Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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~ING HO11SING AND COVER RELEAS E ASSEMBLY
FOR SELF-ERECTING WING
8ACKGRWND OF TEIE ïNVENTION
The present invention relates lto rockets and missiles
and per~ains particularly to collapsible wing s~ructures
for such missiles.
Many rockets and missiles u illze some form of wing or
stabilizer structure for stabilizing the mis~ile during
1~ 1ight. Missiles are requently stored and launched from
tubular laun~hers and are frequently deployed from aircraft
or other missiles. ~nder such circumstances it ~5 fEe-
quently necessary to minimize ~he space ~or the mi5sile
until it is launched~ Folding wings of various types and
configurations have been utilized in the past to minimize
the space required for such missiles.
The premium for space requires that ~he folding or
collapsin~ wing structures be foldable or collapsable to a
minimum space. In addition~ the ~light characteristics o
the missile require opti~num reliability and performance o~
the deployed wing struc~ure. It i~ therefore de~irable
that the folding wing structure have highly efficient
flight characteristics and, at the same time, be foldable
to a minimum space~
A cavity or wing housing mus be provided within the
airframe s~ruc~ure for ~ontaining the folded wing and open
to the exterior of 'che air~rame to permit extension of the
wing. A reliable closure must be proYided for the openlng
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that functions to eliminate excessive drag, to effectively
contain the wing structure and to permit extensiorl of the
wing without interf erence.
SU~5MARY AND OBJECTS OF T~E INVENTION
It is therefore the primary object o~ the present
invention to provide an improved wing ~uppor~ structure for
collapsible wings.
In accordance wi~h ~he primary aspect of the present
inventiQn, a telescopic w~ng suppor~ struct~re for a col-
lapsible and extensible wing structure includes inner and
outer telescoping stru~ members including a leading strut
and a trailing strut, being telescopically compressed tD a
colinear position within a compact housing mounted Oll an
airf rame and includes an opening through whioh the wings
extend to the ully deployed extended position with a
releasable cover that can be jettisoned to enable extension
of the wings.
BRIEF DESCRI~TION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects and advantages of the
present invention will become apparent f rom the following
description when read in conjunctlon with the accompanying
dzawings wherein:
Figure 1 iS a perspective view of a typical missile
incorporating the ~elf~exec~ing wingsO
Figure 2 is a side elevat~on view of the wtng-
containing section of the misslle body, wl~h the wings
folded and enclosedO
Figure 3 as a top plan vlew of one wing unit in the
erected posi ~ion.
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Figure 4 is a sec~ional.: view ~aken on line 4-4 of
Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a sectional view talcen on line 5-5 of
5 Figure 3~
~ igure 6 is sectional view taken on line 6-6 of Figure
2.
~ igure 7 i5 an enla.rged sectional view taken on line
7-7 o:E Figure 2.
Figure 8 is a view similar to Fiyure 7, but with the
cover released and the wing erected.
Figure 9 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line
g-9 of Figure 4O
Figure 10 is an enlarged view similar to a portion of
lS Figure S, showing the cover latch in released positiorl~,
DRTAXLED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Turning to the drawings, khere is illustra~ed in F~g~
ure 1 a missile having a generally cyl~ndrical body 10 with
a nose cone 12 and a plurali~y of ~adially outwardly
extending w!ngs 14 extending outwardly from a p:Lurality of
circumferentially arranged lon~itudinally extending slot~
16 in the body 10. A plurality o~ guiding or steering f ins
or rudders 18 extend radially outward f rom the 'cail end of
the missile body.
The miss.ile can have any suitable form of guidance and
propulsion systems and any required configllra~cion of war-
head. The missile can be launched in any suitable manner
such as from ground vehicl es or locations, aircraft~ or
o~her missiles. The space saving developments of ~che
3û present invention~ however, were primarily developed f o~
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utilization in missiles transported by other missiles
whereln ~pace and rel;ability^is a premium.
