US3132590A - Missile with separable components - Google Patents

Description

May 12, 1964 R. HALL MISSILE WITH SEPARABLE COMPONENTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 18, 1954 INVENTOR. RANDOLPH F. HAL;

BY GMQ M MTQW,

ATTORNEYS.

May 1 -1964 R. F. HALL MISSILE WITH SEPARABLE COMPONENTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1954 {El IN:

INVENTOR. RANDOL PHI-T HALL A T7'OPNEYS.

HHHI

May 12, 1964 R. F. HALL MISSILE WITH SEPARABLE COMPONENTS 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 18, 1954 7 M2 Q @g lvllllhvt IN V EN TOR.

A i @Qfi 6 RANDOLPH E HALL BY wam wfim,

as o own o mm M Q QMQ A77'OR/VEY5.

May 12, 1964 R. F. HALL MISSILE WITH SEPARABLE COMPONENTS 5 SheetS-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 18, 1954 INVENTOR. I RANDOLPHEHALL amampzww m A TTORNEYS May 12, 1964 R. F. HALL 3,132,590

MISSILE WITH SEPARABLE COMPONENTS Filed Oct. 18, 1954 s Sheets-Sheet S MISSILE WITH SEPARABLE COMPONENTS Randolph F. Hall, Buffalo, N.Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Bell Aerospace Corporation, Wheatfield, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 18, 1954, Ser. No. 462,743 Claims. (Cl. 102-49) -This invention relates to air-to-air, supersonic, semiactive homing, solid fuel rocket-launched and propelled missiles. Such a missile may beconsidered as comprising, as general component parts thereof, an airframe, an autopilot, a seeker, a booster rocket, a sustainer rocket,

war head and fuse components, hydraulic and electrical" powering devices; and in some cases special accessories sile' structure, out which separates automatically from the missile at the end of the boost phase of the missile Q flight. 'The flight phaseis maintained by a separate solid propellant fuel typelsustainer rocket engine comprising another component of the missile structure. Guidance to the target is obtained'by means of a semi-active inter ferometer homing system; the target being illuminated by the radar broadcaster of the launching aircraft.

While the missile is mounted on the launcher pylon I of the aircraft, connections are made with pre flight checking and launcher actuating devices controlled from within the aircraft and powered by sources external of the missile. During the boost phase'of missile flight, controlfand stability are obtained'by the missile autopilot 'system until the target seeker or homing controls .take oven.

At the end of the boost phase of the missile flight the. boost engine component of the missile separatesand falls away from the missile in response to operation of a separation switch functioning in response to lowering cine boost rocket chamber pressure. closes an electrical circuit to a detonator which energizes a -pair of explosion bolts, the. destruction of which releases the boost section of the missilefrom the remainder.

Itis 'a particular object of the present invention to provide a missile as aforesaid embodying maximum operational reliability. 2

Another object of the invention is to provide a missile 'as aforesaid possessing operating and control characteristics providing maximum safety for the handling personnel and equipment.

' Another object of the invention is to provide a missile as aforesaid having improved performance and accuracy characteristics in its operation.

Anotherobject of the invention isto provide a missile as aforesaid wherein the constructional components are, as nearly as possible, of standard form and readily adapted to existingor planned logistical support equip ment; thereby facilitating maintenance, testing, and operation. I p

, Another object of the invention is to provide a mis: sile as aforesaid comprising an assembly of components readily adapted to be stored and transported to flight basepoints with maximum facility.

Another object of the invention is to provide a missile I "United States Patent ,0 ice The switch then as aforesaid wherein the component parts are adapted tov be rapidly assembled and mounted'relative to the launcher equipment with greatly improved facility.

