylinder, with the compressed air being delivered to through the fluid passage to a toy projectile attached to the toy projectile launcher. The toy projectile launcher may also include a spring that may bias the outer cylinder from the cocked position toward the uncocked position.

Abstract: A system and method for providing increased capacity to a firearm having an actuator operably connected to a trigger assembly is disclosed. A magazine for holding a cartridge for use with the firearm includes a plurality of tubes, each tube being defined within the magazine and including an open end. The plurality of tubes being axisymmetric about a longitudinal axis of the magazine. A retainer, mounted about the open end of the tubes and being adaptive to impede release of the cartridge from the open end of the tube, being operably meshed with the actuator wherein the retainer and the actuator cooperate to permit removal of the cartridge from one of the plurality of tubes.

Abstract: An aircraft cabin module for passengers that includes two transverse walls extending from a longitudinal cabin wall up to a longitudinal aisle, at least one of the transverse walls including a transparent portion. A longitudinal wall separates the cabin module from the aisle. At least one service module is arranged between the two transverse walls, more or less symmetrically in relation to a transverse median plane, defining with the walls of the module two contiguous personal spaces. An access is provided from the aisle to each personal space, and at least one seat is provided in each personal space, each seat having at least one configuration in which it is positioned parallel to the cabin wall. Each personal space includes elements capable of forming a bedding surface for at least one passenger.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a control system for aircraft airbrakes, which comprises control means of a continuous operating mode or of an incremental operating mode in nominal operation of the airbrakes and control means of an incremental operating mode in the event of breakdown.

Abstract: Apparatus is disclosed for disabling on-board pilot operation of an aircraft and transferring aircraft operation to an alternate source of control. The aircraft has an aircraft control system for controlling at least one controlled component, such as an aircraft attitude control surface or an aircraft engine throttle. The apparatus is of modular construction, and includes two control modules. A first control module has an interruptible link that passes the first control signals from the control device to the aircraft control system. This first control module has a first connecting device for (i) interrupting the link and (ii) directing said first control signals to a second control module. The second control module is adapted to be connected to (e.g. plugged into) the first control module, and has a second connecting device.

Abstract: A rifle scope system allows adjustment of the scope while a shooter maintains the shooting posture and the scope sight picture. The scope system comprises an adjustment system comprising an electromechanical mechanism that responds to a signal from a remote controller manipulated by the shooter without having to significantly disturb the shooting posture. The adjustment system allows the shooter to adjust the scope's point of aim to coincide with a bullet's point of impact at a target. Such adjustment can be performed either by the shooter. Alternatively, such adjustment could be performed by a processor configured to adjust the point of aim based on a ballistic parameter associated with the bullet or the shooting environment. The adjustment system allows such processor-determined adjustments to be effected in a quick manner.

Abstract: A camblock assembly with a camblock and a guide rod is employed in a firearm having a frame constructed of synthetic polymer material. The camblock has a front flange with flange surfaces that engage corresponding bearing surfaces of the frame to distribute forces and energy to the frame during recoil of the firearm. A shelf member is positioned at a front end of the camblock and a coiled flat wire buffer spring is positioned about the guide rod to resist movement of a reciprocating slide. A detent mechanism positioned within the camblock contacts a surface of a slide stop pin to hold the slide stop latch in place. The interior of the slide stop latch contains an elongated wire having an end that engages the frame such that the slide stop latch is biased in a down position.

Abstract: A camblock assembly with a camblock and a guide rod is employed in a firearm having a frame constructed of synthetic polymer material. The camblock has a front flange with flange surfaces that engage corresponding bearing surfaces of the frame to distribute forces and energy to the frame during recoil of the firearm. A shelf member is positioned at a front end of the camblock and a coiled flat wire buffer spring is positioned about the guide rod to resist movement of a reciprocating slide. A detent mechanism positioned within the camblock contacts a surface of a slide stop pin to hold the slide stop latch in place. The interior of the slide stop latch contains an elongated wire having an end that engages the frame such that the slide stop latch is biased in a down position.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear door comprises a rigid one-piece panel (14), hinged onto the aircraft structure by arms (18). The panel (14) is installed such that it pivots on the arms (18) in order to prevent any risk of contact between the panel (14) and the wheels (40) as the door opens and closes when the landing gear is extended, and a jack (34) automatically varies the angle ? formed between these two parts, according to a predetermined kinematic law. A control system (28) automatically controls the jack (34) as a function of the jack (26) being actuated to control opening and closing of the door.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flow control device and more particularly to reactive self-contained modular flow control device with deployable flow effectors. The present invention further relates to a method of operating the flow control device. One embodiment of the present invention includes a method of controlling air flow across a surface of an aircraft under certain flight conditions comprising the steps of sensing fluid separation from the surface by measuring the pressure on the surface; determining a standard deviation of the pressure measurements over a period of time; and deploying a flow effector in response to the standard deviation of the pressure measurements exceeding a predetermined threshold number.

