Abstract: A projectile has a body with an axis and a meplat disposed substantially orthogonal to the axis. The meplat is bounded by a substantially square edge.

Abstract: A projectile deployment system includes an entangling projectile having a pair of pellets and a tether connecting the pellets. A projectile casing includes a pair of sockets, each socket sized to carry one of the pellets, the sockets being oriented at an acute angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the projectile casing such that the pellets travel apart from one another as they are expelled from the projectile casing. A launcher carries the casing and includes a selectively activatable pressure source capable of expelling the entangling projectile from the projectile casing toward a subject.

Abstract: A charging handle for a rifle has a grip that is pivotable and slidable on a base connected to a bolt carrier through a rod. A latch mounted on the base engages the receiver of the rifle. The latch is pivotable on the base to release the charging handle from the receiver when cocking the bolt carrier. Pivoting of the latch is effected through a cam attached to the grip. The cam contacts a cam follower on the latch. Both pivoting and sliding motion of the grip relative to the base pivot the latch to effect release of the charging handle from the receiver.

Abstract: A compression molded combined firework includes a plurality of tubular cavity bodies evenly distributed in parallel on a body. Upper ends of the tubular cavity bodies are open, lower ends of the tubular cavity bodies are closed. Chemicals for launching fireworks and effect parts are disposed in the tubular cavity bodies. Flash holes penetrating through the bottom surface of the body are formed in the closed ends of the tubular cavity bodies. Bottom surface openings of the flash holes are located in a wiring groove. A blocking groove is disposed in the wiring groove and between the bottom surface openings of the flash holes. The wiring groove is sealed with glue. The glue forms a closed ring shape along the cross section direction of a leading wire in the wiring groove, thereby blocking a channel where powder gas goes forwards along a gap, and eliminating the phenomenon of blaze.

Abstract: A flex-drive actuator for a satellite boom hinge or other hinge applications. Using a motor-driven cog and a unique drive chain, the hinge can be reversibly driven between open and closed positions, thereby deploying or stowing the boom and attached payload. The chain includes links designed so that, when bent in one direction, the chain pre-buckles into a rigid circular arc form that matches the deployment path of the hinge. This pre-buckling essentially converts the chain into a rigid gear segment that can carry a moment to actuate the hinge. As the cog retracts the chain and the hinge closes, the circular shape of the chain de-buckles on the free side of the cog, where the chain can be stored as a straight section inside of a boom tube or folded into a magazine. The flex-drive actuator can accommodate any desired actuation angle by addition of links to the chain.

Abstract: A catch device for the breech of a pistol, in which a spring acts upon a pivotable holding lever so that the latch thereof passes out of the path of the breech and the handle thereof is pressed away from the breech. Part of the holding lever is pivoted by the magazine slide, after the final cartridge has been pushed in counter to the force of the spring, so that after the cartridge has been fired, the breech is caught against the latch and remains in the region of the rear end position thereof. In order to increase service life, the spring is a compression spring, pretensioned between two claws of the holding lever and arranged in a slot of the housing so that one end bears against the base of the slot and the other end bears against the claw.

Abstract: A safe, quiet, easy to control, efficient, and compact aircraft configuration is enabled through the combination of multiple vertical lift rotors, tandem wings, and forward thrust propellers. The vertical lift rotors, in combination with a front and rear wing, permits a balancing of the center of lift with the center of gravity for both vertical and horizontal flight. This wing and multiple rotor system has the ability to tolerate a relatively large variation of the payload weight for hover, transition, or cruise flight while also providing vertical thrust redundancy. The propulsion system uses multiple lift rotors and forward thrust propellers of a small enough size to be shielded from potential blade strike and provide increased perceived and real safety to the passengers. Using multiple independent rotors provides redundancy and the elimination of single point failure modes that can make the vehicle non-operable in flight.

Abstract: A projectile 1 for ammunition is disclosed, said projectile 1 comprising an outer profile geometry on an ogive-shaped impact end portion 5 thereof, said outer profile geometry comprising two or more notches 2 extending in at least one of (i) an axial, (ii) parallel or (iii) slightly inclined orientation relative to a dissecting axis 3 extending longitudinally through said impact end portion 5 of said projectile 1, wherein each notch 2 (a) comprises notch surface portions 4,7 so as to increase (i) an overall outer surface area of said ogive end portion 5 of projectile 1, and (ii) a given length of an outer surface periphery Sp extending along a line within a plane normal to said dissecting axis 3, and (b) is surrounded by an outer side surface 51 of said ogive-shaped impact end portion 5 of said projectile 1.

Abstract: An automatic or semi-automatic firearm including a trigger having a frame, at least one trigger sear extending from the frame, and a hammer having a hammer pivot axis, a head and at least one hammer sear disposed on a lateral side of the hammer between the hammer pivot axis and the head, wherein the frame includes a pivot axis and the at least one trigger sear includes a trigger sear surface, the at least one trigger sear extending from the frame such that the at least one trigger sear engages a corresponding one of the at least one hammer sear.