Another object of the invention is to provide a missile as aforesaid whichis of reduced weight compared to.

prior missile designs, without sacrifice of desired per formance characteristics. By way of exemplification of the invention a missile embodying the features thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: p FIG. 1 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIGS. 2, 3, 4 are sectional views taken along lines 'II-II, III-Ill, IV1V of FIG. 1; i

line VIIIVIII of FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly insection,'of the war-head section of the missile;

' FIG. '10 is a sectional view taken along line X-X of,

FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is, an end elevational view taken along line FIG. 12 is a fragmentary. sectional view taken along line XII'XII of FIG. 1; 7 FIG. l3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line XIIIXIII of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary rear end view of the booster section of the missile of the invention; and

FIG. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line XV-XV of-FIG. 14-. 7

As shown in FIG. 1, the missile of the invention may be conveniently sectionalizedfunctionally as comprising a forward section; va center section; and'an aft section which includes a sustainer engine section. The forward section contains a seeker mechanismas indicated at 20 (FIG. 1); the forward flight control vanes 46; and the forward hydraulic or other power. supply mechanism The center sectioncontainsthe war head 24, or in lieu thereof telemetering mechanism for transmission of performancedata during flight. The aft sectionconveniently contains the gyros 26, autopilot electronic mechanisms '28, and the airfoil controls 94 at the aft end of the missile. .It also may conveniently contain 50.

rocket engine 30 is housed in the sustainer section at the rear end of the aft section. For launching or booster purposes a booster rocket section as indicated at 90 is temporarily attached to the rear of the sustainer section of the missile, as will be explained more fully hereinafter. p

The's eeker system of the missile is a semi:active phase comparison radar seeker designed to home on target radar-echo signals. The target illumination is" provided 7 I by radar from the launching aircraft. The seeker obtains a'measure of the angular velocity of line of sight to the target, "by measuring the relative phase rate of signals received at spaced antennas designated 40 mounted on the tips of the missile canard vanes 42. one pair of antennas relates to control of the craft in pitch, while the other pair relates to the yaw control. The

information received by the antennas is convertedinto sensed voltage for the autopilot mechanism. This sensed voltage is supplied to the autopilot as an error Patented Ma 12, 1964 v signal and is proportional to the approximate algebraic difference of the angular velocity of the line of sight relative to the missile longitudinal axis, and of the angular velocity of the missile. The autopilot system is automatically capable of operating throughout a wide range of altitudes. The pitch and yaw system is based on the rate gyro-accelerometer arrangement so as to provide inherent compensation for altitude variations. Acceleration limiting to prevent destructive maneuvers of the missile (in excess of 15 Gs) in either plane is preferably incorporated, as are provisions to limit the angle of attack of the missile at higher altitudes, say above 30,000 feet, to prevent the possibility of missile tumbling. This may be accomplished by utilizing pressure sensitive devices to decrease the G limiting settings, as a function of altitude. The roll system is substantially conventional and includes automatic altitude compensation to change the system gain as a function of pressure altitudes.

The design is such that all sections can be completely assembled with unusual rapidity; for example, within two minutes. Therefore, all mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical connections between the respective sections are the quick coupling type, and are designed to eliminate possibilty of mis-connections.

As shown in better detail in FIGS. 5, 6, 7, 8, the forward section of the missile comprises generally a tapering profile body portion 44 which mounts four radially extending planes 42 which are fixed to the missile body,

and which carry at their outer ends the radar reflection antenans 40, previously referred to. The vanes 42 are each supplemented by movable flaps 46 for control of the flight direction in both pitch and yaw; operation of the pitch and yaw control flaps 46 being automatic and in response to operation of the seeker mechanism, as

explained hereinabove.

Whereas, it is well known that a seeker system designed to home on target radar-echo type signals may be employed to actuate flight control devices such as the vanes 46 in order to guide such a missile consistently toward the target, it is afeature of the present invention that the vanes 46 are mounted upon the airframe structure and constructed and arranged as shown in the drawing herewith so as to facilitate design and construction and operation of the missile of the invention in improved manner. For example, as shown in FIGS. -8, the vanes 46 are each provided with integral stub shaft portions 43 which terminate in splined end portions 49 which slip-fit in the case of oppositely paired vanes, in keyed relation into opposite end portions of a cross shaft 50. The cross shafts 5050 interconnecting the oppositely disposed vanes of the movable flap control system are arranged to rotate about longitudinal axes intersecting at point 51; and in order to permit the cross shaft devicesStl-Sil to be so arranged the shafts are both cut away as indicated at 52 and beveled as indicated at 53. Thus, as illustrated diagrammatically in FIGS. 7-8, the shafts 50-50 are each free to rotate as much as 50 between the positions thereof shown in FIG. 7 and in FIG. 8 Without interference with one another, even though the longitudinal axes thereof intersect and coincide as indicated at 51.

