Locking assembly for a rocket and launch tube

In combination with a rocket launching assembly having:

• a. an elongate launching tube having a forward launching end and a rear exhaust end, and
• b. a rocket having a forward end and a rear exhaust end, and adapted to be carried within and launched from said tube,
• a locking assembly to releasably retain said rocket in said tube prior to launch, and to release said rocket for launch, said locking assembly comprising:
• a. at least one locking member mounted to said tube and having a first engaged position where the locking member engages the rocket in locking relationship, and a second release position where said locking member releases the rocket for launch,
• b. spring means urging said locking member toward its release position,
• c. a retaining member having a retaining position in which the retaining member holds said locking member in its engaged position in opposition to said spring means,
• d. said retaining member being further characterized in that the retaining member has a release portion thereof mounted adjacent the exhaust end of said rocket in a manner that exhaust from said rocket causes movement of said release portion to move said retaining member from its retaining position, so as to permit said spring means to move said locking member to its release position,
• e. said spring means comprising a resilient spring member mounted to said locking member and extending from one portion of the locking member toward a tube engaging swing end of the locking member, said spring member being yieldingly urged to a position away from said tube engaging end and positioned between said tube and said locking member, in a manner that said spring member urges said tube engaging swing end of the locking member radially inwardly,
• f. said spring member comprising a leaf spring attached to a rocket engaging swing end of said locking member and extending across a middle portion of the locking member toward the tube engaging swing end of the locking member,
• whereby prior to firing of said rocket, said locking member reliably holds said rocket in said tube, and upon firing of said rocket, exhaust gases from said rocket move the retaining member from its retaining position to permit the spring means to move the locking member to its release position and thus permit the rocket to be launched from the tube.

In combination with a rocket launching assembly having:

• a. an elongate launching tube having a forward launching end and a rear exhaust end, and
• b. a rocket having a forward end and a rear exhaust end, and adapted to be carried within and launched from said tube,
• a locking assembly to releasably retain said rocket in said tube prior to launch, and to release said rocket for launch, said locking assembly comprising:
• a. at least one locking member mounted to said tube and having a first engaged position where the locking member engages the rocket in locking relationship, and a second release position where said locking member releases the rocket for launch,
• b. spring means urging said locking member toward its release position,
• c. a retaining member having a retaining position in which the retaining member holds said locking member in its engaged position in opposition to said spring means,
• d. said retaining member being further characterized in that the retaining member has a release portion thereof mounted adjacent the exhaust end of said rocket in a manner that exhaust from said rocket causes movement of said release portion to move said retaining member from its retaining position, so as to permit said spring means to move said locking member to its release position,
• e. said spring means comprising a resilient spring member mounted to said locking member and extending from one portion of the locking member toward a tube engaging swing end of the locking member, said spring member being yieldingly urged to a position away from said tube engaging end and positioned between said tube and said locking member, in a manner that said spring member urges said tube engaging swing end of the locking member radially inwardly,
• f. said spring member having a retaining finger means releasably engaging said tube, said spring member being arranged so that when said locking member is moved toward its release position, said retaining finger means is moved out of engagement with said tube,
• whereby prior to firing of said rocket, said locking member reliably holds said rocket in said tube, and upon firing of said rocket, exhaust gases from said rocket move the retaining member from its retaining position to permit the spring means to move the locking member to its release position and thus permit the rocket to be launched from the tube.

In combination with a rocket launching assembly having:

• a. an elongate launching tube having a forward launching end and a rear exhaust end, and
• b. a rocket having a forward end and a rear exhaust end, and adapted to be carried within and launched from said tube,
• a locking assembly to releasably retain said rocket in said tube prior to launch, and to release said rocket for launch, said locking assembly comprising:
• a. a pair of locking members mounted to said tube in diametrically opposed relationship on opposite sides of said rocket, each locking member having a first engaged position where each locking member engages the rocket in locking relationship, and a second release position where each locking member releases the rocket for launch,
• b. spring means for each locking member urging its related locking member toward its release position,
• c. a retaining member having a retaining position in which the retaining member holds said locking members in their engaged position in opposition to said spring means,
• d. said retaining member being further characterized in that the retaining member has a release portion thereof mounted adjacent the exhaust end of said rocket in a manner that exhaust from said rocket causes movement of said release portion to move said retaining member from its retaining position, so as to permit said spring means to move the locking members to their release positions,
• e. said locking members each being pivotally mounted in said tube in manner to have a first swing end and a second swing end, said first swing end having a locking element thereon engaging said rocket and movable in a radially outward direction toward said release position, said second swing end being urged by its related spring member in a radially inward direction toward said release position, said retaining member engaging said second swing end in a manner to prevent said second swing end from moving inwardly when said retaining member is in its retaining position, whereby upon said retaining member being moved from its retaining position, said spring means causes said second swing end to swing inwardly, thus causing said first swing end to move outwardly to said release position,
• f. each locking member being positioned between an inner surface of said tube and an outer surface of said rocket, each locking member having a middle portion of greater dimension in a radial direction, with said first swing end and said second swing end both having smaller dimensions in a radial direction, whereby each locking member is pivotally mounted within said tube by means of its middle portion pivotally engaging said tube and said rocket,
• whereby prior to firing of said rocket, said locking members reliably hold said rocket in said tube, and upon firing of said rocket, exhaust gases from said rocket move the retaining member from its retaining position to permit the spring means to move the locking members to their release positions and thus permit the rocket to be launched from the tube.

