Ablative structures

Claim 2

A structure for exposure to high-temperature high-velocity gases comprising at least two wall segments having discrete portions, each segment comprising a multiplicity of panels of a high-temperature resistant material and the discrete portions thereof comprising only panels for that wall segment, each panel being disposed at an angle to the thickness of the wall segment such that one edge of each panel intersects one surface of the wall segment along a line and the opposite edge of each panel intersects the opposite surface of the wall segment along a line, said lines being transversely displaced relative to the length of the wall segment, both edges of each panel running along the entire length of the wall segment, the wall segments having adjacent and substantially matching surfaces, and the panels between adjacent surfaces of the wall segments being interleaved between the adjacent wall surfaces.

Claim 3

A structure for exposure to high-temperature high-velocity gases in the form of a solid-walled body of revolution having an innner exposed surface, comprising at least two circumferential wall segments, each formed of a multiplicity of high-temperature resistant material panels circumferentially overlapped about the circumference of the wall segment, each panel being disposed along an arc length extending from the inner radius of the wall segment to the outer radius of the wall segment, and each panel having a geometrical configuration such that an interior edge of each panel extends along the length of the wall segment and an exterior edge of each panel extends along the length of the wall segment, the angles of the arc lengths relative to the circumference of the wall segment being alike for all panels of the wall segment, and relatively low so that long arc lengths are provided in relation to the radial thickness of the wall segment, the wall segments having discrete portions comprising only panels for that wall segment and being disposed with adjacent and substantially matching surfaces, and the panels between adjacent wall segments being interleaved in a joinder region.

Claim 4

An ablative structure comprising successive layers of different high-temperature resistant materials, said layers having discrete portions separate from each other, the discrete portions of each of the layers being formed of a multiple number of panels of different ones of the different materials, portions of a number of the panels of each layer being interleaved with portions of panels of the adjacent layers at the regions of merger between the layers.

Claim 5

An ablative structure in the form of a solid-walled body of revolution disposed about a longitudinal axis, comprising a plurality of panels, each panel forming a partial arc within the solid wall and extending along the arc length from interior radial limits to exterior radial limits, adjacent panels overlapping with a substantial interlaminar shear area along the arc length, the panel edges along the interior and exterior surfaces of the body of revolution being substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, the body having at least two displaced and discrete wall segments of different high-temperature resistant materials.

Claim 6

The invention as set forth in claim 6 above, wherein the wall segments of different materials are joined in a transition zone, at least some of the panels of each wall segment being interleaved with those of the adjoining wall segments.

Claim 7

An ablative structure comprising a multipanel structure in the form of a solid-walled body of revolution, one surface of which is to be exposed to ablative effects, the panels thereof lying at an acute angle relative to the circumference of the body of revolution, the angle of the panels relative to the circumference and the arc length of the panels determining the radial thickness of the structure at a given point, the arc length of the panels being substantially greater than the radial thickness, the panels being formed of at least two different high-temperature resistant materials, at least some of the panels of one material being interleaved with those of another of said materials, and said structure including at least one discrete portion composed of panels of only one of the different high-temperature materials.

Claim 8

An ablative structure comprising an outer fiber glass walled segment of circular form, the outer fiber glass wall segment comprising a plurality of triangular panels comprising glass fibers in a resin binder, each of the triangular panels being laid up with a long edge along the length of the structure and at an acute angle to the longitudinal axis of the structure, a first interior wall segment disposed in contacting relation with the outer wall segment along a forward portion thereof comprising a plurality of panels comprising graphite fabric in a resin binder, laid up in circumferentially overlapping relation about said first interior wall segment, the iNterior edges of said graphite panels lying along the interior length of the first interior wall segment and said graphite panels lying at like acute angles of arc relative to the interior circumference of the structure, and a second interior wall segment disposed interiorly of the outer wall segment and along the rearward portion thereof, and having one surface adjacent a matching surface of the first interior wall segment along an intermediate portion of the structure, the second interior wall segment comprising a plurality of silica fiber panels in a resin binder, the resin binder for all three wall segments being the same, and the panels of the first interior wall segment being interleaved with those of the second interior wall segment in the transition zone between the two interior wall segments.

Claim 9

An ablative structure in the form of a surface of revolution having a varying wall thickness of different sections of material comprising first means forming a first section of the structure, said first means including a plurality of panels of a first high-temperature resistant fibrous material disposed in circumferentially overlapping relation and having like inner edges incrementally spaced about one surface of the ablative structure to define the surface of the structure, said panels lying at a relatively small acute angle to the arc of the surface of revolution which they intersect, the geometry of said panels and the angle relative to the surface of revolution providing a selected radial wall thickness throughout the length of the first means, second means forming a second section of the structure, said first and second means having discrete portions, said second means including a plurality of panels of a second high-temperature resistant fibrous material disposed in circumferentially overlapping relation about the surface of revolution and having edges which are incrementally spaced about a surface of the surface of revolution, the discrete portions of said first and second means comprising only one of the different high-temperature resistant material, portions of the panels of the second means having an interleaved relation to portions of said panels of the first means in a joinder region between said body portions, the panels of the second means lying at substantially the same angular disposition as the panels of the first means, relative to the surface of revolution, and the entire structure being resin impregnated.

Claim 10

An ablative structure in the form of a surface of revolution having a varying wall thickness and different layers of material, comprising first means forming an innermost layer having a discrete portion, said first means including a plurality of panels of a first high-temperature resistant fibrous material disposed in circumferentially overlapping relation and having like inner edges which are incrementally spaced about the inner surface of the ablative structure, to define the inner surface of the structure, second means forming an outermost layer having a discrete portion separate from the discrete portion of the innermost layer and coupled thereto in a joinder region, said second means including a plurality of panels of a second high-temperature resistant fibrous material disposed in circumferentially overlapping relation and having like outer edges which are incrementally spaced about the outer surface of the ablative structure, to define the other surface of the structure, each of said discrete portions of said first and second means comprising only the associated one of the respective first and second materials, the entire structure being impregnated with a single resin system.