General Dynamics Corporation

Other

General Dynamics Corporation, Convair Division

William A Roden

Glenn L Criger

Sidney Sitachitt

Archibald B Ellsworth

John A Horvath

Douglas W Mayberry

Cleveland E Roye

The vehicle turbine charging system is adapted for use with a vehicle. The vehicle is further defined with one or more body panels, a brake system, and an electrical system. The electrical system is further defined with a brake signal and a battery. The vehicle turbine charging system is a regenerative braking device. The operation of the vehicle turbine charging system is initiated upon the application of the brake system on the vehicle. The vehicle turbine charging system comprises one or more regeneration devices. Each individual regeneration device selected from the one or more regeneration devices diverts air flow from around the vehicle through the turbine. The turbine powers the regeneration circuit to provide electrical energy that recharges battery. The control circuit opens and closes the intake that diverts the air flow to the turbine. The intake is open during brake system operation and is otherwise closed.

Vehicle turbine charging system

A level measuring system for leveling structures using the principal that water seeks its own level. A plurality of sensor vessels each of which includes ultrasonic transducers for measuring the level of a liquid in the vessel. A liquid source provides liquid to the sensors and a vacuum pump withdraws the liquid after measurements are complete. Each sensor vessel includes two ultrasonic transducers, one of which measures the sonic velocity and the other measures the level of the liquid. A calibration device is provided to verify calibration of the level measuring sensor. In one embodiment, the two ultrasonic sensors are arranged vertically in a transparent cylindrical housing. In a second embodiment, a first horizontal bore and a second intersecting vertical bore are provided in a solid material, with the sonic velocity measuring sensor at one end of the horizontal bore and the level measuring sensor in the vertical bore.

Sensor-based liquid leveling system for structures

A linear actuated sealant applicator pump for pumping a sealant into an aperture prior to installation of a fastener in that aperture. An air driven linear actuator translates a cam plate carrying a sealant applicator head from a first position in a first direction spaced from and slightly out of vertical alignment with the aperture to which sealant is to be applied. An adjustable stop limits the translation of the cam plate and injector pump. The actuator then continues in the first direction causing the cam plate to follow a cam slot translating the sealant applicator head in a second direction normal to the first direction toward and in vertical alignment with the aperture with the head engaging the edges of the aperture. The engagement of the head with the edges of the aperture prevents further translation of the sealant applicator head into the aperture. The linear actuator continues to move the cam plate along the cam slot after head and aperture edge engagement causing the cam plate to continue to follow the cam slot resulting in the sealant applicator head being forced to translate upwardly in reverse to the second direction providing a pumping action within the applicator head which pumps a pre-selected amount of sealant from the sealant applicator head into the aperture. The linear actuator when reaching a maximum first direction translation position reverses its direction.

Sealant applicator/injector

An optical edge guidance system for automatic riveters. The guidance system utilizes a light source which directs light toward the material to be drilled/riveted, a video camera is also directed toward the portion of an object to be drilled/riveted and detects reflected source light from the material. The light from the source directed toward the material is angled about 10 to 15 degrees from the vertical. The material either is marked with a dark stripe or, for example, when the material cross-section is in the shape of a hat section, i.e. an aircraft longeron, a shadow is cast by the light striking the edge of the material and forms a dark area along the longitudinal centerline thereof. The edge of the dark stripe or shadow is detected by the video camera. The video signal from the camera is processed into a voltage equivalent of the video signal. A known reference voltage signal is established when the material positioned properly for drilling/riveting. If this reference voltage signal varies either plus or minus the drill/rivet head is repositioned until the reference voltage is again re-established. The drill/rivet head is moved by means of a servo motor drive controlled by the reference voltage signal which translates the head according to the amount of plus or minus voltage signal from the reference voltage until the exact reference voltage is again achieved for proper drilling/riveting head location.

Guidance system for automatic riveters

An improved back-up tape for use in fusion welding metal sheets and structures is disclosed. The tape comprises a rolled refractory fiber fabric partially flattened against an adhesive coated surface of a wider, heat resistant, strip. In use, the tape is pressed against the back side of a joint or other weld line to be welded with the adhesive bonding the tape along strips parallel to but slightly spaced from the weld line and the roll pressed against the joint. Fusion welding is conducted without the addition of any filler wire. A flat weld underbead, with no molten metal drop-through is produced, with no melting or other significant change in the tape. The tape is then stripped off and the welded structure is ready for use.

Welding back-up tape

An improved back-up tape for use in fusion welding aluminum sheets and structures is disclosed. The tape comprises a small diameter, heavy wall, flexible woven refractory fiber tube within a slightly larger diameter similar tube, both partially flattened against an adhesive coated surface of a wider, heat resistant, strip. In use, the tape is pressed against the back side of a joint to be welded with the adhesive bonding the tape along strips parallel to but slightly spaced from the joint. The joint is fusion welded without the addition of any filler wire. A flat weld underbead, with no molten metal drop-through is produced, with no melting or other significant change in the tape. The tape is then stripped off and the welded structure is ready for use.

A welding system in which a welder automatically tracks the seam to be welded. This is an automatic servo-driven tracking system employing a raster-scan television camera as an optical sensor. The camera is aimed at the seam area in advance of a cross-slide mounted welding head with the line scan substantially perpendicular to the seam. The camera produces a voltage pulse which exactly coincides with the point in time at which the line scan intercepts the seam. The time incidence pulse is referenced to the standard synchronization pulse (the initiation of the line scan) of the camera. The video signal line which contains these pulses is fed to a novel video anomaly detector. The detector processes this information and produces an output voltage which is analogous to the position of the seam. This output is directed to a master/slave position servo drive system which maintains the welding torch over the seam as the seam moves past the welding station. The image produced by the television camera may be displayed on a conventional television screen together with a line indicative of welding torch position for visual observation of system operation.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

William A Roden