EP0685702A1 - Launching installation for a wire-guided rocket - Google Patents

Abstract

The conditioning and launching system is used with guided missile having boosters which eject warm gas. The system includes a launching tank (8). A latch system is fixed on the bottom of the tank to secure a communication wire which is wind up inside the missile. The wire goes out of the missile through an aperture (16) disposed on the back. A protection device is placed around the wire until the boosters jet nozzles (6) exit the tank. The protection device has a closure mechanism (20) which resists to hot gases. The top of the mechanism is linked to the aperture on the back of the missile. The wire goes through the mechanism which is secured to a support (22) slidably movable inside the tank. When the boosters exit the tank, the closure mechanism and its support are automatically detached from the missile. A coating resistant to hot gases covers the wire inside the tank. The communication wire may be an optical fibre. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a packaging and launching installation of a guided missile equipped with lateral ejection thrusters.

A guided missile is a missile which is launched from a container to which it remains connected after its launch by a flexible organ for transmitting information which can be called "wire".

This wire is used to transmit orders to the missile during flight, in order to modify its trajectory.

The launch of a wire-guided missile from its container is a very delicate phase for this wire.

Thus the problem arises of not damaging the flexible information transmission member during the launch of the missile.

This problem is already resolved by the packaging and launching installation described in document EP-A-0 337 880, by means of a deformable protection device which is placed around the flexible member for transmitting information, up to as the missile's propellants arrive outside the container.

This deformable protection device is a tubular device which is constituted by a flexible sleeve or by rigid telescopic ferrules.

The present invention aims to solve the problem mentioned above in a simpler way than the installation described in the cited document.

• un organe de fermeture qui résiste aux gaz chauds, dont une extrémité est raccordée de façon détachable sur le missile, autour de l'orifice arrière de celui-ci, et qui est fermé en regard du fond du conteneur et traversé par l'organe souple de transmission d'informations,
• un support ajouré, rendu solidaire de cet organe de fermeture et déplaçable en translation dans le conteneur, l'organe de fermeture muni du support étant apte à se détacher automatiquement du missile lors d'un lancement, lorsque les propulseurs arrivent en dehors du conteneur, et
• un organe protecteur souple qui résiste aux gaz chauds et entoure une partie de l'organe souple de transmission d'informations, cette partie allant de l'organe de fermeture jusqu'à l'ensemble d'accrochage.

Specifically, the subject of the present invention is an installation for launching and launching a wire-guided missile equipped with thrusters intended to eject hot gases laterally, this installation comprising a container-launcher for conditioning the missile provided with a supporting base. a fastening assembly for a flexible information transmission member wound in the missile and leaving the latter via a rear orifice, a protection device being placed around the flexible information transmission member, up to moment when the thruster ejection nozzles arrive outside the container, this installation being characterized in that the protection device comprises:

• a closure member which resists hot gases, one end of which is detachably connected to the missile, around the rear orifice thereof, and which is closed opposite the bottom of the container and crossed by the flexible member information transmission,
• an openwork support, made integral with this closure member and movable in translation in the container, the closure member provided with the support being able to detach automatically from the missile during a launch, when the thrusters arrive outside the container, and
• a flexible protective member which resists hot gases and surrounds a part of the flexible information transmission member, this part going from the closure member to the attachment assembly.

Although the invention can be used regardless of the nature of the flexible information transmission member, it advantageously applies to the case where this member comprises an optical fiber.

• un câble qui résiste aux gaz chauds, qui est apte à transmettre des signaux électriques au missile et qui va du missile à l'ensemble d'accrochage en traversant l'organe de fermeture, et
• un connecteur électrique en deux parties qui permet la continuité électrique de ce câble et qui est monté sur le câble, en dehors de la partie de celui-ci allant de l'organe de fermeture jusqu'à l'ensemble d'accrochage, les deux parties du connecteur étant aptes à se séparer l'une de l'autre en même temps que l'organe de fermeture se détache du missile,

l'organe protecteur souple comprenant le câble et l'organe souple de transmission d'informations étant logé dans ce câble, sensiblement depuis l'organe de fermeture jusqu'à l'ensemble d'accrochage.The installation which is the subject of the present invention can comprise:

• a cable which resists hot gases, which is capable of transmitting electrical signals to the missile and which goes from the missile to the attachment assembly by passing through the closure member, and
• a two-part electrical connector which allows the electrical continuity of this cable and which is mounted on the cable, apart from the part of the latter going from the closure member to the attachment assembly, both parts of the connector being able to separate from one another at the same time as the closure member detaches from the missile,

the flexible protective member comprising the cable and the flexible information transmission member being housed in this cable, substantially from the closure member to the attachment assembly.

