Combination Sling Seat and Waist B – aka Cooper Sling (also includes HMMWV air hood scoop design)
The United States military, including soldiers and marines, presently have approximately 20,000 Humvees operating in Iraq and Afghanistan. "Humvee" is slang for the military's all-terrain vehicle, and is a registered Trademark of AM General, LLC.
When the war started in Iraq in March of 2003, very few of the Humvees had any armor, slightly more than 1 percent. To cut down on casualties and injuries, the military has improved, and continues to improve the armor on the Humvees. The improvement in armor includes heavier and stronger doors, bulletproof windshields for the sides, roof and rear of the vehicle. The door windows can now be opened and swivelled to allow the soldiers inside to fire their weapons.
Many of the Humvees now in use have a revolving gun turret on the top of the vehicle, manned by a single turret gunner. A turret-mounted machine gun is swung around as the gunner rotates the turret. The military is currently adding additional armor around the turret to completely shield the gunner, because the early models typically had armor only on the front of the turret.
Designed by a HMMWV gunner and built in Texas this design relates to a sling leather seat, seven inches wide, and approximately 29-30 inches long, having first and second end pieces and a center segment upon which a turret gunner can be seated, has a first ring between the first end piece and the middle segment, and a second ring between the second end piece and the middle segment. A leather waist belt is connected to the sling seat by a pair of elongated tethers connected between the first and second rings and the waist belt, respectively, including chains, cables and/or straps as the tethers which are of a length to allow the gunner to stand up, off the sling seat, but which will prevent the gunner from being ejected from the gun turret in the event of a vehicle rollover. The first and second end pieces of the sling seat are connected to a pair of rings, respectively, on the interior of the gun turret. The body belt in the preferred embodiment is tethered to the sling seat. In an alternative embodiment, the body belt can be tethered to a third ring anchored at or near the gunner's feet inside the turret.
Complete document available. Cooper Sling. 3,790 words, 13 drawings. $20.00

Turbine Engine Cooling System
The durability and performance of a gas turbine engine is directly related to the life and efficiency of the high pressure turbine (HPT) module components. Under normal operating conditions for gas turbine engines, the engine turbine components are exposed to extreme temperatures, which in time, have the potential to cause distress, reduce engine efficiency and reduce service life. If the engine is allowed to operate at these extreme temperatures the increased thermal expansion and contraction of these components adversely affects clearances and the relationship between components with different coefficients of thermal expansion. Consequently, these components must be cooled to avoid potentially damaging consequences at elevated operating temperatures. In a non-recuperated gas turbine engine, a portion of the compressed air from the main flow path is extracted at the output of the compressor, upstream of the combustion chamber, for cooling the HPT module components. When a recuperator is added to the thermodynamic cycle of the engine, the temperature of the compressor discharge air is elevated hundreds of degrees, as it passes through the recuperator. Therefore, the recuperator discharge air is too hot and does not have the capability to provide adequate cooling to meet the HPT module requirements.
Information released by Honeywell International (under contract to the US Army), Morristown, NJ, describes a secondary flow, turbine cooling air system for the uniform cooling of high pressure turbine module components such as the turbine shroud, turbine blade tips, turbine nozzle, transion liner, and turbine bearing support housing in a recuperated gas turbine engine is provided. The secondary flow turbine cooling system provides uniform cooling air having a similar pressure and temperature in a recuperated gas turbine engine as the compressor discharge air of a non-recuperated gas turbine engine. A method for uniform cooling of high pressure turbine module components using the secondary flow turbine cooling air system is also provided
Complete document available. Turbine Engine Cooling System. 8,540 words, 9 drawings. $20.00

