The United States of America As Represented by the Administrator of the

Other

The United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of

Richard E Wallsom

Harold G Bush

Martin M Mikulas, Jr

Robert A Frosch

J Kermit Jensen

A mechanical end joint system for connecting structural column elements and eliminating the possibility of free movement between joint halves during loading or vibration has a node joint body having a cylindrical engaging end, and a column end body having a cylindrical engaging end. Each of the cylindrical engaging ends has an integral semicircular tongue and an integral semicircular groove. The node joint body has a conical aperture at the center of its cylindrical engaging end. The column end joint body has an internal latch mechanism housed therein, with the internal latch mechanism having a latch bolt element slidably disposed along the longitudinal axis of the column end joint body at the cylindrical engaging end. The internal latch mechanism also has a spring mechanism disposed along the longitudinal axis of the column end joint body, as well as a compressible preload mechanism and plunger means housed therein. Locking of the mechanical end joint system and adding a preload across the semiconductor tongue and semicircular groove faces is accomplished by compressing the preload mechanism, thereby exerting and equal and opposite force on the latch bolt element and plunger means, and causing the node joint body and the column end joint body to be pressed tightly against each other, effecting a preloaded compressive fit between the two joint halves. As well, a secondary locking means prevents inadvertent disassembly.

Mechanical end joint system for connecting structural column elements

A mobile remote manipulator system 10 is disclosed for assembly, repair and logistics transport on, around and about a space station square bay truss structure. The vehicle is supported by a square track arrangement supported by guide pins integral with the space station truss structure 12 and located at each truss node 40. Propulsion is provided by a central push-pull drive mechanism 20 that extends out from the vehicle one full structural bay over the truss and locks drive rods 38 into the guide pins 30. The draw bar is now retracted and the mobile remote manipulator system is pulled onto the next adjacent structural bay. Thus, translation of the vehicle is 'inchworm' style. The drive bar can be locked onto two (2) guide pins while the extendable draw bar is within the vehicle and then push the vehicle away one bay providing bi-directional push-pull drive. The track switches 28 allow the vehicle to travel in two (2) orthogonal directions over the truss structure which coupled with the bi-directional drive, allow movement in four (4) directions on one plane. The top layer of this tri-layered vehicle is a logistics platform 16. This platform is capable of 360 degrees of rotation and will have two (2) astronaut foot restraint platforms 18 and a space crane 14 integral.

Mobile remote manipulator vehicle system

A collapsible-expandable truss structure 16 including first and second spaced surface truss layers (18, 20) having an attached core layer 22 is disclosed. The surface truss layers are composed of a plurality of linear struts 40 arranged in multiple triangular configurations with each linear strut being hinged at its center 41 and hingedly connected at each end thereof to a nodular joint 25. A passive spring 64 serves as the expansion force to move the folded struts from a stowed collapsed position to a deployed operative final truss configuration. Damper 62 controls the rate of spring 64 expansion for synchronized deployment of truss 16 as the folded configuration is released for deployment by restraint belts 72a and 73a synchronously extending under the control of motor (71) driven spools 72 and 73.

Synchronously deployable truss structure

A device for connecting, rotating and locking together a pair of structural half-columns 11 is disclosed. The device is composed of an identical pair of cyclindrical hub assemblies 12,12a connected at their inner faces by a spring loaded hinge 20; each hub assembly having a structural half-column attached to its outer end. Each hub assembly has a spring loading locking ring 14,14a member movably attached adjacent to its inner face and includes a latch 32,32a member for holding the locking ring in a rotated position subject to the force of its spring. Each hub assembly also has a hammer 36,36a member for releasing the latch on the opposing hub assembly when the hub assemblies are rotated together. The spring loaded hinge connecting the hub assemblies rotates the hub assemblies and attached structural half-columns together bringing the inner faces of the opposing hub assemblies into contact with one another. The hammer members 36,36a release the latch members 32,32a on the opposing hub assemblies 12,12a and the locking ring members 14,14a rotate together to join the half-columns and form a single structural column.

Self-locking mechanical center joint

A mechanical end joint system, useful for the transverse connection of strut elements to a common node, comprises a node joint half 15 with semicircular tongue 14 and groove 60 and a strut joint half 24 with semicircular tongue 25 and groove 21. The two joint halves are engaged transversely and the connection is made secure by the inherent physical property characteristics of locking latches 12 and 26 (FIGS. 1-6) or by a spring-actioned shaft 70 (FIG. 7). A quick release mechanism (FIG. 7) provides rapid disengagement of the joint halves.

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Newport News, VA, United States of America

Richard E Wallsom