US3166981A

US3166981A - Forward motion latch and lock

Info

Publication number: US3166981A
Application number: US306664A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert M Harris; Richard C Wilson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-09-04
Filing date: 1963-09-04
Publication date: 1965-01-26
Anticipated expiration: 1982-01-26

Description

Jan. 26, 1965 R. M. HARRIS ETAL FORWARD MOTION LATCH AND LOCK 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 4, 1963 INVENTORS ROBERT M HARE/5 RICHARD 0. WILSON BY M W ATTORNEY Jan. 26, 1965 R. M. HARRIS ETAL 3,166,981

FORWARD MOTION LATCH AND LOCK Filed p 4, 1963 2 Sheet -s 2 w /8 l2 l4 7 -"Im I 1 2/ IIIIIIIIIIII FIG. 3

| T /8 l2 II H 745.1 /6 II I I fifiiijjiiii I I I III I I- United States Patent 3,166,981 FORWARD MOTION LATCH AND LGQK Robert M. Harris, Minneapolis, and Richard C. Wiison,

Champlin, Minn, assignors, by mesne assignments, to

the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Sept. 4, 1963, Ser. No. 3%,664 3 Claims. (Cl. S91.7)

This invention relates to missile launching systems in which a magazine is carried below the launcher arm and in which the missiles are stored in the magazine in a vertical position and transferred from the magazine to the launcher arm while in this vertical position, and more particularly to a forward motion latch designed to engage the missile aft shoe as it reaches the launcher arm.

In missiles of the type that are transferred from the magazine to the launcher arm by a chain hoist or other type of mechanism, the missile must be arrested or stopped in its movement before being ignited to insure that sutiicient thrust is generated so that the missile will take-off from the guide arm in flight rather than fall off the launcher arm by reason of the momentum given to the missile by the hoisting apparatus. It is, therefore, necessary that some latch be provided which will release the missile for flight upon the application of thrust which is sufiicient to sustain flight.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a mechanical latch located in the path of the missile and adapted to be engaged by the aft shoe of the missile which will arrest the missile until sufiicient thrust is pro vided to overcome a restraining spring, which thrust will sustain the missile in flight.

It is another object of the invention to provide a forward motion latch which will engage the missile and which will, upon the application of sufficient force thrust, release the missile in a quick action.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a latch and link mechanism which will upon the application of a thrust force thereto resist motion up to a certain predetermined magnitude and which will upon the application of force above this predetermined amount actuate resilient means which will release the latch.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the latch and link mechanism and showing the path of movement of the missile;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic view showing the position of the latch and link mechanism previous to engagement of the latch with the missile shoe;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the latch and link mechanism at the moment the missile has started its push through motion;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3 and shows the position of the mechanism at the moment of latch release.

Referring to the drawings wherein like parts are designated by like numbers and where only those parts of the launcher mechanism are shown which pertain to the invention, all other parts being omitted, the latch mechanism is mounted on the launcher arm, a plate 11 of which is shown in FIG. 1. A cylindrical housing 12 is mounted on plate 11 by bolts 13 and encloses a compressible spring 14. The open end of the housing 12 is covered by a plate 15 having a central opening 16 through which a rod 17 extends. The rod 17 carries an end plate 13 which is engaged with the spring 14 and moves, to compress the spring within the cylindrical housing 12.

Mounted on the end of rod 17 a yoke 21 connects 3,166,981 Patented Jan. 26, 1965 with a compound lever 22 which is pivoted on a pin 23 carried by structural part 24. The lever 22 has a short arm drilled to provide mounting for a pin 25 on which lever 26 is mounted for partial rotation. The lever 26 is substantially L-shaped having long leg 27 and short leg 28 and pivot pin 48. The short leg terminates in a portion 31 adapted to engage a stop 32 when the lever is in one extreme position.

Connected to the central pivot 48, the link 33 connects the lever 26 with the crank 34 through pivot point 35. The crank is splined to the shaft 36. Latch 37 formed with a hub 38 is also splined to shaft 36 and turns with the crank 34. This latch 37 is provided with a nose portion 39 adapted to be positioned in the path of a missile 41.

Movement of the missile 41 is in a direction from bottom to the top of the drawing as shown by the arrow in FIG. 1 and during this motion the aft shoe 42 of the missile engages the nose 39 of the latch. This engagement of the shoe 42 with the nose 39 of the latch holds the missile until the lock is withdrawn and sufficient thrust is built up to overcome the force exerted by the compression spring on the latch mechanism.

The latch 37 is locked in position by a lock 43 which is keyed on the shaft 44. At the time of arming and after the contact of the shoe 42 with the nose 39, the shaft 44 is rotated and the dog 43 moved from contact with the latch. Also connected to the shaft 44 is a crank lever 45. This lever is in contact with the lever 26 and is instrumental in resetting the latch.

Referring particularly to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the latch mechanism is shown in FIG. 2 in the position of that latch at the time of engagement with the missile shoe 42. At this point the missile is arrested and remains in this position until the arming mechanism is actuated. The launcher could be said to be loaded.