According to one embodiment of the installation which is the subject of the invention, preferred for its simplicity, the end of the container through which the missile exits is provided with a means of stopping the support, allowing the closure member provided of this support to detach from the missile when the thrusters ejection nozzles arrive outside the container.

In order to increase the range of the missile, the installation which is the subject of the invention may further comprise an auxiliary coil on which the flexible information transmission member is wound, the closure member being tubular and this auxiliary coil being fixed in this closure member.

Preferably, the support is made integral with the other end of the closure member, so that this closure member is placed outside the container when the missile has left this container.

This is particularly advantageous in the case where the above-mentioned auxiliary coil is used.

The installation which is the subject of the invention may further comprise at least one Cardan suspension by means of which the closure member is made integral with the support.

Preferably, the closure member is sealed and connected in leaktight manner to the missile.

This protects the flexible information transmission member while the missile is stored in the container.

• · la figure 1A est une vue schématique d'un mode de réalisation particulier de l'installation de conditionnement et de lancement d'un missile filoguidé objet de la présente invention, ce dernier étant représenté dans son conteneur,
• · la figure 1B illustre schématiquement ce missile en cours de lancement, lorsque les propulseurs à éjection latérale qu'il comporte ne sont plus dans le conteneur,
• · la figure 1C illustre schématiquement le missile après son lancement, l'organe souple de transmission d'informations qu'il comporte commençant à se dérouler,
• · la figure 2A est une vue en coupe schématique et partielle d'une installation conforme à l'invention ne comprenant pas de bobine auxiliaire,
• · la figure 2B est une vue en coupe schématique et partielle d'une autre installation conforme à l'invention, comprenant une bobine auxiliaire qui reste solidaire du conteneur après le lancement du missile, et
• · la figure 3 est une vue en perspective schématique d'un organe de fermeture faisant partie d'une installation conforme à l'invention et monté sur un support par l'intermédiaire de suspensions à la Cardan.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the description of exemplary embodiments given below, by way of purely indicative and in no way limiting, with reference to the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1A is a schematic view of a particular embodiment of the installation and launching installation of a wire-guided missile which is the subject of the present invention, the latter being represented in its container,
• FIG. 1B schematically illustrates this missile in the course of launching, when the lateral ejection thrusters which it comprises are no longer in the container,
• FIG. 1C schematically illustrates the missile after its launch, the flexible member of transmission of information that it involves starting to take place,
• FIG. 2A is a schematic and partial sectional view of an installation according to the invention not comprising an auxiliary coil,
• FIG. 2B is a schematic and partial sectional view of another installation in accordance with the invention, comprising an auxiliary coil which remains integral with the container after the launch of the missile, and
• · Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a closure member forming part of an installation according to the invention and mounted on a support by means of Cardan suspensions.

FIG. 1A is a schematic view of an installation for packaging and storing a wire-guided missile 2 of which the fins 4 are seen.

This missile 2 is equipped with lateral ejection thrusters, the ejection nozzles 6 of which can be seen.

FIG. 1A represents this installation under the conditions of storage of the missile.

In known manner, this installation comprises a packaging and launching container 8 in which the missile 2 is housed entirely.

The end of the container 8, through which is intended to leave the missile, is closed off by a cover or door 10 for protecting the missile, cover or door which switches on command before the launch of the missile.

The container 8 is provided with a bottom supporting a hooking assembly 12.

A flexible information transmission member such as an optical fiber 14 (FIG. 1C) is wound in a rear part of the missile 2.

The end of this optical fiber leaves the missile 2 through an annular orifice 16 (FIG. 1C) formed at the rear of the missile 2, to be fixed on the attachment assembly 12 that the container 8 includes.

It is specified that this attachment assembly 12 is itself connected to a shooting station, not shown.

The installation according to the invention which is schematically represented in FIGS. 1A to 1C also comprises a protection device 18 which is placed around the optical fiber 14 until the propellants 6 arrive outside the container 8.

This protection device 18 comprises a closing member 20, an openwork support 22 and a flexible protective member 24.

One end of this closure member 20 is detachably connected to the missile 2, around the rear orifice 16 thereof.

In addition, this closure member 20 is closed opposite the bottom of the container 8 and crossed by the optical fiber 14.

Preferably, the closing member 20 is leaktight and connected in leaktight manner to the missile 2.

It is thus possible to maintain the optical fiber wound in the missile under an appropriate gaseous atmosphere allowing the mechanical and optical qualities of the fiber to be preserved, while leaving as easy access as possible to other parts of the missile for the purpose of maintenance of it.

