General Dynamics Corp., Pomona Division

Hughes Missile Systems Company

General Dynamics Corporation

Larry D Wedertz

Oakley G Ross

Byron M Niemeier

Inge Maudal

Mark L Kline

Lynn J Swann

John A Karish

Michael D Golden

Scott R Schoneman

David L Leslie

Jose R Vazquez

Michael G Greiner

David H Kristedja

Kenneth M Yost

A device for use in a rapid-fire weapons system wherein a gun is movable in both elevation and azimuth. The device is designed to have a high round storage capacity and transfers rounds across the azimuth axis, thus allowing the gun to move in azimuth with respect to the magazine. The storage, or accumulation, feature of the device allows rounds to be fed to the gun before the magazine has been driven to the demand rate. The device also provides a closed loop round carrier system which allows for the return of expended round casings to the magazine.

Accumulating rotary transfer unit

A rotary breech mechanism (10) is provided for loading large caliber guns. The mechanism comprises a rotary transfer member (12) which is cylindrical and mounted in the gun barrel (16) near the breech end (18). A hole (14) through the rotary transfer member (12) is aligned either with an ammunition magazine tube (48) for loading or with the gun barrel (16) for firing of a projectile (20). Once the projectile (20) has been fired, the rotary transfer member (12) is rotated to accept the next projectile, no matter what position the gun is in. The azimuthal orientation of the barrel (16) does not affect the operation of the loading mechanism.

Rotary gun breech

An expandable telescoped airframe for a missile provides a shorter configuration for convenience in handling and a longer configuration to provide added predetermined clearance in front of a shaped charge warhead after launch. The airframe is mechanically locked into its extended configuration upon deployment of its expansion feature by means of a wedge brake collar. Possible deployment means include gas pressure, one or more springs, and a drogue parachute. Tail and other control surfaces spring open after clearing the airframe tube to provide aerodynamic stability.

Expandable telescoped missile airframe

A ring-wing assembly for use in combination with a missile or mortar adapted to be launched from a launch tube or barrel allows attachment of large lifting surfaces to the projectile as it is launched from a barrel. The ring-wing assembly generally comprises a stop ramp for generally encircling a missile body. The stop ramp having a forward-tapering ramp portion, and a sleeve assembly comprising a sleeve for encircling a body of a missile and a plurality of wings peripherally mounted on the sleeve. The sleeve has a rear inside tapered portion having a taper angle that is less than that of the ramp portion of the stop ramp. In use, the sleeve assembly is mounted on the nose end of a launch barrel. Upon missile launch, the sleeve assembly slides over the missile body until encountering and engaging with the stop ramp whereupon the sleeve assembly travels with the missile for extending the range and controllability of the missile. An alternate embodiment of the invention for use with a missile having front control surfaces, such as canards, employs a shear ring for retaining the canards in a retracted position while in the barrel. Upon missile launch, the sleeve assembly disengages the shear ring to allow deployment of the canards.

Ring-wing

A radar return suppressor for use in concealing and camouflaging mobile targets such as trucks, artillery and like vehicles. One or more lengths of a support member attachable to the target and components support and position a radar signal attenuator between the target and the anticipated radar source. In one embodiment, the attenuator is a multiplicity of closely spaced flexible plastic strands having radar signal absorbing material dispersed in the strands to form a labyrinth to entrap and absorb the radar signal. In a second embodiment the labyrinth of strands is replaced by an intertwined plastic vine-like structure secured in the support member for absorbing the energy of the radar signal.

Radar return suppressor

A self-erecting wing structure for increased missile performance and maneuverability without significant sacrifice of payload space includes a wing pivotally attached to an air frame in a retracted position in which the wing is both rotated about its spanwise axis relative to an erected position and pivoted forward alongside the air frame. Rotational components enable passing air to swing the wing to the erected position when it is released from the retracted position during flight. A secondary wing surface is included that automatically deploys to increase wing area.

Double swing wing self-erecting missile wing structure

A coupler for electrically-isolating two conductive sections of fluid-passing line includes two nonconductively-interconnected pieces of tubing for insertion in the line. The pieces of tubing each have a divergently-flared end, and the flared ends are nonconductively-interconnected within two dielectric wafers. Each wafer has a tapered hole extending through it that matches the flared ends and enlarges to a face on the wafer. The flared ends are each bonded within a separate one of the tapered holes in a position recessed from the face with the flare of the end paralleling the taper of the hole, and the faces are bonded together with the larger ends of the tapered holes aligned and the flared ends sealed in fluid communication with an electrically-nonconductive gap between them.

