Rail launcher for suspending and launching different types of flying bodies from a carrier

Claim 1

A rail launcher for suspending different types of flying bodies having a maximum length from a carrier for launching any one of said flying bodies from said carrier, comprising a substantially hollow, elongated housing member having different cross-sectional configurations along its length perpendicularly to a longitudinal housing axis, at least one pair of rail means constructed as an integral part of said housing member along a downwardly facing side of said housing member, said integral rail means having a length sufficient for carrying any one of said flying bodies up to said maximum length, said rail means further having a crosssectional rail shape for accommodating any one of said different types of flying bodies, flying body retaining components (13), flying body strapping components (15), and flying body ignition components (14), all of said components being mounted in a forward portion of said hollow housing member so that the same components are usable for different types of flying bodies, mounting means (12, 18) attached to said housing member in such positions along the length of an upper side of said housing member that said housing member can be secured to different types of carriers, separate housing reinforcing side plates (19) and screw means (19') securing said separate side plates (19) to side walls of said housing member where said mounting means (12, 18) are attached to said upper side of said housing member.