Thiokol Corporation

Alliant Techsystems Inc.

Thomas J Kirschner, Jr

Victor Singer

David K McGrath

Daniel C Dombrowski

Donald V Lushis

A rocket nozzle assembly is provided for operatively coupling to a rocket motor. The assembly includes a nozzle insert structure having a converging-diverging passageway with a throat region. First and second thrust control cylinders are parallel to each other and rotatable about respective axes transverse to the passageway central axis. The first and second thrust control cylinders intersect the throat region and include respective grooves. A thrust control cylinder-rotating subassembly is operatively associated with the first and second thrust control cylinders to rotate the cylinders about their respective axes and move the grooves relative to the throat region. Movement of the grooves changes the effective cross-sectional throat area of the converging/diverging passageway at the throat region for controlling the thrust when the rocket nozzle assembly is operatively engaged with an operating rocket motor.

Rocket nozzle assembly having rotatable variable thrust control cylinders, and rocket assembly comprising the same

A thrust reversal system for reducing, neutralizing and/or reversing the thrust vector resultant of a solid propellant rocket motor utilizes a movable conical piston or plenum cover that fits over a plurality of small ports that are arranged in a circumferential band around the aft dome of the rocket motor. Before actuation, the cover seals the ports. When actuated, the cover is retracted aft a pre-set distance to uncover the ports, shock and the stroke time being controlled by a shock absorber which in one embodiment of the invention is of the hydraulic type and in other embodiments is of the mechanical type. The cover becomes a baffle which directs the combustion chamber gas exiting the ports outward and forward. Suitable control of the flow characteristics may be exercised by the setting of the travel distance of the piston cover and the number, size and orientation of the ports. The time to reach a negative thrust vector can be reduced by increasing the size of the hydraulic fluid control orifice or by the use of high rate stroke mechanical shock. The amount of reverse thrust may be increased by optimizing the reversal port area and the reversal nozzle angle.

Thrust reversal system

A gas generator or rocket motor is provided in which discrete and accurate time vs. flow output relationships or profiles are established by the rotation of a rotor located between the exit and its combustion chamber to various positions to select one of a plurality of primary nozzles or orifices of accurately calibrated predetermined flow characteristics through which pressurized gases from the combustion chamber are directed by passages in the rotor. The gases then flow out of the device through an exit comprising nozzles in the case of a rocket motor.

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North East, MD, United States of America

Thomas J Kirschner, Jr