US2752850A

US2752850A - Self-propelled missile

Info

Publication number: US2752850A
Application number: US269103A
Authority: US
Inventors: Arthur H Warner; William B Mclean
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1952-01-30
Filing date: 1952-01-30
Publication date: 1956-07-03
Anticipated expiration: 1973-07-03

Description

July 3, 1956 H. WARNER ET AL 5 SELF-PROPELLED MISSILE Filed Jan. 30, 1952 4 4 32 44 34 /4 0 A? 22 a i 2) 492 J I (1/2":

46 laz /6 44 30 JNVENTOR. ARTHUR H. WARNER WILLIAM B. MC LEAN BY 61m ATTORNEY SELF-PROPELLED MISSILE Arthur H. Warner, Pasadena, and William B. McLean, China Lake, Calif.

Application January 30, 1952, Serial No. 269,103

6 Claims. (Cl. 102-50) (Granted under Title 35, U. S.'Code (1952), see. 266) The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to a self-propelled missile, and more particularly to a movable wing apparatus for controlling the stability of a missile during flight. The invention is especially applicable to guided or homing missiles of the jet or rocket type, wherein a mass of propellant is consumed during the acceleration of the missile, changing the center of gravity and hence the stability of the missile in such manner as to make it diflicult to control its course after the propellant has been consumed.

In the present invention, the missile is provided with a set of wings which are movable as a unit longitudinally along the body of the missile, being maintained in a position toward the rear of the same by inertia during the acceleration period while the propellant is being consumed, in order to give the missile the desired stability characteristics during that period. At the end of the acceleration period, when the propellant has been consumed and the center of gravity of the missile has shifted forwardly, the wings are drawn forwardly to a new position wherein they give the missile the desired stability characteristics for flight and guidance under the changed conditions of the missile.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved self-propelled missile having desired stability characteristics during all stages of its flight.

A further object is to provide a self-propelled guided missile wherein guidance is facilitated by modification of its stability characteristics during the latter part of its flight.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description.

Fig. 1 is a view in longitudinal elevation of a device embodying the invention, parts being shown in section; and

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a portion of the wing assembly and its associated parts.

The device shown by way of illustration in the drawings is a self-propelled missile of the homing type, comprising a forward body portion 10 which is provided adjacent its head 11 with radial fins 12 secured to portion it? by any suitable known means indicated diagrammatically at 14. The fins 12 may be movable and controlled by mechanism, not shown, within the portion 10 to cause the missile to follow a path determined by the reaction of said mechanism to an exterior stimulus, such as infrared rays.

The rear portion 16 of the body may be of larger diameter than the forward portion, and connected thereto by a frusto-conical portion 18. As shown, it comprises a States Patent Patented July 3, 1956 combustion chamber formed by a cylindrical wall 20 containing a tubular grain 22 of propellant. To the rear of the combustion chamber is a nozzle 24 in venturi form, for discharge of gases produced by combustion of the propellant 22.

A sleeve 30 is slidably mounted on the outer surface of cylindrical wall 20, and carries a plurality of radial stabilizing wings 32. In the position of the parts shown in full lines in the drawing, the sleeve 30 has been moved by inertia to its rearmost position, wherein it rests against a stop collar 34 at the rear end of the body.

Each of the wings 32 is made up of two rectangular metal plates, joined together at their edges and with their central portions spaced from each other toaccommodate a reel 36. Each reel 36 is rotatably mounted on a transverse stud 38 which is fixedly secured in the wing. A spiral clock spring 40 has its inner end fixed in a slot in the stud and its outer end 42 secured in a slot in the drum of the reel, so as to urge the reel of Fig. 2, for example, to rotate in the counterclockwise direction as viewed in that figure. A flexible wire or tape 44 has its rear end secured at 45 to the reel 36, and its forward end secured at 47 to an eyebolt or the like 46 mounted adjacent the forward end of the rear portion 16. Similar mechanism is associated with each of the wings 32, or at least with two opposed wings, so that the springs 40 at all times urge the wing assembly forwardly with a balanced force while the eyebolts 46 act as a stop to limit forward movement of the sleeve 30.

It will be seen that while the missile is being accelerated, as in launching, inertia will cause the sleeve 30 with its associated wings 32 to slide rearwardly against the force of springs 40, until it contacts the stop 34. It will remain in this position until the propellant 22 is consumed, whereupon the period of acceleration ends and the missile proceeds under slight deceleration along a flight path determined by mechanism within the body acting on fins 12. As soon as acceleration ends, the springs 40 act through Wires 44 to draw the wing assembly forward to the position indicated in broken lines at 32' in Fig. 1, where further movement is prevented by the member 46. This forward movement of the wing assembly, which of course is assisted by the deceleration of the missile, compensates for the forward shift of the center of gravity due to exhaustion of the propellant 22, decreases the undesirably high stability of the missile, and makes it more amenable to steering by means of the fins 12.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For example, small rocket propellent charges located in the wing assembly, to be fired by mechanism responding to the reversal of acceleration, may be substituted for the spring mechanism disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:

1. A missile comprising an elongated body, solid propellant within the rear portion of said body operative to cause positive acceleration of the body while being consumed, a wing assembly movable longitudinally of the body, and means rendered inoperative by positive acceleration of the body for moving said wing assembly forwardly of the body.

2. A missile comprising an elongated body designed to be accelerated by propellant contained therein, a wing movable longitudinally of the body, and means operable only in the absence of positive acceleration to move said assembly movable longitudinally of the body, and yielding means operable only in the absence of positive acceleration of the body to move said wing assembly forwardly of the body.

4. The invention defined in claim 3, comprising in addition movable fins for steering the missile.

5. The invention defined in claim 3, wherein said yielding means comprises spring mechanism mounted in said wing assembly, and tension members connecting said spring mechanism to the body forwardly of the wing assembly.

6. A missile comprising an elongated body, combustible propellant in said body capable of imparting positive References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,339,188 Frecska May 4, 1920- 2,344,957 Anzalone Mar. 28, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 502,394 France Feb. 20, 1920