Patent US3915091A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3915091A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Rocket powered round
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1973-05-29
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Granted: 1975-10-28
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Expires: 1993-05-29
Abstract
Abstract A rocket powered round for launching from a tubular type mortar launcher barrel. The round incorporates a rocket propellant grain for powered flight and may have a boost portion providing a boost thrust and a sustainer probe portion providing a sustainer thrust. A war head is coupled to the rocket motor containing the rocket propellant grain and the war head has streamlined bore riding alignment pins coupled to the external surfaces thereof for engagement with the inside surfaces of the tubular launcher barrel during the launch phase. A launch cartridge means is detachably coupled to the rocket motor casing adjacent the aft end thereof and has an insertion portion frictionally retained in the nozzle of the rocket motor. The frictional force allows detachable coupling of the launch cartridge means to the rocket motor means. The launch cartridge means has an ignition charge for both igniting a launch propellant charge which provides the launch thrust for launching the weapon from the tubular launcher as well as initiating ignition of the rocket motor. The gases generated by the combustion of the launch charge are reacted by the aft end of the launch cartridge thereby accelerating the round to its launch velocity. A stripper plate is coupled to the end of the launcher barrel for engaging the launch cartridge means to detach the launch cartridge means from the round at the end of the launch from the barrel. The boost portion of the rocket propellant grain provides the boost thrust for the boost phase of flight and the sustainer motor provides a sustainer thrust for the sustainer phase of flight. Aero gyro stabilization means are provided for aero gyro stabilization and a plurality of detachable drag shrouds may be incorporated for providing predetermined aerodynamic drag to achieve zone firing.
Inventors
- 👤 Matthew S Smith
- 👤 Ernest A Filippi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 09:07
CPC Classifications
F; F42; F42B; F42B5/00; F42B5/02; F42B5/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
308 words
A rocket powered round of the type having a launch phase and a powered phase of flight and for insertion in a tubular type launcher having a predetermined tubular diameter and a launch end, for launch therefrom, and comprising, in combination: a war head having a forward end, an aft end and an external surface; a rocket motor means having: a forward end coupled to said aft end of said war head; an aft end; a rocket propellant grain; a nozzle portion having a preselected nozzle area and communicating with said rocket propellant grain, and said nozzle portion at said aft end of said rocket motor means; a launch cartridge means detachably coupled to said aft end of said rocket motor and removable therefrom for the condition of the end of the launch phase, and said launch cartridge means comprising: launch propellant charge means for providing a preselected launch force; ignition means for initiating ignition of said launch propellant charge means and said rocket propellant grain; and stripper means operatively cooperating with said tubular launcher for detaching said launch cartridge means from said rocket motor means for the condition of said launch phase completed, and said stripper means comprises a spring tab engagement portion coupled to said launcher tube and spaced axially outwardly from said launch end thereof and radially outwardly from a projection of said predetermined tube diameter, and a tab means coupled to said launch cartridge means, and said tab means extendable in a radially outwardly direction to a dimension greater than said predetermined tube diameter for the condition rocket motor free of said launch tube at the end of said launch phase of flight and said tab means engaging said spring tab engagement portion, whereby said launch cartridge means is detached from said rocket motor and falls in external regions free of said tubular launcher.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
308 words
A rocket powered round of the type having a launch phase and a powered phase of flight and for insertion in a tubular type launcher having a predetermined tubular diameter and a launch end, for launch therefrom, and comprising, in combination: a war head having a forward end, an aft end and an external surface; a rocket motor means having: a forward end coupled to said aft end of said war head; an aft end; a rocket propellant grain; a nozzle portion having a preselected nozzle area and communicating with said rocket propellant grain, and said nozzle portion at said aft end of said rocket motor means; a launch cartridge means detachably coupled to said aft end of said rocket motor and removable therefrom for the condition of the end of the launch phase, and said launch cartridge means comprising: launch propellant charge means for providing a preselected launch force; ignition means for initiating ignition of said launch propellant charge means and said rocket propellant grain; and stripper means operatively cooperating with said tubular launcher for detaching said launch cartridge means from said rocket motor means for the condition of said launch phase completed, and said stripper means comprises a spring tab engagement portion coupled to said launcher tube and spaced axially outwardly from said launch end thereof and radially outwardly from a projection of said predetermined tube diameter, and a tab means coupled to said launch cartridge means, and said tab means extendable in a radially outwardly direction to a dimension greater than said predetermined tube diameter for the condition rocket motor free of said launch tube at the end of said launch phase of flight and said tab means engaging said spring tab engagement portion, whereby said launch cartridge means is detached from said rocket motor and falls in external regions free of said tubular launcher.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1 and further comprising: aero gyro stabilization means coupled to said aft end of said rocket motor means for providing aero gyro stabilization during said powered phase of flight, and said aero gyro stabilization means extending radially from said rocket motor means a distance less than said predetermined tube diameter of said tubular type launcher.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The arrangement defined in claim 2 and further comprising: drag shroud means mountable on said external surface of said war head for providing predetermined aerodynamic drag forces, and said drag shroud means extending radially outwardly from said war head means a distance less than said predetermined tube diameter of said tubular type launcher.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
52 words
The arrangement defined in claim 3 and further comprising: bore riding pin means coupled to said external surface of said war head and extending radially outwardly therefrom substantially said predetermined tube diameter of said tubular tYpe launcher for engagement therewith for the condition of said bore riding pin means in the launcher.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
