Aeronautics and astronautics – Missile stabilization or trajectory control – Externally mounted stabilizing appendage
Patent
1983-03-07
1985-06-18
Tudor, Harold J.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Missile stabilization or trajectory control
Externally mounted stabilizing appendage
102518, F42B 1106, F42B 1332
Patent
active
045237280
ABSTRACT:
In a guided moving warhead (1) which can be a missile or a projectile containing a long rod penetrator (3), alignment wings (5) keep the rod (3) in alignment with the warhead's velocity vector, thus maximizing its destructive potential. Two pairs of wings (5) are coupled to the rod (3) by means of a two-axis gimbal (7). One pair of wings (5) pivots along one axis of the gimbal (7) while another pair pivots about a second orthogonal axis. Aerodynamic forces cause the wings (5) to align with the relative wind, and as a result, the rod (3) aligns with the warhead's velocity vector as desired. Orthogonal components of crossflow acting upon the wings (5) can be compensated out by means of gearing the shafts (11, 15) which connect the wings (5) with the gimbal (7). In the case where warhead (1) is a missile, it is often necessary to negate the lift force imparted by the wings (5) during early low velocity stages of flight. Thus, wings (5) can be flattened against the airframe (2) of the missile (1) by a passive constraint, e.g., a shrink tubing (35) which disintegrates due to aerodynamic heating at a higher velocity stage of the flight, allowing each wing (5) to deploy into a position generally orthogonal to the airframe (2). The deployment force can be provided by torsionally and compressionally preloaded springs (19).
REFERENCES:
patent: 3098446 (1963-07-01), Jasse
patent: 3174430 (1965-03-01), Apotheloz
patent: 3195462 (1965-07-01), Petre
patent: 3695556 (1972-10-01), Gauzza et al.
patent: 3756602 (1973-09-01), Carella
patent: 3946638 (1976-03-01), Cobb
patent: 4198016 (1980-04-01), Wilson
patent: 4242960 (1981-01-01), Boeder et al.
patent: 4351503 (1982-09-01), Drori
Ford Aerospace & Communications Corporation
Radlo Edward J.
Sanborn Robert D.
Tudor Harold J.
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