# US 2017/0284768 A1 · Carriage for rocket launch system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2017/0284768 A1 - Document ID: US20170284768A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/627,558 - Filed: 2017-06-20 - Published: 2017-10-05 - Earliest claimed: 2010-02-11 - Inventors: Howard M. Chin; Kimberly A. Carraha - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20170284768A1 ## CPC - F41F 3/06: from aircraft {(F41F3/0406 takes precedence; arrangements of rocket launchers on aircraft B64D7/08; bomb releasing in flight B64D1/06)} - B64G 1/005: {Air launch} - B64G 1/223: {Modular spacecraft systems} - B64G 1/643: {for arranging multiple satellites in a single launcher} - B64G 5/00: Ground equipment for vehicles, e.g. starting towers, fuelling arrangements (B64G3/00 takes precedence) - B64G 6/00: Space suits - F41F 3/04: for rockets - F41F: APPARATUS FOR LAUNCHING PROJECTILES OR MISSILES FROM BARRELS, e.g. CANNONS (smallarms F41C); LAUNCHERS FOR ROCKETS OR TORPEDOES; HARPOON GUNS (functional features or details common to both smallarms and ordnance, mountings therefor F41A; projecting missiles without use of explosive or combustible propellant charge F41B) - B64G: COSMONAUTICS; VEHICLES OR EQUIPMENT THEREFOR ## Abstract A carriage for use in a rocket launch system for cooperating with an electromotive cableway traction drives conveyed beneath a two axis pivot anchored to the earth, elevated into a co-axial transfer tube leading to three primary tether cables whose weight is offset by balloons. The carriage has traction drives which grip cables from which they derive power and rotate to drive the carriage from the low altitude to the high altitude. The traction drives rotate in the opposite direction as the carriage descends the cable following the launch of a rocket under gravitational force. The kinetic energy of the traction drive is converted to electrical energy which is fed back to the cables during descent of the carriage. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A carriage for transporting a rocket for use in a rocket launch system, the rocket launch system having a set of rocket transport lines extending between a low altitude and a high altitude, a set of electric power lines extending between a low altitude and a high altitude and lighter-than-air balloons connected to sets of rocket transport lines and the set of electric power lines for holding the rocket transport lines and electric power lines at respective altitudes extending between the low altitude and the high altitude, said carriage comprising: a multi-sided cross section; and a set of traction wheels for engaging said rocket transport lines and rotating to convey said carriage along said rocket transport lines. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A carriage according to claim 1 wherein said set of traction wheels is electrically powered, each traction wheel of said set of traction wheels engaging said electric power lines for deriving electric power from said electric power lines when said carriage is at a low altitude for transporting said carriage to a higher altitude. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A carriage according to claim 1 wherein said carriage further comprises receptacles for being used to lift said respective carriages into components of the rocket launch system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A carriage according to claim 3 wherein said receptacles are pin lock receptacles. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) A carriage according to claim 1 wherein said carriage further comprises an internal retractable arms having an active condition for holding a rocket securely within said carriage, and said internal retractable arm being retractable to an inactive condition to enable launch of the rocket from said carriage. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) A carriage according to claim 5 wherein said retractable arm holds a rocket with the center of gravity of the rocket being coincident with the center of gravity of said carriage. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A carriage according to claim 1 wherein said multi-sided cross section consists of three sides defining a triangular cross section, each of said three sides intersecting the other two sides to form three intersections, said carriage further comprises external recesses extending along said respective three intersections for being engaged for guidance by components of the rocket launch system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) A carriage according to claim 1 wherein the set of rocket transport lines and the set of electric power lines of the rocket launch system are integrally combined in a set of power and transporting cables, the power and transporting cables being three in number, and wherein said set of traction wheels engages the respective power and transporting cables for transporting said carriage along the power and transporting cables between lower altitudes and higher altitudes, said traction wheels comprising cylindrical wheels having annular grooves for partially enveloping the respective power and transporting cables. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A carriage according to claim 1 for use in a rocket launch system wherein the set of rocket-transporting lines and the set of electric power lines are integrally combined in a set of power and transporting cables, and wherein said set of traction wheels is a component of traction drives, wherein said traction drives comprise: electrically powered energizing apparatus for deriving electrical power from the set of power and transporting cables in response to said traction drives requiring energy to move said carriage upwards on the power and transporting cables, and for supplying electrical power to the power and transporting cables when said electrically powered energizing apparatus generates and transfers the electric power to the set of power and transporting cables while said traction drives retard the downward motion on the set of power and transporting cables. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A carriage according to claim 9 wherein said electrically powered energizing apparatus includes a motor generator operatively coupled with said respective traction wheels for being powered by said respective traction wheels when said respective traction wheels rotate as said carriage descends the power and transporting cables. ### Claim 11 (depends on 5) A carriage according to claim 5 wherein a rocket to be transported by said carriage has at least two slots, and said internal retractable arms have stem members and head members connected to said retractable arms, each of said head members enters the corresponding slot in the rocket and holds the rocket securely in said carriage in response to said internal retractable arms assuming said active condition and said head members being retractable from the slot to enable launch of the rocket from said carriage in response to said internal retractable arms assuming said inactive condition. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) A carriage according to claim 11 wherein said carriage further comprises a heat-and-pressure resistant tube, said heat-and-pressure resistant tube comprising walls defining a cavity for holding said internal retractable arm, and protecting doors movable between an open position for enabling movement of said internal retractable arm to hold a rocket in a closed position to protect said retractable arm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) A carriage according to claim 12 wherein said heat-and-pressure resistant tube further comprises cavity-covering end doors movable between a closed position for covering said cavity and an open position for uncovering said cavity, and an airflow deflector for protecting said protecting doors and said cavity-covering end doors from hot rocket exhaust gases. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) A carriage according to claim 13 and further comprising pivot pins for mounting said cavity-covering end doors for enabling the movement of said cavity-covering end door between said open and closed positions. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) A carriage according to claim 12 wherein each of said internal retractable arms comprises: a base member mounted in said cavity for moving each of said internal retractable arms between said active and said inactive positions; and a stem connecting said base member to said head member; and wherein each of said internal retractable arms are movably coupled to said cavity-covering end door; and wherein said rocket launch member further comprises: a hydraulic cylinder movably coupled to each of said internal retractable arms for moving said retractable arm between the active and inactive conditions in response to movement of said end doors to the closed position to hold the rocket securely in said carriage.