Abstract: A mobile transform structure having an openable/closeable trailer body which is reversibly transformable between a closed, transportable, tractor-trailer mode and an open, ground-stabilized, spray-booth mode for receiving, and armor spray-coating, a selected surface in a subject wheeled vehicle at the location of that vehicle. The transform structure includes, in addition to the trailer body, a deployable canopy structure useable, with the trailer body open, to form a canopied spray enclosure for receiving a subject vehicle, and a trailer-self-contained, armor spray-coating system operable, when a wheeled vehicle is received in the enclosure, to armor spray-coat a selected surface in that vehicle.

Abstract: A solid-fuel rocket assembly including an elongate fuel container having a long axis, and an inner surface spaced outwardly from, and generally circumsurrounding, that axis, and a continuous, elastomeric, heat-insulative, intumescence-behavior jacket adhered to the container's inner surface and defining a central chamber for receiving an elongate body of solid fuel. This structure implements a method for minimizing, in a solid-fuel rocket, heat damage to the wall of a solid-fuel container during burning of contained solid fuel including the steps of (a) producing dual-interface, continuous-presence, heat-insulative barriering in the zone existing between the container and burning fuel, with such barriering being characterized by (1) interfacially following any heat-produced deformations in the container wall, and (2) interfacially confronting the burning fuel with a tendency for intumescence-driven barrier-thickening.

Abstract: Barrier structure placeable as an anti-fuel-leak coating on the outside surface of a liquid container. This coating includes a first-type layer structure formed of a high-elongation-capable elastomer which also is capable of imbibing container leakage liquid, and of swelling in the process, and a second-type layer structure disposed adjacent one side of the first-type layer structure, composite in nature, and possessing bead-like components entrained in the same elastomer employed in first-type layer structure, with these entrained components structured also to be imbibers of leakage container liquid, and to expand on imbibing such liquid. Also disclosed is methodology which involves applying to the outside surface of such a container a coating possessing cooperative, penetration-sealing characteristics including (a) elastic elongatability before breakage within a range of about 300-400%, and (b) leakage-liquid-contact swelling, accompanied by leakage-liquid/coating contact-triggered coagulation.

Abstract: Structure, and a related method, for sealing, from the outside, a liquid-leaking puncture wound in the wall of a liquid container. This structure includes a patch body having a perimetered cavity selectively securable via a self-torque-limiting bolt to the outside of such a container in a manner whereby the cavity overlies and faces the wound, with the cavity's perimeter surrounding the wound, and a patch pellet contained and confined in the cavity, and formed, at least in part, of a liquid-reaction substance which, with the patch body secured to the container, reacts to contact with liquid leaking from the container at least by imbibing such liquid and swelling to apply wound-sealing pressure, and more preferably by additionally reacting with leakage liquid to form a sticky coagulant mass for aiding in applying sealing pressure to the wound.

Abstract: A bulk, generally elastomeric and pliable, layered mat formed to permit selective trimming into size-chosen mat trims/tiles, each of which is structured to perform as a self-puncture(wound)-sealing, defined-liquid-reactive, anti-puncture-leakage coating element applicable bondedly to the outside surface of a selected wall in a container holding the defined-liquid. Also disclosed is a method for protecting against liquid leakage from a puncture wound in such a wall including: (a) preparing a generally elastomeric, pliable, layered coating mat of a self-puncture-healing, defined-liquid-reactive, anti-puncture-leakage material; (b) in relation to a selected container wall, selectively removing, by trimming, from the prepared mat one or more mat trims/tiles shaped for specific use on the outside surface of that wall; and (c) applying and surface-bonding the one or more trims/tiles to the outside surface of the selected wall.

Abstract: A method for applying a plural-layer coating to the outside of a liquid container to act as an anti-leakage barrier in the event of a penetration wound occurring in the container resulting from a penetrating projectile strike, such as a bullet strike. This method includes (a) forming on the outside of such a container, a first layer optimized for providing an elastomeric wound-closure response, (b) forming on the outside of this first layer a second layer optimized for providing combined elastomeric and liquid-imbibing wound-closure responses, and (c) forming on the outside of such a second layer a third, layer optimized in the same manner as the first layer.

Abstract: A method utilizing a spray instrumentality for spray-applying to a target surface in a target zone a defined, composite-material layer which is to play a role in defeating a liquid leak from a puncture wound created in the wall of a container holding liquid of a particular character. The method includes the steps of (a) initiating a flow toward the spray instrumentality of liquid elastomeric body-forming material, (b) at a selectable point downstream from where such initiating takes place, introducing a flow of plural, bead-like, liquid-imbiber elements which are relevant to the mentioned particular-character liquid, (c) in a user-chooseable manner in relation to the introducing step, merging the two flows, and (d) following such merging, applying the merged flows to a target surface, thus to create the desired, defined composite-material layer which takes the form of a body of elastomeric material containing a distribution of liquid-imbiber elements.

Abstract: A method for spray-creating a composite-material layer useable in a plural-layer coating applied to the outside surface of a liquid container to defeat liquid leakage from that container following a projectile penetration of the container, and utilizing in the creation of such a layer a blend of first and second, penetration-reaction materials including, as a first penetration-reaction material, a high-elastomeric body-forming material, and as a second penetration-reaction material, liquid-imbibing bead-like elements.

Abstract: A self-protecting, fire-inhibiting structure including wall structure formed of an elastomeric material having an outwardly exposed surface which is at risk for exposure to the heat of fire, and within that wall structure, a distributed population of intumescence elements. Associated with such structure is a fire-inhibition method for protecting a target structure having a dynamic-motion surface, including the steps of (a) applying an elastomeric, fire-resistant coating having a heat-responsive growth nature to such a surface with the applied coating having an outer side, and (b), on the occurrence of the outer side of that coating becoming exposed to the heat of fire, invoking the heat-responsive growth nature of the coating progressively to grow the coating's thickness as temperature rise within the coating progresses inwardly from the coating's outer side.

