Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
240 words
A hot gas filter to remove contaminants from a gas stream generated by a burning propellant and having a gas temperature in excess of 4500° F., the filter to be capable of surviving numerous exposures to the hot gas without damage and to be used in a system between the burning propellant and a movable member downstream of the filter to reliably prevent fouling of the downstream member after numerous exposures to the hot gas, said filter comprising: a plurality of axially-aligned flat discs; a plurality of axially aligned flat foil spacers; each disc being spaced from an adjacent disc by a foil spacer to establish filter gaps between the edges of the discs; a cap at one end of the aligned discs and spacers; a flange with an opening at the other end of the aligned discs and spacers; a plurality of studs attached to the cap and flange to hold the filter together, the studs passing through the respective discs and foil spacers to maintain their position in the filter; each disc having a plurality of flow openings in communication with the said filter gaps and aligned and in communication with the respective flow openings in the other discs; the flange opening overlapping at least a portion of each of the aligned flow openings in the discs; and the flat discs and spacers both being comprised of a metal capable of withstanding the high temperature gas without melting.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
240 words
A hot gas filter to remove contaminants from a gas stream generated by a burning propellant and having a gas temperature in excess of 4500° F., the filter to be capable of surviving numerous exposures to the hot gas without damage and to be used in a system between the burning propellant and a movable member downstream of the filter to reliably prevent fouling of the downstream member after numerous exposures to the hot gas, said filter comprising: a plurality of axially-aligned flat discs; a plurality of axially aligned flat foil spacers; each disc being spaced from an adjacent disc by a foil spacer to establish filter gaps between the edges of the discs; a cap at one end of the aligned discs and spacers; a flange with an opening at the other end of the aligned discs and spacers; a plurality of studs attached to the cap and flange to hold the filter together, the studs passing through the respective discs and foil spacers to maintain their position in the filter; each disc having a plurality of flow openings in communication with the said filter gaps and aligned and in communication with the respective flow openings in the other discs; the flange opening overlapping at least a portion of each of the aligned flow openings in the discs; and the flat discs and spacers both being comprised of a metal capable of withstanding the high temperature gas without melting.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein the metal comprising the discs and foil spacers is molybdenum.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein the metal comprising the discs and foil spacers is columbium.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
17 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein the metal comprising the discs and foil spacers is tantalum.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
63 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein each spacer has a plurality of extended peripheral portions spaced from one another and extending toward the circumference of the adjacent discs; wherein the filter gaps are established between adjacent discs and adjacent extended peripheral portions of the intervening spacer; and, wherein each filter gap is open to one of the flow openings in each disc.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The invention defined in claim 5, wherein the studs respectively pass through the extended peripheral portions of each spacer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
37 words
The invention defined in claim 6, wherein there are four flow openings in each disc, four studs, and four extended portions of each spacer, the four studs respectively passing through the four extended portions of each spacer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The invention defined in claim 5, wherein the discs and spacers are of a number and size to provide adequate filtering, absorb sufficient heat to avoid melting, and remove minimum energy from the gas being filtered.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
The invention defined in claim 1, wherein the movable member downstream of the filter comprises a piston-actuated device of an aircraft store ejector rack.