Abstract:
A jet tab steerable missile having a plurality of tab-shaped elements rotatably mounted on the rear portion of the missile adjacent the nozzle. The tab-shaped elements are capable of 360.degree. rotary movement from a thrust vector control position into the air stream. In so doing the tab-shaped elements will provide post "burn out" side force generation, and therefore, extend range control of the missile.
Abstract:
A two axis, three gimbal tracker for use with a missile or the like. The cker utilizes a lens barrel which has unlimited angular freedom in one axis, and more than 50.degree. of angular freedom in the other axis, and is mounted to the side of the carrying vehicle.
Abstract:
An apparatus mounted in an intercept or seeker missile for computing during the flight of the intercept missile toward a target, such as another or target missile, a continuous estimate of the "time to go" to the point of closest approach of the intercept missile to the target and producing a control signal which varies in accordance with the "time to go" and which may be used for such purposes as arming a warhead of the intercept missile, controlling the navigational system of the intercept missile, and the like.
Abstract:
1. For use in a guided missile system of the conical scanning type an angle gating system comprising: A. A FIRST INPUT TERMINAL FOR RECEIVING A SINE WAVE SIGNAL GENERATED BY THE CONICAL SCANNING OF THE SEEKER ANTENNA IN THE DIRECTION OF A TARGET TO BE TRACKED, B. A SECOND INPUT TERMINAL FOR RECEIVING A SINE WAVE REFERENCE SIGNAL REPRESENTATING THE INSTANTANEOUS POSITION OF THE SCANNING DEVICE, C. A THIRD INPUT TERMINAL FOR RECEIVING A SINE WAVE REFERENCE SIGNAL SHIFTED NINETY DEGREES IN PHASE FROM THE PHASE OF THE SINE WAVE SIGNAL RECEIVED AT SAID SECOND INPUT TERMINAL, D. RIGHT-LEFT MODULATOR CIRCUIT MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SECOND INPUT TERMINAL FOR PRODUCING AN OUTPUT SINE WAVE, E. UP-DOWN MODULATOR CIRCUIT MEANS COUPLED TO SAID THIRD INPUT TERMINAL FOR PRODUCING AN OUTPUT SINE WAVE THAT IS NINETY DEGREES OUT-OF-PHASE WITH THE OUTPUT SINE WAVE FROM SAID RIGHTLEFT MODULATOR, F. A SUMMING NETWORK COUPLED TO THE OUTPUTS OF SAID RIGHT-LEFT AND UP-DOWN MODULATOR CIRCUITS MEANS FOR GENERATING AN OUTPUT SINE WAVE MEMORY SIGNAL, G. COMPARATOR CIRCUIT MEANS COUPLED TO SAID FIRST INPUT TERMINAL AND TO THE OUTPUT OF SAID SUMMING NETWORK FOR GENERATING AN OUTPUT SIGNAL WHENEVER THE AMPLITUDES OF THE TWO INPUTS ARE OF UNEQUAL VALUES OF A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT.
Abstract:
1. An attitude control system for maintaining a missile on a launch predetermined path comprising means mounted on the missile for indicating a deviation from said predetermined path including means for providing an output signal representative of angular position change and means for providing an output signal representative of angular rate change, means for modifying said angular position change signal by multiplying it by a factor ''''a'''' whereby a congruent ((T-D)/(k/p) - 1), an algebraic summation means responsive to said modified position and rate change signals and operable to provide a combined output representative of their algebraic summation, and means operatively connected to and controlled by the output of said summation means, said last mentioned means operable to provide a corrective force to return the missile to its predetermined path.
Abstract:
A projectile including, a housing, an optical tracker, and a gyroscope disposed within the housing, the housing having a nose section and a base section forming a chamber enclosing the tracker and the gyroscope, the nose section having a window, the optical tracker having an optical lens unit and an image detector unit mounted on the gyroscope, the optical unit being arranged to receive an image through the window and to transmit the image to the image detector unit, the gyroscope comprising, a stator mounted on the base section within the chamber, the stator having a stator axis, a hollow rotor mounted on the stator, the rotor having a rotor axis intersecting the stator axis at a pivot point, anti-friction means disposed between the stator and the rotor, drive means adapted to rotate the rotor relative to the stator about the rotor axis, wherein the stator has a peripheral wall enclosing a recess, the recess being arranged to receive the image detector unit, the stator peripheral wall having a spherical outer surface, the spherical outer surface having a spherical center substantially coinciding with the pivot point.
Abstract:
A uniform array of quasi-optical horn shaped baffles are carried on the hemispherical nose of a missile. The horns are so made that each one has a field-of-view of a discrete portion of the space around the missile nose. Each horn is generally a hollow wedge with its point on the longitudinal axis of the missile, its open base on the nose of the missile, and with a photocell inside near its point. A discrete horn provides an output from its photocell for a particular point-source target. Each output causes a unique output from a digital-to-analog converter. The output of the converter is the input to a controller for the steering fins of the missile.
Abstract:
A missile control system for a guided missile wherein spoilers are used for making small corrections in the trajectory of the guided missile during the launch and cruise phase and conventional control surfaces are employed to make large trajectory corrections in the final homing phase of its trajectory. The spoilers are mounted in the extremities of a missile''s wing members and tail fins; those mounted in the wing members accomplishing pitch and yaw corrections and those in the tail fins roll corrections. The spoilers are extended and retracted by solenoid devices.
Abstract:
3. In combination, an airframe having a fuselage and wings, a jet motor detachably mounted on the fuselage in substantially parallel relation thereto, the airframe having one center of gravity with the motor mounted thereon and a second center of gravity with the motor detached therefrom, a booster rocket disposed within and substantially parallel with said fuselage, a pair of rocket supporting tracks having their upper surface below the rocket center and adapted to support the rocket in one position or in a second position wherein the rocket is turned 180* about its longitudinal axis, driving lugs extending diametrically and transversely from the front end of the rocket and resting on said tracks, thrust abutment means on the fuselage for said driving lugs, a pair of vertically extending lugs on the rocket near the rocket rear portion, means on the fuselage for sideways holding said vertical lugs, latch means for longitudinally holding the rocket in place, and a rearwardly extending exhaust nozzle on the rocket, said nozzle being canted from the longitudinal center line of the rocket so that the nozzle center line in one position passes through one of said centers of gravity and when the rocket is turned 180* about its longitudinal center line the nozzle center passes through the other one of said centers of gravity.
Abstract:
An optical ''''seeker'''' system for a guided missile, the system being so designed that a minimum amount of structure is required to be stabilized. Whereas certain known arrangements necessitate mounting the mirror and lens of the optical assembly on a stabilized gimbal while the detector is fixed in place, the present concept reverses this approach and mounts only the detector on the gimbal while the mirror and lens are secured to the missile body. This simplifies overall design and yields a system which is not only more rugged but permits the use of larger optical components with a greater energy-collecting capacity.