BRPI0907662B1 - chimney shutter system of a missile launcher - Google Patents

Abstract

chimney shutter system of a missile launcher chimney shutter system (14) of a missile launcher chimney, which launcher (1) comprises at least one container (2, 3), capable of receiving at least one missile ( 4, 5), and a propulsion gas evacuation conduit (10) comprising a gas extraction chimney (11), wherein the container is in communication with the conduit at the missile launch and the conduit is in communication with atmosphere (12) through the chimney provided with the shutter system, characterized in that the shutter system comprises at least one panel (12, 13) and a panel retaining means (18,19), movable between a position of closing position and an opening position, and the holding means comprises a calling means (18a) from the opening position to the closing position and an energy dissipating means (18b) which results from the opening and closing movement .

Description

“SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING A CHIMNEY FROM A MISSILE LAUNCHER”

Field of the Invention [001] The present invention deals with missile launchers. More particularly, the present invention deals with a closure system for the propulsion gas evacuation duct that equips the launcher.

Background of the Invention [002] In general, as shown in the attached figure 1, a missile launcher, for example, a launcher vertically arranged on the hull of a carrier ship, comprises two parallel rows of containers located above a common evacuation duct of the gases. The rows of containers are separated from each other by a central chimney arranged vertically. At the level of its lower end, the evacuation chimney is in communication with the evacuation duct and, at the level of its upper end, it is in communication with the atmosphere through a mouth provided with a door that closes the chimney and which can be opened. This port is necessary to ensure the integrity of the launcher in a marine environment of use.

[003] When there is a voluntary firing of a missile contained in one of the containers, the propulsion gases are evacuated to the bottom of the container which is put in communication with the gas evacuation duct by opening an operculum located at the bottom of the container . A flow is then created, as indicated by the arrow in figure 1, from the inside of the container to the evacuation duct, and then to the atmosphere through the chimney whose door is opened.

[004] According to the previous art, the chimney door is activated in order to open when a missile is launched. More precisely, a first command signal is issued in the direction of a system

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2/15 actuation to move the door towards the opening. After the missile has been launched and propulsion gases have been evacuated from inside the launcher, a second command signal is sent to the drive system to move the door in the direction of closing.

[005] In this known operating mode, the opening time of the door is taken into account, opening it with a sufficient time interval before the missile's departure to be fully open at that moment.

[006] The overpressure in the extraction chimney is caused either by the propulsion gases of a voluntarily fired missile, or by untimely gas emissions. To account for these events, a chimney door according to the prior art is equipped with a panel that serves as a fuse door. This panel is ejected in the event of a very high overpressure in the chimney.

[007] After an untimely emission and the ejection of the panel, it is necessary to intervene in the launcher to replace that panel.

[008] In addition, the design of the panel that forms a fuse door is complex. It is performed after a series of calibrations that estimate the parameters of a characteristic untimely emission. In particular, it is necessary to adapt this panel to the flow parameters (flow, pressure, etc.) of this untimely emission.

[009] And finally, these panels have the additional defect of not offering the desired operational safety for these equipment. It is thus possible that the means of fixing the panel have a defect that prevents ejection to the predicted overpressure threshold value. In extreme situations, the panel is not ejected at all and overpressure in the launcher is maintained, leading to deterioration of the missiles.

[010] It is known, through EP 0 481 851 A1, a

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3/15 obturation device that equips the mouth of a launcher's chimney that holds several chimneys that are distinct from each other and with circular cross section. The filling device comprises two light valves that pivot around a common horizontal axis located in the median plane of symmetry of the chimney. The valves open under the effect of overpressure caused by the voluntary launching gases of a missile or by an untimely ignition. Each valve is called, from its opening position to its closing position, by a spring-forming call means. In the closed position, the valves rest on the top edge of a sleeve supporting the valves that go around the chimney mouth.