In order to power the cross shafts 50-50 for flight control manipulations of the flaps 46, the shafts 50 are provided with control horns 56, 57 respectively; the horns 56, 57 being connected as indicated at 59, 59 to suitable push-pull control devicesleading to the seeker-actuated control mechanisms referred to hereinabove. Thus, by virtue ofthis arrangement of parts, the vanes 46 extending in right angular relation radially of the body 44 are pivoted upon axes contained in a common plane transverse to the body of the missile, for optimum pitch and yaw control purposes. 7

Furthermore, it is a feature of the constructional arrangement of the invention that the flight control vanes 46 may be exchanged and replaced from time to time, without disturbance of the antenna devices 40 (the precise settings of which are critical to proper operation of the entire mechanism). For this purpose installation and/or replacement of the control flaps 46 is provided for by constructing the control flap in each case to comprise a main fiap portion 46 which is bolted as indicated at 62 to a base flap portion 64 which is formed integral with the stub shaft 48 previously referred to. A machine screw 66 in line with axis of the stub shaft portion 48 locates the outboard end portion of the flap device 46-64 and provides .in conjunction with the stub shaft portion 48 a pair of spaced pivotal mountings therefor. The outer flap portion 46 is shaped to include a cut-out portion as indicated at 67 (FIG. 5) which complements the plan form shape of a counterbored block 68 bolted to a U sectioned bracket 68a by means of machine screws 69. The bracket 68a is in turn bolted to vane 42; and the antenna 40 is welded or otherwise fixed to the bracket 68a.

Thus, it will be understood that in order to assemble and/or disassemble the movable flap structures from the fixed structure of the missile, it is only necessary to initially withdraw the machine screws 62 and 69 whereupon the flap portion 46 is disconnected from the fixed structure of the aircraft. Hence, in the field, control flaps of various shapes and/or dimensions as prescribed by contemplated tactics, may be readily installed with maximum facility without disturbances to the previously aligned antennas 40 relative to the flight axis of the missile.

As stated hereinabove, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide the missile structure so as to be readily adapted to relatively rapid assembly of the component parts at field stations with minimum diificulty. Thus, for example, the section of the missile identified in FIG. 1 within the broken boundry line designated IX comprises a tubular body section 70- interiorly of which may bemounted a war head load; or in event the missile is to be employed for observation or experimental purposes or the like, the body section 70 may mount therewithin any desired complement of instruments, such as telemetering equipment as explained hereinabove. Hence, it is contemplated that the storage depots in the field adjacent launching or air flight base depots will stock supplies of sections 70 containing alternatively such loadings as may be called for from time to time.

In order to enable the ground crew to quickly assemble a missile including prescribed components, the body section '70 is provided at its opposite ends with quick-connect fastening devices for engagement with the forward body portion 44 and the central body section 75 (FIGS. J1 and 9). The cooperating end portions of the shell members 4475 are provided with rigidly mounted end flange members as indicated at 76 (FIG.-9); the flanges 76 being fixed to the shell portions 4475 by means of machine screws as indicated at 77. The outer ends of the flange rings 76 are formed to reduced diameters and externally threaded as indicated at 78 to accommodate thereon in screwthreaded relation a locking ring 80. The rings 80 are formed with interrupted flanges as indicated at 82 for cooperation with complementary shaped interrupted flange portions 84 carried by a mounting ring 85 which is fixed to the casing sec-tion 70 by means ofmachine screws as indicated at 86.