The arrangement defined in claim 3 wherein: said aero gyro stabilization means further comprises: a plurality of canted fins; and a ring shroud coupled to said plurality of canted fins.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
182 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein said launch cartridge means further comprises: a body member having: a probe portion insertable in said nozzle of said rocket motor means for reducing said preselected area thereof, and said probe portion having first walls defining an orifice therethrough having a preselected orifice area less than said preselected nozzle area, and said orifice having a first end communicating with said rocket motor grain and a second end spaced therefrom; second walls communicating with said second end of said orifice and defining an ignition charge cavity; and third walls providing apertures between said ignition charge cavity and regions external said body member; an ignition charge means in said ignition charge cavity of said body member; and said launch propellant charge means coupled to said body member in regions adjacent said third wall thereof, whereby ignition of said ignition charge means generates ignition producing gases passing through said orifice of said probe portion for initiating ignition of said rocket motor grain and through said apertures defined by said third walls for igniting said launch propellant charge means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
48 words
The arrangement defined in claim 6 wherein said launch cartridge means further comprises: a plurality of separate launch propellant charge increments; and further comprising: launch propellant charge increment retaining means detachably mountable on said body member for retaining a preselected number of said launch propellant charge increments thereon.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
153 words
The arrangement defined in claim 7 wherein said stripper means further comprises: said tab means further comprises a plurality of spring tab means coupled to said body member of said launch cartridge means and resiliently deformable from an extended position having an extended diameter greater than said predetermined tube diameter of said tubular type launcher to a deformed position allowing insertion in said tubular type launcher; and said spring tab engagement portion further comprising a stripper plate coupled to said tubular launcher and said stripper plate having said spring tab engaging portion thereon and extending partially around the circumference of said tubular launcher for engaging said spring tabs on said launch cartridge means for the condition of said spring tabs in said extended position thereof, whereby said stripper plate engages said spring tab means as said launch cartridge means leaves said tubular launcher and detaches said launch charge means from said rocket motor.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The arrangement defined in claim 1 wherein said powered phase of flight comprises a boost phase and a sustainer phase and wherein: said rocket propellant grain comprises a boost portion for providing a predetermined boost thrust and a sustainer portion for providing a predetermined sustainer thrust.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
30 words
The arrangement defined in claim 9 wherein said boost portion of said rocket propellant grain is radial burning and said sustainer portion of said rocket propellant grain is end burning.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
64 words
The arrangement defined in claim 10 and further comprising: aero gyro stabilization means coupled to said aft end of said rocket motor means for providing aero gyro stabilization during said boost phase and said sustainer phase of flight, and said aero gyro stabilization means extending radially from said rocket motor means a distance less than said predetermined tube diameter of said tubular type launcher.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The arrangement defined in claim 11 and further comprising: bore riding pin means coupled to said external surface of said war head and extending radially outwardly Therefrom substantially said predetermined tube diameter of said tubular type launcher for engagement therewith for the condition of said bore riding pin means in the launcher.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
53 words
The arrangement defined in claim 12 and further comprising: drag shroud means mountable on said external surface of said war head for providing predetermined aerodynamic drag forces, and said drag shroud means extending radially outwardly from said war head means a distance less than said predetermined tube diameter of said tubular type launcher.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
182 words
The arrangment defined in claim 13 wherein said launch charge means further comprises: a body member having: a probe portion insertable in said nozzle of said rocket motor means for reducing said preselected area thereof, and said probe portion having first walls defining an orifice therethrough having a preselected orifice area less than said preselected nozzle area, and said orifice having a first end communicating with said rocket motor grain and a second end spaced therefrom; second walls communicating with said second end of said orifice and defining an ignition charge cavity; and third walls providing apertures between said ignition charge cavity and regions external said body member; an ignition charge means in said ignition charge cavity of said body member; and said launch propellant charge means coupled to said body member in regions adjacent said third wall thereof, whereby ignition of said ignition charge means generates ignition producing gases passing through said orifice of said probe portion for initiating ignition of said rocket motor grain and through said apertures defined by said third walls for igniting said launch propellant charge means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
167 words
The arrangement defined in claim 14 wherein said launch charge means further comprises: a plurality of launch propellant charge increments; and further comprising: launch propellant charge increment retaining means detachably mountable on said body member for retaining a preselected number of said launch propellant charge increments thereon; a plurality of spring tab means coupled to said body member of said launch cartridge means and resiliently deformable from an extended position having an extended diameter greater than said predetermined tube diameter of said tubular type launcher to a deformed position allowing insertion in said tubular type launcher; and a stripper plate coupled to said tubular type launcher and said stripper plate having a spring tab engaging portion for engaging said spring tabs on said launch cartridge means for the condition of said spring tabs in said extended position thereof, whereby said stripper plate engages said spring tab means as said launch cartridge means leaves said tubular type launcher and detaches said launch charge means from said rocket motor.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-10-27 | 1979-04-28 | 1979-10-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-27 | 1983-04-28 | 1983-10-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-27 | 1987-04-28 | 1987-10-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |