US3690595A

US3690595A - Self-propelled, vaned missile

Info

Publication number: US3690595A
Application number: US91037A
Authority: US
Inventors: Maurice Rusbach
Original assignee: Sarmac SA
Current assignee: Sarmac SA
Priority date: 1970-11-19
Filing date: 1970-11-19
Publication date: 1972-09-12
Anticipated expiration: 1989-09-12

Abstract

A self-propelled vaned missile, designed to be fired by means of a launching tube and wherein the vane system comprises at least three fins articulated onto pins disposed at the rear of the missile, the pins being perpendicular to the axis of the missile. It is new in that the fins of the said vane system are double fins, each having blades which are joined at their hinged end by a bridge and equipped with spacing springs. These springs exert on the fins a force greater than the resistance which the air exerts on them in the course of the missile''s advance, and cause the open out of the said rear fins towards the front as soon as the missile has left the launching tube.

Description

United States Patent Rusbach [54] SELF-PROPELLED, VANED MISSILE [72] Inventor: Maurice Rusbach, Geneva, Switzerland [73] Assignee: Sarmac S.A., Geneva, Switzerland [22] Filed: Nov. 19, 1970 [2!] Appl. No.: 91,031

[451 Sept. 12, 1972 Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-James M. Hanley Attorney-Young & Thompson [57] ABSTRACT A self-propelled vaned missile, designed to be fired by means of a launching tube and wherein the vane system Comprises at least three fins articulated onto pins disposed at the rear of the missile, the pins being perpendicular to the axis of the missile. It is new in that the fins of the said vane system are double fins, each having blades which are joined at their hinged end by a bridge and equipped with spacing springs. These springs exert on the fins a force greater than the resistance which the air exerts on them in the course of the mis'siles advance, and cause the open out of the said rear fins towards the front as soon as the missile has left the launching tube.

12 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures [52] US. Cl. ..244l3.27, 102/34.1, 102/37.1 [51] Int. Cl. ..C06d 1/04, F42b 13/32 [58] Field of Search ..244/3.24, 3.27, 3.28; 102/34.1, 37.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,879,840 9/1932 Brandt ..244/3.29 X I 3,114,318 12/1963 Barnes et al. ..-102/34.1 3,098,446 7/1963 Jasse ..244/3.28 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,351,422 12/1963 France ..244l3.28

PNENTEDSEP 12 m2 sum 2 BF 3 FIG. 4

h Z Z M n 5 m U W 1 SELF-PROPELLED, VANED MISSILE Many missiles, particularly self-propelled missiles which are fired by means of a launching tube, are equipped with a vane system which opens out once the missile has left its launching tube.

In order to ensure the greatest possible firing accuracy, it is advantageous for such a vane system to open out rapidly as soon as the missile has left the launching tube.

The invention concerns a self-propelled vaned missile, the vane system of which comprises at least three fins hinged onto pins which are disposedfat the rear of the missile, the pins being perpendicular to the axis of the missile. The missile is distinguished by the fact that the fins of the said vane system are double fins, each having blades which are joined at their hinge end by a bridge and equipped with spacing springs which exert on them a force greater than the resistance which the air exerts on them in the course of the missiles advance, the springs being adapted to open out the said rear fins towards the front, as soon as the missile has left the launching tube.

Such a missile preferably has, at the rear, a coaxial nozzle around which the said fins of the vane system can be mounted. In the folded back condition the free end of the fins may bear against the rear end of the nozzle and, once opened out, their end which is hinged around the said pins may bear against the body of the missile or the front end of the nozzle.

The hinge pins of the fins of the vane system may be mounted on prongs belonging to a collar fixed to the nozzle, near the end where it is fixed to the body of the missile.

The spacing springs of the said fins may partially surround or be wound around the hinge pins of the fins. Theactive limbs of these spacing springs preferably bear, on the one hand against the nozzle and on the other hand against the corresponding fin. The force of these return springs will preferably be at least twice the resistance of the air to the advance of the missile.

The fins may have a U-shaped cross-section and the blades of these fins may possibly diverge from one another from the base of the U towards their free ends. Once .opened out, the vane system preferably represents more than twice the diameter of the missile proper, and it may comprise a device for locking the fins in their opened out position.

