GB1387669A - Projectile launching apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

1387669 Projectile carrier BRITISH AIRCRAFT CORP Ltd 19 March 1973 [25 March 1972] 14108/72 Heading F3C A projectile launching apparatus for mounting externally of an aircraft contour comprises a carrier member having a number of stations each of which carries a detachable launching unit of elongate form with a number of tubes lying parallel to the longitudinal axis thereof which serve to house projectiles and to guide them during initial launch, the launching units lying one behind the other with their longitudinal axes in alignment, each station at which projectile launch will be obstructed by a preceding launching unit having displacing means for its launching unit, or alternatively, each station at which a launching unit will cause obstruction to a succeeding launching unit having releasing means such that either those units which are obstructed can be displaced to allow launching or those units which cause obstruction can be released prior to the launch of the projectiles from a succeeding unit. In an embodiment, a carrier member 1, Fig. 1, is mounted on a pylon 2 of the aircraft structure and carries projectile launcher units 3a, 3b and 3c containing tubes 4, each of which has a projectile (not shown), mounted therein. The unit 3a is provided with a tapered nose portion and with a blast deflector unit 6, apertures 7 being formed in the carrier member 1 so that exhaust gases from the projectiles clear the unit 3b. The units 3b, 3c may be fitted with frangible covers (not shown), which are penetrated by the projectiles on launch. Each unit 3b or 3c is supported by a parallel motion linkage comprising a pair of arms 8 which are pivoted to the carrier 9 and to the unit at 10 and a pair of arms 11 which are pivoted to the carrier at 12 and to the unit at 13. The linkage is moved by jacks 15, each having a ram connected to an extension 14 of each arm 11. The jacks 15 are powered by a pump 17 mounted in a rear fairing 16. An ejector release unit 18 is provided to jettison the units in an emergency. In another embodiment, carrier member 21, Fig. 2, carries units 23a 23b, and 23c which are expendable, each being jettisoned from the carrier 21 by an ejector release unit 26. In operation, the projectiles are launched from the unit 23a and the latter is then jettisoned exposing the projectiles in the unit 23b. The projectiles in the unit 23c are launched after jettisoning the unit 23b. The carrier member 21 can be jettisoned by an ejection release unit 27.