Impulsive rocket motor safety-arming device
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorThomas W. Hampton
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An impulsive safety-arming device provides handling safety in a rocket mo. Prior to arming, a piston is blocked in position to contain a squib, thereby preventing inadvertent ignition. After arming, the piston block is removed allowing high temperature, high pressure gas from the squib to force the piston past vent ports and to escape and ignite the motor.
Claims16
An impulsive safety-arming device for preventing unintentional ignition of a rocket motor, comprising:
- a housing defining a plurality of vent ports;
- a piston retained within said housing and constrained to motion between first and second piston positions;
- resilient sealing means retained between said piston and said housing;
- said piston, housing, and resilient sealing means defining a confined volume characterized by said piston being in said first piston position;
- said resilient sealing means being positioned to enable fluid communication between said confined volume and said vent ports when said piston is in said second piston position;
- piston blocking means positionable to forcibly retain said piston in said first piston position, retained within said housing;
- means for moving said piston blocking means from said retaining position, said moving means engaging said piston blocking means and being responsive to a first externally generated signal;
- and means for generating fluid pressure within said confined volume, said fluid pressure generation means being responsive to a second externally generated signal.
An impulsive safety-arming device for enabling safe storage and handling of a rocket motor, comprising:
- a housing defining a plurality of vent ports;
- a piston sealingly retained within said housing and constrained to motion between first and second piston positions;
- said piston and housing defining a confined volume characterized by said piston being in said first piston position;
- said plurality of vent ports being positioned to enable fluid communication between said confined volume, and the exterior of said housing when said piston is in said second piston position;
- piston blocking means retained within said housing and movable between first and second blocking positions for forcibly retaining said piston in said first piston position when said piston blocking means are in said first blocking position;
- means engaging said piston blocking means for moving said piston blocking means from said first blocking position to said second blocking position in response to a first externally generated signal;
- and
- means associated with said confined volume for generating fluid pressure within said confined volume in response to a second externally generated signal.
An impulsive safety-arming device for enabling safe storage and handling as well as for providing reliable ignition of a rocket motor, comprising:
- a gas generator;
- a container surrounding said gas generator for containing gas produced by said gas generator;
- and
- condition responsive means associated with said container for causing said container to fail to contain said gas in response to predetermined conditions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.