US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Other

David A Bittle

Julian L Cothran

Gary T Jimmerson

Russell S Garner

Robert V Weber

Roger G Brown

Donald E Davis

Roswell W Nourse

Charles A Richter

Donald H Blaise

Robert C Glover

James P Brunsch, Jr

Derek C Jenkins

Richard A Shannon

A flechette has a forward body () containing its center of gravity which is connected to a tail section (). The tail section has a pair of fins (A,B) each having a preselected longitudinal angle and radial angle. When the two fins are viewed from the aft of the flechette, the pair of fins demonstrate a S-shaped orientation. The size, shape and orientation of the pair of fins provide aerodynamic stability to the flechette while allowing the flechette to be stacked with like-shaped flechettes. The two-piece assembly of the flechette easily accommodates the use of different density materials for the respective pieces.

Two-fin stackable flechette having two-piece construction

A flechette has a forward section or body () containing its center of gravity. A quill () is connected to the forward section and is integrally connected to a pair of fins (A,B) each having a longitudinal angle and a radial angle. When the two fins are viewed from the aft of the flechette, the pair of fins demonstrate an S-shaped orientation. The size, shape and orientation of the fins provide aerodynamic stability to the flechette while allowing the flechette to be stacked with like-shaped flechettes in rows and columns or in a radial, circular arrangement. When stacked in rows and columns or in a circular arrangement, each flechette has its nose oriented in the same forward direction.

Stackable, easily packaged and aerodynamically stable flechette

Disclosed herein are systems and methods of angular rate and position measurement that combine a small footprint with hardening and isolation technologies that allow it to function in acceleration, angular rate, noise and vibration environments that cause other gyroscopes to either fail or to produce erroneous outputs. An example embodiment contains a triad of accelerometers, a triad of gyroscopes, analog and digital ancillary electronics and a processor housed within a housing which is also filled with vibration reducing encapsulating compound. The disclosed systems and methods of angular rate and position measurement are capable of measuring and correcting internal errors and perturbations caused by the longitudinal and angular accelerations and temperature excursions of aerospace vehicles, isolating the gyroscope elements from the effects of acoustic noise and vibration, and accurately measuring the relatively small pitch and yaw oscillations of the vehicle in its flight path trajectory.

Systems and methods for angular rate and position measurement

A method and system exchanges assets defined as digital automated equities which are objects instantiated with attributes of an asset. Digital automated equities are registered on a common system exchange as offeror mediary objects and matched by comparing their attributes. Capital exchange offer objects define desired matches by identifying a digital automated equity associated with an exchange offer, a exchange price for the exchange and one or more conditions associated with the exchange. A match use case compares attributes of capital exchange offers to determine matches based on the closeness of the capital exchange offers and a negotiate transaction use case supports communication between owners associated with close capital exchange offers to alter attributes in response to a match. Once a transaction is complete, a settle transaction use case exchanges the digital automated equities. Digital automated equities may include a variety of assets, including intellectual property such as patents and trademarks, business plans, stock and confidential information. Further, the present invention provides a secure format for exchange of confidential information in stages.

Method and system for a digital automated exchange

The Dual-Sliding Fin Lock Assembly provides a simple, cost-effective and secure locking mechanism that engages on the initial opening stroke of a fin of a flying object, using a minimal number of parts that are easy to manufacture. Two sliding locks, each having a protruding step, engage with two fin lugs each of which has a corresponding notch. When a step and a notch fit together, they form a contact plane which may be straight horizontal or inclined to ensure robust locking operation without the need for extremely tight tolerances on the individual parts or on the assembly. Since the sliding locks do not rotate around the pin that holds the fin lugs, they engage the fin lugs to arrest the rotation of the fin and retain it securely in the deployed position for the duration of the object's flight, guiding the object more accurately toward its destination.

