Thomas M Harkins

US Patent:

6345785, Feb 12, 2002

Filed:

Nov 7, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/708242

Inventors:

Thomas E. Harkins - Joppa MD
Bradford S. Davis - Jarrettsville MD

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

International Classification:

F42B 1000

US Classification:

244 323, 244 31, 244 321

Abstract:

In a projectile launched by a gun, the projectile including a fuze with a longitudinal axis of symmetry and a braking device, an apparatus disposed in the fuze for determining a time of deployment of the braking device, the apparatus including a first accelerometer having a sense axis and mounted with its sense axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the fuze; a second accelerometer having a sense axis and mounted a known axial distance from the first accelerometer and with its sense axis coincident with the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the fuze; a magnetometer having a sense axis and mounted with its sense axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of symmetry of the fuze; a field-programmable memory unit loaded with aiming data of the gun, magnetic field direction at the gun, a nominal path length table, and a braking device maneuver authority table; and a microprocessor connected to the first and second accelerometers, the magnetometer, the field-programmable memory unit and the braking device.

US Patent:

6347763, Feb 19, 2002

Filed:

Jan 2, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/751925

Inventors:

Thomas E. Harkins - Joppa MD
T. Gordon Brown - Abingdon MD

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

International Classification:

F42B 1002

US Classification:

244 321, 244 315

Abstract:

An active damping method and a self-contained active damping system that can be retrofitted to existing rockets are provided which for reducing the dispersion of rockets by using lateral thrusters to oppose any initial yawing motion. The self-contained system of the present invention can be installed in a cylindrical section of a rocket body by insertion between other flight body parts.

US Patent:

6349652, Feb 26, 2002

Filed:

Jan 29, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/770780

Inventors:

David J. Hepner - Elkton MD
Michael S. L. Hollis - Abingdon MD
Peter C. Muller - Abingdon MD
Thomas E. Harkins - Joppa MD
Gary Borgen - Camarillo CA
William P. DAmico - Havre de Grace MD
Bradford S. Davis - Jarrettsville MD
Lawrence W. Burke - Pylesville MD

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

International Classification:

F42B 1000

US Classification:

102519, 244 32, 244 323, 898 6, 898 65

Abstract:

A system which is packaged within a projectile fuze body and obtains data relative to the projectile during a launch. Sensors are provided which obtain in-bore data as well as in-flight data. The in-bore data is recorded at a fast rate during in-bore travel of the projectile and is read out, continuously, at a slower rate during in-flight travel. Both in-bore data and in-flight data are encoded and transmitted to a ground station for analysis.

US Patent:

6398155, Jun 4, 2002

Filed:

Jan 2, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/751924

Inventors:

David J. Hepner - Elkton MD
Thomas E. Harkins - Joppa MD

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

International Classification:

F41G 700

US Classification:

244 315, 244 316, 244 317, 244 319, 244 321, 342 63

Abstract:

A method to determine the direction in which a spinning projectile is traveling. A solar sensor array on the projectile is used to calculate the orientation of the axis of rotation of the projectile with respect to a known solar field and a magnetometer sensor array is used to calculate the orientation of the axis of rotation of the projectile with respect to a known magnetic field, both fields being represented by respective vectors having magnitude and direction. With the known and calculated orientations, the pointing direction may be obtained by vector combination.

US Patent:

6493651, Dec 10, 2002

Filed:

Dec 18, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/740762

Inventors:

Thomas E. Harkins - Joppa MD
David J. Hepner - Elkton MD
Bradford Davis - Jarrettsville MD

Assignee:

The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army - Washington DC

International Classification:

G01C 1700

US Classification:

702151, 32420715, 344 315, 3561412

Abstract:

A system which derives the attitude of a body as it rotates and travels through the earths magnetic field. At least one magnetometer is placed in the body and provides an output signal during flight of the body. The zero crossings of the output signal are used to formulate a time discriminant. This time discriminant is compared with a roll angle discriminant for which a value of attitude has been previously determined. From the comparison, the attitude during flight may be determined. A time discriminant can also be formulated using two magnetometers.