USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Paul Coffin

Roger M Crane

Cylinder-to-cylinder attachment method and construction featuring nonutiltion of mechanical fasteners or bonding, especially advantageous for attachment of cylinders which are composite or to be subjected to hydrostatic pressure. A fastening ring is interpositionally and rotatively engaged and aligned with a toothed axial end of each cylinder whereby the inwardly radial teeth for each cylinder appropriately mesh with the outer grooved circumferential surface of the fastening ring. The resultant joint is easily detachable and less susceptible than conventional joints to damage, breakage, degradation, stress concentrations and fluid infiltration.

Attachment methodology for composite cylinder assembly

Cylinder-to-cylinder attachment method and construction featuring nonutilization of mechanical fasteners or bonding, especially advantageous for attachment of cylinders which are composite or to be subjected to hydrostatic pressure. A fastening ring is interpositionally and rotatively engaged and aligned with a toothed axial end of each cylinder whereby the inwardly radial teeth for each cylinder appropriately mesh with the outer grooved circumferential surface of the fastening ring. The resultant joint is easily detachable and less susceptible than conventional joints to damage, breakage, degradation, stress concentrations and fluid infiltration.

A circumferential rib-stiffened hollow cylinder and method for fabrication thereof featuring construction of the cylinder from complementarily shaped nestled prefabricated rings and resultant circumferential ribs which are integral with the rest of the cylinder. In one embodiment ring sections which are 'L'-shaped in cross-section are axially and sequentially mated; ring sections which are 'U'-shaped are axially and correspondingly integrated therewith, therein for a cylinder having internal circumferential ribs and thereout for a cylinder having external circumferential ribs. The dominant load path for the cylinder is through the reinforced cylinder elements, and the cylinder's wall-thickness-to-diameter ratio is effectively reduced, thereby allowing radial reinforcement of the ribs, reducing residual stresses and increasing strength; these advantages are especially significant for cylinders which are composite or are to be subjected to hydrostatic pressure. Moreover, in comparison with conventional cylinders of monocoque construction, manufacture and quality control may be expected to be more economical and cost-effective.

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Chesapeake Beach, MD, United States of America

Paul Coffin