The Boeing Company

Keith G Rackers

Jonathan David Embler

Thomas R Pinney

Adam J Lang

Stephen Edward Lehman

George P Halamandaris

Ryan Binkholder

Craig R DeMeester

Edward McAllister

Ledjan Qato

David T Fischer

Vincent Wayne Klakovich

A fin deployment system for a projectile positioned in a chamber, the fin deployment system including a non-rotatable hinge pin shaft, a fin member, and a unidirectional ratchet collar member. The non-rotatable hinge pin shaft, which is coupled to the shell, defines a helically-oriented pathway. The fin member has a fin lug that couples the fin member on the hinge pin shaft for simultaneous axial and rotational movement along the helically-oriented pathway to a deployed position at an aft region of the projectile. Such movement is induced at least partially by application of a centripetal load and aerodynamic load as the projectile rotates upon launch from a chamber. The unidirectional ratchet collar member is disposed on the hinge pin shaft for unidirectional axial movement and radial expansion induced by the simultaneous axial and rotational movement of the fin member that retains the fin member in the deployed position.

Fin deployment system for a projectile, projectile, and method of deploying a fin on a projectile

A mechanically attached thermal protection system (MATPS) includes an insulating tile having a top surface, a bottom surface, and a plurality of access holes that extend through the insulating tile from the top surface to the bottom surface. A plurality of brackets include a first end attached to the insulating tile and a second end including a mounting hole therethrough, the second end being positioned proximate the bottom surface of the insulating tile. A plurality of fasteners are positioned proximate the bottom surface of the insulating tile and at least partially positioned within one of the access holes so as to be accessible from the top surface of the insulating tile through one of the plurality of access holes. A MATPS including a plurality of air channels within the insulating tile and a method for sealing these air channels to those within an adjacent structure is also described herein.

Mechanically attached thermal protection system

A guided projectile that includes a warhead case, a cartridge case coupled to the warhead case, and a tail kit assembly positioned within the cartridge case. The tail kit assembly includes a hollow casing including a plurality of fin slots defined therein, a control fin selectively extendable from within the hollow casing through each fin slot of the plurality of fin slots, and a fin slot cover positioned within each fin slot with a minimum clearance fit such that the control fin is retained within the hollow casing. The fin slot cover is releasable from within each fin slot such that the control fin is deployable therethrough.

Guided projectile and method of enabling guidance thereof

Stepped sabots for projectiles are provided. One sabot includes a cylindrical tubular body and at least one stepped surface within the cylindrical tubular body. The stepped surface is configured for engaging at least one complementary surface on a projectile and the stepped surface forms a progressively narrower inner diameter of the cylindrical tubular body.

Stepped sabots for projectiles

Growing community of inventors

Florissant, MO, United States of America

Keith G Rackers