US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Gene H Widenhofer

Robert R Mitchell

Walter E Miller, Jr

Herbert B Holl

The interferometric alignment device is a small, compact device that can be attached to any two optical instruments that need to be aligned precisely in both pitch and yaw angles. The device utilizes light reflecting from mirrors that are permanently mounted inside the instruments, one mirror in each of the instruments. The reflected light beams exit their respective instruments via a window built into the frame of the instrument and re-enters the attached alignment device wherein they combine to form an interference pattern. The operator of the alignment device observes the fringes of this pattern and adjusts the azimuth and elevation of one instrument relative to the other instrument until the fringes are at an acceptable minimum number or are eliminated altogether.

Interferometric alignment device

The present invention is an initial guidance system for a missile that has o other guidance or inadequate terminal homing guidance to lock onto a target at the time of missile launch. A laser beam projected from the missile launch station is aimed toward the target. Light from the beam is reflected in random directions (scattered) from aerosol particles that are ever present in the atmosphere. This scattered light strikes light detectors that are located on the sides of the missile. When the missile flies off the direction of the target, the amplitudes of impacting light on these detectors are different on different sides of the missile. Guidance controls activated by these amplitude differences cause the missile to veer toward the center of the beam and thus fly in a direction that is more toward the target.

Scatter-rider guidance system for terminal homing seekers

A non-retro angle of arrival meter in which reflection means are mounted ative to an aperture and to detectors for radiation such that radiation passing through the aperture is reflected from the reflection means to the detectors to cause signals to be produced at the detectors that can be processed by a processor for recording these signals and determining the direction from which the radiation is originating.

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Madison, AL, United States of America

Gene H Widenhofer