An embodiment of a vaned missile according to the invention and two modifications relating to details are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the whole missile.

FIG. 2 is a view of part of the missile, on a larger scale and partly in longitudinal section.

FIG. 3 is a section on the line III-III in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view of part of the missile, similar to FIG. 2 and showing the vane system opened out.

FIG. 5 is a section on the line V-V in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6 and 8 are partial views similar to FIG. 2, showing modifications, and

FIG. 7 is a section on the line VII-VII inFIG. 6.

The missile shown in the drawings is a self-propelled missile, having an explosive charge in front at 1 and a propulsive charge at the rear at 2. The propulsion gases escape through the coaxial nozzle 3, on which is mounted a collar 4 equipped with four pairs of prongs 5, each of which has a pin 6 passing through it, onto which the fins 7 of the vane system are hinged. The fins 7 are double fins of U-shaped cross-section. So long as the missile is in the launching tube, they are folded back onto the nozzle 3 against the action of the return springs 8. The blades of the fins 7 are equipped with a stiffening rib 9, and the ends 10 of the fins 7 hinged around the pins 6 are shaped so that, when the vane system is opened out, they bear against the collar 4, surrounding the front end of the nozzle 3, at the place where the latter is screwed onto the rear end of the body of the missile (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

The return springs 8 are spacing springs of the safetypin type, which are wound around the pins 6, so that their median bent back portion 11 bears against the nozzle, while their two free ends 12 bear against the lower face of the corresponding fin 7.

In the modification shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the spacing return springs 13 only partially surround the hinge pins 6 of the fins 7. Their median, bent back portion 14 bears against the nozzle 3 and their free ends 15 are bent back below the lower edge of the blades of the fins 7.

As shown in FIG. 8, the free bentback ends 15 of the spacing springs 13 may also engage in orifices 16 in the said blades of the fins 7. In this case, it will not be necessary for them partially to surround the hinge pin 6 of the fins 7. The blades of the double, U-shaped fins shown in the drawings may diverge obliquely from one another from the base of the U towards their free ends. The opening out of the fins of the vane system may, on the other hand, be limited as desired, by modifying the configuration of their end 10 bearing against the body of the missile or the front end of the nozzle, when the vane system is opened out. To ensure that the missile is really stable, the diameter of the vane system, once opened out, should preferably be over twice the diameter of the missile proper.

In order to make the vane system system open out rapidly and to prevent it from folding back partially by the effect of the resistance set up by the air, the force of the return springs 8 13 should preferably be at least twice the resistance which the air exerts on the fins during the missile s advance.

The return springs 8 13 are in all cases housed between the blades of each of the fins. The latter are not exposed, either in the folded back or the opened out state, to the dust from the propulsion gases escaping from the nozzle.

The vane system as described is perfectly suitable for missiles with single stage propulsion, where combustion is practically over when the missile leaves the launching tube and where the velocity is of the order of to 200 m/sec. However, in the case of the missile being equipped with second stage propulsion, which comes into action when the missile has covered, e.g., a distance of 50 m, after leaving the launching tube, in order to give it a wider range, it is advisable to provide a device for locking the fins of the vane system in the opened out position, in order to prevent any tendency they may have to fold back against the nozzle by the effect of the acceleration which takes place, when the second stage of propulsion of the missile is fired, in cases where the return springs would not be strong enough to resist the acceleration efiect.

As an auxiliary effect the prongs of the collar 4 allow the rear portion of the missile to be centered in the launching tube.

In one modification the prongs 5 of the collar 4 could, in the place of the orifice provided to give passage to the pin 6, have nipples facing one another, on which one could mount a hollow hinge pin which could possibly be integral with the fin 7. Or, alternatively, the prongs 5 could contain recesses into which the ends of the said pin 6 would engage. In the case of the fins being made of plastics, for example, the pin 6 could be omitted altogether and replaced by a boss provided either with two coaxial orifices for the insertion of the said nipples of the prongs 5, or with coaxial projections engaging into the said recesses in the prongs 5 of the collar 4.

The collar 4 could even be omitted altogether and the prongs 5 welded directly onto the nozzle 3 or made in one piece therewith.