Thus, to relatively assemble the casing parts, the casing member 70 is simply slip-fitted into assembled position as shown in FIG. 9; the locking rings 80 having been previously screwthreaded onto the casing portions 44 and 75. The locking rings are then rotated approximately one-eighth of a revolution, thereby bringing the flange portions 82-84 into mutually abutting relation for locking the casing parts against disassembly displacements. The rings 80 are formed with drilled openings as indicated at 88 to permit a wrench or plybar to be inserted Set screws 89 are preferably carried ing sections together against relative rotation incidental to rotation of the locking rings80. A set screw 89a may 7 be provided for locking the ring 80 in holding position.

f The casing section 75 encloses a solid propellant fuel type'flightsustainer rocket engine, which of course may be of any preferred design and housed within the casing section 75 so as to discharge through a nozzle at the rear end thereof to maintain in flight the missile structure comprising the sections 44, 70', 75, subsequent to detachment therefrom of the booster rocket engine section which is enclosed within a casing portion 90. Thus, subsequent to detachment of the booster section 90, the casing portion 75 constitutes the rear end portion of the missile in sustained flight, and as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, this will be operatively arranged to be actuated by means of Ianypreferred electrical'or hydraulic control systems are in turn energized by automatically functioning mechanisms responsive to signals received from the seeker mechanism and/or from the auto pilot mechanism enclosedwith'in the machine.

QTo permit the booster end section of the entire missile 1 to be quickly disconnected and released from the forward and 'centerlsections thereof at the end of the boost phase dicated generally by the numeral 100, and comprises a pair of C-shaped yoke members 102 104' Each such yoke member is provided with an apertured ear 106 carrying one end of an explosive bolt 108, the other end of which is screwthreaded into a bracket 110 which pivotally connects as indicated at 111 to the other end of the corresponding yoke piece. Thus, when the parts are relatively assembled as illustrated in FIG. 12, they complete aring-like structure encircling the missile body; and as 7 shown in FIG. 13, the connection ring is disposed so as to overlie the abutting junction between the center and aft sections 75, 90 of the missile.

At this point of juncture, the casing sections 75, '90 are each formed with r outwardly extending radial flanges 112, 114 respectively, and the yoke parts 152, 104 of the connecting ring unit are grooved as indicated at 116 with beveled side edges as indicated at 118, whereby clamping of the yoke parts The connection device referred to is in- It is however a feature of the present invention that the supporting yoke parts 102, 104 are normally maintained in connected relation as shown in FIG. 12 by means of a pair of explosive bolts as indicated at;100-- 108. These bolts may of course be of any preferred design but essentially comprise! threaded machine screw type devices internally bored to accommodate therein explosive charges as indicated at 126; the bolt diameters being reduced in the regions of the explosive charges 126 and at positions clear of the mounting bracket parts 106, 1-10. Suitable detonating devices as indicated at 128 are also provided in the explosive carrying bores, and are arranged'to be energized, as by means of detonator conductors 130. Energization of the detonators may be accomplished' in any preferred manner; but it is herein contemplated that they will be devices which are in turn actuated in response to operation of a pressure change responsive bellows 131 interiorly of the combustion chamber section of thebooster engine 132 (FIG. 1,) located within the casing portion 90.

Thus,.as the fuel of the'booster engine section becomes dissipated, and the booster engine power falls off, reduction in pressure withinthe combustion chamber thereof decreases so as to cause the detonators 128-428 to be energized, thereby causing the bolts 108-408 to be ruptured upon explosion of the charges 126 therewithin. This releases the lower-yoke portion 104 from the upper yoke portion, thereby permitting the aft section of the missile to fall away from the sustained flight portion thereof. At this moment, the rocket engine mounted within the casing section 75 is started automaticallyin response to control mechanism, as indicated at 134 (FIG. 1). The starter 134 may be energized by the same circuit which detonates the bolts 108, or may be controlled by any other device such as by separation of the booster section from the main section; and in any case the control may be of any preferred form and does not per se comprise a part of.

the present invention.

102, 104 in the operative position as shown in FIGS. 12,

13 will [firmly press together and maintain the casing parts in'the assembled relation as shown. In order 'to insure proper alignment of the fins of the booster section 90 with the fins 02 of the missile, when being assembled in-theffield, the flange 114 is formed with a rewss to receive the head'of a screw 119 mounted in the clamp ring .104; thus assuring proper indexing of the missile section parts.

