Adapter assembly for flat trajectory flight

Claim 2

An adapter assembly attachable to the nose portion of an unguided projectile to provide the projectile with a substantially flat-trajectory flight capability comprising: an aerodynamic lift-generating section including both a lift-producing device and a separate stabilizing mechanism directly coupled to said device; a separate and distinct actuator housing attachable to the nose portion of a projectile; means for rotationally coupling said lift-generating section to said actuator housing; and inertia means within said actuator housing to initiate operation of said stabilizing mechanism, said adapter assembly producing a stabilized, vertically-oriented lift to counter the projectile weight.

Claim 3

The adapter assembly of claim 1 wherein said stabilizing mechanism comprises a gyroscope.

Claim 4

The adapter assembly of claim 2 further comprising a support bracket directly coupling said gyroscope to said lift-producing device.

Claim 5

The adapter assembly of claim 3 wherein said rotational coupling means comprises a longitudinal shaft attached to said bracket and rotationally and longitudinally supported by said actuator housing to permit free rotation of said lift-generating section relative to said actuator housing.

Claim 6

The adapter assembly of claim 4 wherein said inertia means comprise: a mass slidably positioned within said actuator housing; and flexible connecting means joining said mass to the rotor of said gyroscope, whereby said mass responds to acceleration forces to exert a pull on said flexible connecting means to initiate spinning of the rotor.

Claim 7

The adapter assembly of claim 4 further comprising: a cylinder within said actuator housing to receive said longitudinal shaft, said shaft longitudinally movable within said cylinder; bearings on said shaft to permit free rotation of said shaft within said cylinder; and stop means in said cylinder to prevent complete withdrawal of said shaft from said cylinder.

Claim 8

The adapter assembly of claim 6 further including a spring within said cylinder coacting with said shaft to bias the shaft outwardly from said cylinder to the limit determined by said stop means.

Claim 9

The adapter assembly of claim 5 wherein said flexible connecting means are wound upon pulley extensions on the rotor of said gyroscope, the winding of said connecting means drawing said actuator housing and said lift-generating section into abutment.

Claim 10

The adapter assembly of claim 8 further comprising a plunger apparatus coacting with said actuator housing to prevent rotation of said lift-generating section and to cage said gyroscope.

Claim 11

The adapter assembly of claim 9 wherein said plunger apparatus comprises: an elongated pin slidably received within a longitudinal chamber in said bracket, one end of said pin coacting with said gyroscope to prevent rotation of the gimbal and the opposite end extensible from an aft surface of said bracket; and a plunger spring biasing said pin toward an aft surface of said bracket, said pin being pressed into cooperative engagement with said gyroscope to prevent gimbal rotation when said lift-generating section and said actuator housing are in abutting relationship.

Claim 12

The adapter assembly of claim 10 further comprising a recess on a forward surface of said adapter housing to receive the extending end of said elongated pin.

Claim 13

The adapter assembly of claim 7 wherein said inertia means comprise: a mass slidably positioned within said actuator housing; and flexible connecting means joining said mass to the rotor of said gyroscope, the connecting means being removably wound around pulley extensions on the rotor, whereby said mass responds to acceleration forces to remove said connecting means from the rotor to initiate spinning of the rotor.

Claim 14

The adapter assembly of claim 5 wherein said lift-producing device comprises a cylindrical member having a slanted forward surface.

Claim 15

The adapter assembly of claim 13 further comprising a fairing structure for attaching said actuator housing to the nose portion of a projectile.

Claim 16

An aerodynamic lift-generating mechanism attachable to the forward portion of a projectile comprising: a gyroscopically roll-stabilized lifting section to produce a vertically-fixed lift vector including therein both a lift producing means and a stabilizing gyroscope; a separate and distinct actuator housing attachable to the projectile; a shaft attached at one end to said lifting section, the other end of said shaft being rotatably and rectilinearly receivable within said actuator housing to join said lifting section to said housing; resilient means within said housing cooperating with said shaft to bias the shaft outwardly of said housing and towards said lifting section; and slidable inertia means within said housing coupled to the rotor of said stabilizing gyroscope with flexible connecting means for initiating spinning of the gyroscope rotor; means for releasably drawing into abutment said lifting section and said actuator housing prior to launch of said projectile, whereupon launch of the projectile said lifting section and said actuator housing are released from abutment, said inertia means initiates operation of the gyroscope and said resilient means effects a spatial separation between said lifting section and said actuator housing to permit free rotation of the projectile relative to the roll-stabilized lifting section.

Claim 17

An aerodynamic lift-generating mechanism attachable to the forward portion of a projectile comprising: a gyroscopically roll-stabilized lifting section to produce a vertically-fixed lift vector including therein both a lift producing means and a stabilizing gyroscope; a separate and distinct actuator housing attachable to the projectile; a shaft attached at one end to said lifting section, the other end of said shaft being rotatably and rectilinearly receivable within said actuator housing to join said lifting section to said housing; resilient means within said housing cooperating with said shaft to bias the shaft outwardly of said housing and towards said lifting section; and slidable inertia means within said housing coupled to the rotor of said stabilizing gyroscope with flexible connecting means for initiating spinning of the gyroscope rotor; means for releasably drawing into abutment said lifting section and said actuator housing prior to launch of said projectile, whereupon launch of the projectile said lifting section and said actuator housing are released from abutment, said inertia means initiates operation of the gyroscope and said resilient means effects a spatial separation between said lifting section and said actuator housing to permit free rotation of the projectile relative to the roll-stabilized lifting section.

Claim 18

The mechanism of claim 15 whereupon said resilient means comprises a spring adjacent the free end of said shaft, said spring being compressed when the lifting section and the actuator housing are in abutting relationship.

Claim 19

The mechanism of claim 16 further comprising locking means to rotationally position the lifting section relative to the housing and to cage the stabilizing gyroscope.

Claim 20

The mechanism of claim 17 wherein said locking means comprises: a rod slidably positioned within said lifting section, the rod having a blunt end extendable from said lifting section and a pointed end coacting with the stabilizing gyroscope to prevent rotation of the gyroscope gimbal; a rod spring biasing the blunt end of said rod externally of said lifting section; and a receiving recess on a forward aft surface of said actuator housing collinearly positionable with the blunt end of said rod, whereby when said lifting section and said actuator housing are in abutting relationship the blunt end of said rod engages said recess to angularly position said lifting section and said housing, and the pointed end of said rod engages the gyroscope gimbal to prevent rotation of the gimbal.

Claim 21

The mechanism of claim 18 wherein said inertia means comprises a mass slidably positioned within said actuator housing.

Claim 22

The mechanism of claim 19 wherein said flexible connecting means comprises a pair of cords, one end of each of said cords secured to said mass and the other end of each of said cords being removably wound about the gyroscope rotor, the winding of said cords about the rotor drawing into abutment said lifting section and said actuator housing.