The lever 26 is in engagement with the stop 32 at the point 31. The lock 43 is shown in engagement with the latch to insure that the missile cannot be inadvertently fired. The

levers

34, 33 and 26 are arranged so that the connecting

points

35, 48 and 25 are slightly beyond a straight-line position, being held from further movemerit by the stop 32.

Referring particularly to FIG. 1, a hydraulically operated piston 51 turns the shaft 44 by means of the rod 53, connecting link 54 and crank arm 55 to remove the lock 43 from engagement with the latch 37. The movement of the piston 51 also releases the roller 56 from contact with the crank lever 57 permitting the shaft 36 freedom of rotation. The missile thrust may now move the forward latch 37. A predetermined force on the nose 39 of latch 37 will cause link 26 to ivot on stop 32 and lift spring loaded plate 18 until

points

35, 48 and 25 pass a straight in-line position. After this, the mechanism swings free and assumes the position shown in FIG. 4.

At the moment of operation of the release piston 51, a lever 53 pivoted at 59 is moved to actuate switch 61 which indicates that a missile is armed and ready for ignition. After firing the missile, the forward motion latch is returned to missile blocking position by the return of the release piston 51 under spring action. This return action moves the lever 58 to actuate switch 62 to indicate that the forward motion latch is in the extended position. The piston 51 under spring action moves the roller 56 against the crank lever 57 to rotate shaft 36 to return the latch 37. It also operates crank 55 to rotate shaft 53 and return the lock 43 into locking engagement with the latch 37. During this operation, a lever 45 contacting the lever 26 moves the lever 26 into engagement with the stop 32 to return the link mechanism to the position shown in FIG. 2.

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.

What is claimed is:

1. In a missile launching system having a missile supporting rail on a launcher arm, a forward motion latch comprising:

a latch splined to a shaft for pivotal movement and formed with a nose portion normally located in the path of movement of the missile on the launcher arm rail;

a crank splined on the splined shaft of the latch and movable in a limited arc with movement of the latch;

a pair of levers connected to said crank and movable upon movement of said crank to a straight line position and beyond said straight line position;

a spring biased lever connected to one of said pair of levers and movable by movement of said pair of levers when sufiicient force is applied to overcome the resistance of said spring, whereby the latch may be swung from missile arresting engagement with said missile to a position removed from the path of the missile upon sufficient force being applied to said latch;

a locking means engaging said latch while in missile arresting position and preventing movement of said latch;

hydraulically actuated means connected to said locka crank arm connected to the piston and to the dog carrying shaft to partially rotate the dog carrying 15 shaft and the dog upon movement of the piston and release the latch. t 3.'In a missile launching system, a forward motion latch according to claim 2 and including indicating means operated by movement of said hydraulic piston to indi- 20 cate the release of the locking dog from the latch.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 25 2,930,288 3/60 Jonah 89l.7 3,059,542 10/62 Manz et a1. 89-l.7 3,072,018 1/63 Wilson ;Q 89l.7

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

30 SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Examiner.

Claims

1. IN A MISSILE LAUNCHING SYSTEM HAVING A MISSILE SUPPORTING RAIL ON A LAUNCHER ARM, A FORWARD MOTION LATCH COMPRISING: A LATCH SPLINED TO A SHAFT FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT AND FORMED WITH A NOSE PORTION NORMALLY LOCATED IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE MISSILE ON THE LAUNCHER ARM RAIL; A CRANK SPLINED ON THE SPLINED SHAFT OF THE LATCH AND MOVABLE IN A LIMITED ARC WITH MOVEMENT OF THE LATCH; A PAIR OF LEVERS CONNECTED TO SAID CRANK AND MOVABLE UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID CRANK TO A STRAIGHT LINE POSITION AND BEYOND SAID STRAIGHT LINE POSITION; A SPRING BIASED LEVER CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID PAIR OF LEVERS AND MOVABLE BY MOVEMENT OF SAID PAIR OF LEVERS WHEN SUFFICIENT FORCE IS APPLIED TO OVERCOME THE RESISTANCE OF SAID SPRING, WHEREBY THE LATCH MAY BE SWUNG FROM MISSILE ARRESTING ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID MISSILE TO A POSITION REMOVED FROM THE PATH OF THE MISSILE UPON SUFFICIENT FORCE BEING APPLIED TO SAID LATCH; A LOCKING MEANS ENGAGING SAID LATCH WHILE IN MISSILE ARRESTING POSITION AND PREVENTING MOVEMENT OF SAID LATCH; HYDRAULICALLY ACTUATED MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LOCKING MEANS TO CONTROL THE MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKING MEANS FROM A LOCKING POSITION TO A RELEASED POSITION; MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID LOCKING MEANS AND ENGAGING SAID PAIR OF LEVERS TO RESET SAID PAIR OF LEVERS UPON SAID LOCKING MEANS BEING RESET LOCKED POSITION.