[011] Although this document indicates the possibility of using the device described for a launcher that comprises a single central chimney, it appears, in practice, that this embodiment has several drawbacks.

[012] In particular, when the valves cover the entire length of the launcher, they have significant mass. In this case, they have a very abrupt opening and a very fast closing. When the valve comes back in support against the sleeve, impacts are generated. On the other hand, the inertia of the valve causes it to oscillate, with a strong amplitude, between the open and closed positions. This uncontrolled behavior of the valves leads to gas muffling phenomena inside the chimney and premature deterioration of the device.

[013] In addition, according to that state of the art document, an additional protective element must be placed around the glove to protect the closure device from large volumes of sea water, and be of sufficient height to channel the gases that flow through the chimney in order to prevent them from flowing laterally and compromising the launch of the missile. In addition, the common axis of rotation of the valves is located in the center

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4/15 flow of propulsion gases evacuated through the chimney.

Description of the Invention [014] The present invention therefore has the purpose of solving the problems mentioned, and in particular those related to the ejection of a panel during an untimely emission of gases.

[015] The object of the present invention is a shutter system for the chimney of a missile launcher, which launcher comprises at least one container capable of receiving at least one missile, and a flue for evacuation of propulsion gases which comprises a chimney. gas extraction, the container being in communication with the flue during the launch of the missile and the flue is in communication with the atmosphere through the chimney equipped with the filling system.

[016] According to the present invention, the obturation system comprises at least one panel and a panel holding means, movable between a closed position and an opening position, the holding means comprising a call means from the opening position to the closing position and a means of dissipating energy that results from the opening movement and the closing movement, and the filling system is adapted so that:

- When launching a missile or in the untimely emission of gases, the panel moves to the opening position from the moment when the gas overpressure is greater than an opening threshold overpressure, and the opening time of the movable panel is fast, less than 1 second; and / or,

- When re-balancing the pressure in the chimney and the atmosphere, the panel moves to the closed position from the moment when the gas overpressure is below a closing threshold overpressure, and the closing time of the moving panel is slow, longer than 5 seconds,

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5/15 preference greater than 30 seconds.

[017] According to particular embodiments, the obturation system has one or more of the following characteristics, considered (s) separately or according to all technically possible combinations:

- The retaining means is mechanically equivalent to the parallel association of a calling element and an energy dissipating element.

- The filling system comprises at least one panel coupled by a hinge-type connection with a frame in the vicinity of one end of the chimney, and at least one retaining means whose first end is coupled by a first pivot connection to the frame and a second The end is coupled by a second pivot connection to the panel, and the axes of the first and second pivot connections are parallel and distinct from the axis of the hinge connection.

- The retaining means is housed within a volume bounded by the frame and the panel in the closed position.

- The retaining means includes at least one viscoelastic damper.

- The damper has a viscoelastic gum.

- The obturation system comprises two rectangular panels, and each panel is coupled to a pair of retaining means.

- The frame is provided with stops that determine the closing position of the panel.

[018] Advantageously, the filling system according to the present invention is passive. It opens when a super pressure exerts sufficient force on the panels and closes thanks to means of call when that super pressure disappears. It is, therefore, an automatic operation.

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6/15 [019] Thus, the entire drive chain (driver, current source, current amplifier, motor, etc.) necessary for the operation of the doors in accordance with the previous art is dispensed with. The filling system according to the present invention is robust and requires reduced maintenance, which is very important in the marine context of using such launchers.

[020] Advantageously, the automatic opening allows operation not only when the overpressure is due to a desired emission of gases, but also during an uncontrollable untimely emission.

[021] The filling system according to the present invention then allows the dispensing of a fusible door. Consequently, all the problems inherent to this fuse port and in particular the initial calibration phase of its characteristics are avoided.

[022] Finally, the chimney filling system according to the present invention is easy to implement, even in existing launchers, and at a lower cost.

[023] The door system according to the present invention is, therefore, robust, reliable, and guarantees a very safe functioning of the launcher.

