Abstract: A barrier member fixed in the end of a fuel column retaining spring to prevent contact between the retaining spring and the adjacent end plug of the fuel element whereby contamination of the weld between the cladding tube and end plug with retaining spring material is avoided.

Abstract: A rocket motor construction wherein a convolutely wound propellent strip forms a fuel grain disposed within the rocket motor casing. The fuel grain consists essentially of double base propellent having a plateau or mesa burn characteristic and is shaped to provide a plurality of rearwardly extending blades connected to a convolutely wound margin of the strip. The blades cooperate with each other and with the rocket motor casing to define flow channels between angularly adjacent blades and between adjacent convolutions thereby providing flow channels for combustion product.

Abstract: Control information for guiding of vehicles such as a missile, projectile or manned vehicle, is carried on an optical beam directed at such vehicle from a ground station. Information for roll stabilization of such vehicle is carried in such beam in the form of a polarized light wave. A polarizing beam splitter which is aligned with the vertical axis of the vehicle and carried thereon receives the beam and provides light outputs from one face thereof which is in accordance with the cosine squared of the angle between the vertical axis of the vehicle (or any other predetermined reference angle thereof) and the polarization angle of the light beam, and from an orthogonal face thereof which is in accordance with the sine squared of this same angle. The light emitted from each of the beam splitter surfaces is transduced to electrical form by means of light detectors and these electrical signals appropriately amplified for use in controlling a roll stabilization system.

Abstract: A cooling arrangement for high temperature turbines, particularly the first stage nozzles of gas turbine engines. Cooling is effected by compressor discharge air taken from the combustion chamber jacket of the engine. The shrouds of the nozzle have a base ring and a porous facing spaced from the base ring and exposed to the motive fluid. Cooling air fed through openings in the base ring flows through the porous facing into the motive fluid path to cool the facing by transpiration. The vanes are cooled by an arrangement providing for a mixture of impingement and transpiration cooling. Compressor discharge air is admitted between a baffle in the interior of the hollow vane and the high pressure face of the vane. Some of the air flows through the porous high pressure face for transpiration cooling. The rest of the air is discharged through a row of openings in the baffle to impinge on and cool the interior of the leading edge of the vane, which is imperforate.

Abstract: A fast reactor of the sodium-cooled type comprises a vertical main vessel for supporting the reactor core and an internal primary vessel for separating the hot sodium discharged from the reactor core from the cold sodium discharged from the heat exchangers. The primary vessel essentially has a shape of revolution about the vertical axis of the main vessel and is provided with a lateral skew section traversed by the heat exchangers and the sodium pumps. A turned-down edge located at the exterior of the primary vessel and forming an extension of the skew section is joined to the main vessel at the lower end.

Abstract: A null adjustable vortex rate sensor which enables the precise control and elocation of the stagnation point of the fluid stream with respect to the null line of the pickoff located within said chamber. The null adjustable vortex rate sensor is a vortex rate sensor with a fixed position pickoff and a fixed position drain, a rod being concentrically located in the drain and extended from the drain into the chamber. The horizontal adjustability of this rod inside the drain controls the location of the stagnation point at the pickoff within the chamber very precisely thus enabling one to approximately choose the location of the pickoff member and by means of the rod mechanism located in the drain move and adjust the stagnation point to obtain a null output at the fixed position of the pickoff. The pickoff provides a differential pressure signal which is a function of the angular rate of rotation of the chamber in inertial space.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a warhead in which the full force of the tire weight of explosive can be aimed at the target. The warhead consists of a cylindrical charge which is radially segmented into a plurality of sections hinged together. A target sensing system opens the hinge nearest the target, auxiliary charges unfold the entire warhead with the "kill" side facing the target and the warhead is then detonated.

Abstract: A compactable control element assembly for a nuclear reactor in which the absorber pins of the assembly are compacted during downward movement of the pin and are returned to their uncompacted state when downward movement is stopped. The control element assembly comprises a support member longitudinally movable within a control assembly duct and a pluraity of absorber pins supported laterally outward of the support member and within the duct by pairs of support arms. The absorber pins are pivotably mounted to the support arms and the support arms in turn are supported from the support member for upward pivotable movement in a longitudinal plane. As the support member is moved downward, the support arms pivot upwardly and the absorber pins move upwardly and inwardly towards the support member. When the support member is stopped the absorber pins return to their uncompacted position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for increasing the reliability of linear drive devices of a nuclear reactor to scram the control elements held in a raised position thereby. Each of the plurality of linear drive devices includes a first type of holding means associated with the drive means of the linear drive device and a second type of holding means distinct and operatively dissimilar from the first type. The system of linear drive devices having both types of holding means are operated in such a manner that the control elements of a portion of the linear drive devices are only held in a raised position by the first holding means and the control elements of the remaining portion of linear drive devices are held in a raised position by only the second type of holding means. Since the two types of holding means are distinct from one another and are operatively dissimilar, the probability of failure of both systems to scram as a result of common mode failure will be minimized.

Abstract: A flame tube for a gas turbine engine comprises an annular casing within which is disposed a plurality of rings of silicon nitride tiles. The tiles are arranged in axially extending rows and are located by means of a tongue and groove arrangement. The tiles in each row are urged into mutual engagement by a clamp arrangement at one end of the row and an abutment surface fixed relative to the casing at the other end of the row.