Launching of Missiles
The vertical launch missile concept has been employed by weapon system designers and manufacturers to facilitate the launch of predominantly land based and ship borne missiles. The current state of the art with regards systems and apparatus used for the vertical launch of missiles is generally divided into two categories, namely hard launch and cold launch.
In a hard launch system the missile motor is ignited while the missile is in the launch canister. This approach requires significant efflux management to due to the forces and debris produced as a consequence of allowing the primary the missile launch motor to be ignited within the launch tube. In such a launch system the missile accelerates rapidly and conducts turnover with a high vertical velocity component.
The problems associated with state of the art hard launch systems relate in most part to the effects of the missile efflux on the launch tube and surrounding structure. In terms of launch tube design, in a hard launch system the canister surrounding the missile is designed to safely contain a `hangfire` situation. In such a situation a missile launch may have been initiated but for some technical reason the missile is unable to leave the canister. The missile motor therefore continues to burn for the duration of its fuel load whilst still in the canister. In order to prevent damage to surrounding structure or indeed adjacent missiles if the missiles are held in a multiple launch system, hard launch canisters are therefore generally of a high strength and corresponding high mass design.
MBDA UK has released information on a missile launcher comprising a canister for housing a missile and piston based launcher, the piston being arrested in the tube after launch of the missile.
Complete document is available. Launching of Missiles. 2,235 words, 2 drawings. $20.00

Line Haul System Industry Day
Product Manager–Heavy Tactical Vehicle will present the system of systems development approach to the Line Haul Systems Family of Vehicles and the Next Generation Multi-Functional Trailer with an industry day scheduled for July 12, 2006 in Troy, MI. The day’s presentations will describe ongoing and planned activities to the line haul community pertaining to line haul system operational capabilities and performance characteristics. These activities may include vehicle concept design and analysis, and operational modeling using the Arena model. A presentation of the goals and philosophy of the multifunctional trailer will be given as well. Industry day topics will also include an explanation of the Line Haul System demo plan.
RSVP to: Kimberly.Hardy@us.army.mil or George.M.Simon@us.army.mil.

Mobile Computing Vehicle
As is known, there is an increasing trend to include electronics equipment in vehicles, such as radar systems, computer systems and communications equipment, particularly for use in military vehicles. For example, it is desirable to include such electronics equipment in military trucks and/or in highly mobile multi-wheeled vehicles, which are commonly referred to as "Humvees." The electronics equipment must be relatively compact in order to fit into confined spaces defined in the vehicles.
After all desired electronics equipment is installed in a particular vehicle, however, there is relatively minimal space remaining for operator workspace. The minimal operator workspace remaining after installation of the desired electronics equipment also introduces relatively poor air circulation.
Furthermore, seating arrangements in the vehicle proximate to the electronics equipment typically require that an outer-most operator of the electronics equipment leave his/her operational station in order to permit an inner-most operator of the electronics equipment to enter or leave his/her operational station. The space constraints of the above-described vehicle are further exacerbated in military applications, where operators are required to change into protective gear, such as chemically protective suits, Mission Oriented Protective Posture IV (e.g., MOPP IV) protection gear, or the like, which is hampered by the constrained operator workspace.
This concept describes an integrated operator workspace adapted for incorporation into a mobile computing vehicle. The integrated operator workspace includes a base having a first longitudinal edge and a second longitudinal edge. A first operator computing station is located adjacent to the first longitudinal edge of the base and a second operator computing station is located adjacent to the second longitudinal edge of the base. In this arrangement, the first and second operator computing stations are separated from each other by a first predetermined space, which permits unimpeded ingress and egress of the integrated operator workspace by a first user operating at the first operator station and a second user operating at the second operator station.
Complete document available. Mobile Computing Vehicle. 4,075 words, 3 drawings. $20.00

Electrically-propelled Vehicle with Individual Wheel Drive
The invention concerns an electrically driven vehicle with a plurality of drive wheels of which each has been assigned one electric motor.
For vehicles with individual electrically driven wheels, a number of different concepts exist as to how the drive of the vehicle should be arranged.
In one concept, in the case of armored vehicles in the underbody, the drive motors are to be placed in the vehicle chassis with an axially extending drive gear-train. The disadvantage of this arrangement is that space between the wheels is taken up by the drive motors and is not available for other installations.
This ZF Friedrichshafen AG of Germany design relates to a multi-axle driven, all terrain vehicle with electrically driven individual wheels, having a vehicle underbody and a plurality of drive wheels to which, respectively, one drive with at least one electric motor is assigned. The electric drive motor is at least partially located in an axial space which is occupied by a drive wheel, but is placed radially outside of the drive wheel, is proposed a housing of a connecting gear-train, of which housing is rigidly bound to the vehicle underbody and the torque transmitting connection from the connecting gear-train to the drive wheel is made by a jointed shaft, so that the unsprung mass of each drive wheel remains small and so that in the middle of the vehicle a broad through passage can exist.
Complete document available. Individual Wheel Drive. 3,080 words, 11 drawings. $20.00

