USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Other

The United States of America As Represented by the Navy

Matthew J Sanford

Keith B Lewis

Gregory D DuChane

Randolph T Johnson

Stephen N Stiles

Larry E Crabtree

Thomas A DelGuidice

James F Cahill

Paul G Wallman

Pamela Johns

Diana O Bragunier

Victoria L Beam

Roger L Ellis

Zachary A Spears

A gyroscopic stabilizer has a ring mounted at a missile rocket nozzle exit for rotation about the exit. The ring bears vanes extended inwardly into gases exiting from the nozzle and configured for rotation by the exiting gases so that the rotating mass of the ring gyroscopically stabilizes the missile. The ring may be mounted by a bearing having rolling elements or sliding surfaces. The axial length of the ring may be substantially less than its diameter. The ring has a low moment of inertia and is accelerated to stabilizing speed by vanes minimally impeding the exiting gases. When the stabilizer is used on a rocket propelled missile launched from a tube, the missile is fully stabilized in the tube before burnout and there is no rotational friction between the tube and the missile.

Gyroscopic stabilizer

The present disclosure relates to a high-density rocket propellant and associated recoilless launching systems and methods with tungsten powder added providing substantial mass to the propellant for additional impulse, absorption of sound, optimization of back blast and carry weight, and the like. In an exemplary embodiment, the high-density rocket propellant includes tungsten mass percentages of between about 70%-about 80%, equivalent to about 17%-about 26% by volume.

High-density rocket propellant

A thermally activated initiator assembly uses a first bar that experiences a change in length as a function of temperature. The first bar is coupled to a first support. A second support is pivotally coupled to the first support and to the first bar so that the second support may move relative to the first support when the first bar experiences the change in length. An initiator is coupled to the second support adjacent to the high side of a ramp on the second support. A second bar is rigidly coupled to the first support. The second bar rests on the low side of the ramp prior to the first bar experiencing the change in length. When the first bar experiences the change in length, the second support moves relative to the first support causing the second bar to slide along the ramp until it falls off the ramp's high side to strike the initiator.

Thermally activated initiator assembly

An arrangement for recoilless launch including a non-gaseous reaction mass having a weight in a range of about 25% to about 75% of a weight of a projectile. For the same projectile energy, less propellant is required than a rocket, which minimizes backblast and reduces before-launch weight. The recoilless launching is adapted to shoulder-launched projectiles in a confined space. The reaction mass may be particles associated with a propellant so as to be released concurrently as the propellant turns into gas and accelerated by and with the propellant gas in a nozzle.

Recoilless launching

A warhead includes a gas containing canister having a front end onto which is screwed a valve assembly having an interior which is in gas communication with the canister. A structure-penetrating nose connected onto the valve assembly. Positioned around a periphery of the valve assembly is a plurality of hollow frangible plugs. The nose includes a shoulder portion that shears the plugs upon impact with a target thus allowing gas within the canister and valve assembly to escape to an atmosphere.

Wall penetrating, agent dispensing warhead

A projectile defense system uses a rocket exhaust generator to generate a rocket exhaust after an approaching projectile is detected/sensed. The rocket exhaust generator directs the rocket exhaust therefrom in a region that intercepts the trajectory of the approaching projectile.

Rocket exhaust defense system and method

A self-contained non-lethal munition system is provided for use with a shoulder launcher. A barrel is coupled to a breech end of the launcher and is coaxially aligned therewith. A solid sphere having a hardness in the range of approximately 50 durometer is pressure sealed in the barrel. Launch pressure is supplied aft of the sphere. The launch pressure must overcome the sphere's pressure seal with the barrel and propel the sphere with a kinetic energy of between approximately 135-220 Joules/cm for distances up to approximately 30 meters.

Non-lethal munition system for shoulder launcher

A countermass assembly is axially and radially restrained while within a vessel and is dispersible into its component parts upon being ejected from the vessel into an open environment. A plurality of groups arranged axially adjacent one another to form a stack. Each group is formed from a plurality of rings arranged in a nested interengagement. Each ring is an individual ring that is in a non-binding relationship with adjacent rings. The non-binding relationship allows each ring to be separable as such from its associated group when the stack is ejected from the vessel into the open environment.

