Means for supplying cold gas to a propulsion jet in outer space

Claim 1

IN A JET-TYPE PROPULSION UNIT, A SUBSTANTIALLY CONICAL ROCKET NOZZLE HAVING A RESTRICTED THROAT AT ITS FORWARD END ADAPTED TO COMMUNICATE WITH AND RECEIVE EXHAUST GASES FROM A COMBUSTION CHAMBER, SAID NOZZLE HAVING A PLURALITY OF PORTS EXTENDING THERETHROUGH AND ARRANGED UNIFORMLY THEREAROUND FOR ADMITTING COOL AIR FROM THE ATMOSPHERE TO THE INTERIOR OF THE NOZZLE FOR INCREASING THE THRUST OF THE EXHAUST JET AND FOR COOLING THE NOZZLE, A MANIFOLD MOUNTED ON AND SURROUNDING A PART OF SAID NOZZLE, A CONDUIT HAVING AN OUTLET END DISCHARGING INTO SAID MANIFOLD AND AN INLET END ADAPTED TO BE CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF SUPPLY OF A COLD GAS, VALVE MEANS INTERPOSED IN SAID CONDUIT, MEANS RESPONSIVE TO ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE FOR HOLDING SAID VALVE MEANS CLOSED, MEANS FOR OPENING THE VALVE MEANS WHEN THE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE IS DIMINIISHED FOR SUPPLYING THE GAS TO THE MANIFOLD THROUGH SAID CONDUIT, AND SAID NOZZLE HAVING PORTS COMMUNICATING WITH THE MANIFOLD AND OPENING INTO THE NOZZLE THROUGH WHICH THE COLD GAS ENTERS THE NOZZLE TO MIX WITH THE EXHAUST GASES TO INCREASE THE THRUST EXERTED THEREBY AND TO COOL THE NOZZLE.