Force Protection Cougars
Force Protection, Ladson, SC, has received a follow-on order by the U.S. Marine Corps for 15 additional Cougar Joint Explosive Ordnance Disposal Rapid Response Vehicles (JERRV). The order, which includes associated support items and services, is worth an estimated $9.3 million. DoD awarded Force Protection a contract for 79 Cougar JERRVs in May. This marks the second delivery order made under the contract in less than two months. All vehicles will be manufactured and delivered to the government this calendar year.
“The Joint IED Defeat Organization is funding these vehicles in a manner that leaves no question as to how urgently they are needed,” said Force Protection CEO Gordon McGilton. “We are responding in kind not only with this life-saving technology, but with the resources necessary to maintain the vehicles at the highest levels of performance.”
Force Protection has placed more than 30 field service representatives in the field to assist the armed forces in training and vehicle maintenance in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Autonomous Detonation Delay in Munitions
Explosive projectiles must be capable of being handled safely under considerable stress and environmental conditions. In addition, explosive projectiles must be capable of detonating at the proper time. Depending on the application, this proper time may be before impact, at a specific point during flight, during impact, or at some time delay after impact. As used herein the terms "warhead," "explosive device," and "explosive projectile" are generally used to refer to a variety of projectile type explosives, such as, for example, artillery shells, rockets, bombs, and other weapon warheads. In addition, these explosive projectiles may be launched from a variety of platforms, such as, for example, fixed wing aircraft, rotary wing aircraft (e.g., helicopters), ground vehicles, and stationary ground locations. To determine the proper detonation time, these explosive projectiles frequently employ fuzes.
A fuze subsystem activates the explosive projectile for detonation in the vicinity of the target. In addition, the fuze maintains the explosive projectile in a safe condition during logistical and operational phases prior to launch and during the first phase of the launch until the explosive projectile has reached a safe distance from the point of launch. In summary, major functions that a fuze performs are; keeping the weapon safe, arming the weapon when it is a safe distance from the point of launch, detecting the target, and initiating detonation of the warhead at some definable point after target detection.
This design, believed to be from Alliant Techsystems (ATK), describes a detonation timing apparatus and method of determining a detonation time.
Complete document available. Detonation Delay. 6,770 words, 5 drawings. $20.00

Track for High Speed Multi-terrain Vehicles
This design, by Soucy International, relates to endless tracks used to propel track laying vehicles [i.e., vehicles which use endless tracks rather than tires to contact the terrain over which they are driven, e.g., tractors, tanks, bulldozers, etc.] and, more particularly, to an improved rubber track design allowing the endless track to be driven more efficiently at highway speeds.
Numerous types of vehicles are frequently used in terrain in which it is difficult for pneumatic tires to operate. Both military vehicles, such as tanks and amphibious vehicles, and civilian vehicles, such as tractors and recreational vehicles, are sometime utilized on terrains which are very soft, for example sand surfaces. Pneumatic tires are not capable of efficient operation on such soft surfaces, as they tend to burrow into the surface, rather than riding across the surface.
Complete document available. Endless Track. 5,730 words, 10 drawings. $20.00

