Brunswick Corporation

Alan C Baker

Nathan N Shiovitz

John E Roach, Jr

Joe T Zinn, Jr

George E Whiting

A spin-stabilized spherical jet-propelled missile is disclosed for use in combination with a launching apparatus which includes rotary means for rotating the missile and release means for releasing the missile after a period of initial spinup. The missile includes a housing, an exhaust nozzle on the housing, and a pressure chamber within the housing in communication with the exhaust nozzle. A single explosive compound is disposed as a singular mass within the housing and has a burn surface exposed in the pressure chamber. An impact fuze is disposed on the housing remote from the burn surface of the explosive compound for detonating the explosive compound on impact of the missile. Initial burning of a portion of the explosive compound at said burn surface is effective to drive gases through the exhaust nozzle and to the rotary means of the launching apparatus during spinup, and during flight of the missile, and the fuze is effective to detonate the remainder of the explosive compound on subsequent impact of the missile. The single explosive compound comprises a double based propellant including a high energy plasticizer, such as a nitrated plasticizer, in combination with a high explosive, such as an HMX crystalline explosive, to give a relatively slow burn rate and a relatively high detonating rate.

Jet-propelled missile with single propellant-explosive

A projectile release mechanism is disclosed for facilitating launching a jet-propelled projectile in the form of a spherical spin-stabilized missile. The mechanism includes a nozzle extending from the projectile, including fusible joint means for heating by high-temperature exhaust gases expelled by the projectile to release the projectile. A projectile support includes an open-ended receptacle generally coaxial with the nozzle for receiving the nozzle and thereby supporting the projectile. Forwardly and rearwardly facing shoulders on the support engage complementary rearwardly and forwardly facing shoulders on the nozzle for retaining the nozzle in the receptacle and permitting fore and aft sections of the nozzle to move out of the open ends of the receptacle on fusing and separation of the fusible joint means. The forwardly facing shoulder on the support means and the rearwardly facing shoulder on the nozzle comprise conical sections generally concentric with the axis of the nozzle. Springs are operatively associated with the nozzle and are effective to maintain the shoulder portions in engagement until complete separation of the fusible joint, thereby accommodating any thermal expansion of the nozzle.

Release and alignment mechanism for jet-propelled projectiles

A projectile release mechanism is disclosed for facilitating launching of a jet-propelled projectile in the form of a spherical spin-stabilized missile. The apparatus includes a projectile support means which includes a rotary portion having a register section for receiving a unitary nozzle member which is fixed to the missile, for securing the missile to the support means. A fusible joint is formed integral with the unitary nozzle member and is disposed for heating by high-temperature exhaust gas expelled by the missile to release the missile from the rotary portion of the support means. The fusible joint comprises a peripheral ring portion of the unitary nozzle member, which is of a reduced sectional thickness. A plurality of passages are formed through the reduced ring portion for conducting the exhaust gas through the fusible joint. The rotary register section and the unitary nozzle member received therein have complementarily engageable, axially spaced concentric surfaces forming annular flat lands to insure proper alignment of the missile with the spin axis during initial separation of the unitary nozzle member at the fusible joint.

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Huntington Beach, CA, United States of America

Alan C Baker