Rocket launchers

Claim 1

A LAUNCHER FOR ROCKETS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING AN ELONGATE LAUNCHER TUBE HAVING MUZZLE AND BREECH ENDS ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A ROCKET PRIOR TO IGNITION ADJACENT THE BREECH END THEREOF AND GUIDE THE ROCKET DURING ACCELERATION THROUGH THE TUBE, MEANS PROVIDING INCREASED LAUNCHING THRUST FOR THE ROCKET INCLUDING PISTON MEANS DISPOSED IN THE LAUNCHER TUBE FOR FREE SLIDING MOVEMENT THEREALONG SUBSTANTIALLY SEALING THE LAUNCHER TUBE AGAINST PASSAGE OF GASES FORWARDLY ALONGSIDE THE ROCKET AND INTERCOUPLED WITH THE ROCKET TO IMPART LAUNCHING MOVEMENT THERETO, EXPANSION CHAMBER MEANS SURROUNDING, EXTENDING REARWARDLY OF AND COMMUNICATING WITH THE BREECH END PORTION OF SAID LAUNCHER TUBE DEFINING AN ENCLOSED GAS ACCUMULATING SPACE INCLUDING THE SPACE WITHIN SAID LAUNCHER TUBE AFT OF THE PISTON MEANS FOR ENTRAPPING ROCKET MOTOR EXHAUST GASES PRODUCED UPON IGNITION OF THE ROCKET TO APPLY THE PRESSURE OF THE ENTRAPPED GASES AGAINST SAID PISTON MEANS AND EXERTING A LAUNCHING FORCE COACTING WITH REACTION THRUST OF THE ROCKET FOR DRIVING THE ROCKET OUT OF THE LAUNCHING TUBE, SAID PISTON MEANS HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH TO PROVIDE COMMUNICATION PRIOR TO IGNITION AND THROUGHOUT LAUNCH BETWEEN SAID GAS ACCUMULATING SPACE AND THE TRAILING END OF THE ROCKET, AND AUXILIARY GAS GENERATOR MEANS COMMUNICATING WITH SAID GAS ACCUMULATING SPACE INCLUDING ACTIVATING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO ATTAINMENT OF A SELECTED PRESSURE LEVEL THEREIN FOR ACTIVATING SAID AUXILIARY GAS GENERATOR TO AUGMENT THE ENTRAPPED ROCKET EXHAUST GASES IN ACCELERATING THER ROCKET THROUGH THE LAUNCHER TUBE.