Simmonds Precision Products, Inc.

Martin Edwy Buttolph

John Christiana

David F Moran

A guided projectile includes a body and a deployable wing in which the deployable wing is coupled to and enclosed by the body. A linear distance from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing defines a chord line that, in the stowed position, forms an angle with a plane containing the chord line and extending parallel to a longitudinal dimension of the wing in a deployed position.

Space saving wing stowage

A projectile includes a housing and a slot formed in the housing. A deployable flight surface is inside the housing. A cover is attached to the housing and covers the slot. A cutter is adjacent the cover and moves in the slot and slices the cover to open the slot and allow deployment of the flight surface through the slot.

Pre-slit membrane slot cover for a projectile

A lock block for use in a flight vehicle to deploy and lock wings in a deployed position with the lock block having a forward end and an aft end and including a support member, a resilient member adjacent the aft end of the lock block, a first deploy pin extending from the resilient member, a second deploy pin extending from the resilient member, and a wedge located on a bottom side of the resilient member. The first deploy pin and the second deploy pin are each configured to engage a groove in a wing of the flight vehicle to push each wing into a deployed position.

Wing deployment and lock mechanism

A flex gear includes a hub with an axis, a rim, and an interface feature, a tooth ring with gear teeth, and flex elements between the rim and the tooth ring.

Compact flex gear for strain wave gearing

A control system for a flight vehicle includes first and second pivot pins each having a hollow cylindrical shape with an opening therein, first and second deployable wings configured to pivot about the first and second pivot pins between a stowed position and a deployed position with the first and second deployable wings each having first and second wing tip shafts extending between the first and second pivot pins and first and second ailerons at a tip of the deployable wings, first and second lever pins within the opening in the pivot pins with the first and second lever pins each having a first end that extends out from a top of the pivot pin and a second end connected to the wing tip shaft and with the first and second lever pins configured to rotate the wing tip shafts to control the ailerons.

Wing tip aileron actuation system

A wire release mechanism includes two components with adjacent longitudinal fingers and a wire that is wound about the fingers. The wire restrains one of the components in one position and includes a higher resistance fuse that causes the wire to be loosened about the fingers to allow that component to move to another position due to the flow of electrical current through the fuse.

Wire release mechanism

An actuator includes a drum defining a longitudinal axis and having axially opposed first and second end portions that are rotatable relative to one another about the longitudinal axis. A shape memory element is wrapped around the drum and extends from the first end portion of the drum to the second end portion of the drum to actuate relative rotation of the first and second end portions of the drum about the longitudinal axis by activation of the shape memory element.

Rotational actuators

A ring coupling includes a first cylindrical body defining an outward facing coupling surface extending in a circumferential direction. A second cylindrical body defines an inward facing coupling surface extending in the circumferential direction. A retainer ring is engaged to the coupling surfaces of the first and second cylindrical bodies to prevent axial disengagement of the first and second cylindrical bodies. The cylindrical bodies can be coupled without relative circumferential rotation of the first and second cylindrical bodies.

Ring couplings

An actuator assembly includes an actuator body, a ram, and a cross pin. The actuator body has an internal axial cavity bounded by an actuator body wall and defines a pivot axis. A longitudinal slot extends along a portion of the length of the actuator body wall and is in communication with the internal axial cavity. The ram is slidably received within the axial cavity of the actuator body. The cross pin is mounted to the ram and extends laterally from the ram and into the longitudinal slot for converting linear motion of the ram into rotational motion about the pivot axis for displacing a control surface of an air vehicle.

Actuators for flight control surfaces

A bearing assembly is described that includes a shaft and an inner race affixed to the shaft. An outer race is disposed radially around the inner race defining a bearing run space with rolling elements between the inner and outer races. An axial bore in the support or the rotor has a radial gap between the bore wall and the outer race, and the assembly is configured to provide a radial displacement between a portion of the outer race and the axial bore wall in response to a radial overload force applied to the rotor.

Bearing assembly with overload protection

An actuation system having a configuration of first and second components, each component having longitudinally extending fingers interlaced with one another. Relative longitudinal movement is permitted between the fingers in a manner to permit the second component to be movable longitudinally with respect to the first component between a first position and a second position. A biasing member is provided within the configuration that biases the second component towards the second position. A wire is wound about the fingers that restrains the second component in the first position. A release device selectively causes the wire to be loosened about the fingers such that the biasing member moves the second component from the first position to the second position. An actuator connected to the second component moves with the second component from the first position to the second position.

Interlaced actuation system

A bearing system for a spin-stabilized projectile including bearing configurations that permit selective relative rotation between a spindle and a body portion and which facilitate automatic centering of the spindle. Each bearing configuration includes a conical bearing surface rotatable with respect to a corresponding conical body surface. One bearing configuration is in a forward portion of the body portion and selectively engages a first body surface upon the projectile experiencing set-back forces to direct forces away from bearing elements, and another bearing configuration is in a rearward portion of the body portion and engages a second body surface upon the projectile experiencing set-forward forces to direct forces away from the bearing elements. Biasing elements work in cooperation with the bearing configurations to automatically maintain the spindle centered with respect to the body portion during pre-launch and in-flight and to re-center the spindle after set-back, balloting and/or set-forward phases.

Growing community of inventors

Middlebury, VT, United States of America

Martin Edwy Buttolph