Fluidic-electric switch and safety, arming and detonating system using same

Claim 2

In a weapon carrying missile, a fluidic safety, arming, and detonating system, comprising: a. an electrical circuit including a normally de-energized electrically operated fuze firing element; b. a pressure activated means for arming said electrical circuit and detonating said fuze firing element; c. a means associated with said missile for receiving a plurality of fluid signals; and d. a fluid circuit means for activating and deactivating said pressure-activated means at the end of first and second time intervals, respectively, in response to and at predetermined times after the coincidental receipt of said plurality of fluid signals, said fluid circuit means including a first and second delay means, each having no moving parts, for determining the lengths of the said first and second time intervals.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said pressure activated means comprises a fluidic-electric switch responsive to a first fluid signal and to a second fluid signal wherefrom electrical energy is provided to said electrical circuit upon the sole application of said first fluid signal and wherefrom said electrical energy ceases upon the concurrent application of said second fluid signal.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 in which said first and second delay means are comprised of first and second fluidic timing circuits, respectively.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 3 in which said first fluidic timing circuit comprises a fluidic binary counter, means for resetting to ground state said counter upon the application of one of said plurality of fluid signals to said system, a fluidic oscillator providing a signal to be counted by said binary counter upon the application of another of said plurality of signals, and an output conduit through which is delivered an output signal upon the completion of said first time interval.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 3 in which said second fluidic timing circuit comprises a fluidic binary counter, means for resetting to ground state said counter upon the application of one of said plurality of fluid signals to said system, a fluidic oscillator providing a signal to be counted by said binary counter upon the application of another of said plurality of signals, and an output conduit through which is delivered an output signal upon the completion of said second time interval.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said plurality of fluid signals comprises a portion of the exhaust gases of said missile and ram air.

Claim 8

A safety, arming and detonating system for use in a weapon-carrying missile or the like, comprising: a. means for receiving a portion of the exhaust gases of said missile; b. means for transforming said portion of exhaust gases into first and second streams of supply fluid; c. means for receiving ram air; d. first fluid amplifier means supplied with a source of power fluid comprising control means in communication with said means for receiving ram air, first and second output conduits, and means to direct said power fluid out said first output conduit in the absence of ram air and out said second output conduit upon the application of ram air to the system; e. first and second fluidic oscillators each of which has an input conduit connected to said second output conduit of said first fluid amplifier means so that said oscillators are rendered operative only when ram air is applied to said first fluid amplifier means; f. a first fluidic binary counter comprising a first input conduit connected to an output of said first fluidic oscillator for detecting the oscillations of said oscillator, a second input conduit in communication with said second output conduit of said first fluid amplifier means such that said first counter begins counting said oscillations only upon receipt of a fluid signal from said second output conduit, and an output conduit that emits a fluid control signal after the detection of a predetermined number of said oscillations corresponding to a first time interval; g. a second fluidic binary counter comprising a first input conduit connected to an output of said second fluidic oscillator for detecting the oscillations of said oscillator, a second input conduit in communication with said second output conduit of said first fluid amplifier means such that said second counter begins counting said oscillations only upon receipt of a fluid signal from said second output conduit, and an output conduit that emits a fluid control signal after the detection of a predetermined number of said oscillations corresponding to a second time interval; h. second fluid amplifier means supplied with a source of power fluid comprising control means adapted to receive said fluid control signal of said first fluidic binary counter, first and second output conduits, and means to direct said power fLuid through said second output conduit only after said first time interval has elapsed; i. a fluidic-electric switch comprising transducer means to produce an electrical energy output in response to a fluid signal input from said second output conduit of said second fluid amplifier means, and switching means responsive to said fluid control signal from said second fluidic binary counter, whereupon the receipt of said fluid control signal will act to terminate the generation of electrical energy therefrom only after said second time interval has elapsed; j. an electrical circuit comprising a normally deenergized electrically operated fuze firing element, means to arm said circuit in response to the activation of said fluidic-electric switch, means to energize said fuze firing element in response to the deactivation of said fluidic-electric switch.

Claim 9

A safety, arming and detonating system for use in a weapon-carrying missile or the like, comprising: a. means for receiving a portion of the exhaust gases of said missile; b. means for transforming said portion of exhaust gases into first and second streams of supply fluid; c. means for receiving ram air; d. first fluid amplifier means supplied with a source of power fluid comprising control means in communication with said means for receiving ram air, first and second output conduits, and means to direct said power fluid out said first output conduit in the absence of ram air and out said second output conduit upon the application of ram air to the system; e. first and second fluidic oscillators each of which has an input conduit connected to said second output conduit of said first fluid amplifier means so that said oscillators are rendered operative only when ram air is applied to said first fluid amplifier means; f. a first fluidic binary counter comprising a first input conduit connected to an output of said first fluidic oscillator for detecting the oscillations of said oscillator, a second input conduit in communication with said second output conduit of said first fluid amplifier means such that said first counter begins counting said oscillations only upon receipt of a fluid signal from said second output conduit, and an output conduit that emits a fluid control signal after the detection of a predetermined number of said oscillations corresponding to a first time interval; g. a second fluidic binary counter comprising a first input conduit connected to an output of said second fluidic oscillator for detecting the oscillations of said oscillator, a second input conduit in communication with said second output conduit of said first fluid amplifier means such that said second counter begins counting said oscillations only upon receipt of a fluid signal from said second output conduit, and an output conduit that emits a fluid control signal after the detection of a predetermined number of said oscillations corresponding to a second time interval; h. second fluid amplifier means supplied with a source of power fluid comprising control means adapted to receive said fluid control signal of said first fluidic binary counter, first and second output conduits, and means to direct said power fLuid through said second output conduit only after said first time interval has elapsed; i. a fluidic-electric switch comprising transducer means to produce an electrical energy output in response to a fluid signal input from said second output conduit of said second fluid amplifier means, and switching means responsive to said fluid control signal from said second fluidic binary counter, whereupon the receipt of said fluid control signal will act to terminate the generation of electrical energy therefrom only after said second time interval has elapsed; j. an electrical circuit comprising a normally deenergized electrically operated fuze firing element, means to arm said circuit in response to the activation of said fluidic-electric switch, means to energize said fuze firing element in response to the deactivation of said fluidic-electric switch.

