Articulation mechanism and elastomeric nozzle for thrust-vectored control of an undersea vehicle

A mechanism for controlling motion of a vehicle, said mechanism comprising:

• a first linkage and a second linkage;
• a first rod bearing and a second rod bearing, each of said rod bearings respectively connected radially to said first and second linkages;
• a first rod and a second rod, each rod having a first end and a second end, the first end of each rod pivotally connected respectively to said first and second rod bearings;
• a gimbal bearing having an exterior capable of being positioned within the vehicle and having a face to said first and second rods with said face including a first rod bearing and a second rod bearing in which the second end of each of said rods is pivotally connected respectively within said first and second rod bearings of said gimbal;
• a shaft having a first end and a second end, said first end affixed to said gimbal bearing opposite to said face;
• a hub encompassing a second end of said shaft;
• a plurality of spaced-apart struts, each strut having a first end and a second end, said struts extending outward from said hub at the first end of each of said struts;
• an elastomeric nozzle capable of encasing a propulsor flow of the vehicle with an inlet end capable of connection to a propulsor shroud of the vehicle and said nozzle further including an outlet end;
• an annular ring having an interior connected to the second end of each of said struts with a first side of the interior facing an interior of said outlet end of said nozzle and opposite side of the interior of said ring facing rearward as a discharge for the propulsor flow, said annular ring having an exterior attached to said outlet of said nozzle;
• and
• wherein movement of said first and second linkages radially controls movement of said first and second rod bearings to pivotally move said first and second rods thereby impacting said first and second rod bearings of said gimbal for a movement of said gimbal with said hub, said elastomeric nozzle and said annular ring in a shared plane with the movement of said gimbal to provide thrust vectoring by rotating the propulsor flow rearward at an angle of the shared plane to a desired motion of the vehicle thereby controlling an actual motion of the vehicle.