Abstract: 1. A solid polyurethane propellant binder composition which comprises a polyurethane composition comprising the reaction product of nitrocellulose plasticized with a plasticizer selected from the group consisting of nitroglycerin and triethyleneglycol dinitrate, an aromatic diisocyanate and a polyol having a molecular weight of about 500 to 3,000 selected from the group consisting of dicarboxylic acid-polyol-polyesters and polyoxyalkylene ethers, and mixtures thereof, wherein said plasticizer is present in the proportion of about 40 to 60 parts by weight per 100 parts by weight of binder composition, wherein said nitrocellulose contains about 11.0 to 13.0% nitrogen and is present in the proportion of about 0.7 to 1.0 part per part of said polyol, and wherein said diisocyanate is present in an amount to provide an NCO/OH ratio of said diisocyanate to said polyol of about 1.2/1 to 3.0/1.

Abstract: 1. An improved journal bearing comprising in combination a non-rotatable cylindrical bearing member having a first bearing surface, a rotatable cylindrical bearing member having a confronting second bearing surface having a plurality of bearing elements, a source of lubricant adjacent said bearing elements for supplying lubricant thereto, each bearing element consisting of a pair of elongated relatively shallowly depressed surfaces lying in a cylindrical surface co-axial with the non-depressed surface and diverging from one another in the direction of rotation and obliquely arranged with respect to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member to cause a flow of lubricant longitudinally along said depressed surfaces from their distal ends toward their proximal ends as said bearing members are rotated relative to one another, each depressed surface subtending a radial angle of less than 360.degree.

Abstract: Reductive bleaching agents which contain alkali metal sulfites and zinc oxide or soluble zinc salts.

Abstract: Liquid developer compositions for development of latent electrostatic images are disclosed. The electrostatic printing inks dry at ambient temperatures by penetration into paper leaving a continuous film having excellent rub resistance on the surface. The non-volatile, low viscosity inks comprise about 3-20% pigment and/or dye, about 5-35% of resinous particles having a size of 5 microns or less and having glass transition temperatures close to or below ambient temperature, said resinous particles being dispersed in the liquid carrier, 0-25% dispersing agent and about 25-90% non-volatile, high boiling organic liquid carrier and/or solvent.

Abstract: A flame tube for a gas turbine engine which is arranged within an annular casing and comprising two rows of silicon nitride rings, with one row being disposed adjacent an inner annular wall of the casing and the other row being disposed adjacent an outer annular wall of the casing. Each row is urged into engagement with shoulders at one end of the casing by a clamping arrangement at the opposite end of the casing.

Abstract: A method of assembling munitions and delivering a payload within a munition o a target area at low altitude wherein the energy source for arming the fuze is self contained within the mechanism and utilized subsequent to release of the munition from the delivery means.

Abstract: A positioning and locking device for fuel pin to grid attachment provides an inexpensive means of positively positioning and locking the individual fuel pins which make up the driver fuel assemblies used in nuclear reactors. The device can be adapted for use with a currently used attachment grid assembly design and insures that the pins remain in their proper position throughout the in-reactor life of the assembly. This device also simplifies fuel bundle assembly in that a complete row of fuel pins can be added to the bundle during each step of assembly.

Abstract: An extendible nozzle for a rocket motor or the like which nozzle is positioned in the aft end of the motor is disclosed having a main nozzle portion with an exit and entrance thereto and a plurality of elongated petals representing longitudinal sections or strips of a conically shaped structure hingedly connected by means of hinges at their forward ends to the exit portion of the main nozzle portion. The petals are selectively movable from a first or stowed position where the petals are all radially outward and slightly forward of the hinge locations to a second or deployed position where the petals form a smooth conical extension of the exit portion of the main nozzle portion. The petals are positioned to be in as close proximity to the aft motor dome of the rocket motor as possible while still allowing the required envelope or spacing for rocket dome-mounted components which are necessary to accomplish other motor/nozzle functions.

Abstract: A trigger device for fire arms, particularly for competition fire arms, comprising an intercept latch having a contact surface pivotally connected in a trigger housing and releasably holding a firing element, a pivotally connected trigger latch having a contact surface and holding said intercept latch by its contact surface, a trigger lever, said trigger latch mechanically responsive to said trigger lever, a pivotally connected spring-biased lowering element in said trigger housing having a contact surface which engages the contact surface of said intercept latch and lowers said contact surface of said intercept latch onto the contact surface of said trigger latch so that said contact surface of said intercept latch rests on the contact surface of said trigger latch only just prior to complete actuation of said trigger latch which moves said trigger latch from out of engagement position with said intercept latch whereby said intercept latch is caused to drop out of holding position of said firing element wher

Abstract: The pressure vessel of a boiling water reactor has several openings, one for each of a set of internal primary recirculating pumps. The body of each pump extends into the respective opening and is provided with a ring-shaped chamber which receives feed water and surrounds the pump shaft which is driven by a normal, wet or canned electric motor. The shaft carries a single-stage or multi-stage turbine which is located upstream of the pump rotor and serves to prolong the deceleration of the pump rotor to zero speed in the event of unintentional motor stoppage due to current failure. The pressure chambers of the turbine and pump rotor communicate with each other by way of an annular flow restricting bypass.