The uppermost yoke member 102 is formed with a C- shaped bracket device 120 which is arranged to grip upon the bracket devices 122- 122 extending downwardly from the mounting airplane structure, whereby upon launching of the missile it will simply slide forwardly on the supprovided with another knob-like slide fitting deviceas inheated at 124 (FIGS. 1, 3); it being understood that the launching and latch release mechanisms incidental to the'supporting bracket device s 120-1 24 may be of any preferredjform, and do not form parts of the present invention, per se.

Because of the provision of a pair of explosive bolts 108, 108, proper operation of, the disconnect mechanism is assured, although experience has proven that there is always some risk thatan explosive bolt of this type may not adequately function. Thus, in the case of the present invention if either one of the bolts as indicated at 108,

108 fires properly and is thereby disrupted, the boost section of the missile will 'be disconnected from the flight section at the end of the boost phase of the missile flight, eventhough the other bolt may have failed to. explode.

For stabilization of thefboost phase of the missile flight,

a plurality, of fixed vanes as indicated at are mounted to extend radially from the rear end portion of the casing section 90. Another particular feature of the present invention resides in the method for quickly mounting the vanecomponents 140 on the tail end portion of the missile preliminary to flight operation.

'As shown in greater detail in FIGS. l4-15, novel arrangement is made for mountingthe booster section fin installations as subaassembly units to the rear end of the casing section 90. This'section includes as an integral structural portion thereof, .the booster rocket engine discharge nozzle component which includes a throat flange portion as indicated at 144; a constricted venturi throat portion 145; and a blast discharge funnel-shaped end portion 146, as is conventional in the art. It is of course to be understood that this rocket engine nozzle structure as referred to hereinaboveis a conventional component of the rocket engine per se forming no part of the present this mounting ring 150 is so dimensioned as to slip-fit over the rear end 146 of the engine nozzle, and then when it is bolted in position against the flange 144 by means of the screws 152, an annular space is provided around outside the ring 150 to accommodate in slip-fitted mounted relation thereon the engine nozzle shroud or shell as indicated at 155. The shroud 155 is then fixed to the mounting ring 150 by means of machine screws 156.

For convenience in installation, the shroud element 155 is preferably fabricated in the form of two half shell sections joined together by means of diametrically opposed scab plates as indicated at 158158 (FIGS. 14-15 the splice plates l58158 being fixed to the shroud pieces by means of machine screws as indicated at 159. Thus, the shroud element 155 encloses the rocket engine nozzle and completes the streamlined profile configuration of the overall missile body.

The shroud plates are apertured as indicated at 160 (FIG. 15) to accommodate in slip-fitted relation therethrough the root end portions 162 of the spar components 164 of the booster section fin structures which are designated generally by the numerals 140; the fin structures including transverse base plates 166 and radially extending airfoil structures 168, in addition to the spar elements 164. To secure the fins 140 to the shroud shell 155, anchoring blocks 170 are mounted interiorly of the shell plates 55 by means of machine screws 172. The blocks 170 are centrally apertured as indicated at 173 in registry with the apertures 160 through the shroud plates 155, so as to accommodate the root end portions 162 of the fin spars when slip-fitted thereinto as shown in FIGS. 14-15.

To lock the fin structures relative to the shroud 155, locking pins 175 are slip-fitted through registering apertured portions of each block 170 and its corresponding fin spar 162 (FIG. 15); the pins being then locked in holding positions by manual rotation of their outer bent end portions 176 downwardly into holding slots 178 formed in the shell 155. Thus, it will be readily appreciated that the integral fin sub-assemblies including the spar and base and fin structures 164-, 166, 168 may be quickly mounted on the missile booster section by slipfitting the root end portions of the spar elements into the mounting blocks 170 and then locking the fins in place by means of the locking rods 175, whereupon the unit is ready for operation with a minimum of on-the-field assembly problems. It will also be apparent that by virtue of this arrangement the fins are located at the immediate rear end portion of the booster section of the missile, for most eflicient aerodynamic tflght control purposes, through use of a rugged yet simplified detachable connection with the shroud element enclosing the rocket engine nozzle.

