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US3946557A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Rocket motor construction

Assignee: ATK Launch Systems LLC
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Filing: 1974-07-19
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Granted: 1976-03-30
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Expires: 1994-07-19
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Abstract

Abstract Stresses induced by differential expansion and contraction of the solid propellant grain and the rocket motor case to which it is conventionally bonded are obviated by bonding a special sheath to the propellant grain and attaching it to the rocket motor case only at its forward and aft ends. A thin layer of Teflon is confined intermediately between the sheath and the rocket motor case. The sheath is extended beyond the propellant grain and bonded to the case so that an unbonded section thereof extends between the zone at which it is bonded to the case and the propellant grain. The propellant grain joins the sheath by a surface fillet to relieve surface stresses at this juncture. A gastight seal is provided in the thrust nozzle of the rocket motor for pressurizing of the combustion chamber to inhibit radial shrinkage of the propellant.

Inventors

  • 👤 Albert William Macbeth

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-03 12:50
CPC Classifications
F; F02; F02K; F02K9/00; F02K9/08; F02K9/32; F02K9/34; F02K9/346

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 3
Claim 1
Independent Claim 60 words
A gastight seal for a convergent-divergent rocket thrust nozzle comprising: a thin, flexible, elastomeric bag in the throat portion of the nozzle; and a cured, plastic foam in the bag, the foam having been cast and cured in situ with sufficient foam to form a plug having an axially convergent-divergent surface conforming exactly to the surface of the nozzle throat.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 60 words
A gastight seal for a convergent-divergent rocket thrust nozzle comprising: a thin, flexible, elastomeric bag in the throat portion of the nozzle; and a cured, plastic foam in the bag, the foam having been cast and cured in situ with sufficient foam to form a plug having an axially convergent-divergent surface conforming exactly to the surface of the nozzle throat.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 13 words
The rocket motor of claim 1 wherein the plastic foam is a polyurethane.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3010354A Cited
US3104523A Cited
US3121310A Cited
US3243956A Cited
US3270502A Cited
US3372548A Cited
US3446018A Cited
US3426528A Cited
US3583162A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1979-03-30 1979-09-29 1980-03-30 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1983-03-30 1983-09-29 1984-03-30 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1987-03-30 1987-09-29 1988-03-30 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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