Brief Description of the Drawings [024] The present invention and its advantages will be better understood by reading the following description, given only as an example and made in relation to the attached drawings in which:

figure 1 is a schematic sectional view of a missile launcher;

figure 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the chimney filling system according to the present invention, with the panels

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7/15 in the closed position;

figure 3 is a side view, similar to figure 2, and the panels are here in the open position;

figure 4 is a partial top view of the filling system of figure 3; and

figure 5 is a functional representation of the means for retaining a panel.

Description of Particular Achievements [025] A general description of the operating principle of the passive and automatic filling system according to the present invention will now be made in relation to figure 1, in which a launcher 1 is schematically represented in the deck 15 of a carrier ship. On each side of a plane of symmetry P, launcher 1 comprises two containers 2 and 3 containing a missile 4, 5 respectively. Container 2, respectively container 3, is closed by doors 6 located in its upper part, in the hypothesis simplifying the vertical positioning of the launcher. The doors 6 of the container 2, respectively of the container 3, are opened in the launching phase of the missile 4, 5. The bottom of the container 2, respectively 3, is equipped with an orifice 7 that allows the flow of propulsion gases from the inside the container 2, 3 for a gas evacuation duct 10.

[026] The gas evacuation duct 10 is common to all the launcher 1 containers. The duct 10 comprises a central chimney 11, arranged vertically between containers 2 and 3, and which allows the propulsion gases to be carried into the external atmosphere.

[027] The upper end, on the atmosphere side, of chimney 11, hereinafter mouth 9, is provided with a filling system 14 that is adapted to open from the moment when an overpressure inside the chimney 11 exceeds a opening threshold overpressure, and to close

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8/15 when the overpressure is again below a closing threshold overpressure.

[028] In the opening position of the filling system 14, a communication between the chimney 11 and the atmosphere 12 is established allowing the propulsion gases to flow from the conduit 10 to the outside of the launcher 1. After the missile has been fired and left the corresponding container, the flow stops. The pressures inside the container, the evacuation duct and the chimney are balanced with atmospheric pressure. The overpressure that gives rise to the opening of the obturation system 14 decreases and becomes below the closing threshold. The shutter system then closes automatically. It resumes its position by default in which conduit 10 is airtight.

[029] A preferred embodiment of the obturation system 14 will now be described in detail with reference to figures 2 to 4.

[030] On the horizontal plane of the ship's deck 15, parallel to the plane of figure 4, the chimney mouth 9 of the chimney 11 has the shape of an elongated rectangle whose longitudinal axis is situated in the plane P of symmetry.

[031] The obturation system 14 comprises a frame 20, two panels 12 and 13 pivoting, and four dampers as retention means that couple each panel 12 or 13 to the frame 20.

[032] The frame 20 frames the mouth 9. It comprises two side walls 22 and 23 arranged parallel to the plane P, on each side of the mouth 9. It also comprises two pairs of end walls respectively arranged on each of the longitudinal ends of the mouth 9, between side walls 22 and 23, perpendicular to the plane P. A single pair of end walls 25 and 26 is shown, in top view, in figure 4: a first wall 25 is located near the end of the mouth 9; and a second wall 26 is located away from the end of the mouth 9. A wall of

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9/15 end, like wall 25, has a generally triangular shape, the base of which rests on a bottom wall 24 of the frame 20 arranged on deck 15 and whose apex, opposite the base, is on the P plane.

[033] Panel 12, respectively panel 13, is a rectangular surface that is thick and substantially constant. Panel 12, 13 comprises an outer wall 121, 131, an inner wall 123, 133 and peripheral edges.

[034] Each panel 12, respectively 13, is fixed to the side wall 22, 23 of the frame 20 by means of a hinge-type connection 32, 33 attached to the longitudinal peripheral edge 124, 134 of the panel 12, 13. Thus, the panel 12, 13 can be moved between a closed position and an opened position by rotation about the axis A, A 'of the hinge connection 32, 33.

