US2835170A - Rocket launcher - Google Patents

Description

y 20, 1958 J. H. KINDELBERGER 2,835,170

ROCKET LAUNCHER 3 Sheets$heet 1 Filed Dec. 20, 1952 FIG. 2

INVENTOR.

JAMES H. KINDELBERGER ATTORNEY 20, 1958 J. H. KINDELBERGER 2,835,170

ROCKET LAUNCHER Filed Dec. 20, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.8

Wa I l mmvrozz.

JAMES H. KINDELBERGER ATTORN EY y 20, 1958 J. H. KINDELBERGER 2,835,170

ROCKET LAUNCHER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 20, 1952 INVENTOR.

JAMES H. KINDELBERGER ATTORNEY 2,835,170 ROCKET LAUN crmn James H. Kindelberger, Pacific Palisades, Califi, assignor to North American Aviation, Inc.

Application December 20, 1952, Serial No. 327,135

4 Claims. (Cl. 891.7)

This invention pertains to rocket firing means, and more particularly to means for imparting a rotative movement to rockets.

It is an object of this invention to provide an arrangement for applying a tangential force to a rocket to obtain practically instantaneous high torque to spin the same about its longitudinal axis.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an arrangement which fires the rocket when it reaches a predetermined rate of rotation about its longitudinal axis.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an arrangement whereby spin is imparted to a rocket by means of a quickly expanding gas, such as an explosive charge, or the stored energy of a gas bomb, or the like.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a clutch arrangement whereby spin may be imparted to the rocket while permitting it to be automatically released from the clutch upon the firing of the rocket.

It is still another object of this invention to provide an arrangement whereby rockets will be discharged upon reaching a predetermined rotative speed.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an arrangement for stabilizing the rocket during launching thereof to avoid excessive loss of propulsive power, the rocket assisting in stabilizing itself during the remainder of the flight.

Other objects of invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic arrangement of the device applied to a body such as an aircraft;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view, partly in section, of an embodiment of the invention;

Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective views of parts of the arrangement shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section along the line 66 of Fig. 5;

Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate a modification of the arrangement shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 illustrates still another modification of the arrangement shown in Fig. 5;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of yet another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 11 is a View taken along the line 11-41 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a sectional view along the line 12-12 of Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a perspective view of still another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 14 is a section along the line 1414 of Fig. 13; and

Figs. 15, 16, and 17 show yet another embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings there is illustrated in Fig. l a rocket launcher 1 which may be one of a family of launchers mounted in any desired location on an airplane 2. Theinvention is capable of being used on all types of aircraft as well as in connection with tanks, land Patented May 20, 1958 same during launching and its flight toward a preselected target.

As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the rocket 4 is provided with one or more pins 5 adapted to engage teeth 6 on clutch 7 which in turn is mounted in a suitable bearing 8 in the supporting body 2. Member 7 is provided with a chamber 9 comprising a helical groove 10 for receiving a suitable propellant material. This propellant material may be any suitable powder charge or a gas bomb, or the like.

Rocket 4 is provided with the usual warhead l1 and a detonating arrangement 12 adapted to be energized to propel the rocket forwardly upon reaching a predetermined rotative speed. Centrifugal detonating devices of the type utilized in applicants arrangement are well known in the art .and will not be described herein.

To initiate firing of the arrangement, a fuse is placed in opening 9 and operated by an electrical ignition arrangement controlled by switch 13 and Fig. 1. Upon ignition of the means to impart propulsive forces to the rocket, teeth 6 engage pins 5 to rotate the same. Upon reaching a predetermined rotative speed, centrifugally operated fuse 12 detonates the propulsive charge in a manner well known in the art, whereupon rocket 4 will be launched from tube 3. Upon launching, pins 5 automatically disengage from teeth 6.

In the arrangement illustrated in Fig. 5, fixed cylinder ld isvprovided with a wall 15 adapted to cooperate with an inner rotatable cylinder 16 and a wall 17 to provide a combustion chamber 18 having a fuse-receiving opening 19. The rocket is received in cylinder 16 and splined thereto at 20 to enable rotation to be imparted thereto.

chamber. Opening 26 is adapted to receive the fuse to be electrically discharged by the arrangement illustrated in Fig. l. Splines 20b releasably connect the rocket to the arrangement.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 9, rotatable ring 24a is provided with a lug 25a adapted to cooperate with wall 23a of fixed casing 21a to form a combustion chamber 22a. A fuse 26a is adapted to be ignited by the firing arrangement illustrated in Fig. l. Splines 20a connect the rocket to the propulsive arrangement.

