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US 7,207,254 B2Granted
Launching of missiles
AssigneeMbda UK Limited
InventorsAlan J. Veitch, Anthony Machell, John W. M. Winter, Roger T. Harriss
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A missile launcher comprising a canister for housing a missile and piston based launcher, the piston being arrested in the tube after launch of the missile.
Claims10
A missile launch apparatus comprising:
- at least one canister, each canister comprising a tube with an opening for receiving a missile;
- a piston means including a piston and a propulsion means for moving the piston along the canister thereby ejecting the missile, wherein the propulsion means is attached to or embedded within the piston means such that the propulsion means remains with the piston means during ejection of the missile from the canister;
- and
- a thruster pack for bleeding gases from said propulsion means and for providing initial lateral control of said missile.
1 more element
A method of launching a missile, comprising the steps of:
- loading a launch tube a missile, said launch tube including an opening for receiving said missile,
- ejecting the missile from the launch tube using a piston and a propulsion means for moving the piston along the launch tube, wherein the propulsion means is attached to or embedded within the piston such that the propulsion means travels with the piston during ejection of the missile from the launch tube;
- and
- bleeding gases from said propulsion means to power a thruster pack for providing initial lateral control of said missile.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.