Abstract: A method to attenuate the blast wave/blast overpressure from a weapon discharge by leaking an effective quantity of propellant gas from behind the projectile, into the precursor gas flow in front of the projectile, while the projectile is still in the weapon barrel—whereby the exit pressure ratio of the projectile from the weapon is surprisingly reduced by about 95%—resulting in a reduction of from about 51.6 to about 58.2% in the peak pressure level/sound wave which impacts the user or crew of the weapon.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for aiding the insertion of detachable magazines in AK rifle variants. The magazine well attachment includes a well attachment body having a slit configured to slide over a trigger guard of a firearm during the assembly process. The attachment may include a front retainer for securing the magazine well attachment to a front portion of the magazine opening of the firearm. A magazine release latch shield may be added as a modification to the magazine well attachment.

Abstract: A bore cleaning projectile cleans a bore of a firearm as the projectile is propelled down the bore. The projectile includes a frame including a lower charge cap, a tapered cone-shaped center shaft portion, and an end cap. The projectile further includes a propellant providing a force to push the device down the bore of the firearm and at least one cleaning agent situated around the tapered cone-shaped center shaft portion. The center shaft portion includes a narrower diameter at a longitudinally forward portion of the center shaft portion and a wider diameter at a longitudinally rearward portion of the center shaft portion. The cleaning agent is forced to move along the center shaft portion toward the longitudinally rearward portion of the center shaft portion as the frame is propelled down the bore. This movement along the center shaft portion causes intimate contact between the cleaning agent and the bore.

Abstract: A drum-type magazine in which a cartridge loading space for being loaded with cartridges can be formed in a drum unit when rotating a cartridge guide unit by an operation of a cartridge loading unit, and the cartridge loading unit can be immediately returned to an initial position thereof, so a user can easily load the magazine with cartridges using a small force. The drum-type magazine is also configured such that, even when the magazine is repeatedly used over a lengthy period of time and the elasticity of a tension member is reduced, the elasticity of the tension member can be increased by rotating a tension control unit, so the magazine can be efficiently loaded with cartridges and can efficiently support the loaded cartridges.

Abstract: A bolt for a firearm having a rotatable head and carrier body has a twisted polygonal keyed interface between the head and carrier body. A neck extending rearward from the head presents the keyed interface with a corresponding bore within the carrier body. This construction reduces torque moments between the head and carrier body as compared to prior art bolts. Camming loads on the neck may be constructed with inverses to create space for tolerance and lubricant.

Abstract: An exploding foil initiator system comprises a substrate having a first side and a second side, an exploding foil initiator and surface mount pads. The exploding foil initiator is formed on the first side of the substrate and comprises a first contact, a second contact and a channel that electrically connects the first contact and the second contact. A first surface mount pad is formed on the second side of the substrate. As second surface mount pad is also formed on the second side of the substrate. A first via extends through the substrate to electrically connect the first contact with the first surface mount pad. Analogously, a second via extends through the substrate to electrically connect the second contact to the second surface mount pad.

Abstract: A fragmentable projectile casing for an explosive projectile (7) has an irregular wall thickness (W) and predetermined breaking points (2) distributed over the projectile casing (1) for formation of fragments. The predetermined breaking points (2) for obtaining uniform fragments are spaced irregularly from one another. The predetermined breaking points (2) can have a smaller distance from one another in a region of greater wall thickness (W) and can be arranged in the manner of a grid and/or are formed as lines. Further, the predetermined breaking points (2) can run parallel to a longitudinal axis (L) of the projectile casing (1) and/or along a circumference (U) of the projectile casing (1).

Abstract: A configurable handgrip has a plurality of plates, the plates being arranged in a stack, a clamp element operably engaging the stack, and the clamp element being operable to transition between a first released position in which the plates are free to move with respect to each other, and a second clamped position in which the plates are secured against movement with respect to each other, such that the stack may be formed into a selected shape when the clamp is in the released position, and the plates are held in the selected shape when the clamp is in the clamped position. Each plate may define a plate aperture. The clamp element may be an elongated member received in the plate apertures. The plates may each have a contact edge and an opposed recessed edge.

Abstract: A pivot-axis, pin arrangement for rifle receivers can serve as a trigger or hammer pin therefor. A lower housing has a pair of sidewalls defining a gap and with a pair of bores spaced across the gap. The outer side of one sidewall has a slightly recessed channel which is elongated between spaced ends, at least one of which is rounded and centered on the axes of the spaced bores. The pivot axis pin has a cylindrical shaft and a T-slot head style head. The head has one portion forming an annular ring while the remaining portion is elongated to an end. In use, the pin is inserted through the bores, and is ‘simply supported’ by the ends thereof in the bores therefor. The head of the pin locks against rotation merely by settling in into at least one rounded end of the recessed channel.

Abstract: A vane includes a platform with a fixture overmolded by a sheath.

Abstract: A bolt carrier with integral adjustable gas key for use with a firearm is provided. The adjustable gas key includes a base portion and a tube portion coupled to the base portion. An inlet passage extends through the tube portion and an outlet passage angled from the inlet passage exits through the base portion. The adjustable gas key includes an inner volume located at a junction of the inlet passage and the outlet passage. The adjustable gas key also includes an adjustment device operatively coupled to the adjustable gas key, wherein the adjustment device adjusts a size of the inner volume. The adjustable gas key is integral and unitary with a bolt carrier of the firearm, wherein adjustment of the size of the inner volume adjusts the force of action of the bolt carrier.