Initiator for use in laser beam ignition of solid propellants
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorNathan P. Williams
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An initiator that produces an intermediate combustion step in a system for gniting solid rocket propellant with a laser beam. The initiator comprises a pyrotechnic pellet which has a concave conical surface and a breakaway/burn center section. The pellet is positioned in a container which has a window. A laser beam is directed through the window, onto the conical surface, and initiates combustion of the pellet. The container restrains the pellet from moving during combustion.
Claims2
In a laser activated initiator for igniting solid propellants having a tubular container, a transparent window secured to said container at the rim of said container, a pyrotechnic pellet housed in said container, said pellet having a surface on which combustion is initiated, and a laser beam which shines through said transparent window onto said surface of said pyrotechnic pellet, the improvement:
- wherein said pellet has a flat side opposite said surface and said surface of said pellet is concave and generally conical ending in a tip with the tip being adjacent said flat side and separated therefrom by a thin web of pyrotechnic material forming a breakaway/burn section, whereby rays of said laser beam striking said surface tend to be reflected off of said surface wall toward the tip of said surface, the energy from said laser beam thus being concentrated at said tip and insuring ignition of said pellet on or near the top of said surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.