US3598015A — Mixed pod rocket release system

Claim 1

Independent Claim 317 words

For a rocket system adapted for use in conjunction with other weapons systems, the rocket system having rocket pods randomly loaded with a plurality of rocket types, a rocket release device, comprising: means for selecting a rocket type and for providing a corresponding signal; means for providing a rocket release signal; means connected to the rocket type selecting signal means and to the rocket release signal means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing fire power for rockets of the selected type; release means connected to the rocket release signal means and to the fire power means and responsive to the rocket release signal for applying the fire power to a rocket of the selected type which releases the rocket; interlock means connected to the rocket system and to the other weapons systems for providing an inhibit signal to the other weapon systems when the rocket is released; means for selecting a quantity of rockets and for providing a corresponding signal; the release means connected to the quantity signal means and to the fire power means and responsive to the quantity release signal for applying the fire power to the quantity of rockets which releases the rockets; intervalometer means connected to the release signal means, the release means and the quantity signal means and responsive to the rocket release signal and the quantity signal for providing a number of sequential fire pulses corresponding to the quantity signal, the release means being responsive to the fire pulses to release rockets of the selected type, said intervalometer means being effective for spacing the fire pulses to prevent releasing rockets at unsafe intervals; said release means including a priority register means for distributing each fire pulse sequentially to each rocket until a rocket of the selected type is released; and rocket fired detection means for preventing the sequential distribution of a fire pulse after a rocket has been fired.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 317 words

For a rocket system adapted for use in conjunction with other weapons systems, the rocket system having rocket pods randomly loaded with a plurality of rocket types, a rocket release device, comprising: means for selecting a rocket type and for providing a corresponding signal; means for providing a rocket release signal; means connected to the rocket type selecting signal means and to the rocket release signal means and responsive to the signals therefrom for providing fire power for rockets of the selected type; release means connected to the rocket release signal means and to the fire power means and responsive to the rocket release signal for applying the fire power to a rocket of the selected type which releases the rocket; interlock means connected to the rocket system and to the other weapons systems for providing an inhibit signal to the other weapon systems when the rocket is released; means for selecting a quantity of rockets and for providing a corresponding signal; the release means connected to the quantity signal means and to the fire power means and responsive to the quantity release signal for applying the fire power to the quantity of rockets which releases the rockets; intervalometer means connected to the release signal means, the release means and the quantity signal means and responsive to the rocket release signal and the quantity signal for providing a number of sequential fire pulses corresponding to the quantity signal, the release means being responsive to the fire pulses to release rockets of the selected type, said intervalometer means being effective for spacing the fire pulses to prevent releasing rockets at unsafe intervals; said release means including a priority register means for distributing each fire pulse sequentially to each rocket until a rocket of the selected type is released; and rocket fired detection means for preventing the sequential distribution of a fire pulse after a rocket has been fired.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 30 words

A system as described in claim 1, additionally comprising fire pulse transfer means for detecting when a rocket does not fire and transferring the fire pulse to another rocket pod.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 297 words

A rocket system release device for an aircraft having a rocket pod on each side randomly loaded with a plurality of rocket types and adapted for use with other weapons systems, comprising: means for providing a rocket release signal; means for selecting a rocket type and providing a signal corresponding thereto; means for selecting a quantity of rockets to be released and providing a signal corresponding thereto; intervalometer means responsive to the rocket release signal for providing sequential fire pulses at predetermined safe intervals when the rocket release signal is present; station logic means connected to the intervalometer means and receiving the fire pulses therefrom for providing alternate left and right fire pulses and rocket count pulses in response to the fire pulses; indicating means connected to the rocket type selecting signal means and the station logic means and responsive to the rocket selection signal and the rocket count pulses for indicating rocket inventory; quantity logic means connected to the quantity selecting signal means and the station logic means for down counting the quantity signal in response to rocket count pulses and providing a down quantity signal; means for providing a disable signal when the quantity signal corresponds to zero, the intervalometer means being responsive to the disable signal to sTop providing fire pulses; fire pulse director means for each rocket pod connected to the station logic means, the release signal means and the selecting signal means and receiving the associated fire pulses, the rocket release signal, and the rocket select signal for releasing one of the selected type of rockets in response to each fire pulse; and interlock means connected to the rocket system and to the other weapons systems for providing an inhibit signal to the other weapons systems when the one rocket is released.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 297 words

A rocket system release device for an aircraft having a rocket pod on each side randomly loaded with a plurality of rocket types and adapted for use with other weapons systems, comprising: means for providing a rocket release signal; means for selecting a rocket type and providing a signal corresponding thereto; means for selecting a quantity of rockets to be released and providing a signal corresponding thereto; intervalometer means responsive to the rocket release signal for providing sequential fire pulses at predetermined safe intervals when the rocket release signal is present; station logic means connected to the intervalometer means and receiving the fire pulses therefrom for providing alternate left and right fire pulses and rocket count pulses in response to the fire pulses; indicating means connected to the rocket type selecting signal means and the station logic means and responsive to the rocket selection signal and the rocket count pulses for indicating rocket inventory; quantity logic means connected to the quantity selecting signal means and the station logic means for down counting the quantity signal in response to rocket count pulses and providing a down quantity signal; means for providing a disable signal when the quantity signal corresponds to zero, the intervalometer means being responsive to the disable signal to sTop providing fire pulses; fire pulse director means for each rocket pod connected to the station logic means, the release signal means and the selecting signal means and receiving the associated fire pulses, the rocket release signal, and the rocket select signal for releasing one of the selected type of rockets in response to each fire pulse; and interlock means connected to the rocket system and to the other weapons systems for providing an inhibit signal to the other weapons systems when the one rocket is released.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 60 words

A system as described in claim 3, in which the fire pulse director means additionally comprises means for providing an empty signal if no rocket is released, the station logic means being responsive to the empty signal to provide a fire pulse to the fire pulse director means associated with the rocket pod on the other side of the aircraft.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 149 words

A system as described in claim 4, additionally comprising: means for selecting a simultaneous release of a rocket from each side of the aircraft and providing a pairs signal, the station logic means is responsive to the pairs signal to provide simultaneous left and right fire pulses for each fire pulse received. modulating means responsive to the pairs signal for modulating each rocket count pulse to form two pulses, whereby the quantity signal and the inventory indicating means are down counted by two for each fire pulse; and means responsive to the down counted quantity signal for providing a single rocket signal when the down counted quantity signal corresponds to one; and means responsive to the single rocket signal and the empty signal for inhibiting the pairs signal, whereby the station logic means only provides a single fire pulse and the modulating means stops modulating the rocket count pulses.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 117 words

A system as described in claim 3, adapted for an aircraft having inboard and outboard rocket pods on each side, in which: an outboard fire pulse director means receives the fire pulses from the station logic and includes means providing a transfer pulse if no rocket is released; and an inboard fire pulse director means is responsive to the transfer pulse to fire a rocket of the selected type and includes means for providing an empty signal if no rocket is released, the station logic means being responsive to the empty signal to provide a fire pulse to the outboard fire pulse director means associated with the outboard rocket pod on the other side of the aircraft.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-08-09	1975-02-08	1975-08-10	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-08-09	1979-02-08	1979-08-10	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-08-09	1983-02-08	1983-08-10	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Mixed pod rocket release system

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