US3012739A - Radio controlled rocket - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 12, 1961 M. l. HULL RADIO CONTROLLED ROCKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Jan. 8, 1942 FIG.1.

9 4 v 5 5 2 Ga 4 I F 1 5 2 5 2 FIG.3.

VII

48 INVENTOR.

I VIAURY I. HULL jzwldw Dec. 12, 1961 M. I. HULL 3,012,739

RADIO CONTROLLED ROCKET Original Filed Jan. 8, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

IyIAURY I. HULL United States Patent Ofifice Patented ec. l2, 19%1 This invention relates to .a guided missile having new and novel structural features which enable the missile to be fully controlled throughout the entire trajectory thereof from a control station remote therefrom. More specifically, this invention is directed to a rocket which may be particularly useful in some types of warfare such, for example, as in anti-aircraft defense and which may be entirely controlled in flight by radio waves of predetermined frequency.

This is a divisional application of my copending application Serial No. 426,086, filed January '8, 1942, and

now Patent Number 2,994,270, which is a continuationin-part of my parent case Serial No. 377,398, filed,

January 21, 1941, now abandoned.

It has been found desirable in the art of guided missiles to control the missile by some form of radiant energy such, for example, as unmodulatcd light, modulated light, spectra controlled light, or radio, or any combination of these forms of radiant energies. Of these forms, it has been found that, in general, the structure required for the complete control of a missile by radio is of less 7 complexity and the rocket may be manufactured with greater economy than that structure utilized in rockets using the other forms of radiant energy, hereinbefore mentioned. The simplicity of radio controlled rockets in relation to rockets using the majority of other forms of radiant energy resides in the fact that the latter type of rockets must contain structure which will eliminate or counteract the interference of non-controlling searchlights or the effects of passing clouds, smoke, and the light from exploding shells, and the elfect of the light of the sun. Rockets controlled by a radio beam, however, may be fully operative and yet have .none of this complex structure for eliminating or counteracting such interferences and undesired effects.

Accordingly, one of the objectsof this invention is the provision of a new and novel rocket which may be directed to the target by the selective utilization of radio waves of predetermined frequencies.

Another object of the instant invention is to provide a radio controlled rocket which is equipped with a charge of high explosive in the tail thereof, the release of this charge being controlled by a radio signal of predetermined frequency. f

Still another object is the provision of a rocket which is equipped with an electrically operated fuze capable of being activated in response to asignal of predetermined radio frequency.

Still another object of the instant invention is the provision in a combination radiant energy guided rocket of new and improved means for firing the rocket either in response to a predetermined radiant energy signal or by actual contact with enemy aircraft or other target.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view shown partly in section to illustrate some of the interior elements of a rocket in accordance with one form of my invention in which the rocket is steered by selectively pointing the exhaust vent thereof and in which apparatus for throwing a charge of explosive from the rocket at a selected time is included;

FIG. '2 is a view of the rocket taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an electrically controlled fuze which may housed in conjunction with the rocket of the instant invention;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic showing of a control circuit which may be utilized with the rocket shown in FIG. 1 and which includes radio frequency circuitry whereby the rocket maybe controlled in flight from a radio transmitting station by remote control; and