In addition, the closing member 20 is made of a material which resists hot gases ejected by the propellants 6 during the launching of the missile, this material being for example an alloy steel.

The openwork support 22 is made integral with the closure member 20 and it is capable of moving in translation in the container 8 during launching.

The flexible protective member 24 is also made of a material which resists hot gases exiting the propellants, this material being for example a silicone.

This flexible protective member 24 surrounds the optical fiber 14 from the closure member 20 to the attachment assembly 12.

It can be seen in FIG. 1A that this flexible protective member 24 is coiled at the bottom of the container 8 when the missile 2 is stored in this container.

The end 25 of the container 8, through which the missile 2 exits, is provided with a means 26 for stopping the support 22, this stop means being for example a stop as seen in FIGS. 1A to 1C.

Thus when the missile 2 is launched, this missile moves in the container towards the end 25 of the latter, the closing member 20 does the same and the support 22, which is made integral with this closing member, slides in container 8.

When this support 22 reaches the end 25 of the container, the closing member 20 as well as this support 22 which is integral therewith are stopped by the stop 26.

Then the missile 2 detaches from the closure member 20 and moves away from the container 8 while the optical fiber 14 begins to unwind.

The closure member 20 constitutes a sort of plug which protects the quantity of optical fiber wound in the missile during the launching of the latter.

The length of optical fiber necessary for the connection between the closure member 20 and the attachment assembly 12 is also protected, during this launch, thanks to the flexible protective member 24.

In the examples shown in FIGS. 1A to 2B, it can be seen that the support 22 is made integral with the end of the closure member 20, the end opposite to that which is fixed to the missile 2.

Thus, the closing member 20 is located outside the container 8 after the launch of the missile 2.

We see in Figure 2A a coil 28 which is fixed in the missile 2, at the rear of it, and which has the same X axis as this missile.

The optical fiber 14 is wound on this reel 28 and passes from the latter into the closing member 20 then leaves the latter to end up inside the flexible protective member 24.

In the example shown in this FIG. 2A, this flexible protective member 24 is a cable intended to transmit electrical signals to the missile with a view to launching the latter.

This cable 24 goes from the missile 2 to the attachment assembly 12 (FIG. 1A) by crossing the closure member 20.

An electrical connector 30 in two parts allows the electrical continuity of the cable 24.

As can be seen in FIG. 2A, this connector 30 is mounted on the cable 24, outside the part of this cable going from the closure member 20 to the attachment assembly 12.

The two parts 32 and 34 of the connector 30 are capable of separating from each other at the same time as the closing member 20 detaches from the missile 2.

In the example shown in FIG. 2A, the closing member 20 takes the form of a tube having the same axis X as the missile 2 and the end of this tube, which is opposite the bottom of the container, is closed and constitutes the bottom 36 of the closing member 20.

In the example of FIG. 2A, the support 22 is constituted by a frame perpendicular to the axis X and rigidly secured to the closure member 20 to which it is fixed by means of holding bars such as the bar 38 .

It is specified that the optical fiber 14 wound on the reel 28 can be connected to the section of optical fiber contained in the cable 24 via a splice or an optical connector (not shown).

FIG. 2A shows a support 39 which is fixed to the frame 22 and to which the optical fiber 14 is attached.

In addition, between the closure member 20 and the place where the fiber 14 is connected to the section of optical fiber contained in the cable 24, this fiber is housed in a protective sheath 15 made of a material such as for example a silicone. , which is resistant to hot gases from propellants.

Note that the part of the cable 24 containing the optical fiber constitutes an electro-optical cable (up to the attachment assembly 12).

The tip of the rear part of the missile is bent outward.

In the groove thus formed is placed an O-ring 39a.

In addition, this end is housed in the tube 20.

The seal 39a allows, by friction, to detachably fix the rear of the missile 2 to the closure member.

This seal 39a also makes it possible to connect the missile in leaktight manner to the closing member.

In the case where the range of the missile requires it, an auxiliary coil 40 (FIG. 2B) is fixed inside the closing member in the form of a tube 20, at the bottom 36 of the latter.

In the case of FIG. 2A, this tube, which contains no coil, can be much shorter than the tube of FIG. 2B.

Returning to FIG. 2B, the auxiliary coil 40, on which the optical fiber 14 is also wound, has the same axis X as this tube.

In this case, the optical fiber wound on the reel 28 passes from the latter to the reel 40 on which it is wound then passes from this reel 40 this latter to the cable 24 to be housed inside the latter, as seen in Figure 2.

