Harsco Corporation

The Walt Disney Company

Bruce S Johnson

Paul H Borst

William G Adamson

William George Wiedefeld

John W Sogge

Ronald W Froelich

Kyle W Poor

Michael H Peterson

Mark S Mesko

B Thomas Craven

Robert H Gurr

A robotic assembly is provided that simulates the size, appearance and movement of a human torso. The torso includes a unique combination of high speed rotary and linear actuators arranged in a geometry that enables anatomically correct human-like movement, and which provides sufficient internal room and mounting surfaces for the actuators and related equipment such as hydraulic or pneumatic lines, electronic control circuits, valves, and audio playback devices. A preferred embodiment of the present invention provides up to nine degrees of freedom. The upper torso includes a pair of rotary arm actuators ('rotacs') for rotating arms up to 200 degrees. The rotacs are pivotally attached to a centrally located mounting structure for up-and-down motion (shoulder shrugging) and for forward-and-back motion (shoulder forward). Movement of each rotac for shrugging and shoulder forward is driven by a pair of linear actuators which are attached between the centrally located mounting structure and the output end of each rotac, with one located at the back (for driving the rotac forward-and-back) and one located above the rotac (for lifting and lowering the output shaft of the rotac). The rotary and linear actuators which move the arms and shoulders can be independently controlled to enable the left arm/shoulder to move independently of the right, or can be ganged together to enable the left and right shoulder/arm to be moved in concert. The lower torso potion of the assembly includes a torso twist rotac which is attached to a base (to which could be connected a leg assembly) such that the output shaft extends vertically upwards. The output shaft of a second rotac is rigidly mounted to the output shaft of the torso twist rotac so that it is held in a substantially horizontal position, thus enabling the housing of the second rotac to rotate about its horizontal output shaft, thus providing a torso sidebend function. The housing of the centrally located mounting structure is pivotally connected to a pair of legs extending away from the housing of the second rotac, and a linear actuator is used to link the centrally located mounting structure to the second rotac-linking the upper and lower torso and providing the torso forebend function.

Robotic human torso

A system and method for launching projectiles, such as fireworks projectiles, which explode in the air into a pyrotechnic display. The projectile includes a shell constructed from a binding agent and an explosive additive which explodes the shell into small particles. The explosive additive, which may be nitrocellulose, causes the exploded particles to be rapidly burned and consumed to form lightweight, inert flakes that fall harmlessly to the ground. The projectile is aimed and launched by a launcher using a compressed gas to rapidly expel the projectile from a launching tube. Once in the air at a predetermined location in the sky, an electronic fuse inside the projectile operates to detonate the projectile into its intended pyrotechnic display. The fuse is extremely accurate and enables detonation of the projectile at precise altitudes. An electronic control system controls launching and detonation of the projectiles in a precise and repeatable manner.

Precision fireworks display system having a decreased environmental

A system and method for movement of self-propelled vehicles in-line along a rail under external control is intended to ensure safe spacing between vehicles to avoid collisions. Each vehicle is driven by its own variable speed motor. The speed of the vehicles is controlled by a stationary cam extending beside the rail. The edge of the cam rises and falls in a predetermined manner and is sensed by a cam follower on each vehicle. The cam follower is coupled to a transducer which produces a control signal for varying the vehicle speed in response to the rise or fall of the cam edge. Each vehicle pulls along a tail which extends behind the vehicle and is guided for motion alongside the edge of the cam. If a rear vehicle approaches a forward vehicle sufficiently closely for the cam follower of the rear vehicle to be raised from the cam edge by contact with the tail of the forward vehicle, the transducer of the rear vehicle is thereby caused to signal its drive motor to move the rear vehicle at a speed no faster than the forward vehicle, to avoid collision with it.

System and method for externally controlled spacing of self propelled

A crane has a twin post and a twin boom construction and provides for numerous degrees of freedom. The crane is a trailer and uses the weight of a vehicle to which it is attached for stability when it is in an operating mode. The crane has wheels which may be lifted off the ground to allow its positioning by a vehicle to which it is attached.

Parasitic crane

Gripping apparatus for restraining the gun barrel on an armored vehicle comprises a pair of gripping jaws pivotally supported within a housing and connected by a first pair of toggle links to a movable carriage within the housing such that the jaws are opened and closed upon movement of the carriage, a pair of locking members slidably carried on the carriage and adapted to enter apertures in the sides of the housing to lock the carriage at a predetermined location at which the jaws are closed and the toggle links of the first pair are in substantially a straight line relationship, and a second pair of toggle links connected to the locking member and to an actuator rod so as to enable the toggle links of the second pair to assume an over-center position upon the locking members being received in the apertures for positively locking the carriage in the predetermined location.