Abstract: A head-pressure-variant, self-healing, anti-liquid-leak coating for the outside of an upright wall in a liquid container. This coating possesses a thickness which varies from smaller toward larger advancing downwardly along a coated container wall. Preferred embodiments of the coating include: (a) one whose overall thickness varies in a linear way; (b) another whose thickness varies in a staged/stepped manner; and (c) a third whose thickness varies in a smooth, non-linear way. In all embodiments, the coating includes plural layers having interlayer-thickness relationships which are the same throughout the coating.

Abstract: A shoe insole structure which includes a non-springy, acceleration-rate-sensitive viscoelastic cushioning layer carrying, on its upper surface, a low-friction, abrasion-resistant, load-distributing, moisture-wicking overlayer.

Abstract: A tape drive apparatus has at least one rotary head for reading/writing a track. The track has a number of fragments and each fragment has an identifier. The tape drive apparatus has a position indicator apparatus for providing a signal that indicates a rotational position of the head. The combination of the signal and the identifier unequivocally identifies a fragment within the fragments of a track. This has the advantage that non-unique identifiers can be used for the fragments of a track.

Abstract: Structure, and a related method, for sealing, from the outside, a leaking puncture wound in the wall of a liquid container. This structure includes a patch body having a perimetered cavity selectively securable via a self-torque-limiting bolt to the outside of such a container in a manner whereby the cavity overlies and faces the wound, with the cavity's perimeter surrounding the wound, and a patch pellet contained and confined in the cavity and formed, at least in part, of a reaction substance which, with the patch body secured to the container, reacts to contact with liquid leaking from the container at least by imbibing such liquid and swelling to apply wound-sealing pressure, and more preferably by additionally reacting with leakage liquid to form a sticky coagulant mass for aiding in applying sealing pressure to the wound.

Abstract: A tape guide system for supporting magnetic tape about a rotary scan drum of a data transfer apparatus is disclosed. The tape guide system comprises a tape guide connected to an arm. The tape guide has a deployed position in which a supporting surface of the tape guide supports the magnetic tape and a non-deployed position in which the supporting surface is spaced from and non-aligned with a surface of the tape to be supported. The arm is arranged to be driven about an axis of rotation towards the deployed position. The axis of rotation of the arm is inclined such that, in the deployed position at least part of the supporting surface of the tape guide is substantially aligned with the surface of the tape to be supported. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Abstract: Methods and systems for reading data recorded on a magnetic storage medium are disclosed. One embodiment of the system includes a plurality of pickup elements and a controller. Each pickup element is arranged to have a respective read field for picking up a magnetic field from the magnetic storage medium, the read field being substantially adjacent to a read field of at least one other pickup element. Each pickup element is arranged to generate an output signal dependent on any magnetic field in its read field. The controller is arranged to select one of the output signals in dependence on at least one predetermined condition. Other systems and methods are also provided.

Abstract: A tape guide system for supporting magnetic tape about a rotary scan drum of a data transfer apparatus is disclosed. The tape guide system comprises a tape guide and a guide ramp. The tape guide has a supporting surface for supporting the magnetic tape in the tape guide's deployed position and has a non-deployed position in which the supporting surface is spaced from and non-aligned with a surface of the tape to be supported. The tape guide is arranged to be driven relative to the guide ramp towards the deployed position with a horizontal movement component, thereby causing the guide ramp to impart a vertical movement to the tape guide and, in the deployed position, substantially align at least part of the supporting surface of the tape guide with the surface of the tape to be supported.

Abstract: An armor panel for defeating a projectile strike including (a) a substantially planar core structure having spaced, generally parallel-planar strike and opposite faces, and elongate, circumsurrounding edge structure extending generally normally between these faces to define a perimeter for the core structure, (b) stranded core-wrap structure substantially fully enveloping the core structure, and possessing elongate, tension-load-bearing (TLB) strands which extend at angles relative to one another across the mentioned faces, and substantially parallel to one another in a distribution along the perimeter defined by the edge structure, and (c) a high-elastomeric coating which is distributed over at least those portions of the core-wrap structure which are disposed adjacent the strike face and the edge structure.

Abstract: A method for making a multi-layer helmet shell wherein inner and outer, structural, load-bearing semi-rigid layers are spray-deposited onto opposite surfaces of a pre-shaped, pliable viscoelastic, acceleration-rate-sensitive, microcellular foam core.

Abstract: An anti-projectile barrier fabric which takes the form of a plural-layer assembly of two outer cloth-like layers, each preferably formed of a Nylon material, a pair of foam-like layers, each preferably formed of a cross-linked polyethylene material and disposed inwardly of, and bonded to, the two cloth-like layers, and a central, inner strand layer, preferably formed of elongate, cross-deployed strands of a non-stretchable material, such as Kevlar®, bonded to the confronting inner surfaces of the two foam-like layers.

Abstract: A shoe insole which, within a shoe, combines shock cushioning, heat dissipating, moisture-removing, and low-frictioning contact with the underside of the foot. The insole preferably includes two adhesively bonded layers. The lower layer is a shock-cushioning layer which includes plural, elongate, through-bore perforations that are distributed in a grid fashion throughout the layer, with each perforation extending completely through the thickness of this lower layer, and opening to opposite (upper and lower) faces in the lower layer. The upper layer is a continuous, non-perforated moisture-wicking, low-frictioning, fabric layer which extends across and spans the upper, otherwise open ends of the perforations.