Patents by Inventor Lauren B. Althaus

Lauren B. Althaus 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).

  • Patent number: 4664631
    Abstract: The invention comprises a surrogate weapon for simulating the sound and flash of gunfire having a combustion chamber system in which a primary chamber is an elongated cavity, having a proximal end closed with a head and an open distal end. A combustible mixture is injected via electronically timed hydrocarbon fuel and oxidizer pulses into the combustion chamber near the closed end through an annular injector having a plurality of spaced apart fuel and oxidizer nozzles. The fuel nozzles are axially spaced from the oxidizer nozzles and are closer to the head. Thus the injected fuel/oxidizer charge is stratified with a fuel concentration distribution preferentially being richer at an ignition source near the head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 12, 1987
    Assignee: Loral Electro-Optical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert J. Pederson, Lawrence J. Gallagher, Jack V. Miller, Lauren B. Althaus, Benjamin Rubinstein, Stephen N. Schomotolocha
  • Patent number: 4662844
    Abstract: The invention comprises a combined machine gun and large bore cannon weapons effects signature simulator having a rapid fire small bore methane and oxygen fired combustion chamber disposed within the combustion chamber of a large bore main tank gun weapons effects signature simulator and supplied from a common source of pressurized methane and oxygen.One embodiment includes the injection of ambient temperature oil into the large bore chamber prior to firing the combustible mixture to augment the flame content of the weapon signature.Another embodiment provides for the emission of hot oil vapor to augment the smoke content of the weapon signature.Yet another embodiment provides the machine gun simulator combustion chamber integral with and in intimate thermal contact with the wall of the large bore combustion chamber, whereby the machine gun combustion chamber utilizes the large bore combustion chamber wall to dissipate heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1985
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1987
    Assignee: Loral Electro-Optical Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence J. Gallagher, Lauren B. Althaus, Robert J. Pederson, Benjamin Rubinstein