Support arrangement for a space based cryogenic vessel
AssigneeGeneral Dynamics Corporation, Convair Division
InventorHugo H. Van Den Bergh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cryogenic vessel arrangement for a superconductive apparatus that is adapted to be launched into outer space for operation therein. A vacuum vessel, within which a liquid helium vessel containing the superconductive apparatus is positioned, is supported from an external frame. The liquid helium vessel is supported by a cable arrangement from the external frame independently of the vacuum vessel. The cable arrangement is preferably constructed to maintain a constant length throughout a service temperature range. A bumper arrangement is provided to provide direct support for the vacuum vessel independently of the cable arrangement during launch of the cryogenic vessel arrangement into space.
Claims10
In a space based cryogenic vessel arrangement for a superconducting apparatus that includes an external support frame and an evacuated vacuum vessel which contains a vessel adapted to receive liquid helium or the like and a superconductive apparatus, said contained vessel being spaced from said vacuum vessel, the improvement comprising;
- means for supporting said contained vessel independently of said surrounding vacuum vessel by a connection directly between said external frame and said contained vessel, said means for supporting the contained vessel comprises at least one cable assembly, said at least one cable assembly having interconnected lengths of material having contrasting coefficients of thermal expansion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.