Patents by Inventor Earl E. Wilhelm

Earl E. Wilhelm has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Antiballistic missile fuze
    Patent number: 4848239
    Abstract: A fuse for an antiballistic missile including a generator of two conical beams, each directed at a different, predetermined angle to the missile axis and including a plurality of range gates. A signal processor senses target intercept with the beams and range gates and calculates target miss distance and crossing angle. The fuse includes circuitry to detonate selected detonators for generating a fragment pattern directed toward the sensed target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Earl E. Wilhelm
  • Multi-point warhead initiation system
    Patent number: 4823701
    Abstract: A multipoint initiation system for an explosive including a stripline head and a plurality of detonators fixed to the head at predetermined locations. The head and detonators are embedded in the explosive without a mechanical safe-arm device. Electrical connections in the head provide for independent detonation of the detonators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 25, 1989
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Earl E. Wilhelm
  • Low velocity disc pattern fragment warhead
    Patent number: 4662281
    Abstract: A fragment layer for a warhead including a plurality of axially adjacent, annular rings of preformed fragments, an annular retaining layer covering the outside surface of the rings, an annular explosive layer disposed between the annular rings and the warhead, and a detonator for detonating the annular explosive layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Earl E. Wilhelm, Clayton J. Julien
  • Selectable initiation-point fragment warhead
    Patent number: 4658727
    Abstract: A fragment warhead including an explosive divided into a plurality of axially adjacent segments by detonation wave barriers. At least one detonator is embedded in each segment. A fragmentation layer encases the explosive, and a fuze selectively activates at least one detonator in each segment to generate a fragment pattern having selected width and angular direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1987
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Earl E. Wilhelm, Alan B. Zimmerschied
  • Selectable deployment mode fragment warhead
    Patent number: 4655139
    Abstract: A fragmentation warhead having a main explosive and first detonator for selectively detonating the main explosive. The main explosive is encompassed by a coaxial detonation wave barrier, a secondary explosive layer on the wave barrier and a fragment layer on the secondary explosive. A second detonator is provided for selective detonation of the secondary explosive, and a fuze is provided for detonating either the first or second detonators depending upon sensed target parameters.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1984
    Date of Patent: April 7, 1987
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Earl E. Wilhelm