Michael R Steele

US Patent:

6564716, May 20, 2003

Filed:

Dec 5, 2001

Appl. No.:

10/006739

Inventors:

Michael F. Steele - Cincinnati OH
William Marc Schmidt - Batavia OH
Ezra Stearns Waller - Sharonville OH

Assignee:

KDI Precision Products, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

F42C 1522

US Classification:

102239, 102237, 102225, 102223, 102224, 102226, 102221, 102242, 102243, 102244, 102245

Abstract:

A fuze for a munition adapted to prevent unintended arming thereof. The fuze incorporates an arming screw having a keyed portion and a centrifugal locking mechanism for preventing rotation of the arming screw unless the fuze mechanism is in a rapidly spinning condition such as that experienced when the fuze and its associated munition are deployed from an airborne rocket or artillery shell, and thus spinning at a rate of at least several thousand rpm. The centrifugal locking mechanism includes a pair of locking members which are biased by biasing elements into engagement with the keyed portion of the arming screw. This prevents the arming screw from being accidentally unscrewed from an inertia weight within the fuze, thus placing the fuze in an unintended armed condition. However, when the munition is deployed from an airborne rocket or artillery shell, and thus reaches a spinning rate of several thousand rpm or higher, the centrifugal force acting on the locking members forces them out of engagement with the keyed portion. This allows the arming screw to unscrew from the inertia weight and arm the fuze.

US Patent:

6530324, Mar 11, 2003

Filed:

Jun 13, 2001

Appl. No.:

09/880478

Inventors:

Michael F. Steele - Cincinnati OH
William Marc Schmidt - Batavia OH

Assignee:

KDI Precision Products, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

F42C 1534

US Classification:

102254, 102251, 102244, 102235, 102229

Abstract:

A munition incorporating a fuze mechanism adapted to prevent momentary disarming of the mechanism once same is placed in an armed state. The fuze mechanism incorporates a fuze housing having a slide member movable slidably longitudinally between an unarmed position and an armed position. In an unarmed position, a firing pin tip of an arming screw engages a lock post disposed within an opening in the slide member to hold the slide member in the unarmed position. When the arming screw is unscrewed during airborne deployment of the munition, the firing pin tip is withdrawn from the lock post. This enables a spring to urge the slide member into a laterally extended position. As the slide member moves into its laterally extended position, the lock post drops partially out of the slide member into abutting engagement with a bottom cover of the fuze mechanism, thus preventing the slide member from moving back towards its unarmed position. Thus, the lock post prevents momentary movement of the slide member back towards its unarmed position regardless of the orientation at which the munition strikes the ground surface or a target, thus eliminating the possibility of undetonated yet armed munitions remaining on a ground surface or target.

US Patent:

7121210, Oct 17, 2006

Filed:

Feb 18, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/368112

Inventors:

Michael F. Steele - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

KDI Precision Products, Inc. - Cincinnati OH

International Classification:

F42C 13/04

US Classification:

102211, 102477

Abstract:

In one aspect, an artillery projectile apparatus is provided that includes a carrier projectile containing a payload, and a fuze disposed at an ogive of the projectile and which is configured to eject the payload when the fuze is detonated. The fuze includes a receiver configured to receive location information from a radionavigation source and a processor configured to acquire position data from the receiver. The processor is also configured to estimate a projectile flight path using the position data, to determine intercept parameters of the artillery projectile relative to an ejection plane of its payload cargo, and to adjust an ejection event initiation command time of the payload in accordance with the determined intercept parameters. In some configurations, the present invention dramatically decreases range errors typically associated with delivering artillery payloads to specific targets.

