Engineered Support Systems, Inc.

Hunter Engineering Company

Drs Sustainment Systems, Inc.

Esco Electronics Company

Edward V Carter

Jeffrey S Fitzgerald

Thomas W Ellington

Charles Hull

A pneumatic door closer with a protective external telescoping cylinder and angled handhold. Such a closer is generally outfitted with a structural tubular support that follows the telescoping and collapsing of the closer's piston and that has sufficient stiffness to limit the stresses imposed on the piston throughout its extension. The support provides a resistance to perpendicular force. Moreover, when the piston is collapsed within the exterior chamber, the support pivots to the exterior chamber with bushing(s) fixed to the end of the support that travel along the length of the exterior column as the closer telescopes or collapses, to permit continued smooth sliding motion throughout the extension stroke.

Door equalizer support and handhold

Disclosed herein is an elevating lift for raising and lowering a load (such as a sensor suite) onboard a vehicle, such as a Humvee, which can allow for the transport of the vehicle in a standard transport without removal of the sensor suite from the vehicle, and can provide for a more stable support for the load than is available from a traditional mast. The elevating lift may also able to maintain the load in a parallel position as it is raised, and may be able to lock in a intermediate position where the sensor suite can be used while the vehicle is in motion.

Elevating lift

An isolation platform assembly ( ) for a vehicle (V) on which is mounted instruments and sensors (S). The instruments and sensors are installed on a gimbal (G). A mounting bracket ( ) attaches the assembly to the vehicle. The unit further includes a platform or plate ( ) to which the gimbal is attached. The plate connects to the bracket by cable isolators ( ) which attenuate shock and vibration forces transmitted through the vehicle. This protects the instrument and sensor packages from shock and vibration damage, particularly when the vehicle is moving. It also allows the instruments and sensors to be used to obtain information both while the vehicle is parked and while it is moving. The assembly further includes a restraint mechanism ( ) comprising torsion bars ( ) and levers ( ) which connect the platform to the mounting bracketry so to enable the instrumentation and sensor payload to be moved from one orientation to another for data acquisition.

Isolation platform assembly for supporting an instrumentation payload

A docking station ( ) comprises a mast latch assembly ( ) which attaches to the outer end of a mast (M). An adapter ( ) which connects to a sensor platform (G) disengagingly attaches to the mast latch assembly. An isolation assembly ( ) mounts on a surface (D) of a vehicle (V) adjacent an opening (O) through which the mast extends and retracts. As the mast is retracted, the adapter ( ) engages with isolation assembly ( ) and disengages from the mast latch assembly. This attaches the sensor platform to the isolation assembly which now protects the sensors from vibrations produced by the vehicle and any shocks created by the terrain over which the vehicle travels. It also allows the sensors to be used for surveillance during vehicle travel. When the vehicle stops and the mast is again extended, the adapter ( ) re-engages with the mast latch assembly and is disengaged from the isolation assembly.

Mast payload docking station

A storage and feed mechanism (10) stores ammunition (A) for a weapon (W) and facilitates feeding the ammunition to the weapon during firing. A magazine (12) comprises a storage chamber located adjacent the weapon and capable of storing a plurality of rounds of the ammunition. Individual rounds of ammunition are linked together on an ammunition belt (B) which carries the rounds to the weapon during firing. An ammunition feed (32) includes an inlet chute (33a) positioned above the magazine and allowing linked rounds of ammunition to be vertically extracted from the magazine thereby preventing tip-over and similar problems. The feed further includes a fixed fan section (32a) comprising a rigid chute through which the belt of ammunition is drawn. A sprocket drive (62) includes an appropriate gear (64) which engages the ammunition belt to draw the linked ammunition from the magazine up through the chute to the receiver. Use of the rigid chute minimizes resistance to movement of the ammunition belt and eliminates jams caused by belt stretching, and enables ammunition to be fed to the weapon regardless of the weapon's angle of elevation during firing.

Chuting assembly for ammunition magazine feed

A vehicle elevating apparatus constructed with a pair of independent runway carrying parallelogram assemblies each being provided with raising and lowering motor of pressure fluid type, and a torsionally stiff component operatively connecting the parallelogram assemblies so that in the event of failure of one of the motors the torsionally stiff component will transfer the load and substantially equalize the position of the runways and prevent a catastrophic accident.

Growing community of inventors

Edwardsville, IL, United States of America

Edward V Carter