Heavy-Duty Hybrid System for Trucks
Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation has announced it has begun development of a hybrid electric power system for the heavy-duty (Class 8) commercial vehicle market—to deliver both on-road efficiency and idle reduction for significant fuel savings and emissions reductions.
The heavy-duty system will be similar in design and will share many of the same components as Eaton's medium-duty hybrid electric system built for Class 4-7 vehicles, but will be adapted for Class 8 vehicles with on-highway applications.
Fleets using Eaton’s heavy-duty hybrid system will experience reduced fuel consumption both while driving and when parked. Recent independent test results have shown a 5-7 percent savings versus a conventional Class 8 vehicle while driving, and a savings of one gallon per hour when parked. Those savings equate to about $9,500 a truck per year in normal operation, resulting in cost savings for a typical truckload carrier with 1,000 power units to $9.5 million per year.
The system’s batteries power the heating, air conditioning, and vehicle electrical systems while the engine is off. When the idle reduction mode is active, engine operation is limited to battery charging, an automatically controlled process that will take approximately five minutes per hour. In the proposed system design, a proprietary feature minimizes engine vibration during start-up and shut-down during the recharge periods, allowing the driver to rest without interruption.
The heavy-duty hybrid electric power system will be built using an automated manual transmission with a parallel-type "direct" hybrid system, incorporating an electric motor/generator located between the output of an automated clutch and the input to a Fuller UltraShift transmission. One feature of this system will be its ability to recover energy normally lost during braking and store the energy in batteries. When electric torque is blended with engine torque, this stored energy is used to improve vehicle performance, operate the engine in a more fuel-efficient range for a given speed, or operate with electric power only.
“We see an exciting future for hybrid electric vehicles in the heavy-duty market place,” said Kevin Beaty, manager, Eaton Hybrid Power Systems. “We’ve demonstrated our leadership in hybrid power over the last five years for our medium-duty customers, and we’re confident that we can carry that forward with a strong value proposition to our heavy-duty customers.” Beaty indicated that Eaton's heavy hybrid power system was currently in the testing and development phases, and that they are working with truck and engine makers and select fleets to field prototypes for field evaluation. The heavy-duty hybrid power system is expected to be available well before 2010, and could help meet the latest EPA emissions regulations scheduled to be enforced at that time.

Synopsis for Special Protected Vehicles
The US Wiesbaden Contracting Office in Germany intends to competitively award a FFP type contract for three special protected sedans to include driver training. The vehicles must be assembled with an integral armor structural component design. Armoring must be performed during assembly line manufacturing of the vehicle. After market, up-armoring of the vehicle is not acceptable.
Minimum ballistic protection shall be IAW testing procedures utilized by the Bundeskriminalamt and US testing certification procedures. Vehicles must conform to current Department of State specifications and standards for explosive, blast and arms protection. Vehicles are for overseas use and must meet the applicable requirements of the German Strassenverkehrs-Zulassungsordnung.
Point of contact is Roswitha Rostock-Clements rosie.rostock-clements@rcc.wbn.usacce.army.mil.

High Velocity Projectiles
Guns typically use gas pressure within a barrel to propel a projectile. Examples include air rifles and armaments using low velocity explosive such as cordite or black powder that contributes to provide sufficient volume and/or pressure of gas within the confines of a barrel to propel a projectile such as a bullet or shell from the barrel of the gun. For example, cordite is a combustible rather than explosive material, such that the detonation of a primer will ignite the cordite to create sufficient gas pressure to propel the bullet. Guns are typically provided with a rifled barrel to spin the bullet and assist in stability of the bullet along its flight path and hence accuracy of the bullet. Some guns do not use a rifled barrel, for example shot guns, where a number of projectiles (shot) are propelled by combustion of explosive along the barrel.
There have been many attempts to produce high speed projectiles. Examples include using longer gun barrels, using rockets or other propulsion means to aide the transfer of kinetic energy to the projectile. Further examples also include linear motors and hydrogen guns both of which require long barrels. Long barrelled weapons are not suitable in combat situations.
In military applications, tanks and other armored vehicles have made use of new materials for armor making it more difficult to design guns that fire projectiles capable of penetrating the armor. Similarly advances in body armor have made it difficult for conventional bullets to penetrate the armor and injure the wearer.
Metal Storm of Australia has released information on a shaped charge and projectile combination for firing from a weapon, the combination including projectile, shaped charge of high explosive material and metal liner located between charge and projectile. Charge includes detonator and cavity in an external face facing the muzzle of the weapon, cavity being shaped to axially concentrate explosive on detonation of charge towards the rear of projectile. Metal liner forms a jet of liner material on detonation of charge to impact the rear of projectile and so propel projectile from the weapon at high velocity, typically greater than 1,000 m/s and up to 6,000 m/s. Projectile therefore travels a flatter trajectory and has a higher penetrating power than a conventionally propelled projectile.
Complete document available. High Velocity Projectiles. 5,335 words, 10 drawings. $20.00

