Abstract: A fin blanket for attenuating radio-frequency scattering, thereby protecting a surface such as a feed-horn or radiator panels of a spacecraft. The fin blanket includes a plurality of fins formed of a microwave absorbing film, each fin including at least one planar side positioned generally parallel to an electric field formed by the radio-frequency scattering.

Abstract: A passive intermodulation shield (10) for a spacecraft is made from a substrate (12) and a vacuum deposited aluminum layer (14) over the substrate (12). The substrate (12) can include a polyimide sheet such as Kapton. The vacuum deposited aluminum layer (14) has a thickness (16) to produce a surface resistivity which maintains both the inherent passive intermodulation generation and the passive intermodulation passthrough below a predetermined value. Preferably, the surface resistivity is selected between 10 ohms per square and 40 ohms per square. Spacecraft multilayer insulation blankets (30, 40, 50, 60) are formed by disposing the passive intermodulation shield (10) between a pair of outer layers.

Abstract: A transformer circuit disclosed performs wideband impedance transformation (matching) and can be used for voltage step-up and step-down applications. The circuit disclosed is comprised of two transmission line transformers and two reactive impedances that compensate the circuit for impedance versus frequency. The circuit disclosed performs a very wideband impedance ratio of 1:9. The circuit may have different turns ratios for T1 and T2 and different values for Z1 and Z2 to accommodate rational, fractional and integer values of transformation up to an impedance ratio of 16:1. The addition of a balun to the output provides a balanced output.

Abstract: A spacecraft multilayer insulation blanket is made from multiple sheets of polyimide e.g. KAPTON. A preferred six sheet embodiment employs three carbon loaded sheets (26, 32, 34) separated by two dielectric sheets (28, 30). A third dielectric sheet (36) insulates the carbon loaded sheets from the spacecraft body. The outermost carbon loaded sheet (32) has a high resistivity and is primarily transmissive while the other two carbon loaded sheets (26, 34) have a low resistivity and are primarily reflective.

Abstract: The tool herein is used for guiding and ensuring the correct position for cross drilling a rod. Further, the tool will function as various types of work holders or tool holders. The tool is a cube with chamfered corners that form an eighteen sided symmetrical polygon. Each side has bored holes therein arranged in an appropriate size and location to permit the tool to be used for its many functions.

Abstract: A vending machine for articles such as newspapers, magazines or the like is provided wherein the articles are held in a vertical plane and can be viewed through a transparent front glass and wherein a single article is dispensed at a time and wherein the operation is substantially theft-proof in that it is virtually impossible to obtain more than a single article for each payment.

Abstract: A crystal network device (10 or 200) includes a plurality of separable interconnected crystal resonator devices (12, 14, 16 and 18 or 202, 204 and 206) having different resonant frequencies. Each of the crystal resonator devices comprises a molded plastic support member (22, 68, 90, 142 or 208, 264, 283) having a plurality of unitary terminals (32, 120 or 222, 264, 292), which may be of J-shaped construction, mounted thereon.

Abstract: In a camera, a pressure plate is urged against a film frame to hold the film frame in the focal plane of a picture-taking lens during exposure. A resiliently flexible strip, mounted on a loading door of the camera, is normally disposed in a storage plane. An actuating pin, which engages the flexible strip when the loading door is closed, connects the strip to camera mechanism, such as a shutter release. The actuating pin operates, in response to movement of the shutter release, to partially bow an intermediate portion of the strip from the storage plane by sliding a first portion of the strip in the storage plane toward a second, stationary portion of the strip. Bowing of the strip moves the intermediate portion toward the exposure plane to urge the pressure plate against the film frame before exposure and establishes a resilient force in the bowed portion for returning the strip to the storage plane after exposure.