[035] Each panel 12, 13 is intended to cover half of the section of the mouth 9 divided along the plane P.

[036] In the closed position, the longitudinal peripheral edge 122 of the panel 12, peripheral edge opposite the longitudinal edge 124 that carries the hinge 32, is able to rest on the peripheral edge 132 of the panel 13, peripheral longitudinal edge opposite the wall peripheral longitudinal 134 that carries the hinge 33. As shown in figure 3, the peripheral longitudinal edges

122 and 132 are on the P plane and are in contact with each other in order to seal the mouth 9. In the closed position, the inner wall

123 of panel 12, respectively 133 of panel 13, at the level of its longitudinal ends, rests at the same time on the inclined sides of the end walls 25 and 26 of the frame 20 and also on stops 28a and 28b, respectively 29a and 29b, arranged on the first and second end walls 25 and 26.

[037] Since the sloping sides of these triangular end walls 25 and 26 form an angle a with the plane P, that the

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10/15 inner walls 123 and 133 of panels 12 and 13 rest on these inclined sides, and that finally the longitudinal peripheral edges 122 and 132 of panels 12 and 13 are in mutual support, each peripheral longitudinal edge 122, 132 forms an angle a with the inner wall 123, 133 of the associated panel.

[038] Advantageously, the longitudinal end of the inner wall 123, 133 of panel 12, respectively of panel 13, is provided with a pair of grooves 128a and 128b, 129a and 129b. In the closed position, each groove is designed to receive one of the inclined sides of the first and second end walls 25 and 26. This ensures a precise positioning of the panels when they close and a good tightness in the closed position. This arrangement explains why the stops 28a and 28b, 29a and 29b are arranged slightly indented with respect to the sloping sides of the end walls 25 and 26.

[039] In the opening position, each panel 12, 13 is substantially parallel to the P plane, at right angles to deck 15, in the extension of the wall 22, 23 of the frame 20 on which it is fixed. In this position, as panels 12 and 13 are arranged on each side of the chimney mouth, the ejected gases are channeled vertically. In particular, they do not flow sideways towards the missile being launched. This avoids an additional part to serve as a side screen for the ejected gases.

[040] Panels 12 and 13 are slightly longer than the length of the mouth 9. They extend between the second end walls 25 of the frame 20 which are the end walls furthest from the mouth 9. Thus, the panels 12 and 13 cover areas of deck 15 located on each side of the beam 9. Panels 12 and 13, wall pair 25 and 26 and deck 15 delimit. therefore, a volume 17 that forms a housing for a buffer 18 of the panel 12 and a buffer 19 of the panel 13. Similarly, another volume (not shown), located next to the other

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11/15 longitudinal end of the mouth 9, forms a housing for the other damper of the panel 12 and the other damper of the panel 13.

[041] Each shock absorber 18, 19 is a shock absorber with viscoelastic gum in the form of a cylinder 181, 191 and a rod 182, 192 able to slide inside the cylinder 181, 191. The cylinder 181, 192 comprises means known to the person skilled in the art to perform a function called from the extended position to the retracted position, and a function of dissipating movement energy between the two positions, extended and retracted.

[042] The cylinder 181 is coupled to the side wall 23 of the frame 20 by a pivot connection 183 of axis B '. The end of cylinder 181, opposite rod 182, has two diametrically opposed projections 186 and 187, arranged on the outer wall of cylinder body 181. Support pieces 231 and 232 are fixed, for example by welding, at right angles to the side wall 23 and on the bottom 24 of the frame 20, so that they are arranged on each side of the cylinder body 181. The projections 186 and 187 are received in corresponding holes practiced in the two support pieces 231 and 232 to form the connection pivot 183.

