Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing for mounting to a flywheel; a pressure plate, held in the housing with the freedom to move in the same direction as that of a rotational axis (A); a stored-energy element; and a wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission between the stored-energy element and the pressure plate, where the wear-compensating device has at least one adjusting element, which can move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. A clearance-producing arrangement includes a gripping element provided on the pressure plate, which element comes or can be brought to rest against a blocking element (fixed in position relative to the housing arrangement upon the occurrence of wear. When the housing arrangement is being attached to the flywheel arrangement, the blocking element arrives in state in which it is able to enter into a blocking interaction with the associated gripping element.

Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing; a pressure plate held in the housing with freedom to move in the same direction as that in which a rotational axis (A) extends; a stored-energy element; and a wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission between the stored-energy element and the pressure plate and/or between the stored-energy element and the housing arrangement, where the wear-compensating device has at least one adjusting element able to move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. A clearance-producing arrangement includes at least one gripping element, where the minimum of one gripping element has a body section, one end of which is attached to the assembly consisting of the pressure plate and the housing, between which assembly and the stored-energy element the wear-compensating device acts.

Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing, a pressure plate held in the housing arrangement with freedom to move axially, and a stored-energy element transmitting force along a path between the housing and the pressure plate. A wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission has at least one adjusting element able to move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. At least one spring element pretensions the minimum of one adjusting element for movement in the adjusting direction, where at least certain areas of the minimum of one spring element extend in the circumferential direction relative to the rotational axis (A). A support arrangement supports the area of the spring element extending essentially in the circumferential direction radially from the outside and/or radially from the inside relative to the rotational axis (A).

Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing; a pressure plate held in the housing with freedom to move in the same direction as that in which a rotational axis (A) extends; a stored-energy element; and a wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission between the stored-energy element and the pressure plate and/or between the stored-energy element and the housing arrangement, where the wear-compensating device has at least one adjusting element able to move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. A clearance-producing arrangement includes at least one gripping element, where the minimum of one gripping element has a body section, one end of which is attached to the assembly consisting of the pressure plate and the housing, between which assembly and the stored-energy element the wear-compensating device acts.

Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing, a pressure plate held in the housing arrangement with freedom to move axially, and a stored-energy element transmitting force along a path between the housing and the pressure plate. A wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission has at least one adjusting element able to move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. At least one spring element pretensions the minimum of one adjusting element for movement in the adjusting direction, where at least certain areas of the minimum of one spring element extend in the circumferential direction relative to the rotational axis (A). A support arrangement supports the area of the spring element extending essentially in the circumferential direction radially from the outside and/or radially from the inside relative to the rotational axis (A).

Abstract: A pressure plate assembly for a friction clutch includes a housing for mounting to a flywheel; a pressure plate, held in the housing with the freedom to move in the same direction as that of a rotational axis (A); a stored-energy element; and a wear-compensating device acting in the path of force transmission between the stored-energy element and the pressure plate, where the wear-compensating device has at least one adjusting element, which can move in an adjusting direction to compensate for wear. A clearance-producing arrangement includes a gripping element provided on the pressure plate, which element comes or can be brought to rest against a blocking element (fixed in position relative to the housing arrangement upon the occurrence of wear. When the housing arrangement is being attached to the flywheel arrangement, the blocking element arrives in state in which it is able to enter into a blocking interaction with the associated gripping element.

Abstract: A thrust plate assembly for a motor vehicle friction clutch with automatic wear compensation includes a housing fastened to a flywheel for common rotation about an axis of rotation. An axially displaceable pressure plate is connected with the housing so as to be substantially fixed with respect to rotation relative to it and has a friction face on a side facing the flywheel. An axially acting spring device presses the pressure plate toward the flywheel via an axially acting adjusting mechanism and accordingly can clamp a driven part arranged between the pressure plate and the flywheel. At least one play sensor is guided in the thrust plate assembly so as to be substantially axially displaceable against friction. A wear detection portion of the play sensor is axially displaceable in the thrust plate assembly in response to wear and an actuation portion of the play sensor cooperates with the adjusting mechanism for allowing an axial lengthening of the adjusting mechanism in response to wear.

Abstract: An initiating sensor for a missile equipped with a directional warhead. For the timely detection of the target and to calculate the tripping time, two rings are provided on the circumference of the missile, each having a multitude of active laser rangefinders.

Abstract: An ion cluster beam can be focused and delivered to a target with a selected energy range by directing the ionized beam through a beam crossover, and furnishing an energy-selecting apertured plate adjacent to the beam crossover so that the center of the beam passes through the aperture. The beam crossover is distributed along the beam axis due to the different energies of the particles in the beam. The apertured plate in the beam path removes from the beam those clusters having energies lower than and/or greater than an acceptable energy range, depending upon its placement and diameter, to provide energy selectivity. The portion of the beam passing through the aperture is imaged upon the target by a lens, and the beam may be deflected by deflector coils to write patterns across the surface of the target.

