Thrust direction control means for jet propulsion engines

Claim 1

A JET NOZZLE SYSTEM COMPRISING: (A) A FLUID SUPPLY DUCT HAVING AN OUTLET END; (B) A NOZZLE FORMING A CONTINUATION OF SAID DUCT; (C) FIRST BEARING MEANS SUPPORTING THE NOZZLE FOR ROTATION RELATIVELY TO SAID DUCT ABOUT A FIRST AXIS PASSING THROUGH THE CENTRE OF SAID OUTLET END; (D) THE NOZZLE COMPRISING MEANS FOR GUIDING THE FLUID AWAY FROM SAID FIRST AXIS, AND A LIP DEFINING AN OUTLET ADAPTED TO DISCHARGE THE FLUID IN A DIRECTION AWAY FROM SAID FIRST AXIS, SAID LIP DESCRIBING AN ARCUATE TRACK WHEN SAID NOZZLE IS ROTATED; (E) AN OBTURATOR OUTSIDE OF AND SEPARATE FROM SAID NOZZLE AND HAVING A SURFACE; (F) SECOND BEARING MEANS SUPPORTING SAID OBTURATOR FOR TURNING ABOUT A SECOND AXIS WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY FIXED IN RELATION TO SAID FLUID SUPPLY DUCT, AND ACTUATING MEANS OPERATIVE TO TURN SAID OBTURATOR THROUGH A LIMITED ANGULAR RANGE ABOUT SAID SECOND AXIS, SAID RANGE INCLUDING POSITIONS IN WHICH SAID OBTURATOR SURFACE OVERLAPS AND IS IN CLOSE RELATION TO A PART ONLY OF SAID TRACK DESCRIBED BY SAID NOZZLE OUTLET LIP; (G) SAID OBTURATOR SURFACE AND SAID NOZZLE LIP HAVING SHAPES SUCH THAT, IN ALL SUCH TRACK-OVERLAPPING POSITIONS OF SAID OBTURATOR SURFACE, SAID NOZZLE IS FREE TO TURN INTO AND OUT OF ALL POSITIONS IN WHICH SAID NOZZLE OUTLET IS OVERLAPPED BY SAID OBTURATOR SURFACE.