Nested ring based countermass assembly

A water-activated locking mechanism has a housing with a chamber formed therein. Compressed water-absorbent fiber pellets are housed in the chamber. Ports in the housing allow water to enter the chamber when the housing is immersed in water. Mounted in the housing is a slidable piston assembly that is biased towards the chamber with a first end of the piston assembly residing in the chamber. A pin assembly is slidably mounted in the housing at an angle relative to the piston assembly. The pin assembly is biased towards the piston assembly with one end of the pin assembly contacting an indented portion of the piston assembly to define a first position of the pin assembly. When the housing is immersed in water, the fiber pellets expand and apply a force to the first end of the piston assembly. The piston assembly then slides within the housing with the indented portion thereof moving past the pin assembly. When the larger diameter first end of the piston assembly aligns with the end of the pin assembly, the pin assembly is moved against its bias and locked in a second position.

Water-activated locking mechanism

A recoilless projectile launcher system has a projectile residing in a launch tube with a propellant charge coupled to the aft end of the projectile. A first tube is slidingly fitted in the launch tube, is coupled to the aft end of the projectile, and encases the propellant charge. The first tube has a first portion extending from the propellant charge and a second portion extending from the first portion towards the breech end. The first portion has a constant inside diameter while the second portion has a reduced inside diameter relative to the constant inside diameter of the first portion. A piston, slidingly fitted in the first portion of the first tube, is positioned adjacent the propellant charge. A second tube is coupled to the piston and extends towards the launch tube's breech end. The second tube has a constant inside diameter and a constant outside diameter with the constant outside diameter forming a sliding fit with the second portion of the first tube. A dispersible countermass resides in the second tube and is dimensionally stable independent of the second tube.

Triple-tube, dispersible countermass recoilless projectile launcher system

A line charge assembly and system are provided for use in a shallow-water obstruction clearing operation. Each assembly has a propulsion unit capable of flight through the air, a line charge array, an air-safed water-armed fuze, and at least one explosive diode. The line charge array is defined by a plurality of line charges successively coupled to one another by a line capable of transferring detonation energy therealong successively to each of the line charges. One end of the line charge array is coupled to the propulsion unit and the other end is coupled to the fuze. The fuze is capable of generating the detonation energy only when in water. The explosive diode is positioned in the line charge array to limit transfer of the detonation energy in a direction of propagation running from the fuze to the propulsion unit. The system utilizes a plurality of the line charge assemblies deployed over an area. If a line charge assembly has a dud fuze, the explosive diode prevents the back propagation of sympathetic detonation energy to any of the assembly's line charges that reside between the dud fuze and explosive diode.

Line charge assembly and system for use in shallow-water clearing operations

A line charge assembly and system are provided for use in a shallow-water obstruction clearing operation. Each assembly has a propulsion unit capable of flight through the air, a line charge array, an air-safed water-armed fuze, a first interrupter disposed between the line charge array and the fuze, and a second interrupter disposed in the line charge array. The line charge array is defined by a plurality of line charges successively coupled to one another by a detonation line capable of transferring detonation energy therealong successively to each line charge. The line charge array has a first end coupled to the propulsion unit and has a second end coupled to the first interrupter. The fuze generates the detonation energy at the expiration of a first time period provided the fuse is in water. The first interrupter permits the detonation energy to be transferred from the fuze to the second end of the line charge array until the expiration of a second time period. The second interrupter permits the detonation energy to be transferred therethrough until the expiration of a third time period. The first time period expires before the expiration of the second and third time periods. The first interrupter operates independently of the fuze to essentially sterilize a dud fuze. The second interrupter operates independently of the fuze and first interrupter to prevent the back propagation of sympathetic detonation energy to any of the assembly's line charges that reside between it's fuze and the first interrupter in the case where the fuze is a dud.

An energy-absorbing countermass assembly for a weapon has a crushable section, a piston at the forward end of the crushable section, and at the rearward end of the crushable section. The countermass can be a rupturable enclosure filled with a dispersible material.

Energy-absorbing countermass assembly for recoilless weapons

A mechanical device for generating actuating movement has a housing defining a first bore and a second bore contiguous therewith. The housing also defines radial ports that allow an environment about the housing to communicate with the first bore. A first piston is slidably mounted in the first bore. A second piston is slidably mounted in the second bore and is positioned so that it is flush with the first bore. A spring, coupled to the first piston, is capable of an at-rest state in which the first piston seals off the radial ports while being spaced apart from the second piston. The spring is also capable of a compressed state in which the first piston is positioned such that the radial ports communicate with the first bore between the first and second pistons. When the spring is released from its compressed state and allowed to transition to its at-rest state, the first piston moves to seal off the radial port(s) and subsequently pressurize any fluid in the first bore between the first piston and the second piston. If the fluid is incompressible (e.g., water), the pressurized fluid drives the second piston along the second bore to create the actuating movement.

Growing community of inventors

Bel Alton, MD, United States of America

Matthew J Sanford