Loader mechanism for an automatic rocket launcher

Abstract

Abstract A LOADER MECHANISM FOR LOADING A PLURALITY OF ROCKETS INTON AN OPEN BREECH HIGH RATE AUTOMATIC LAUNCHER WHILE SIMULTANEOUSLY LAUNCHING A SECOND PLURALITY OF ROCKETS. THE LAUNCHER IS AN AUTOMATIC HIGH RATE, OPEN BREECH LAUNCHER FED BY A FOUR CYLINDER REVOLVER WHICH GENERATED ROTARY RECIPROCATING MOTION. THE LOADER MECHANISM LOADS A PAIR OF ROCKETS IN A PAIR OF THE CYLINDERS OF THE REVOLVED WHILE A SECOND PAIR OF ROCKETS ARE FIRED FROM A SECOND PAIR OF CYLINDERS OF THE REVOLVER. TWO ROUNDS ARE LOADED AND TWO ROUNDS ARE FIRED EACH HALF CYCLE. A PAIR OF HYDRAULIC DOUBLE ACTING CYLINDERS ACTUATED BY A PAIR OF SOLENOID VALVES SERVED TO ACTUATE THE LAUNCHER. ONE HYDRAULIC CYLINDER ROTTES THE REVOLVER TO ALIGN THE CHAMBERS WITH THE LAUNCH TUBES WHILE THE SECOND HYDRAULIC CYLINDER ACTUATES THE LOADING MECHANISM FOR PREFORMING THE LOADINH FUNCTION, RECIPROCATES THE REVOLVER TO SEAL AND ALIGN THE FIRING CHAMBRS WITH THE LAUNCHING TUBES, RETRACTS THE REVOLVER TO BREAK THE SEAL BETWEN THE TUBES AND REVOLVER CHAMBERS. A PULSING SWITCH OPERATED BY REVOLVER MOTION SERVES TO ACTUATE THE PAIR OF SOLENOID VALVES TO ACTUATE THE HYDRAULIC CYLINDERS. THE ROCKETS FIRED FROM THE LAUNCHER MAY BE THE TYPE WHICH INCLUDES A PROPULSION SYSTEM HAVING A BOOST PHASE AND AN AFTER-BOOST SUSTAIN PHASE. THE ROCKET BOOST PHASE OCCURS WHOLLY WITHIN THE LAUNCHER TUBE AT ALL TEMPERTURES. THE IGNITION SYSTEM OF THE BOOST AND SUSTAIN PHASES IS INCORPORATED IN THE SYSTEM IN A MANNER WHICH INSURES THAT NO DEBRIS (WIRES, METAL PARTS, ETC.) IS EHECTED FROM THE REAR OF THE LAUNCHER TUBE ON FIRING. BOOSTER THRUST TERMINATION AND IGNITION OF THE SUSTAINER MOTOR OCCURS WITHIN THE LAUNCHER TUBE AND THE TUBE SERVES AS THE CONBUSTION CHAMBER FOR THE MOTORS.

Inventors

• 👤 Arthur A Smith

Bibliographic Details