Rotating variable nose

Claim 2

A flight vehicle having means for revolving a portion of said vehicle about an axis which is oblique to the centerline of said vehicle to thereby cause said portion to assume an attitude angled relative to the remainder of said vehicle.

Claim 3

A flight vehicle having at least first and second portions, a normal vehicle centerline, and means for revolving said second portion about an axis extending obliquely forward and downward from said vehicle centerline, thereby causing said second portion on axial rotation to assume a pitchdown configuration relative to said first portion.

Claim 4

A flight vehicle having at least first and second portions, a normal vehicle centerline, and means for revolving said second portion about an axis extending obliquely forward and downward from said vehicle centerline, thereby causing said second portion on axial rotation to assume a pitchdown configuration relative to said first portion.

Claim 5

fuselage bearing and attachment means comprising fuselage bulkhead means positioned on the forward end of said fuselage, a. said bulkhead means inclined forwardly with respect to a vertical plane passing through the cross-section of said fuselage normal and at a right angle to said fuselage centerline, said bulkhead means adapted to function as a bearing and attachment means for said second portion and operative to establish a rotational axis for said second portion which is oblique to said fuselage centerline, B. said second portion comprises a substantially cone shaped nose member having a base which defines an angle oblique to a plane passing vertically through the cross-section of said cone normal and at right angles to the centerline of said nose member,

Claim 6

fuselage bearing and attachment means comprising fuselage bulkhead means positioned on the forward end of said fuselage, a. said bulkhead means inclined forwardly with respect to a vertical plane passing through the cross-section of said fuselage normal and at a right angle to said fuselage centerline, said bulkhead means adapted to function as a bearing and attachment means for said second portion and operative to establish a rotational axis for said second portion which is oblique to said fuselage centerline, B. said second portion comprises a substantially cone shaped nose member having a base which defines an angle oblique to a plane passing vertically through the cross-section of said cone normal and at right angles to the centerline of said nose member,

Claim 7

nose member bearing and attachment means comprising nose member bulkhead means positioned in said nose member at least substantially adjacent the aft end thereof and parallel to said nose member base, said bearing and attachment means in cooperative mating relationship with said fuselage bulkhead means so as to be rotationally movably attached thereto, said bearing and attachment means establishing an axis of rotation for said nose member which is oblique to said fuselage centerline, the point of said nose member describing an arcuate path when said member is rotated 180* and establishing a second down vision line relative to the droop of said nose member dictated by said nose member oblique axis of rotation; and C. means attached to one of said first or second portions operative to cause relative rotational movement between said portions.

Claim 8

nose member bearing and attachment means comprising nose member bulkhead means positioned in said nose member at least substantially adjacent the aft end thereof and parallel to said nose member base, said bearing and attachment means in cooperative mating relationship with said fuselage bulkhead means so as to be rotationally movably attached thereto, said bearing and attachment means establishing an axis of rotation for said nose member which is oblique to said fuselage centerline, the point of said nose member describing an arcuate path when said member is rotated 180* and establishing a second down vision line relative to the droop of said nose member dictated by said nose member oblique axis of rotation; and C. means attached to one of said first or second portions operative to cause relative rotational movement between said portions.

Claim 9

a forward fuselage bearing in cooperative operational relationship with said aft fuselage bearing, B. said nose member bearing and attachment means comprises

Claim 10

a forward fuselage bearing in cooperative operational relationship with said aft fuselage bearing, B. said nose member bearing and attachment means comprises

Claim 11

a forward nose member bulkhead positioned in said nose member and defining a forward nose member bearing in operative relationship with said forward fuselage bearing.

Claim 12

a forward nose member bulkhead positioned in said nose member and defining a forward nose member bearing in operative relationship with said forward fuselage bearing.

Claim 13

first and second bulkhead members attached to and forming structural components of said second portion, a. said second bulkhead member displaced forwardly from said first bulkhead member and substantially parallel thereto, b. said bulkheads defining at least in part bearing surfaces in operative relationship with said first portion bearing surfaces, c. said first bearing surface defining a segment of a circle having a center lying on said vehicle centerline and inclined from the perpendicular thereto, d. said second bearing surface defining a segment of a circle inclined from the perpendicular to said vehicle centerline and the center of which, relative to said second portion first bulkhead member, is variable to Said centerline and establishes an axis of rotation of said second portion oblique to said centerline.

Claim 14

first and second bulkhead members attached to and forming structural components of said second portion, a. said second bulkhead member displaced forwardly from said first bulkhead member and substantially parallel thereto, b. said bulkheads defining at least in part bearing surfaces in operative relationship with said first portion bearing surfaces, c. said first bearing surface defining a segment of a circle having a center lying on said vehicle centerline and inclined from the perpendicular thereto, d. said second bearing surface defining a segment of a circle inclined from the perpendicular to said vehicle centerline and the center of which, relative to said second portion first bulkhead member, is variable to Said centerline and establishes an axis of rotation of said second portion oblique to said centerline.

Claim 15

The vehicle defined by claim 2 wherein said means comprises: A. first bearing means integrally attached to said first portion as part of the structure thereof, said first bearing means having an angular relationship to a vertical plane passing through said first portion normal to said centerline, B. second bearing means integrally attached to said second portion as part of the structure thereof, said second bearing means having the same angular relationship to the vertical plane passing through said first portion normal to said centerline as said first bearing means, and coinciding and moveably rotatably mateable therewith, whereby said bearing surfaces establish a rotational axis for said second portion which is oblique to said centerline and defined by the relationship of said bearing surfaces to each other and to said portions to which they are attached, rotational movement of said second portion bearing surface relative to said first portion bearing surface dictating a change in pitchdown of said second portion relative to said first portion.

Claim 16

The vehicle defined by claim 2 wherein: A. said first portion comprises a fuselage having guidance and control surfaces attached thereto, a crew compartment, and a structural bulkhead member inclined forwardly from the bottom to the top of said fuselage to establish a nose cone rotational axis angled relative to said vehicle centerline, said bulkhead defining a joining and bearing means for reception of a nose cone portion, B. said second portion comprises a nose cone having a structural bulkhead adjacent the aft end thereof, said nose cone bulkhead inclined forwardly from bottom to top relative to said nose cone, said nose cone having one side longer than the other side said bulkhead moveably rotatably attached to and receivable on said fuselage bulkhead, said bulkheads angular relationship to the vertical defining a nose cone rotational axis oblique to said vehicle centerline so that said nose cone centerline substantially coincides with said fuselage centerline and said nose cone surfaces are aerodynamically faired relative to the fuselage surfaces in a first flight position, and in a second flight position said nose cone centerline substantially coincides with said nose cone rotational axis and the surfaces thereof are not aerodynamically faired with the fuselage surfaces.

Claim 17

The vehicle defined by claim 2 wherein: A. said first portion comprises

Claim 18

The vehicle defined by claim 5 wherein: A. said fuselage bearing and attachment means comprises

Claim 19

The vehicle defined by claim 2 wherein: A. said means for revolving said second portion relative to said first portion comprises

Claim 20

The vehicle defined in claim 7 wherein: said second portion second bearing surface is eccentrically located within said second portion whereby rotation of said second portion to one position, positions the large segment of said second bulkhead member in front of a crew compartment, said second bulkhead member incorporating information display means thereon whereby said display means is automatically positioned in viewing relationship to the crew compartment.