New Truck Simulator
Responding to the new professional driver training provisions specified throughout Europe, Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) has developed a mobile truck simulator. This development involved the integration of a three-dimensional, mobile, real truck driver's cab as well as a classroom with six computer-based training stations in a truck semi-trailer measuring more than 13 meters in length. The semitrailer can be used for mobile and flexible training at various driver training schools and public institutions in the Federal Republic and Europe.
The KMW driver training simulator is based on a truck driver's cab from MAN with fully operational control and display elements identical to the real vehicle. The system is controlled via a computer network and realistically replicates a virtual world with all known road topographies and traffic situations. The core of the system is a graphical user interface allowing driver training instructors to quickly and easily create complex driver training exercises with critical traffic situations. This also includes dangerous situations, such as blowing tires, nodding off, improper traffic behavior of pedestrians and cyclists, crosswind or a variety of different weather and road conditions.
Also available for training are variable own vehicles, such as different types of trailers and semi-trailers, touring coaches or public transport buses, load conditions, etc. Additionally, complex loading and docking maneuvers can be trained without any risk of damage on a specially developed virtual maneuvering course. Furthermore, the simulator offers a sophisticated module designed to evaluate driver proficiency as well as a “blue light” module to train drivers of fire fighting and task forces. Driving over snow-covered mountain passes or preparation for left-hand traffic in England at a training site in Berlin are a few examples of this type of modern training.

Cartridge Assembly for Multiple Projectiles
There exists a generally preferable need to launch projectiles at high velocity from firearms. High velocity at the muzzle end of the barrel of a firearm means that whatever the weight and dimensions of the projectile, a sufficiently large gaseous expansion event has been provided behind the projectile to eject the projectile at the muzzle velocity measured.
The design described here, believed to be from Metal Storm of Australia, at least in a preferred form, seeks to provide a cartridge from which multiple projectiles can be sequentially fired at a rapid rate and at high muzzle velocity, which cartridge is useable in a variety of firearms ranging from hand-held small caliber arms to large caliber weapons.
Desirably, the invention may also provide a cartridge containing multiple projectiles and each projectile having an associated propellant charge that can be individually initiated in a predetermined timing arrangement to eject the associated projectile into the barrel of a firearm at velocities that are useful in required circumstances.
In a very broad aspect of the invention, a cartridge assembly includes a support body, the support body has a central longitudinal channel housing a plurality of projectiles in end-to-end orientation. The support body also has a plurality of circumferential chambers, each chamber houses at least one propellant charge and is located adjacent to a respective projectile. The support body further includes fluid communication means for communicating the products of a gaseous expansion of said propellant from a respective chamber into said central longitudinal channel. The communicated products of gaseous expansion from a circumferential chamber thus force or eject a respective projectile from the cartridge assembly.
Complete document available. Multiple Projectiles 6,100 words, 9 drawings. $20.00

Handheld Vehicle Controller
Modern vehicles, such as for example, automobiles, planes, armored vehicles, helicopters, boats, submarines, and the like, require the vehicle's operator to control many different aspects of the vehicle's operation. This is particularly true of military and law enforcement vehicles, which often require an operator to control equipment related to weaponry, countermeasures, communications, surveillance, and movement (e.g., direction, speed, altitude, depth, etc.) of the vehicle.
In such vehicles, control is typically accomplished through stationary control devices (e.g., buttons, dials, levers, wheels, and the like) that are rigidly fastened to the vehicle console, dashboard, or other control panel. While this served well in past, the increasing number of features found in modern vehicles leads to an increasingly complex control panel, while at the same time requiring the operator to perform control tasks at a faster rate.
Ultra Electronics Measurement System has released information on a handheld controller allows a human operator to control various aspects of a vehicle's operation. The operator's fingers are used to manipulate various devices (e.g., buttons, switches, joysticks, levers, triggers, trackballs and the like) disposed on the handheld controller to control aspects of the vehicle's operation associated with these devices. The handheld controller may provide control signals to the vehicle by a cable, or by a wireless connection. The handheld controller allows the operator to freely move about the vehicle's compartment or to move outside the compartment, while still being able to control the various aspects of vehicle operation. Furthermore, the handheld controller allows the operator to control the various aspects of vehicle operation from a location away from potentially hazardous surfaces within the compartment, which helps to prevent the operator from contacting these surfaces in the event that the vehicle is struck by an object (e.g., enemy artillery, another vehicle, etc.) or otherwise jarred.
Complete document available. Handheld Vehicle Controller. 3,635 words, 11 drawings. $20.00