Abstract: Beams of energetic atoms are produced by furnishing a beam of energetic ionized clusters and disintegrating the clusters to produce a beam of energetic atoms. The energetic ionized clusters are provided by forming a beam containing uncharged particles, both clusters and atoms, ionized the particles, accelerating the particles, separating any unionized particles from the beam, and removing those particles outside a selected size range from the beam. The resulting energetic beam of ionized clusters is impacted against a cluster scattering plate so that the clusters break apart into unclustered atoms and ions. The ions are removed from the beam of unclustered atoms, which is available for use as needed. The atoms have energies dependent upon the cluster beam conditioning, but which are typically in the range of 1-10 electron volts per atom.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a beam of ionized clusters includes a source that emits a beam of clustered and unclustered atoms through a nozzle and a cold cathode ionizer that ionizes the clusters. The ionizer is positioned in close proximity to the nozzle and the beam as it is emitted from the nozzle. A plasma is formed in the beam adjacent the nozzle when secondary electrons emitted from the cathode are accelerated and injected into the beam, resulting in the ionization of atoms and clusters. The cathode is preferably formed, at least in part, of a material that efficiently emits secondary electrons when impacted by ionized atoms extracted from the plasma to impact against the cathode, and the secondary electrons are injected into the plasma to renew the process. The ionized clusters remain in the beam and proceed to their target.

Abstract: A cluster source includes at least two separate zones, each of whose temperatures can be independently controlled. A crucible contains the species to be evaporated, and is heated to a sufficiently high temperature that efficient evaporation is achieved. A cluster formation surface is adjacent to the crucible and receives evaporated atoms from the crucible. Clusters are produced at the cluster formation surface from the evaporated atoms, and the cluster formation surface is maintained at a temperature lower than that of the crucible to encourage good formation efficiency. Optionally, a third zone can be provided for ejection of the clusters, which is maintained at a higher temperature than the cluster formation surface to prevent formation of droplets of the evaporant.

Abstract: A source of clusters of atoms is provided, wherein the clusters are thermally conditioned after their formation so that the clusters are in the liquid state. A beam of clusters is first formed during the mixing of a stream of atoms and a carrier gas. The beam of clusters mixed with carrier gas is passed through a conditioner, preferably including a heated drift tube, to bring the clusters to a temperature whereat the clusters are in a condensed state without crystalline order, comparable to the liquid state. The conditioned cluster beam passes to vacuum, with separation and removal of a large portion of the carrier gas mixed therewith, so that cooling of the clusters in the cluster beam is minimized during their flight to the cluster target.

Abstract: Chemical reactions are accomplished at a surface of a substrate by supplying both a chemical reactant and energy by means of a cluster beam of a volatile material. Discrete units containing a volatile reactant are formed into clusters, ionized, accelerated to high energy, and impacted against the surface. The clusters disintegrate, and the reactant species reacts at the surface, under the influence of the energy transferred by the accelerated cluster. The clustered species may be the only reactant, as in a decomposition reaction, or additional reactants may be supplied from the surface or from other external sources, as in a film deposition, etching reaction, or catalysis reaction.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a beam of ionized clusters, having a cluster source and an ionizer, includes an electrostatic mass separator which permits only those clusters having a mass greater than a selected value to pass. Unclustered ions and clusters of smaller size are reflected and do not reach the substrate target. The mass separator has a retarding field electrode and an entrance electrode, both in the form of grids with the grid openings aligned. Use of a second electrostatic mass separator allows selection of a narrow range of cluster masses for acceleration against the substrate.

Abstract: A method and a device for angle coding a guided smooth-tube projectile, by which the roll position existing at the launching can be coded irreversibly for any insertion position of the projectile in the launching tube.

Abstract: Charged particle source (14) delivers beam (20) which is collimated onto first aperture plate having first aperture (28). The beam passing therethrough is deflected by deflection plates (32, 34, 38 and 40) with respect to second aperture (46) in second aperture plate (44). The image (50) of the second aperture (46) is focused on the target plane (16) and the projected image of the footprint (58) of the deflected beam is focused on the target plane (16). When these images overlap, a shaped beam (56) passes through. Scanning of the beam across the target plane by deflection plates (52 and 54) permits exposure of sharp-edged features (62) by positioning the image (60a) inside the margin (64) and then scanning the image (50b) thereacross to expose the sharp edge and thereupon picking up the image (60) so that they both scan across the feature to be exposed.

Abstract: Electron or ion beam shaping apparatus has first aperture (28) and second aperture (30) through which the beam (20) is focused by first lens (24). Double deflection apparatus of either electromagnetic or electrostatic character is small and can be positioned between the aperture plates so that the image of both apertures can be focused on the target (16). Double deflection serves to vary spot size and shape and assures that target current density does not change while spot size is varied.

Abstract: Beam deflection apparatus 50 has first and second conductors 64 and 68 positioned transversely in the path of beam 67 and has a resistive connector 78 to be tuned to deflection amplifier 52 and transmission line 54 to provide magnetic deflection. Capacitive plates 74 and 76 are charged by the deflection current to provide substantially equal electrostatic deflection in the same direction.

Abstract: Deflection of an electron beam from axis 28 is controlled by electromagnetic deflection saddle coils 24, 26. Interference with deflection by surrounding mass of lens 22 is overcome by compensation coils 42, 44. The deflection coils and compensation coils are shaped and sized so that their own conductive properties do not distort the deflection magnetic fields. This is accomplished by equalizing between the deflection and compensation coils, the change in magnetic field during coil current penetration and by equalizing the penetration time constants for both sets of windings.