The wings can have any suitable conf igurat;on wi~h the
illustrated embodimerlt having a generally ~riangular con-
5 figuration~ The wing fabric covering S6 is constructed ofa flexible or pliable material such as a ligh~we.ight nylo
or dacron and is cut and sewn in a way that it precisely
conforms to the supporting strut assembly in its extended
posi ti orl.
10The wing assembly is self-contained and is a complete-
ly operable modular unit that can be detachably mounted
wi'chin the rocket body positîoned for extension or retrac-
tion of the wing through a slot in the rocket bodyO The
wing assembly includes a channel housing 20 having an
15 elongated multiwidth slot 22 extending the length o the
housing def ining a chamber or cavity within which the wing
folds. The housing 20 has an outer configuration or curva-
ture conforming substantially to the shape of the surace
of the missile and includes means that will be described/
20 including a disposable cover 26 for covering the retracted
wing opening. Th housing body 20 includes a base plate 24
as can ~est be seen in Figures 7 throu9h 9~ The base plate
24 is detachable fLom the housing 20 and serves as the
primary mounting structure for the wing strutsO The plate
2~ 24 also serves to clamp ~che wing covering ~abric between
the base plate and housingn
The housiny is of a depth 2nd width to receive and
enclose the collapsed wing strut assembly and the fabric
covering thereof and includes a detachable cover 26 as
shown in ~igures 7 and B for coverin~ the retracted wing
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pocketO The wing housing is mounted at an opening in the
sk in of the m i ss il e I
The support strut assembly ~Eor the wing :Eabric is best
seen in Figure 4 and includes a forward strut assembly
5 pivotally mounted or hinged on a forward hinge bracket 28
mounted tQ the forward end of the hottom plate 24 and a
trailing strut pivotally mounted to a trailing hinge brack-
et 30 secured to the bottom plate 24. The ~orward strut
~ncludes a lower outer tubular strut member 32 pivotally
mounted or hinged to the bracket 28 and telescopingly
receiving an inner upper tubular strut member 34 which i5
pivotally secured by means of a hinge pin 36 at the outer
end to the trailing strutO A compression spring 38 is
mounted within the bore of both the lower and upper tubular
members 32 and 34 and extends substantially the full length
thereof. This s'pring is preferably under sufficient com-
pression at its ou ermost positlon to retain the strut in
its extended position under normal circumstances.
The trailing stru~c is substantially identical to the
20 leading s~rut including a lower tubular strut member 40
hinged to the hinge bracket 30 and telescopingly receiving
a tubular inner or upper tubular strut member 42. A com-
pression s!?ring 44 is confined within the bore of the
tubul~r members and extends substantially the full length
25 'chereof and simi~ arly is under su~icient compression a'c
its outermost position for retaining the strut in its
extended pos i ti on,,
The outer end of inner strut mernber 34 includes a
bifurcated hinge bracket member 4~ receiving a hinge member
3û 48 of the inner strut member 4~.
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Each strut is provided with an extension or anticol-
lapse lock (not shown) to pr~vent the wing loading f rom
compressing the ~trut. These locks are formed as fingers
by cuttin~ a narrow ~-shaped slot in the wall of the upper
S strut member. The finger bent outward with its free end
pointing toward the open end of the upper strut 34 or 42
such that when biased outward it engages the outer end of
the outer strut member 32 or 40.
At least one of the struts is provided with an anti-
rotation--lock to preven~ accidental rot~tion of the outer
strut members when the stru~s are in a colinear or col-
lapsed positionO Turning to Figures 4 and 6, antirotation
locks are provided and each respeotively consists of pins
54 and 56 extending outward from ~he upper strut me~ber at
15 a position to engage slots 58 and and 60 at the outer end
of the lower strut members 32 and 40 upon complete collapse
of the strut assembly to the colinear position as shown in
Figure 6~ Although ~wo locks are illustrated, one for
each strut, a single lock would appear to serve the purpose
20 in most instances.
Turning now to Figure 4, a leaf spring 62 is disposed
or mounted on the base plate 24 disposed directly beneath
the strut assembly for engaging and applying a force to the
strut assembly below the hinge pin 36 upon folding of the
25 struts ~o the collapsed posi~ion as shown in ~igure 6.
