Rain erosion protective device

Claim 1

Improved apparatus for protecting a forward surface of an airborne vehicle from erosion damage by raindrops including means for creating a pressurized region of air ahead of said surface, said region creating means formed as a hollow body of revolution having a forward end open to the atmosphere, said region of pressurized air created thereby being substantially at rest with respect to said surface, of a density and pressure which is greater than the ambient density and pressure of said atmosphere, and operative to disintegrate said raindrops prior to impact upon said surface, means for coupling a rearward end of said region creating means firmly to said vehicle and about said surface including severable first attachment means comprising an explosive bolt, pivotal second attachment means, and deployment activation means, said first and second attachment means being disposed substantially opposite each other and forming an integral portion of said coupling means, said region creating means being severably coupled to said first attachment means, and pivotally coupled to said second attachment means, and wherein said improvement comprises rupturable static protective means disposed such that said open forward end of said region creating means is covered thereby, attachment means whereby said rupturable static protective means is secured to said region creating means, and cutting means formed in at least a portion of said forward end of said region creating means whereby said rupturable protective means is ruptured when said vehicle moves through said atmosphere at a preselected velocity.