US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

United States of America As Represented by the Secretary of the Air Force

William J Lawrence

Gould Gibbons, Jr

John A Stolan

Jerry Lee Watson

Steven O Leisch

A controlled fuel flow system from variable flow solid fuel gas generator to secondary combustor is provided, which system includes a hot gas valve which is operated by an electronic controller. The valve is mounted between the gas generator and the secondary combustor, which valve has in the throat thereof a pivotable blade that moves to relatively blocking and unblocking positions therein and a nozzle downstream of such blade which communicates with the secondary combustor. A first pressure transducer is mounted in the gas generator and a second pressure transducer is mounted downstream of such blade near or in the nozzle. Actuator means are also provided to pivot such blade between relatively blocked and unblocked settings as guided by electronic gas flow controller logic. The secondary combustor has one or more air ducts therein and the above system is mounted, e.g., in a variable flow ducted rocket. In operation a fuel flow command is read by such logic which reads the above two pressure transducers and the valve blade position and then rotates such blade in the valve throat to throttle the hot gas therethrough toward the commanded fuel flow in a multi-read-adjust process and repeats the above sequence pursuant to such fuel flow commands to propel the rocket as directed.

Electronic valve control for gas generator outflow

A composite, layered shield for protecting a vehicle housing explosives in an ammunition stowage compartment from the detonation of said explosives while in said compartment. Said shield comprises, in a layered fashion, a first layer of an energy absorbing rubber, a pusher plate layer, a crush element layer, and a second layer of an energy absorbing rubber. In order to protect the vehicle, the ammunition stowage compartment is lined with the composite, layered shield of the present invention. The shield is mounted in such a manner that the energy absorbing rubber is closest to the explosives, followed by the pusher plate, then the crush element, and finally the second energy absorbing rubber layer. The overall areal density of the shield is about 17.6 pounds per square foot. Said shield is light weight and provides effective blast and shock protection for the walls of the explosive containing stowage compartment as well as for the vehicle housing the stowage compartment.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

William J Lawrence