[043] The end of the stem 182, opposite the cylinder 181, is joined to the panel 12 by a pivot connection 184 of axis B. For this, the end of the stem 182 comprises a fork part inserted between two ears 126 and 127 fixed on the inner wall 123 of the panel 12. The stem 185 of the pivot connection 184 is inserted through the aligned holes of the ear 126, the fork of the stem 182 and the ear 127.

[044] The axes B and B 'of the pivot connections 184 and 183 are parallel, but distinct, from the axis A of the hinge connection 24 around which the panel rotates 12.

[045] The damper 19 of panel 13, articulated around the

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12/15 axes C and C of pivot connections 193 and 194, is similar to the shock absorber just described. Thus, it will not be described in detail, and only a reservation will be made indicating that the dampers 18 and 19 are placed in an inverted position in the housing 17.

[046] Thus arranged, the dampers 18, 19 are able to apply a calling torque on the panel 12, 13 to which they are coupled to move it from the open position to the closed position and vice versa.

[047] Figure 5 schematically represents a mechanical equivalent of the retention medium that may be suitable for the present invention. In this figure, you can see the hinge connection 32 between the frame 20 and the panel 12. You can also see the pivot connection 183 between the chassis 20 and the retention means 18 and the pivot connection 184 between the retention means 18 and panel 12. Retention means 18 is equivalent to the parallel association of a calling element 18a and an energy dissipating element 18b.

[048] In a preferred embodiment, the retention means used are constituted by a shock absorber with viscoelastic gum 18, 19. Shock absorbers of this type are known and are for example marketed by DOMANGE JARRET. However, other types of retention means could also be used insofar as they present the functions represented schematically in figure 5. It should be noted that the called element converts a kinetic energy or a job into a potential energy, which it can restore then. Any mechanical device that can have these physical properties can be suitable for the present invention. This is particularly the case for a spring that stores energy in the form of an elongation or a compression. Thus, in a variant, the retaining means can take the form of a hydraulic jack, as a dissipation element, associated with a spring, as a call element, which functions

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13/15 in extension or compression depending on the position of the spring on the rod of the hydraulic jack.

[049] The operation of the opening and closing filling system will now be described in detail. The establishment of an overpressure in the chimney 11 is translated by the application of a force on the inner wall 123, respectively 133, of panel 12, 13. As each panel is held by a hinge connection 32, 33, the generated force has a torque in with respect to axis A, A 'able to rotate panel 12, 13. Under the effect of this torque, the panel 12, 13, initially in its closed resting position, opens to an open position in which it is substantially at right angles to the ship's deck 15 (cf. figure 3). This opening is extremely fast and takes less than a second.

[050] In a digital application by way of example, panel 12, respectively panel 13 has a length of 2200 mm and a width of 170 mm leading to a surface of 0.4 m ² . Panel 12, 13 has a thickness, for example of 30 mm. Being made of steel, the mass of the panel 12, 13 is thus in the order of 80 kg. When it is caused by the propulsion gases of a voluntarily launched missile, the overpressure, typically 2.9 bars, generates an opening that takes place at an opening time of 0.04 s.

[051] In this phase of rapid opening, the role of the buffer 18 is to brake the panel 12 when it approaches its position at 90 ° in order to prevent rebounds and to prevent oscillations around that final position. The dissipating element 18b of the damper 18 acts by dissipating a fraction of the mechanical work of rotating the panel 12 produced by the overpressure. The other fraction of the mechanical work is absorbed by the call element 18a of the damper 18.

[052] When the overpressure that generated the opening of panels 12 and 13 falls to zero and returns to below a threshold value, the

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14/15 buffers 18, 19 generate the closing movement. In fact, the potential energy accumulated in the call element 18a is returned in the form of a call pair that allows the panel 12, 13 to be bounced to the closed position. In order that this closing movement is not excessively fast to allow in particular the good ventilation of the evacuation duct 10 and its chimney 11, most of the potential energy released by the damping 18 is dissipated by the dissipation part 18b.