Claim 10

The invention according to claim 7 wherein said exhaust gas receiving means comprises a stagnation chamber, a receiving conduit and a pneumatic diode located therebetween to allow unidirectional flow of said exhaust gases into said stagnation chamber.

Claim 11

The invention according to claim 7 wherein said means for transforming said portion of exhaust gases comprises a pair of pressure regulators each fed by output conduit of said receiving means whereby portions of said exhaust gases are transformed into said first and second streams of supply fluid at a predetermined pressure level and flow.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 7 wherein said sources of power fluid for said first and second fluid amplifier means comprises said first and second streams of supply fluid, respectively.

Claim 13

The invention according to claim 7 wherein said first fluid amplifier means comprises: a. a first self-biased amplifier adapted to receive said power fluid, comprising a control conduit in communication with said means for receiving ram air to serve as said control means, first and second output conduits, and self-biasing means to direct said power fluid out said first conduit in the absence of ram air and out said second output conduit upon the application of ram air to the system; and b. a first buffer amplifier adapted to receive power fluid comprising first and second control conduits and first and second output conduits, said first control conduit in communication with said first output conduit of said first self-biased fluid amplifier and said second control conduit in communication with said second output conduit of said first self-biased fluid amplifier, whereby said control conduits act on said power fluid in such a manner as to direct said power fluid out said first output conduit of said first buffer amplifier in the presence of a fluid signal in said first control conduit and out said second output conduit of said first buffer amplifier in the presence of a fluid signal in said second control conduit.

Claim 14

The invention according to claim 11 wherein said power fluid of said first self-biased fluid amplifier and of said first buffer amplifier comprises portions of said first stream of supply fluid.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 7 further comprising means for terminating the oscillations of said first fluidic oscillator at the end of said first time interval.

Claim 16

The invention according to claim 13 wherein said means for terminating oscillations comprises a conduit that communicates a portion of said fluid control signal from said first fluidic binary counter to said first fluidic oscillator.

Claim 17

The invention according to claim 7 further comprising means for terminating the oscillations of said second fluidic oscillator at the end of said second time interval.

Claim 18

The invention according to claim 15 wherein said means for terminating oscillations comprises a conduit that communicates a portion of said fluid control signal from said second fluidic binary counter to said second fluidic oscillator.

Claim 19

The invention according to claim 7 further comprising means for resetting said first And second fluidic binary counters to their ground states.

Claim 20

The invention according to claim 17 wherein said resetting means comprises a conduit connecting said first output conduit of said first fluid amplifier means with an input to each of said first and second fluidic binary counters whereupon the application of the said exhaust gases to the system will cause said counters to reset.

Claim 21

The invention according to claim 7 wherein said second fluid amplifier means comprises: a. a second self-biased fluid amplifier adapted to receive said power fluid, comprising a control conduit in communication with said output conduit of said first fluidic binary counter, first and second output conduits, and self-biasing means to direct said power fluid out said first output conduit in the absence of said control signal from said first (fluidic binary) counter and out said second output conduit upon the application of said control signal from said first (fluidic binary) counter; b. a second buffer amplifier adapted to receive power fluid comprising first and second control conduits and first and second output conduits, said first control conduit in communication with said first output conduit of said second self-biased fluid amplifier and said second control conduit in communication with said second output of said second self-biased fluid amplifier, whereby said control conduits act on said power fluid in such a manner as to direct said power fluid out said first output conduit of said second buffer amplifier in the presence of a fluid signal in said first control conduit and out said second output conduit of said second buffer amplifier in the presence of a fluid signal in said second control conduit.

Claim 22

The invention according to claim 19 wherein said power fluid of said second self-biased fluid amplifier and of said second buffer amplifier comprises portions of said second stream of supply fluid.

Claim 23

The invention according to claim 19 wherein said first output conduit of said second buffer amplifier exhausts to ambient.

Claim 24

The invention according to claim 7 wherein said transducer means of said fluidic-electric switch comprises: a. an input conduit that receives said fluid signal from said second output conduit of said second fluid amplifier means; b. a cylindrical plug centrally located within said input conduit so as to form an annular orifice for transforming said fluid signal into an annular column of fluid; c. an interaction chamber located to receive said annular column of fluid and transmit it so as to impinge upon the edge of the opening to a resonating cavity to produce a multiple frequency edgetone or ringtone which acts to set up oscillations of the fluid within said resonating cavity; d. a diaphragm forming the closed end of said resonating cavity adapted to pulsate inwardly and outwardly in response to said fluid oscillations; e. a metallic reed connected to said diaphragm and located between the pole pieces of a permanent magnet and adapted so as to vibrate therebetween in response to said pulsations of said diaphragm; f. wires connected to said magnet adapted to receive and transmit the electromotive force generated in response to said vibrations of said reed.

Claim 25

The invention according to claim 22 wherein said switching means of said fluidic-electric switch comprises a control nozzle which connects said output conduit of said second fluidic binary counter with said interaction chamber of said transducer means whereupon the reception of said fluid control signal will cause a disturbance in said annular column of fluid in said interaction chamber so as to prevent said oscillations of said fluid from occurring and terminate the generation of electrical energy upon the conclusion of said second time interval.