Rocket exhaust deflector

A missile canister hatch comprising:

• an openable cover;
• latching means for latching said cover in a closed position;
• hinge means for allowing said cover to rotate open to a position where the open cover deflects uptake rocket exhaust flow;
• restoring torque means for supplying a torque tending to rotate said cover to an open position;
• unlatching control means for inactivating said latching means to open said hatch in response to an unlatching control signal;
• locking means for maintaining said cover in said open position;
• a drag flap attached to an inner side of said cover, having a first position almost parallel and close to said inner side of said cover, and a second, open position in which said flap is further away from said inner side of said cover;
• unlocking means for disabling said locking means in response to a change in the position of said drag flap from said first position to said second position;
• and
• deploying means for allowing said drag flap to assume said second position under the influence of the rocket exhaust from said missile.

A rocket exhaust deflection apparatus comprising:

• a missile canister having a latchable, spring-loaded hinged cover at the fly out end of said canister, said cover having a deployable drag flap on an inner side;
• a plenum communicating with a side of said missile canister;
• and
• an exhaust uptake flow channel communicating with said plenum and adjacent the hinged side of said canister cover.

A method of deflecting the uptake exhaust from a missile leaving a canister having a cover, comprising the steps of:

• opening said cover from a closed position to an open position in which said cover opens more than 90 degrees with respect to said closed position;
• locking said cover in said open position as said missile is leaving said canister;
• and
• deflecting a part of said uptake exhaust flow away from said missile by maintaining said open cover in the uptake exhaust stream.

A method of opening and closing a hatch for a missile canister having a cover, so that the exhaust from said missile flowing upwards through an adjacent uptake channel is deflected away from said missile as it leaves said canister, comprising the steps of:

• opening said cover from a closed position to an open, locked position in which said cover opens more than 90.degree. with respect to said closed position as said missile is leaving said canister and as a part of said exhaust flows through said uptake channel;
• deploying a drag flap on said cover after said missile leaves said canister;
• and
• deactivating a locking mechanism which keeps said cover in said open position;
• wherein torques exerted by said exhaust act on said drag flap and said cover to rotate said cover back toward a closed position.

A missile canister hatch comprising:

• a cover;
• opening means for moving said cover to an open position;
• locking means for locking said cover in said open position, whereby said cover in said open position deflects part of the uptake rocket exhaust flow away from said missile as it is being fired;
• closing means for moving said cover into a closed position, wherein said closing means comprise a drag flap mounted on an interior side of said cover for moving said cover into a closed position in response to the exhaust flow from said missile as it is being fired.