US Patent:

7510668, Mar 31, 2009

Filed:

Nov 10, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/272166

Inventors:

William Randolph Stowell - Rising Sun IN, US
Michael R. Steele - Loveland OH, US
Thomas Walter Rentz - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

B44C 1/22

US Classification:

216100, 216 43, 216 83

Abstract:

Methods are provided for producing large volumes of small antenna arrays. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of creating an antenna array pattern as a computer file, printing the created pattern onto the surface of a suitable transfer paper, placing the printed image surface in contact with the surface of a material to be etched, and transferring the printed image to the surface of the material to be etched. The transfer can be effected by any combination of chemicals, heat, and/or pressure. After transfer of the printed image, the transfer paper is removed. The step of removing the transfer paper optionally includes wetting the transfer paper in a manner that dissolves the transfer paper leaving the printed antenna pattern on the surface of the material to be etched. The method further includes the step of etching the non-printed portions of the material, preferably by chemical etching, and removing the printed pattern from the surface of the material to yield an antenna array comprising a non-etched portion of the substrate surface. Arrays, and substrates having an etch-resistant mask for making the arrays, are also provided.

US Patent:

7985463, Jul 26, 2011

Filed:

Mar 10, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/401470

Inventors:

William Randolph Stowell - Rising Sun IN, US
Michael R. Steele - Loveland OH, US
Thomas Walter Rentz - Cincinnati OH, US

Assignee:

General Electric Company - Schenectady NY

International Classification:

B41M 5/00
B44C 1/17
G03G 7/00

US Classification:

4281951, 428914, 216 43, 216100, 427149, 156230

Abstract:

Methods are provided for producing large volumes of small antenna arrays. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of creating an antenna array pattern as a computer file, printing the created pattern onto the surface of a suitable transfer paper, placing the printed image surface in contact with the surface of a material to be etched, and transferring the printed image to the surface of the material to be etched. The transfer can be effected by any combination of chemicals, heat, and/or pressure. After transfer of the printed image, the transfer paper is removed. The step of removing the transfer paper optionally includes wetting the transfer paper in a manner that dissolves the transfer paper leaving the printed antenna pattern on the surface of the material to be etched. The method further includes the step of etching the non-printed portions of the material, preferably by chemical etching, and removing the printed pattern from the surface of the material to yield an antenna array comprising a non-etched portion of the substrate surface. Arrays, and substrates having an etch-resistant mask for making the arrays, are also provided.

US Patent:

20080202324, Aug 28, 2008

Filed:

Oct 16, 2006

Appl. No.:

11/581506

Inventors:

Michael F. Steele - Cincinnati OH, US

International Classification:

F42B 12/58

US Classification:

89 111, 102489, 102214, 102215

Abstract:

In one aspect, an artillery projectile apparatus is provided that includes a carrier projectile containing a payload, and a fuze disposed at an ogive of the projectile and which is configured to eject the payload when the fuze is detonated. The fuze includes a receiver configured to receive location information from a radionavigation source and a processor configured to acquire position data from the receiver. The processor is also configured to estimate a projectile flight path using the position data, to determine intercept parameters of the artillery projectile relative to an ejection plane of its payload cargo, and to adjust an ejection event initiation command time of the payload in accordance with the determined intercept parameters. In some configurations, the present invention dramatically decreases range errors typically associated with delivering artillery payloads to specific targets.

US Patent:

51719312, Dec 15, 1992

Filed:

Jan 21, 1992

Appl. No.:

7/822882

Inventors:

Michael F. Steele - Cincinnati OH

Assignee:

Brunswick Corporation - Skokie IL

International Classification:

F41F 304

US Classification:

89 1808

Abstract:

A system is disclosed for relieving excessive pressure within a combustion chamber of a spin-stabilized, jet-propelled missile launching system. An annular passage surrounds an exhaust nozzle, the passage being in communication with the chamber. A unitary valve ring closes the passage. Frangible pins hold the unitary valve ring in its closing position. An exhaust vent slaving cavity is provided for capturing the unitary valve ring upon rupture of the frangible pins. Exhaust vent ports communicate the slaving cavity with atmosphere, whereby the slaving cavity operates to capture the entire unitary valve ring bodily upon rupture of the frangible pins in response to excessive pressure within the chamber to relieve the pressure as the exhaust vent ports exhaust the chamber.