Dual-sliding fin lock assembly

The Trajectory Correction Kit (TCK) is a completely self-contained retrofit kit that is externally and fixedly mounted as an add-on to the rear (aft of the tailfins) of an existing, unguided rocket. The TCK continuously measures the pitch and yaw of the rocket as it is released from the launch tube and during the initial seconds of the flight and calculates the trajectory correction that is necessary to eliminate the measured pitch and yaw. Then it activates selected thrusters among the thrusters that are positioned around the circumference of the rocket body so as to steer the rocket in a direction until the measured pitch and yaw are eliminated. This results in significant reductions in both the rocket flight path dispersion and collateral damage.

Trajectory correction kit

The Variable-Force Payload Ejecting System, residing within an air vehicle, utilizes multiple pressure generators, one or more of which may be activated, to produce variable levels of force. A controlling computer within the air vehicle determines when and how much pressure needs to be generated to eject a given item, such as a submunition, from the vehicle. In its determination, the computer factors in the vehicle's forward velocity and height over the intended target at the time of ejection and the characteristics of the particular submunition to be ejected. An activating mechanism activates one or more pressure generators to produce the determined amount of pressure. The pressure thusly generated acts on an inflatable tube that inflates and expels the selected submunition. The result is a more precise delivery of the submunitions onto the intended targets.

Variable-force payload ejecting system

A KE rod warhead for artillery rockets contains a multiplicity of KE rod penetrators housed in trays and packaged into bays or tier packs that are stacked and positioned around a center column of the warhead. The warhead has a skin which is severed upon the rocket entering a target area. The KE rods are situated and housed in such a manner that upon release the rods experience a minimum of pitching or tumbling upon entering the air stream giving the rods an optimal lethality against a designated target. The KE rod artillery rocket contains no explosive munitions, so it can be used without civilian and environmental concerns over unexploded ordnance.

Artillery Rocket Kinetic Energy Rod Warhead

Asymmetrical Control Surface System for Tube-Launched Air Vehicles places one control surface, such as a wing or a horizontal tail, above horizontal midplane axis of an air vehicle, such as a tube-launched missile, and the opposing control surface below the midplane axis. Such asymmetrical arrangement of the control surfaces increases the lift and maneuverability of the air vehicle during flight. For stowage inside the tube prior to launch, each control surface slides into its corresponding slot in the body of the vehicle, making the entire control system compact.

Asymmetrical control surface system for tube-launched air vehicles

Rocket Accuracy Improvement Device, when coupled between the warhead and motor of a typical free flight rocket, isolates the warhead from the rocket motor in the axis using a plurality of ball bearings and thereby enables the warhead to spin independently of the motor. The separation of the warhead from the motor allows the angular momentum of the warhead, which has reached its maximum spin rate by the time the motor burns out, to act gyroscopically to maintain the trajectory of the rocket even when the motor reverses its spin, thus achieving a much more predictable flight path for the rocket.

Rocket accuracy improvement device

The fin lock system overcomes the major problems associated with the current deployment and locking mechanism by adding a center boss to the fin between the rear and front bosses and a sliding lock that engages between the housing and the center boss. The sliding lock, having a very low mass, engages with the center boss, and thus with the fin, very quickly and reliably when the fin reaches its fully deployed position, thereby arresting the motion of the fin and preventing it from rebounding. This, in turn, allows the aft-housing lug to lock the fin in its deployed position with one opening motion of the fin. The additional boss provides greater resistance to inertial and aerodynamic loads while the sliding lock completely eliminates both over-rotation of the fin and inconsistent engagement of the fin lock.

Fin lock system

In a flying object equipped with the wing deployer and locker, a torsion spring connecting the wing with the base deploys the wing upon the release of the object from its storage canister and, after the wing has reached a certain degree of deployment, a tapered tooth that protrudes from the base engages a matching slot in the wing boss to lock in the wing at the moment the wing obtains the fully-deployed position. The taper angle of the tooth and the slot compensates for manufacturing tolerances and provides a positive, solid locking action for the duration of the object's flight.

Growing community of inventors

Somerville, AL, United States of America

David A Bittle