[053] The constant characteristics of the equivalent elements of call and dissipation are determined to obtain a slow closing typically of the order of the minute and 2 minutes in the chosen digital application. They are also determined to define a threshold value for overpressure at opening and a threshold value for overpressure at closing.

[054] As a variant, the damping means can be located outside the volume 17. In this variant, the call means are then coupled to the outer face 124, respectively 134 of panel 12, 13. But they are then exposed external aggressions.

[055] Another variant would consist of coupling not the rod 182 of the call means 18 to the panel 12, but the cylinder part 181.

[056] Of course, the present invention is not limited to a filling system for a vertically arranged launcher, equipped with a central chimney. In fact, the relative orientation of the launcher, as well as the orientation and arrangement of the chimney in relation to the containers, can be modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

[057] Thus, the number of constituent parts of the obturation system according to the present invention is reduced. The means used are all passive so that the filling system of the present invention does not need an energy source to function. All of this gives it great robustness and increased operating safety. But

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15/15 above all, the described filling system works automatically not only in the desired mode of activation, that is, when the gases come from the controlled launch of a missile, but also during an untimely emission of gases.

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Claims (8)

Claims 1. SYSTEM FOR OBTAINING (14) A CHIMNEY FROM A MISSILE LAUNCHER, which the launcher (1) comprises at least one container (2, 3) capable of receiving at least one missile (4, 5) and a flue ( 10) propulsion gas evacuation that includes a chimney (11) for gas extraction, the container being in communication with the missile launching flue and the flue is in communication with the atmosphere (12) through the endowed chimney of the obturation system, characterized in that the obturation system comprises at least one panel (12, 13) and a panel retention means (18, 19) movable between a closing position and an opening position, and that retention means include a call spring (18a) from the opening position to the closing position and an energy dissipating means (18b) that results from the opening movement and the closing movement, and the closing system is adapted so that: - when launching a missile or untimely emission of gases, the panel (12, 13) moves to the opening position from the moment when the gas overpressure is greater than an opening threshold overpressure, and the opening of the mobile panel is quick, less than 1 second; and / or, - in re-balancing the pressure in the chimney (11) and in the atmosphere, the panel (12, 13) moves to the closed position from the moment when the gas overpressure is below a closing threshold overpressure, and the closing of the movable panel is slow over 5 seconds, preferably over 30 seconds. 2. FILLING SYSTEM (14) according to claim 1, characterized in that the retaining means (18, 19) is mechanically equivalent to the parallel association of a calling element (18a) and an energy dissipating element (18b). Petition 870190077773, of 12/08/2019, p. 24/47 2/2 FILLING SYSTEM (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, characterized in that it comprises at least one panel (12, 13) coupled by a hinge-type connection (32, 33) with a frame (20) in the vicinity of an end (9) of the chimney (11), and at least one retaining means (18, 19) whose first end is coupled by a first pivot connection (183; 193) to the frame and a second end is coupled by a second pivot connection (184 194) to the panel, and the axes (B, B '; C, C) of the first and second pivot connections are parallel and distinct from the axis (A; A') of the hinge connection. 4. FASTENING SYSTEM (14), according to claim 3, characterized in that the frame (20) is provided with stops (28a, 28b; 29a, 29b) that determine the closing position of at least one panel (12, 13). FILLING SYSTEM (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the retaining means (18, 19) are housed within a volume (17) delimited by the frame (20) and the hair least one panel (12, 13) in a closed position. FILLING SYSTEM (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the retaining means comprises at least one viscoelastic damper (18, 19). 7. FILLING SYSTEM (14) according to claim 6, characterized in that the damper comprises a viscoelastic gum. FILLING SYSTEM (14) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises two rectangular panels (12, 13), and each panel is coupled to a pair of retaining means, and the axes (A , A ') of each of the two hinge connections are on each side of the chimney (11).