Double toggle gripping apparatus

A portable folding bridge crane comprises a power unit having a folding tongue assembly for enabling the unit to be towed as a trailer by a vehicle, a crane rail assembly carrying a movable bridge crane thereon, a pair of support members pivotally connected to the unit and to an intermediate location of the rail assembly, first hydraulic actuators for pivoting the support members with respect to the unit to raise and lower the rail assembly, second hydraulic actuators for simultaneously pivoting the rail assembly with respect to the support members to maintain the rail assembly horizontal, and a pair of legs pivotally supported at the front of the rail assembly for movement between a stowed position at which the legs lie adjacent to the rail assembly and an operating position at which the legs are extended to engage the ground. Upon being erected, the rail assembly is supported by the front legs and by the support members connected to the power unit, and the tongue assembly is folded against the power unit to enable vehicles to be driven sideways beneath the rail assembly and the movable bridge crane to be employed for transferring loads to and from the vehicles.

Portable folding bridge crane

Apparatus for sensing the tension in a cable and for maintaining the tension between a minimum tension and a maximum tension value comprises a rocker carrying a pulley about which the cable is passed, the rocker being pivotally supported for rotation between first and second rotational positions and being biased toward the first rotational position. Upon tension being applied to the cable, the rocker pivots away from the first position by an amount proporational to the cable tension. Spring biased plungers and associated switches sense the rocker being respectively at the first and second rotational positions and control the tension applied to the cable so as to maintain the tension between the selected minimum and maximum values.

Cable tension sensing apparatus

A battlefield magazine, for protecting a plurality of projectiles against harsh environmental conditions, includes a molded base for holding back portions of a plurality of projectiles. A steel frame assembled to the molded base provides structural strength and support to the molded base. A cover, attaches to the steel frame and molded base assembly and protectively encloses the front one-half of the ogives of the projectiles extending out from the front of the molded base. Reinforcing plates, positioned on the back surface of the molded base provide structural strength during vertical lifting of the battlefield magazine. The frame and reinforcing plates include lugs on one side while the corresponding opposite sides include recesses adapted to receive lugs of a like magazine to allow stacking of magazines.

Battlefield magazine with external reinforcing frame

A grouping head hoist uses a plurality of conical couplers mounted upon cables to rearrange and lift a plurality of projectiles. The couplers are locked to the eyelet at the nose of the projectiles and the cables are raised relative to a lower guide plate such that the couplers will seat within corresponding conical holes within the guide plate. The positioning of the holes in the guide plate determines the structure of the array into which the projectiles are rearranged. An upper support plate disposed above the guide plate raises and lowers the cables by operation of hydraulic cylinders connecting the upper support plate and lower guide plate. Alternately, the cables may be reeled upon reels or drums mounted within a case. An automatic release plate is used to simultaneously release numerous of the projectiles. A turn counting mechanism limits rotation of the reels upon which the cables are wound. A scissors mechanism or linkage assembly is used to stabilize the hoist.

Grouping head hoist

A battlefield magazine includes a base and a cover which may be used to realize a projectile storage container to protect projectiles against harsh environmental conditions and to seal projectiles against contamination from nuclear, biological, and chemical agents. Each of the projectiles within the projectile storage container is individually sealed by a resilient seal compressed between the cover and the base. When access to the projectiles for usage is required, the cover may be removed from the base and replaced with an alternate projectile front protecting device used to lock the front of the projectiles. The projectile locking front together with the base form a projectile storage rack used to secure the projectiles, but also allowing their removal for loading into weapons.

Battlefield magazine

A projectile holding apparatus or rack includes a plurality of spring-biased steel bands for securing a plurality of projectiles in the rack. Each of the securing steel bands may be individually moved to release or secure projectiles disposed within corresponding projectile storage tubes. The steel bands include a part to at least partially spiral around a projectile such that projectiles of different lengths may be accommodated. A gang control may be used for simultaneously locking and unlocking the projectiles within the projectile storage tubes. The gang control is further operable to move all of the securing bands from their releasing positions to their securing positions.

Growing community of inventors

Dallastown, PA, United States of America

Bruce S Johnson