I claim:

1. In an air missile construction, a streamline shaped body, a flight control vane structure comprising a fixed fin extending radially of said body, a channel sectioned bracket embracing and fixed to the outboard end of said fin and extending rearwardly thereof, a target seeking antenna device of elongated form fixed to the outer side portion of said bracket to extend parallel to said body, a bearing block detachably bolted to said bracket, and having a hinge pin extending inwardly therefrom, a stub shaft rotatably mounted within said body and connected therein to a flap control device and extending outwardly therefrom, and a flight control flap fixed at one end tosaid hinge pin and detachably bolted to said stub shaft.

2. In an air missile construction, a streamline shaped body, a flight control vane structure comprising a fixed fin extending radially of said body, a bracket fixed to the outboard end of said fin and extending rearwardly thereof, a target seeking antenna device fixed to said bracket, a bearing block detachably bolted to said bracket and having a hinge pin extending inwardly therefrom, a stub shaft rotatably mounted within said body with its axis of rotation aligned with said hinge pin and connected to a flap control device, and a flight control flap fixed at one end to said hinge pin and detachably fixed to said stub shaft at its opposite end.

3. In an air missile construction, a tubular casing member, a rocket engine disposed within said casing and having a funnel-shaped jet discharge nozzle extending therefrom through the rear end portion of said casing, a nozzle shrouding sleeve comprising a pair of semi-cylindrical sleeve half portions bolted together and detachably connected to the rear end of said casing to enclose said nozzle, said sleeve having a plurality of fin mounting blocks bolted interiorly thereof at intervals peripherally of said sleeve, said sleeve and said blocks being apertured in mutual alignments thereby providing sockets directed radially of said sleeve, and a plurality of vane devices each comprising a fin portion and an extending spar root portion adapted to slip-fit into either of said sockets, and manually operable pin means slidable into registering longitudinal openings in said blocks and said spar root portions to detachably lock said vane devices in operative positions radially of said sleeve.

4. In an air missile construction, a tubular casing member, a rocket engine disposed within said casing and having a funnel-shaped jet discharge nozzle extending through the rear end portion of said casing, a nozzle shrouding sleeve detachably connected to the rear end of said casing to enclose said nozzle, said sleeve having a plurality of fin mounting sockets therein directed radially of said casing, and a plurality of interchangeable aerodynamic fin devices adapted to slip-fit at their root ends into said sockets, and manually operable lock means extending exteriorly of said sleeve for detachably locking said fin devices to said sleeve.

5. In an air missile, the combination of a streamlined elongated two-part body including a main missile section and a flight booster section and detachable connection means adapted to couple together said main and booster Sections, said main section comprising separate fore and aft portions and an intermediate portion and means detachably mounting said intermediate portion between said fore and aft portions, said fore portion mounting fixed fins extending therefrom and mounting at their outer ends fixed target seeking antenna devices, flight path guide flaps hingedly connected to said fixed fins, said intermediate portion containing a war head device, said aft portion mounting fixed fins and flight control flaps for cooperation with said first mentioned fins and flaps to guide said main missile body section in flight, said booster section having adjacent its rear end fixed fin type flight guidance vanes detachably mounted thereon to extend therefrom for stabilizing said booster section relative to said main missile section while said two sections are coupled in flight, a main missile section rocket engine mounted within said aft body portion for sustaining the flight thereof, a booster rocket engine mounted Within said booster section for initially boosting said missile in flight and including a combustion chamber and a thrust nozzle at the rear of said booster section, control means operable automatically in response to subsidence of gas pressure within said combustion chamber to uncouple said main missile and booster sections, and control means operable automatically. upon uncoupling of said main missile and booster sections to initiate firing and operation of said main missile rocket engine. 7

6. In an air missile, the combination comprising a cylindrical body of longitudinally sectionalized form including a main missile component and a flight booster component, rupturable means detachably connecting said flight booster component to said main missile component, said main missile component comprising separate fore and aft and intermediate body portions detachably interconnected for quick field assembly, controllable flight guide flaps and fixed target seeking antenna devices detachably mounted on said fore body portion, fixed fin and movable flap type flight path control devices mounted on said aft body portion for cooperation with said first men- .ucnea flight guide flaps to guide said main missile component in flight, fixed fin type flight guidance vanes detachably mounted on said flight booster component adjacent the rear end thereofand extending therefrom for stabilizing said flight booster component relative to said missile component while said two components are Z main body section and a booster flight section, a multi- ,7 part yoke detachably connecting said booster flight section to said main body section, a plurality of explosive bolt means interconnecting the parts of said yoke, said booster flight section having mounted therein a rocket engine including a combustion chamber developing gas pressure therein when in operation, detonator means op- :erably associated with said explosive bolt means for initiating explosion thereof, and detonator'control means responsive to loss of pressure in said combustion chamber to cause explosive disruption ofsaid bolt means, said yoke being adapted to disengage said main body and a booster flight sections upon disruption of any of said bolt means.

