Abstract: Apparatus to axially hold a featureless shaft has an abutment for abutting the side of the shaft and a cam to wedge the shaft against the abutment. The cam has a convexly radiused face which is generally opposed to the abutment. The generating radius for the face is offset from the pivot axis of the cam in the direction in which a shaft is inserted into the apparatus. Consequently, once the cam wedges the shaft against the abutment any withdrawal force on the shaft will tighten the wedging effect since the eccentric radiused face will attempt to move closer to the abutment.

Abstract: Apparatus for deploying an articulated panel array comprises a spring motor between adjacent panels and a latch between adjacent panels. The latch between a given pair of panels is released by an abutment on the panel which is adjacent to the pair and toward the proximal end of the array only when the more proximally disposed panel of the pair moves to its fully deployed position. With this arrangement, only a single group of panels of the array moves at any given time providing an accurate deployment envelope.

Abstract: A spring hinge between panels of a satellite panel array comprises a plurality of serially joined known flexural pivots of the type having two cylindrical members with tongues from each extending into the other joined by a flat spring. One panel has an abutment for limiting the rotation of the next panel with respect thereto such that the spring hinge remains partially stressed when the panels are deployed. In another embodiment, two pluralities of serially joined pivots act in parallel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reconstructing the three-dimensional coordinates of an identifiable contour on an object without relying on markers or pre-existing knowledge of the geometry of the object is described. The technique is defined as Contour Radiography. In the preferred embodiment two X-ray sources irradiate an object possessing a radiographically identifiable contour and then the two images of the contour are projected onto an X-ray film at spaced locations on the film plane. These images are digitized by the tracing of the image curves with a cursor or some other means thereby establishing the coordinates of an arbitrary number of image points. The digital data thus obtained is processed in accordance with a Contour Radiography (CONRAD) algorithm to identify corresponding points on the two curves which originate from the same point on the physical contour. The spatial coordinates of the X-ray sources are determined using a special calibration system.