• une partie optique 42 allant vers une connexion à la fibre enroulée sur la bobine 40, et
• une partie électrique allant vers le connecteur électrique 30.

Thus the cable 24 separates into two parts:

• an optical part 42 going towards a connection to the fiber wound on the reel 40, and
• an electrical part going towards the electrical connector 30.

It will be noted that the optical fiber reel 40 is itself protected inside the closing member 20 until the missile 2 is launched and is ideally placed outside the container 8, a the missile launched.

In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the part 32 of the connector 30 is fixed to the end of the coil 28 which is opposite the coil 40 while the other part 34 of the connector 30 is fixed at the end of the coil 40 which is opposite the coil 28.

In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the end 2a of the rear part of the missile 2 is bent outwards, the front end 20a of the tube 20 is also bent outwards and surrounds this end 2a .

In addition, as seen in FIG. 2B, a flange 2b of axis X is welded to the rear of the missile 2, another flange 20b of axis X is welded to the front part of the tube 20 and surrounds the flange 2b.

In the overlap area of these flanges is placed an O-ring 43.

This seal 43 allows, by friction, to detachably attach the rear of the missile 2 to the closure member.

This seal 43 also makes it possible to connect the missile in leaktight manner to the closure member.

Once missile 2 is launched, the wind or the relative speed between the fiber deposited in the air mass and the firing station is likely to induce a drag force which becomes significant when the length of optical fiber unwound exceeds approximately 10 km.

The unwinding of the optical fiber from the reel 40 also makes it possible to relieve the optical fiber of the tension which results from this drag force.

In addition, the unwinding of the fiber not necessarily taking place along an axis parallel to the axis of the container, the closure member 20 can be mounted on its support 22 by means of one or two Cardan suspensions. who leave this organ of closure 20 free to pivot in deposit and / or in site.

Such a possibility is schematically illustrated by FIG. 3 where we see the closing member 20 pivotally mounted, on an intermediate support 44 also in the form of a frame, the closing member 20 being able to pivot around. a Y axis parallel to two opposite uprights of this frame.

The intermediate support 44 is itself pivotally mounted on the support 22 in the form of a frame, the support 44 being movable in rotation about an axis Z which is parallel to two opposite uprights of the frame 22 and perpendicular to the axis Y.

Claims (8)

Installation for conditioning and launching a guided missile (2) equipped with propellants intended to eject hot gases laterally, this installation comprising a launcher container (8) for conditioning the missile provided with a base supporting an assembly (12) for attaching a flexible information transmission member (14) wound in the missile and leaving the latter via a rear orifice (16), a protection device (18) being placed around the flexible transmission member information, until the ejection nozzles (6) of the thrusters arrive outside the container, this installation being characterized in that the protection device (18) comprises: - a closure member (20) which resists hot gases, one end of which is detachably connected to the missile, around the rear orifice thereof, and which is closed opposite the bottom of the container and traversed by the flexible information transmission device, - an openwork support (22), made integral with this closure member and movable in translation in the container, the closure member provided with the support being able to detach automatically from the missile during a launch, when the thrusters arrive in outside the container, and - A flexible protective member (24, 15) which resists hot gases and surrounds part of the flexible member for transmitting information, this part going from the closure member to the attachment assembly. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that the flexible information transmission member comprises an optical fiber (14). Installation according to any one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises: - a cable (24) which resists hot gases, which is capable of transmitting electrical signals to the missile (2) and which goes from the missile to the attachment assembly (12) by passing through the closure member (20) , and - an electrical connector (30) in two parts which allows the electrical continuity of this cable and which is mounted on the cable, apart from the part of the latter going from the closure member (20) to the attachment assembly (12), the two parts (32, 34) of the connector being able to separate from one another at the same time as the closure member detaches from the missile (2), and in that the flexible protective member comprises the cable (24), the flexible information transmission member (14) being housed in this cable (24), substantially from the closing member (20) to the attachment assembly (12). Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the end (25) of the container (8) through which the missile (2) exits is provided with a means (26) for stopping the support ( 22), allowing the closure member (20) provided with this support (22) to detach from the missile when the ejection nozzles (6) of the thrusters arrive outside the container. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it further comprises an auxiliary coil (40) on which is wound the flexible information transmission member (14), in that the member closing (20) is tubular and in that this auxiliary coil is fixed in this closing member. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the support (22) is made integral with the other end of the closure member (20), so that this closure member is placed at the outside the container (8) when the missile (2) has left this container. Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that it further comprises at least one Cardan suspension by means of which the closure member (20) is made integral with the support (22) . Installation according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the closure member (20) is sealed and connected in sealed manner to the missile (2).

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