Ammunition and explosives – Igniting devices and systems – Arming devices
Patent
1996-10-10
1998-05-26
Carone, Michael J.
Ammunition and explosives
Igniting devices and systems
Arming devices
102215, F42C 1540, F23Q 702
Patent
active
057569274
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for determining whether a warhead, which is in flight and which forms part of a rocket, missile or similar device, is in a state which permits arming, the said arming being based on movement conditions and time conditions which have been preset for the warhead. The arrangement includes an acceleration sensor and an integrator which is coupled to the acceleration sensor for determining the speed of movement of the warhead, as well as a comparator for comparing the speed of movement which has been determined with a reference speed.
Electrical initiation systems for missiles include a number of circuit safety devices, for example three. A general requirement is that the circuit safety devices included must be independent of one another in the sense that a fault will affect only one circuit safety device. A first circuit safety device can consist of a mechanically manoeuvred contact coupled to the separation of the booster rocket from the missile. Second and third circuit safety devices may consist of transistor switches controlled by signals originating in an acceleration signal. The transistor circuits are controlled by arming conditions.
It has been proposed previously to base the arming conditions on the flight speed x' of the missile and on the distance flown from launch x, in parallel with two time limits t.sub.ref1, t.sub.ref2. The following arming conditions have been drawn up in this connection:
However, the proposed arming conditions have the disadvantage that they are not independent and that certain individual faults in the accelerometer can have disastrous consequences. For example, if the accelerometer wrongly gives a signal for maximum forward acceleration, this results in incorrect or false arming.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to develop a procedure and an arrangement for determining whether a warhead which is in flight is in a state which permits arming and which applies arming conditions which provide increased reliability. By means of the procedure and the arrangement, all dangerous faults in and around the accelerometer can be detected, all dangerous flights of the missile can be detected, a minimum arming distance can be guaranteed, and abnormally high ageing of the accelerometer can be detected, for example due to incorrect storage, etc.
The object of the invention is achieved by means of a procedure characterized in that the speed of the warhead is detected and compared with a reference speed, in that the time when the speed of the warhead reaches the reference speed is checked against a specified time slot with a time limit and an upper time limit defined as "first" and "second" times, respectively, and related to the launch time of the warhead, and in that arming is permitted only when the reference speed is reached within the specified time slot, i.e. between the first and second times, and by means of an arrangement characterized in that a timing circuit is set up to generate, in relation to the launch time of the warhead, a time slot with a lower time limit at a first time and an upper limit at a second time, and in that a logic circuit is arranged to permit arming only if the speed of movement of the warhead reaches the reference speed during the generated time slot.
Regarding the speed signal x', which is preferably obtained from an acceleration signal x", it is therefore required that the condition x'>x'.sub.ref be fulfilled within the time slot. The lower and upper time limits of the time slot are chosen such that the fastest and the slowest missiles permitted are included in the time slot for the chosen reference speed x'.sub.ref.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the speed of the warhead is checked against the reference speed at a third time which is later in time than the second time. The inclusion of this check guarantees the shortest possible arming distance defined by the third time, which time is also called the "end time". If any fault o
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Fixell Tomas
Ohman-Denton Leila
Bofors AB
Carone Michael J.
Wesson Theresa M.
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