Control systems for rocket motors

Claim 2

A thrust vector control system for a rocket motor having a nozzle with inlet and exit ends which causes gases exhausted from said rocket to said nozzle inlet end at subsonic velocities to attain supersonic velocities at the exit end of said nozzle, said control system comprising at least one spoiler blade which is pivotally mounted adjacent the exit end of said nozzle, said spoiler blade including an exhaust gas impingement element formed from refractory metallic material, a rigid metallic support member, and a layer of heat insulating, asbestos-containing material interposed between the impingement element and the support member and having opposite surfaces which are substantially coextensive with and in direct pressure contact with the impingement element and the support member to transmit pressure from the impingement element to the support member to support the impingement element against impingement of exhasut gases thereon.

Claim 3

A thrust vector control system according to claim 1 wherein the impingement element is formed from one of the group molybdenum, tungsten, or silver impregnated tungsten.

Claim 4

A thrust vector control system according to claim 1 wherein the impingement element has a non-rectilinear exhaust entrant edge.

Claim 5

A thrust vector control system according to claim 3 wherein the entrant edge of the impingement element is convex.

Claim 6

A thrust vector control system for a rocket motor having a nozzle with inlet and exit ends which causes gases exhausted from said rocket to said nozzle inlet end at subsonic velocities to attain supersonic velocities at the exit end of said nozzle, said control system comprising at least one spoiler blade which is pivotally mounted adjacent the exit end of said nozzle, said spoiler blade including an exhaust gas impingement element formed from refractory metallic material and having a convex exhaust entrant edge which forms an arc of a circle of which the radius corresponds to the radius of the exhaust exit aperture of an exhaust nozzle of the rocket motor, a rigid metallic support member, a spindle projecting at a right angle to said support member a layer of heat insulating material interposed between the impingement element and the support member, said spindle extending through a hole formed through said layer and through said impingement element.

Claim 7

A thrust vector control system for a rocket motor having a nozzle with inlet and exit ends which causes gases exhausted from said rocket to said nozzle inlet end at subsonic velocities to attain supersonic velocities at the exit end of said nozzle, said control system comprising at least one spoiler blade which is pivotally mounted adjacent the exit end of said nozzle, said spoiler blade including an exhaust gas impingement element formed from refractory metallic material and having a convex exhaust entrant edge which forms an arc of a circle of which the radius corresponds to the radius of the exhaust exit aperture of an exhaust nozzle of the rocket motor, a rigid metallic support member, a spindle projecting at a right angle to said support member a layer of heat insulating material interposed between the impingement element and the support member, said spindle extending through a hole formed through said layer and through said impingement element.

Claim 8

A control system according to claim 4 wherein the convex exhaust entrant edge forms an arc of a circle of which the radius is the same as that of the exit end of the nozzle.