PEG. 5 illustrates in diagrammatic form a radio transmitting circuit at a control station which may be utilized for transmitting radio signals to the receiving and rocket controlling circuit of FIG. 4.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals are employed to designate like parts, and more particularly to FIG. 1 thereof in which reference numeral 11 generally designates the rocket in accordance with a form of my invention it will be observed that the direction of flight .of the rocket is changed by changing the angular setting of the exhaust vent of the combustion chamber relative to the longitudinal axis of the rocket; The rocket of this form of my invention preferably has four posts or supports 12, 13, 14, and 15 which may be joined to the forward and rearward portions of the rocket, respectively, in any convenient manner such, for example, as by welding. An antenna 16 which may be of any desired construction such, for example, as comprising an insulated wire running along the side of the rocket and attached thereto so that the rocket will be capable of receiving radio signals which are transmitted from a remote control station located, for example, on the earth. Combustion chamber 17 is mounted in the center of the metal plate 13 which may also serve as the floor of the chamber 19 containing an explosive charge 10. A piece of spring metal 21 connecting the exhaust vent 22 and combustion chamber 17 to plate 18 enables the chamber and exhaust vent to be moved slightly off the longitudinal axis of the rocket by one of the magnets shown in FIG. 2, to be more fully explained hereinafter. At 23 and 24 are shown connections which may be of any suitable type such, for example, as ordinary steam hose and which connect the combustion chamber 17 with the pipe, 25 and with the pipe 26, respectively, which bring the fuel and oxidizing material to the combustion chamber 17 from the liquid oxygen chamber 27 and the fuel chamber 28. Between chambers 27 and 28 is arranged a piston 2G with one or more piston rings 30. The pressure 'of the liquid oxygen or other liquid under a relatively high pressure in compartment 27 against the piston 26 maintains an approximately equal pressure on the alcohol or other liquid fuel in chamber 28 thereby forcing the liquid in this last mentioned chamber up the pipe 26 and into the combustion chamber 17. A circular ring 29 connects the four posts, hereinbefore mentioned, upon which the magnets 31, 32, 33, and 34 are mounted.

A large cylinder of explosive and shrapnel 35 is releasably mounted within the tail portion of the rocket and is arranged to be released upon the energization of solenoid 36. It is intended that the head or upper end portion of the rocket contain only enough explosive to effectively cripple or destroy an aircraft provided the rocket actually hit the aircraft and is detonated by the contact fuze or striker head 37 which is described in greater detail in my copending application Scr. No. 426,086, hereinbefore mentioned. The main body of explosive will be that designated by numeral35. The arm 38 which is attached to the main body of explosive 35 passes upwardly through an opening in rib 39. Spring 41 to which is attached a metallic member 42 normally presses against arm 38 with suflicient pressure to force this arm downwardly and outwardly, as viewed in the drawing, in a rapid fashion. A latch consisting of rod 43 with flange 44 is provided with a spring 45 pressing against the flange thereby tending to force the rod 43 into a recessed portion 46 of arm 38 to prevent movement thereof until the latch is released. The latch is constructed and arranged to be operated by magnet 36 which, when energized, pulls the rod 43 into the solenoid 36 and thereby releases the arm 33. As the charge 35 is forced outwardly of the casing of the rocket by spring 41, the element 47 which is the control of a time delay fuze of any convenient design, trips against the element 43 thereby activating the fuze and exploding the charge 35 after the rocket has moved a predetermined number of yards from that point on the trajectory where the fuze was activated. Compartments 49 and 51 are provided for the accommodation of electrical apparatus, hereinafter to be more fully explained.

F16. 2 is a view of the steering arrangement looking upwardly from line 2-2 in FIG. 1. The magnets 31, 32, 33 and 34 are arranged to exert pulling effects upon metallic pieces 52, 53, 54 and 55 which are mounted upon the exhaust vent 22 and which are best seen in FIG. 2. These metallic pieces are attached to the exhaust vent 22 in any suitable manner such, for example, as by welding. Springs 56, 57, 58 and 59, FIG. 2, tend to maintain the exhaust vent in alignment with the longitudinal axis of the rocket when none of the magnets are energized, and return the exha 1st vent to the aligned position when all of the magnets are de-energized. All of the electromagnets and solenoids shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 are controlled by a circuit such, for example, as that illustrated in FIG. 4, to be described hereinafter, and on which these elements are shown diagrammatically.