When the fins 7 are made of sheet metal, which is cut out and bent, they are made integrally with the bridge connecting their two blades. The bridge gives them rigidity, which is further increased when the said blades have a longitudinal rib 9 extending below the bridge 17 (see FIG. 2). The spacing between the blades of the fins 7, corresponding to the width of the bridge 17, ensures that they are mounted stably on the pins 6 passing through the two orifices in their blades, thus preventing any wobbling of the fins.

In the FIG. 2 embodiment, the end of the fins 7, when at rest, is opposite the free end of the nozzle 3. However, the end of the fins 7, when at rest, may be beyond the free end of the nozzle 3, as shown in FIGS. 6 and 8.

The vane system described has the advantage that it can be housed in a very small space, as is the case when the diameter of the launching tube is hardly any larger than that of the nozzle of the missile.

Apart from the above-mentioned advantage, the vane system described is distinguished by the simplicity of its construction, its lightness and its relatively low cost. The number of fins may be increased to enhance the stabilizing effect, and the obliqueness of the blades of the fins can be modified as desired. On the other hand, the air lag of this type of vane system, when made of pressed sheet metal, may be less than that of vane systems with thicker fins, which minimizes the loss of range due to the aerodynamic braking of the vane system. It should further be noted that the double fins may also have lateral flaps at the ends, thus further enhancing their stabilizing action.

I claim:

l. A self-propelled vaned missile, designed to be fired by means of a launching tube and wherein the vane system comprises at least three fins articulated onto pins disposed at the rear of the missile, said pins being perpendicular to the axis of the missile, characterized in that the fins of the said vane system are double fins, each having blades which are joined at their hinged end by a bridge and equipped with spacing springs which exert on them a force greater than the resistance which the air exerts on them in the course of the missiles advance, these springs being adapted to open out the said rear fins towards the front as soon as the missile has left the launching tube, said fins having tw blades each a d havin a U-sha ed cm s sectio 2. A self-propelled vane d missile accord mg to claim 1, characterized in that the blades of the said fins have a longitudinal rib extending below the said bridge.

3. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 1, characterized in that the said fins are made of sheet metal which is cut out and bent and are made integrally with the said bridge which joins their blades at their hinged end.

4. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 1, characterized in that the blades of the said fins diverge obliquely from one another from the base of the U towards their free end.

5. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises, at the rear, a coaxial nozzle around which are mounted the fins of the vane system.

6. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 5, characterized in that the fins of its vane system are shaped so that their free end bears against the rear end of its nozzle in the folded back condition.

7. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 5, characterized in that the fins of its vane system are shaped so that their end which is hinged around the said pins bears against its body in the opened out conditron.

8. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 5, and a collar fixed to the nozzle of the missile, at the end where it is fixed to the body of the missile, said pins being mounted on prongs on said collar.

9. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 8, characterized in that the active limbs of the said spacing springs bear both against the nozzle and against the corresponding fin.

10. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 9, characterized in that the said spacing springs have legs interconnected by at least one loop wound at least partially around the said hinge pins of the fins.

1 l. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 1, characterized in that the said spacing springs are housed between the blades of each of the fins.

12. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 1, characterized in that the force of the said springs is at least equal to twice the resistance which the air exerts on its fins in the course of its advance.

Claims

1. A self-propelled vaned missile, designed to be fired by means of a launching tube and wherein the vane system comprises at least three fins articulated onto pins disposed at the rear of the missile, said pins being perpendicular to the axis of the missile, characterized in that the fins of the said vane system are double fins, each having blades which are joined at their hinged end by a bridge and equipped with spacing springs which exert on them a force greater than the resistance which the air exerts on them in the course of the missile''s advance, these springs being adapted to open out the said rear fins towards the front as soon as the missile has left the launching tube, said fins having two blades each and having a U-shaped cross section.

2. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 1, characterized in that the blades of the said fins have a longitudinal rib extending below the said bridge.

7. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 5, characterized in that the fins of its vane system are shaped so that their end which is hinged around the said pins bears against its body in the opened out condition.

11. A self-propelled vaned missile according to claim 1, characterized in that the said spacing springs are housed between the blades of each of the fins.