Ignition system for monopropellant combustion devices

Claim 1

AN IGNITION MEANS FOR MONOPROPELLANT DEVICES, HAVING A CATALYST BED, AND MEANS FOR INTRODUCING ON COMMAND, A MONOPROPELLANT THEREIN, SAID IGNITION MEANS COMPRISING: A PRESSURE CONTAINER FOR A CHARGE OF AN OXIDIZER; A PRESSURE VESSEL FOR A CHARGE OF INERT PROPELLING GAS; A RUPTURE DIAPHRAGM FOR SEPARATING SAID VESSEL AND CONTAINER; MEANS FOR INITIALLY EQUALIZING PRESSURES IN SAID VESSEL AND CONTAINER TO PROVIDE AN INITIAL CONDITION OF ZERO PRESSURE DIFFERENTIAL ACROSS SAID DIAPHRAGM; MEANS FOR INTRODUCING SAID OXIDIZER INTO SAID CATALYST BED; AND A VALVE INTRPOSED BETWEEN SAID INTRODUCING MEANS AND PRESSURE CONTAINER, OPERABLE ON OPENING TO REDUCE THE PRESSURE IN SAID OXIDIZER CONTAINER THEREBY TO CAUSE RUPTURE OF SAID DIAPHRAGM AND PROPULSION OF SAID OXIDIZER INTO SAID CATALYST BED.