Referring now to Fig. 10, there is illustrated a turbine form of rotative means which is adapted to rotate one or more times to bring the rocket up to rotative speed. Attached to the body member carrying the rocket launcher is a fixed combustion chamber 27 adapted to receive a combustion charge 28 of suitable material such as powder, explosive gas or the like. This chamber is provided with an opening 29 for receiving a fuse to be ignited by means of suitable mechanism such as illustrated in Fig. 1. Member 27 is additionally provided with vanes 30 which cooperate with vanes 31 of rotatable member 32 mounted to rotate with respect to member 27. Member 32 is connected to rocket 4 by a releasable connection such as a spline arrangement 33. In the operation of this form of the invention, combustion material 28 is ignited by means of a fuse placed in opening 29, the expanding gases cooperate with members 30 and 31 to cause rotation of member 32 and consequent rotation of rocket 4 connected thereto by spline connection 33. When rocket 4 reaches a predetermined rotative speed, the fuse or other suitable detonating arrangement operatively associated therewith-will -cause the same to be detonated and propelled forwardly through tube 34. Openings 35 permit the expanding gas to'be discharged from member 32.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, launching tube 36 is caused to be rotated by a suitable member 3'7 which may be in the form illustrated in any of Figs. 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12. Tube 36 is mounted to rocket 4 in bearings 38 and 39 and is provided with grooves 30 for receiving lugs 41 on the and 47, provides a chamber for receiving combustible gases. A fuse is adapted to be placed in opening 48 at the .end 45 of helical piston 44 and may be ignited by the arrangement shown in Fig. 1. Helical groove 43 v in rotatable member 46 has a counterpart 49 in fixed member 47 for receiving the helical piston 44 upon ignition of the combustion charge. Rocket 4 which is spline'd to member 46 at 50 is rotated to a predetermined speed, whereupon it is launched by means of the propulsive force initiated by a centrifugal fuse with which the rocket is provided.

While the invention described herein is primarily in tended for use with rockets which obtain all their stabilizing effect from the rotative force applied thereto, it is capable of being used with rockets which, after being launched, obtain part of their stabilizing effect from nozzles or the like contained thereon for imparting rotation thereto by the use of part of the propulsive gases.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated in detail, it is to be clearly understood that the same is by way of illustration and example only and is not to be taken by way of limitation, the spirit and scope of this invention being limited only by the terms of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A rocket launching arrangement comprising means for rotatably supporting a rocket in launching position; means for imparting to said rocket an initial rotative force including a hollow annular member separate from and at the rear of said rocket adapted to allow unimpeded flow therethrough of the rocket exhaust gases; said annular member comprising a fixed portion and a relatively movable portion, said portions having a helical groove therein forming a combustion chamber for containing an explosive charge; a helical piston in said groove; means for releasably connecting said movable portion directly to said rocket; and means for igniting an explosive charge contained in said combustion chamber whereby a preflight spin may be imparted to the rocket.

2. A rocket launching arrangement comprising a cylindrical, open-ended member for supporting said rocket in launching position, a bearing member connected to the rear of said supporting member, a hollow annular member rotatably mounted on said bearing member, said annular member being provided with a combustion chamber for an explosive charge and a gas outlet in said chamber arranged to cause said member to spin, clutch means releasably connecting said hollow member to said rocket whereby ignition of said explosive charge and exhaustion of the resulting gases from said gas outlet causes said rocket to spin, said bearing member being hollow whereby passage is provided for exhaust of the chamber gases and rocketexhaust.

'3. A device as recited in claim 2 in which said combustion chamber is helical in form and open-ended to allow application of a substantially uniform accelerating tangential pressure force at a constant radial distance around the annular member.

4. A rocket launching arrangement comprisin'g a cylindrical, open-ended member for supporting said rocket in launching position, annular means at the rear'o'f said supporting member, said means including an outer fixed member and an inner rotatable member, said members being provided with vane means forming a combustion chamber for an explosive charge, said chamber being provided with .a gas outlet, clutch means 'releasably .connecting said inner rotatable member to said rocket whereby ignition of said explosive charge and exhaustion of the resulting gases from said gas outlet causes said rocket to spin, said annular means being hollow whereby passage is provided for exhaust of the chamber gases and rocket exhaust.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 533,572 Unge Feb. 5, 1895 1,018,312 Gherassemoff Feb. .20, 1912 2,472,111 Kroeger et a1. .June 7, 1949 2,500,117 Chandler Mar. 7, :1950 2,701,984 Terce Feb. .15, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 510,282 France Sept. 2, 1920 373,719 Germany Apr. 14, 1923 404,815 Italy July .6, 1943 912,398 France Apr. 29, 1946 436,932 Italy June 18, 1948 444,851 Italy Feb. 1, 1949 457,201 Italy May 12, 1950 672,346 Great Britain May21, 1952

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