Text 21918, 127 rader
Skriven 2012-03-02 12:25:00 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Hap Newsom
Ärende: SILENT SERVICE 20301
============================
 -=> Quoting Hap Newsom to Glen Jamieson <=-

G'day Hap,

 ->  HN> That would have probably been the HorizonT a
 ->  HN> swinglens all mechanical camera...basic but
 -> 
 -> I think so.  A simple design, but solid, and it worked well.  Our
 -> camera was made of fibreglass, took 75 mm film, weighed 1/3 lb and
 -> took high quality pictures (one at a loading) from an altitude of 100
 -> feet, of everything from directly below, to above the horizon.  It was
 -> carried in a nylon dart that was launched, almost silently, from a
 -> foot-pumped compressed air gun.  My job was designing the gun, the
 -> dart, timer and camera actuator.  Others did the camera, which was
 -> designed to take launch and landing accelerations of 1000g.
 ->
 HN> The really critical elements would be the 
 HN> film transport (to keep the film flat 
 HN> on the film plane) and to keep the lens
 HN> working properly. those would be the only
 HN> moving parts to deal with once the body
 HN> was sturdy enough to take the impact of 
 HN> landing.

The camera was loaded in a light-proof box by feel.  A pre-cut film
125mm x 75mm was slipped into the curved detachable back, which was
clipped onto the camera body, and the lens swung to the "ready"
position.  One of the most difficult problems was light-proofing the
fibreglass body.
 
 -> When demonstrating it to the military, to show its easy portability, I
 -> arrived at the test field on a bicycle, carrying the complete
 -> equipment on the handlebars.
 ->
 HN> Sounds interesting too! I would have liked
 HN> to have seen the launching system and 
 HN> design for the "projectile"...would be
 HN> fun to do even today!

My launcher used foot-pumped compressed air stored at 120 psi in a
spherical aluminium tank surrounding the quick-opening valve mechanism
which allowed the pressure to be instantly dumped under the nylon
dart, about 120mm diameter, which fired it out of the metre-long
nylon barrel.  As the propelling air was expanded almost down to
atmospheric pressure by the time the dart left the barrel, there was
practically no noise, which was one of the design requirements.

A portion of that high pressure air was stored in a space within the
dart, and slowly leaked out through an adjustable needle valve.  At a
pre-set pressure, the remaining air was dumped into an actuator which
released the camera "shutter".  This was usually set to occur just
before apogee, while the dart was still rising vertically.

To prevent the dart from rolling during its upward flight, I used a
vane with a tiny gyroscope, similar to that used by the US Sidewinder
missile. The gyro was spun up by a swinging weight during launch.
Amazingly, everything worked!  I thought that the quick-opening valve
in the launcher would have been patentable, but then, in my later
research, I found that a Russian had also invented one using the same
principle, for use in a Wilson cloud chamber.  Unfortunately he
published first. The only patentable device that came out of my design
was the high hysteresis shock absorber which protected the camera, etc
when the dart hit the ground at the end of its flight.  That was a
simple design using an "educated" piece of polythene tubing.

After that, my next project was a super-efficient air-launched
submarine detection sonar buoy...  Nothing like variety!

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Italian Sub Stoup and Garlic Toast Floaters
 Categories: Soups, Stews, Sausage, Chicken
      Yield: 4 Servings
 
      2 tb EVOO, plus 1/4 c for
           Croutons
    3/4 lb Hot or sweet Italian sausage
           (about 3 links)
           Split and meat removed from
           Casing
    1/4 lb Stick pepperoni, diced
      1    Ham steak, diced (1/2-3/4
           Lb)
      1    Green bell pepper, seeded,
           Quartered and sliced
      1 md Yellow onion, peeled,
           Quartered and sliced
     15 oz Cn diced tomatoes
           Kosher salt and freshly
           Ground black pepper
      6 c  Chicken stock
    1/2 lb Gemelli pasta or other
           Short-cut pasta
      5 c  Cubed crusty bread
      3 lg Cloves garlic, cracked from
           Skin
    1/2 c  Grated Parmigiano Reggiano
           Cheese
      1 ts Crushed red pepper flakes
    1/2 ts Dried oregano
      2 bn Arugula, trimmed and
           Coarsely chopped (about 4
           C)
 
  Place a soup pot or deep-sided skillet on the stove and preheat to
  medium-high. Add 2 Tb EVOO, two turns of the pan, and the sausage.
  Brown and crumble the sausage, draining off excess fat, if necessary,
  then add the ham and pepperoni. Cook the meats together for 2 min,
  then add the pepper and onion and cook for 2-3 min more. Add the
  diced tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Add the chicken stock
  and bring the stoup to a boil. Stir in the pasta and cook for 8 min.
  Make the croutons while the pasta cooks. In a large skillet, heat 1/4
  c EVOO, four turns of the pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and
  cook 1 min. Add the bread to the garlic oil, toss and toast the cubes
  for 5-6 min. Season the toasty cubes with red pepper flakes, oregano,
  and lots of grated cheese. Stir the arugula into the soup just before
  you serve it up. Ladle up the stoup and float several toasty garlic
  bread cubes in each bowl. Source: Rachael Ray 11/26/10 From: Michael
  Loo Date: 10-09-11
 
MMMMM
 

___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]

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 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)