Electrically-isolating coupler suitable for high pressure cryogenic gas

A separable electrical isolator for coupling two pieces of conductive tubing carrying high pressure cryogenic gas includes a gas-impervious dielectric spacer with a pair of opposing surfaces and a bore extending therebetween in which the pieces of tubing are sealed axially-aligned in fluid communication with an electrically-nonconductive gap between them. A pair of complementary coupling members are rigidly attached to the pieces of tubing to define outwardly-extending annular surfaces that are each sealed about the periphery of a corresponding piece in a position slightly set back from and facing an end of the piece. The coupling members are separably and nonconductively interconnected with the annular surfaces facing the spacer surfaces and O-ring seals in between to apply compressive force to the spacer and seals and thereby effect the seal.

Separable high pressure gas line isolator

An erectable wing structure for a supersonic airframe that is stowable within the body of the airframe includes a housing defining an elongated cavity in which is mounted a wing supporting strut assembly having an elongated leading edge strut pivoted at one end within the stowable cavity and including a trailing strut that is foldable and pivotally connected at one end to the cavity structure and at the other end to the outer end of the leading edge strut and including a single layer of fabric stretched between the strut and clamped between the strut structure made up of separable, mirror image, strut links.

Supersonic erectable fabric wings

An apparatus and method for establishing the alignment of heat seeking missiles with the longitudinal axis of a launch pod within which the missiles are contained is disclosed. A housing containing a heat source and collimating optics provides a simulated distant infrared target for the missiles. A tapered probe rigidly attachable to the housing fits securely into a central alignment socket in the launcher pod. The probe is accurately offset from the center line of the alignment socket by the housing to establish the optical axis of the simulated target parallel to the axis of the launcher pod, and in front of the stored missiles. The position of the missile within the launch pod is adjustable to maximize the target signal strength received by the missile from the simulated target to achieve missile alignment with the axis of the launcher pod.

Boresight apparatus and method for missiles

A projectile trajectory correction system, the projectile itself including a unique steering arrangement. The projectile, initially part of a shell cartridge, is fired, and its position is automatically sensed. A corrected trajectory necessary to hit a target is calculated and data commands are transmitted to the projectile. The data command signals are sensed by an antenna on the projectile. The antenna in turn generates a signal which is fed to the projectile steering mechanism which is deflected in response thereto to steer the projectile onto the correct trajectory. The steering mechanism includes an elongated rod extending from the rear of the projectile into the surrounding air stream. Deflection of the rod provides the actual steering.

Steering mechanism for an explosively fired projectile

A missile launch system includes a missile launch support structure mounted on a launch platform and including a pair of spaced apart rails having longitudinal slots formed therein, and a cooperating missile launch container having a cylindrical bore for receiving and supporting a missile for launching includes radially extending ribs spaced and oriented to engage and slide along the slots in the rails for supporting the missile launch container for launching of the missile.

Armored missile launch/shipping container

An insulator device which couples a metallic gas delivery tube to a line leading to a detector device which requires cooling gas for operation. The insulator device of the present invention comprises a molded dielectric insulator, molded about two separated metallic end components, each of the metallic components including a nut portion to allow the insulator to be connected, on one hand to the detector device line, and on the other hand to the metallic gas delivery tube. The two metallic components are separated by a gap in order to provide the necessary electrical isolation between the two metallic end components. One metallic end component includes a built-in check valve which permits gas to flow only in the desired direction while preventing gas flow in the opposite direction. In a preferred arrangement, the metallic end components are shaped to minimize the extent of the gas force on the two metallic end components which normally would force them slightly apart so that the gas can bleed through the insulator along the outside surface thereof, thus separating the molded insulator portion from the metallic end components at their interface boundary as it goes along. The forces tending to separate the metallic end components within the connector are substantially reduced by virtue of the new shape which presents a minimum cross-sectional area to the pressurized gas in a region where the gas may apply its pressure.

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Mira Loma, CA, United States of America

Larry D Wedertz