In combination with a rocket launching assembly having:

• a. an elongate launching tube having a forward launching end and a rear exhaust end, and
• b. a rocket having a forward end and a rear exhaust end, and adapted to be carried within and launched from said tube,
• a locking assembly to releasably retain said rocket in said tube prior to launch, and to release said rocket for launch, said locking assembly comprising:
• a. a pair of locking members mounted to said tube in diametrically opposed relationship on opposite sides of said rocket, each locking member having a first engaged position where each locking member engages the rocket in locking relationship, and a second release position where each locking member releases the rocket for launch,
• b. spring means for each locking member urging its related locking member toward its release position,
• c. a retaining member having a retaining position in which the retaining member holds said locking members in their engaged position in opposition to said spring means,
• d. said retaining member being further characterized in that the retaining member has a release portion thereof mounted adjacent the exhaust end of said rocket in a manner that exhaust from said rocket causes movement of said release portion to move said retaining member from its retaining position, so as to permit said spring means to move the locking members to their release positions,
• e. each spring means comprising a resilient spring member mounted to its locking member and extending from one portion of its locking member toward a tube engaging swing end of its locking member, each spring member being yieldingly urged to a position away from said tube engaging end and positioned between said tube and said locking member, in a manner that each spring member urges said tube engaging swing end of its locking member radially inwardly, each spring member further comprising a leaf spring attached to a rocket engaging swing end of its related locking member and extending across a middle portion of its locking member toward the tube engaging swing end of its locking member,
• whereby prior to firing of said rocket, said locking members reliably hold said rocket in said tube, and upon firing of said rocket, exhaust gases from said rocket move the retaining member from its retaining position to permit the spring means to move the locking members to their release positions and thus permit the rocket to be launched from the tube.

In combination with a rocket launching assembly having:

• a. an elongate launching tube having a forward launching end and a rear exhaust end, and
• b. a rocket having a forward end and a rear exhaust end, and adapted to be carried within and launched from said tube,
• a locking assembly to releasably retain said rocket in said tube prior to launch, and to release said rocket for launch, said locking assembly comprising:
• a. at least one locking member mounted to said tube and having a first engaged position where the locking member engages the rocket in locking relationship, and a second release position where said locking member releases the rocket for launch,
• b. spring means urging said locking member toward its release position,
• c. a retaining member having a retaining position in which the retaining member holds said locking member in its engaged position in opposition to said spring means,
• d. said retaining member being further characterized in that the retaining member has a release portion thereof mounted adjacent the exhaust end of said rocket in a manner that exhaust from said rocket causes movement of said release portion to move said retaining member from its retaining position, so as to permit said spring means to move said locking member to its release position,
• e. releasable connecting means having a first connecting position connecting said locking member to said tube when said locking member is in its first engaged position, and a second disengaged position to disengage the locking member from the tube when said locking member is in its second release position to permit said locking member to move from said tube,
• whereby prior to firing of said rocket, said locking member reliably holds said rocket in said tube, and upon firing of said rocket, exhaust gases from said rocket move the retaining member from its retaining position to permit the spring means to move the locking member to its release position and thus permit the rocket to be launched from the tube.

A locking device adapted to be used in a rocket launching assembly to retain a rocket in a launch tube prior to launch, and to release said rocket for launch, said device comprising:

• a. a locking member comprising:
• 1. a first swing end portion having a locking element adapted to releasably engage said rocket in locking relationship,
• 2. a second swing end portion having a releasable connecting member adapted to releasably engage said tube,
• 3. an enlarged intermediate portion of greater dimension adapted to be positioned pivotally between said rocket and said launch tube in a manner to permit rotational movement of said locking member from a first engaged position where the locking member engages the rocket and tube in locking relationship and a disengaged position where said locking member becomes disengaged from both said tube and said sprocket,
• b. a spring member mounted on said locking member and positioned to spring outwardly from said locking member in a manner that with said locking member mounted in its engaged position said spring member urges said locking member from its engaged position to its disengaged position.