GB1352118A - Rockets - Google Patents

Abstract

1352118 Tail assemblies DYNAMIT NOBEL AG 24 Sept 1965 [28 Sept 1964] 40870/65 Heading F3A A tail assembly for a rocket having a central nozzle consists of an empennage comprising erectable fins and a cowling for the empennage, the empennage and the cowling being movable with respect to one another between a first position in which the fins are in a non-erected condition and second position in which the fins are in an erected condition and protrude through openings in the cowling, whereby when the empennage and the cowling are in said second position the cowling covers that part of the empennage between the roots of the erected fins. The cowling may be constructed as a one-part sleeve coaxial with the tail assembly and having slots for the passage of the fins. The sleeve is rotatable between two end positions, one of which is determined by the outer ends of the inwardly hinged fins and the other by the inner ends of the erected fins. Rotation of the sleeve is caused by the provision of one or more springs connected between the nozzle and the sleeve, advantageously by a helical spring wound in one or more convolutions around the nozzle. The pivot shafts of the fins may be so arranged in relation to the sleeve diameter and the fin bushes so constructed that the latter end flush with the external surface of the sleeve when the fins are erected. Those regions of the sleeve which limit the slots on their sides adjacent the fin bushes when the fins are erected may be constructed as inwardly curved, resilient marginal strips which are applied flush with the external surfaces of the sleeve against the fin bushes. In other embodiments, the rotation of the sleeve is either effected, or else assisted, by the provision on the rearward end of the sleeve of rotation-generating blades which project into internal cross-section of the nozzle. In a further embodiment, the empennage is rotatable with respect to the cowling about the tail assembly axis. Alternatively, the sleeve is constructed as a slide bushing with rearwardly open slots for the passage of the fins and mounted on the rocket casing for axial displacement between forward and rearward end positions. Where provision is made for the locking of the sleeve in its forward end position only to be released when the fins are fully erected, the width of the slots can conform very accurately with the fin thickness. The sleeve is displaced into its rearward end position by means of one or more springs. Alternatively, the sleeve is constructed as resilient segments, equal in number to the number of fins and of cylindrical curvature, being fixed on the nozzle and extending between the fins and the nozzle. With the erection of the fins, the spring segments are displaced so as to cover the interstices between the fins, the displacement being limited by stops formed on the fin bushes.