[ATM] Primary Mirror Retainers

[wb5ftr at zianet.com (Rocky)]

Tom, et alia,
I know it's been too many years since I studied mechanics and materials, 
but I'm having a hard time visualizing the "compliant" aspect of this 
mounting scheme.

For the sake of discussion...  assume 10 inches between the inner and 
outer rings, and a travel of 1/2 inch.  If we allow something to "pull" 
the center ring back (not indicated in the drawings, but allows a best 
case scenario), then we get + or- 1/4" of travel from a "center" 
position.  With no deflection (0 deg) the Hypotinose is the adjacent 
side, or exactly ten inches.  at full deflection the hypotinose 
stretches to 10.003125 inches.  This is a "best case" with a stretch of 
a bit over three thousandths in the diaphram material.  So far 
everything I've run through the numbers that will stretch that much and 
return to original (which it would have to do consistantly for *lots* of 
cycles), would also be at least an order of magnitude too stretchy to 
hold the rings even within 1/4 degree. 
Obviously I'm missing something in the visualization and number 
crunching on this one.  Help!

Rocky