Abstract: A method of and a system for remotely controlling an adjustable, electrodeless arc discharge acoustic pulse transducer for borehole and underwater operations using high-energy arc discharges to generate high power seismic and acoustic pulses capable of being easily and remotely adjusted in time duration and magnitude such that they can be customized to create waveforms of preferred shapes. The transducer has an insulating ceramic barrier which contains a biconical aperture separating two bodies of electrolyte through which the two zones of liquid make contact and electrically adjustable circuits for switching supplemental amounts of stored electrical energy into the arc discharge circuit at successively delayed time intervals to lengthen the arc discharge current pulse to create the desired waveform shape for detecting variations in the geological features of the formations being probed or for use in ocean acoustic or sonar applications.

Abstract: In towing sources of seismic energy behind a vessel, especially in connection with seismic surveys in waters which are covered with ice, the buoyancy floats and also the sources of seismic energy are readily influenced by broken up ice collecting behind the icebreaking towing vessel. In order to stabilize the tow of sources of seismic energy a towing line (7) is secured between the buoyancy means (4) belonging to the tow of sources of energy (3) and the vessel (1) at a point (10) which is located in the area of the waterline, so that towing line (7) will extend in the area of the waterline. Another towing line (8) is connected directly with the array of sources of seismic energy (5) and is secured to a towing point (11) on the vessel (1) located below the waterline. An arrangement is also disclosed for securing the towing line (8) in a suitable location to avoid influence from ice and, furthermore, the design of floats (4) avoids influence from the ice.

Abstract: A plastic cased metal headed ammunition casing for high powered rifle cartridges is described in which the plastic case has a pressure regulating baffle or wall in the forward end thereof to regulate and control the development of chamber pressure movement of the bullet into the rifle barrel. The cartridge is charged with a given charge of powder and the cap or head securely fastened to the rearward portion of the plastic casing. The head provides sufficient resistance to the residual pressure after firing so that the cartridge can be used in rapid fire automatic weapons.

Abstract: A method for forming a dihydride rich amorphous silicon semiconductor film suitable for use as a window material of solar cells only from a silicon material, which comprises decomposing a gaseous mixture composed of disilane, a dopant capable of imparting p-type electrical conductivity and a diluent gas by applying a glow discharge energy, and thereby forming a semiconductor film having an optical band gap of at least 1.8 eV, preferably more than 1.9 eV, on a substrate.

Abstract: A method of driving a fluid by transmitting ultrasonic waves in the fluid, in which electrical signals applied to a transducer in the fluid are controlled to change the amplitude and duty ratio of tone burst waves so as to control the distribution of the ultrasonic driving force in the fluid, and the driving force itself.

Abstract: An electrodynamic ultrasonic transducer, for testing a workpiece, has a pair of spaced permanent magnets, a transducer coil, a concentrator, and a non-ferromagnetic member which partially surrounds the concentrator. In order to concentrate the magnetic lines of flux, the concentrator has a cross-sectional area which is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the adjacent permanent magnets. A transducer coil is acted on by a high frequency transmission pulse, whereby ultrasonics is produced in the workpiece to be tested.

Abstract: An acoustic transducer includes a perforated capacitor plate; a movable capacitor plate spaced from the perforated plate; springs for movably supporting the movable capacitor plate relative to the perforated plate; and a support structure for supporting the perforated and movable plates, where the movable plate is interconnected to the support structure by the springs and where the plates, springs and support structure form a unified, monolithic structure. The movable plate, springs and support structure are made from a silicon wafer. The transducer also includes a dielectric fluid in the space between the plates; and equipment for applying an electric field across the plates for producing an output signal representative of the variation in capacitance induced by the variation in space between the plates in response to an acoustic signal.

Abstract: A sound focusing device for use with a siren. The device is comprised of an adjustable baffle or damper reducing the velocity of air or sound eminating from a siren. The baffle or damper is positioned internal to the siren. A conical sound focusing trumpet is positioned co-axially and external to the siren. The baffle or damper is made up of two complementary disks forming at least one defined opening therein. The baffle or damper is selectively adjustable.