8. In an air missile, a multi-part casing comprising a main body section and a booster flight section, means ineluding a plurality of explosive bolt means detachably connecting said booster flight section to said main body "section, said booster flight section having mounted therein a rocket engine including a'combustion chamber developing gas pressure therein when in operation, detonator 1 means operably associated with said bolt means for initiating explosion thereof, and detonator control means responsive to loss of pressure in said combustion chamber to a cause explosive disruption of said bolt means, said main bodyand booster flight sections being adapted to disengage 'fupon disruption of any of said bolt means.

" 9. In an air missile construction, a generally cylindrically shaped body, a flight control vane structure adjacent one end of said body, said vane structure comprising a first pair of diametrically opposed fixed fins extending radially of said body in a first plane, a second pair of diametrically opposed fixed fins extending from opposite sides of said body radially therefrom in'a second plane substantially normal to said firstmentioned plane, flight control flaps hingedly mounted upon the trailing edge pore tions of said fins, torque shafts interconnecting each pair of said flaps for controlling the pivoting thereof, said torque shafts having their'axes of rotation intersecting and both of said shafts being locally deformed in the region of said intersecting to avoid each other and to permit 1'0 tations thereof, within limits, for flap operating movements of said shafts;

10. In an air missile construction, an airframe, a flight control vane structure adjacent one end of said frame, said vane structure comprising a first pair of diametrically opposed flight control-flaps hingedly mounted upon and extending radially of said frame in a first plane, a second pair of diametrically opposed flight control flaps hingedly mounted upon and extending from opposite sides of said body radially therefrom in a second plane substantially normal to said first mentioned plane, a pair of torque shafts, one of said shafts interconnecting said first pair of said flaps and the other of said shafts'interconnecting said second pair of said flaps for controlling the pivoting thereof, said torque shafts having their axes of rotation inter secting, and each of said shafts being cut away to its axis of rotation and beveled on opposite sides thereof in the region of said intersecting to avoid interferences with each other and to permit rotations thereof, within. limits, for flap operating movements of said shafts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,547,329 Jones July 28, 1925 2,413,621 Hammond Dec. 31, 1946 2,414,398 .Rous Jan. 28, '1947 2,644,396 Billman -5 Jilly 7, 1953 Schmid Oct. 6, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Science, Antennas Go Into Hiding, October 1949, page 169.

Claims (1)

1. IN AN AIR MISSILE CONSTRUCTION A STREAMLINE SHAPED BODY, A FLIGHT CONTROL VANE STRUCTURE COMPRISING A FIXED FIN EXTENDING RADIALLY OF SAID BODY, A CHANNEL SECTIONED BRACKET EMBRACING AND FIXED TO THE OUTBOARD END OF SAID FIN AND EXTENDING REARWARDLY THEREOF, A TARGET SEEKING ANTENNA DEVICE OF ELONGATED FORM FIXED TO THE OUTER SIDE PORTION OF SAID BRACKET TO EXTEND PARALLEL TO SAID BODY, A BEARING BLOCK DETACHABLY BOLTED TO SAID BRACKET, AND HAVING A HINGE PIN EXTENDING INWARDLY THEREFROM, A STUB SHAFT ROTATABLY MOUNTED WITHIN SAID BODY AND CONNECTED THEREIN TO A FLAP CONTROL DEVICE AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY THEREFROM, AND A FLIGHT CONTROL FLAP FIXED AT ONE END TO SAID HINGE PIN AND DETACHABLY BOLTED TO SAID STUB SHAFT.

Images