Low cost segmented structure for pressure vessels, rocket motors, piping
AssigneeThiokol Corporation
InventorsFrederick W. Van Name, Michael A. Gerace, Victor Singer, Brendan M. Walsh
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A composite structure for rocket motors includes a longitudinal element of the composite structure, which is an assembly of segments of clamshell or barrel stave form. The element is held in place by a circumferential element, which is a composite overwrap of reinforcing fibers in a resin matrix. The matrix may be thermoplastic or thermosetting. The reinforcing fiber being high strength polyolefin thereby providing the rocket motor with insensitive munitions capability.
Claims19
The method of assembling a rocket motor comprising a thermoplastic cartridge, a propellant grain, case segments, and a composite overwrap, said method comprising
- casting said propellant grain into said cartridge
- curing said propellant in said cartridge
- installing said case segments over said cartridge so that said segments are joined along mated edges
- overwrapping said case segments with said composite overwrap, and
- curing said composite overwrap,
- said composite overwrap comprising reinforcing fiber in a resin matrix, said reinforcing fiber being high strength polyolefin, thereby providing insensitive munitions capability to said rocket motor,
- said composite overwrap being overwrapped over said case segments and cured so as to maintain said joined edges in said joined position and so as to withstand the intended pressure on said segments.
A composite structure intended to withstand pressure for use as a rocket motor case containing propellant comprising
- two or more segments with adjacent abutting edges generally parallel to the length of said composite structure to form a part of said composite structure and said segments having joining means along at least one end for joining with a closure and
- a composite overwrap, wrapped over said segments so as to maintain said adjacent edges in the abutting position,
- said composite comprising
- reinforcing fiber in
- a matrix of a resin
- said fiber being hoop-wrapped in side-by-side fashion over the surface of said segments so that said reinforcing fiber will withstand the intended hoop loading on said composite structure while said segments will withstand the intended longitudinal loading due to said joining means and said reinforcing fiber being high strength polyolefin thereby providing said rocket motor with insensitive munitions capability by said reinforcing fiber melting below the temperature at which said contained propellant ignites spontaneously.
A rocket motor comprising
- a thermoplastic cartridge, filled with
- a propellant,
- a segmented case containing said filled cartridge,
- a composite overwrap covering said segmented case,
- said segmented case having two or more segments abutting along mated edges parallel to the length of said case,
- at least one end of said segmented case having joining means for joining with a closure with strength sufficient to withstand the intended longitudinal loading on said case,
- said composite overwrap being wrapped over said segments so as to maintain said mated edges in said abutting position,
- said composite overwrap comprising
- reinforcing fiber in
- a matrix of a resin,
- said fiber being hoop-wrapped in side-by-side fashion over the surface of said segments so as to maintain said mated edges in the abutting position, and so that said reinforcing fiber will withstand the intended hoop loading on said case, and said reinforcing fiber being high strength polyolefin, thereby providing said rocket motor with insensitive munitions capability, by said reinforcing fiber melting below the temperature at which said contained propellant ignites spontaneously,
- said thermoplastic having sufficient elongation to withstand the intended pressure on said case.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.