Westinghouse Electric Corporation

US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

Wayne B Lloyd

Dale R Logan

John H Staehlin

Ronald W Minarik

John J Chino

Robert J Bernhard

Bradley J Bondhus

An antibacklash gear system wherein a pair of gears mounted for limited movement therebetween are biased by a spring to move the teeth of the gears out of register, the spring serving as a link between two levers mounted on one of the gears. The position of one of the levers may be adjusted to vary the force applied to the other lever by the spring to thereby vary the force urging the gears to move relative to each other.

Adjustable antibacklash gear system

An apparatus for measuring a comprehensive state of vector displacement between a group of at least two pairs of longitudinally spaced side-looking radar arrays mounted upon a flexible host vehicle. This apparatus will operate to measure in three linear translation motions and three rotational motions, the relative positions of the radar array antennas upon the host vehicle during maneuvers of the host vehicle.

Distributed antenna array location apparatus

A variable frequency vibration isolator for isolating vibrations between a base and a load having relative displacement of each other characterized by a pair of coil springs in series with a connector between them. The connector is journally mounted for axial movement in response to spring vibrations. Locking means including a timing circuit for clamping and unclamping the connector against movement, so as to improve vibration isolation at frequencies higher than approximately 2f.sub.n while substantially improving the performance at lower frequencies.

Variable frequency vibration isolator

A disc-shaped member-to-be-aimed is mounted for tilting about two mutually perpendicular tilt axes rotatable about a third and mutually perpendicular boresight axis that affords a conical field of view for the member in the presence of any asymmetry in its tilting about the tilt axis. A multi-gimbal assembly accommodates such multiple-axis movement freedom, and torque motors disposed in an axialwise direction at one side of the member-to-be-aimed affords radial compactness for the gimbal assembly.

Aimable mounting apparatus

An autoalignment system for a laser having a pair of reflector assemblies capable of providing six degrees of freedom of movement to the reflector element formed as part of each of the reflector assemblies. Each reflector assembly is made up of a reflector unit, a gimbal knuckle joint and a translator mechanism. The interconnection between the reflector unit and the gimbal knuckle joint provides for two degrees of freedom while the translator mechanism and its interconnection with the gimbal knuckle joint provides the additional four degrees of freedom. Cooling of the reflector elements is accomplished by way of a coolant system which is incorporated within the autoalignment system of the laser, while motivation of the autoalignment system is in the form of a plurality of drivers operably connected to the various elements of the reflector assembly. During utilization of the system in a vibrational environment, the autoalignment system maintains the correct relationship between the reflecting elements of the laser as well as providing sufficient cooling thereof.

Laser autoalignment system

Vibration isolated sensor apparatus with minimized air stream obstruction for external mounting on an aircraft. An elongated multi-gimbaled sensor assembly disposed within a cylindrical pod housing for extension along a longitudinal axis of an aircraft is resiliently supported for vibration isolation by a circumferential array of cantilevered longitudinally-extending leaf springs. By actuation of crank arms at the supported ends of the leaf springs, the direction and extent of such resilient support can be made to match g forces created by maneuvering of the aircraft, thereby maintaining minimal radial-wise spring travel clearance-way and minimal transverse section size.

Airborne vibration isolated sensor apparatus

Vibration isolation apparatus in which the vibration-protected portion thereof is supported by the vibration-prone portion through the medium of a vertically-actuable multiaxis joint assembly that affords 3.degree. of angular freedom. In one embodiment the joint assembly also affords 2.degree. of translational freedom, and in another such translational freedom is introduced at the support for such assembly. Suitably controlled actuators between the two apparatus portions actively isolate a range of vibration frequencies in 6.degree. of freedom. A spring support means for the protected portion offers passive isolation vertically.

Vibration isolation load support apparatus

An anti-backlash gear assembly including an hydraulic piston that automatically maintains clearance-filling positioning of two relatively circumferentially adjustable axial parts of a split gear by receipt of hydraulic fluid from a local accumulator via a fluid-retaining check valve means.

Anti-backlash gear assembly

An adjustable-effectiveness support spring device for vibration-isolating support of an airborne load subject to varying g forces in both positive and negative directions. A vertically movable load support rod is interconnected for support by a mounting base through the medium of a low pickup value helical spring means and a rockable lever assembly. Adjusting position of the spring means and a fulcrum means along the length of the lever assembly adjusts the support effectiveness of the weak spring means as well as the direction of its effort imparted to the support rod.

Adjustable effectiveness support spring device

An improved target sighting device of the type particularly suited for use on moving vehicles, such as military aircraft, and in which a vertically-disposed C-shaped elevation gimbal is supported for rotary movement about an elevation axis at the center of the gimbal to enable a vertically extending mirror on the gimbal to be aimed toward a target along a line of sight at one side of the gimbal, for reflection of target information along such axis and through the open end of the gimbal to a fixed optical pickup assembly. Improvement resides in the support of the open end of the gimbal by a ring bearing encircled by an annular flex pivot assembly that limits the extent of rotary aim-influencing vibration that can be transmitted from the exterior of the device to the gimbal and mirror circumferentially through the ring bearing by friction.

Target sighting device

Improved assembly for use in an inertially stabilized heliostat device, wherein the vertical stabilized-body-azimuth axis about which the elevation gimbal supporting the inertially stabilized body moves angularly in azimuth coincides with the vertical stabilizing-mirror-azimuth axis about which half-angle movement of the input stabilizing mirror takes place, both of these azimuth axes in turn lie in a plane that is common to that in which the horizontal elevation axis for such elevation gimbal lies, and the mass of the stabilized body lies both fore and aft of such elevation axis.

Growing community of inventors

Baltimore, MD, United States of America

Wayne B Lloyd