This spring 62 provides an initial outward ~hrust or force
on the struts preventing them from locking in the collapsed
positionO
The fabric oover 66 of the wing, as previousl~ dis-
cussed~ is shaped to encompass the strut structure and
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includes ~ base portion or sklrt portion 67 that is secured
to the wing housing 20 by clamping between the base plate
24 and the housing and ~ncluding peripheral clamp pla~es
64 as can be ;een in Figures 7 and 80 These ensure
5 a secur~ attachment of the wing fabr~ c to the winq housing.,
The above describe~ wing struc~ure can be collapsed
into a folded position and the ~abric covering rolled
within the winy housing as shown in Figure 7q This is
accomplished by compressing the strut locks and apply:;ng a
lû force at the tip oE the wing in a direction that ~elescop-
ically compresses or collapses the two struts. The struts
become progre~sively sho~ter - and pivo ab~ut the lower
hinge pins until they reach ~he fully folded or collapsed
position where the~ are colinear ar,d lying against the base
15 plate 24 as showll in Figures 6 and 7~ At this point~ the
compression springs 38 and 44 within the two struts are
fully cvmpressed to very near . their solid heights a'c which
position they deliver their maximum forceq ~ith the struts
in this position, however, the spring force is in a direc-
20 tion colinear ~r coaxially t~ereof and does not tend to
force the wings openO In order to initiate unfold.ing ~f
the winys, it is necessary to bias or force the stru~ ~rom
this posi'cionO This is accomplished by means of the leaf
spring 62 applying a force biasir~g the s.ruts ~ small
25 distance outward such that ~he compression springs within
the stru~s act ~co quic:kly snap the wing o~l~ward to its
fully extended position~ The spring 62 is positioned and
shaped~ as shown in Figure 4, such that when the struts are
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in a fully collapsed position as shown in Figure 6 the
~pring is loaded to provide an initial ~orce for extension
of the struts and wing assembly.
A releasable cover extends over and covers the opening
S over the folded wing s~ructure as best sPen~ for example,
in Figures 2, 6 and 7O This wing cover 26 comprises an
elonga~ed generally rec~angular plate covering the houslng
opening when the wing is folded therein. The wing coYer 26
as best seen in Figures 7 and 8 includes a plural ity of
hinge tabs 68 on and extending along one side of the cover
And a plurality of latch tabs 70 extending along the other
side of the cover. The hinge tabs 68 fit under the hinge
pins 72~ The latch tabs 70 extend beneath and engage latch
fîngers 80 on the latch plate 76. The upper surface of the
lS cover as seen in ~igure 7 is ~urved to conform generally to
the configuration of the missile housing ~o provide mini-
mum resistance to air flow and to elimina'ce space occupying
protruberances.
As best seen in Figure 3~ a plurality of hinge pins 72
2Q are mounted in a plurality oE slots or depressions 74 along
one side of the wing housing and are engaged by the hing~
tabs 68. A slideable latch plate 76 as shown in Figl~res 5
and 10 is secured by means of a plurality of 510ts 78 and
shoulder screws 79 to the opposite side wall of the housing
with a plurality of latch fingers 80 biased ts a position
(latched positiQn) overlapping a plurality of tab receiving
slots 82 in the sidewall o the housing. The latch plate
is biased to thP latched position with f ingers 80 overlap-
ping and engaging ~ atch tabs 70 by means of a coTnpresslon
30 spring 84 a~ one end or the plate and housing. A plunyer
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B6 within a cylinder 87 engaying the end o the latch plate
is provided with a small explosive charge 88 within a
chamber whi~-h i5 ignited to shift the latch plate to ~he
released position for release of the cover 26. This shîft-
5 ing of the lateh plate permits the wing assembly to extendoutward forcing the cover to pivot outward about hinge pins
72 and release from its hinged position and be swept a~ay
by airflow along the missile body. The wing is then free
to snap out to its fully deployed position.
~hile we have illustrated and described our invention
by means of specific embodiments, it is to be understood
that numerous changes and modif ications may be made therei
without departing from the spirit and scope of the inven-
tion as def ined in the appended claims.