Referring now to FIG. 3 wherein the electrically controlled fuze, to which reference has been made hereinbefore, is shown in cross section and which is generally designated by numeral 61, it will be understood that this fuze may occupy any convenient space in compartment 19 of the rocket such, for example, as being fastened to the fioor 18 of this compartment. The primer or detonator charge is designated in FIG. 3 by numeral 62. The fuze casing 63 is provided with flash hole 64 thereby providing direct communication between the primer charge 62 and the main explosive charge contained in compartment 19 of the rocket. The firing pin 65 is normally held away from the primer charge due to the fact that a groove 66 in pin 65 is engaged by rod 67 in the manner shown. This coaction between rod 67 and pin 65 prevents the spring 68 which presses against flange 69 of pin 65 from forcing the pin 65 forward into the primer charge until rod 67 is withdrawn. When rod 67 is withdrawn from pin 65, the spring 63 forces the firing pin 65 into the primer charge. When the firing pin 65 strikes the primer charge 62 an explosive results, the flash of which passes through flash hole 64 and detonates the main charge in compartment 19 of the rocket. Rod 67 is normally held in the groove of pin 65 by spring 71 pressing against a circular flange 72. However, when solenoid magnet 73 becomes energized by current flowing from battery 40, shown in FIG. 4, as will more clearly appear as the description proceeds, rod 67 moves upwardly against the compressional force of spring 71 thereby releasing pin 65 and causing the primer charge 62 to be exploded.

FIG. 4 which combines certain portions of FIGS. 21 and 22 of my copending application, hereinbefore identified, will now be described, As will be more fully understood as the description proceeds, this circuit permits energization of the magnets hereinbefore mentioned upon the transmission of radio signals of predetermined frequencies which reach the antenna 16 and which are transmitted from a control station. The antenna 16 is coupled to tube 74 by transformer 75 with a condenser 76 for proper tuning, and a battery 77 is provided to supply a grid bias to tube 74. When biased, tube 74 acts as a detector or rectifier and the plate circuit thereof contains the radio frequency filter comprising choke 78 which suppresses radio frequency components of plate current. Condensers 79 and 81 are also provided in the plate circuit of tube '74. Plate potential for tube 74 is supplied by battery 82, and the audio frequency choke 83 supplies the load across which the audio frequency voltage is developed. Choke 83 has a high impedance at the lowest audio frequency to be used. When switch 84 is closed, the cathode or filament of tube 74 is connected to the cathode or filament of tube 85, and when switch S6 is closed one side of the choke 83 is connected to one side of the coupling condenser 87. Therefore, the rectified output of tube 74 is passed on to tube 85 and may operate a selected one of the relays 83, 89, 91, 92 and 93 in the plate circuit of tube 85 when the radio wave reaching antenna 16 is modulated at the predetermined audio frequency at which the particular relay is responsive. Whereas FIG. 4 does not show the solenoid 73 and instead shows solenoid 36, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that either of these solenoids may be substituted for the other or, should it be desired to use both of these solenoids in the circuit, another relay such, for example, as those shown in FIG. 4 may be added to the circuit without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

FIG. 5 shows the radio frequency transmitting circuit at a control station for supplying the frequency modulated radio wave which will properly operate the radio controlled circuit of FIG. 4. The antenna and ground are shown at 94 and 95, respectively, the antenna coupling coil at 96, and the primary tuning inductance being shown at 97. The circuit of tube 98 may be a simple Hartley oscillator circuit having grid leak bias and a transformer in the filament return for introducing a modulating frequency. The condenser 99 by-passes radio frequency. Audio frequency generators of any desirable type such, for example, as vacuum tube oscillators employing transformer feedback are shown at 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 and 107. While only five of these audio frequency generators are required to operate the electroresponsive devices 31, 32, 33, 34 and 36 of FIG. 4, it will be understood that additional generators such, for example, as those shown in FIG. 5 at 106 and 107 may be provided, for the purpose of activating additional electroresponsive control elements, not shown. The output of these audio frequency generators may be connected to the primary 108 of the transformer 109 in the filament return of the radio frequency generator tube 98 through variable resistance 111 by closing the appropriate switch of the switch group 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117 and 118. The frequencies of the audio generators are such as to be appropriate to operate the relays 88, 89, 91, 92 and 93 of FIG. 4 selectively, each of which is responsive to a different frequency. The audio generators may be so chosen as to contain means for varying their frequencie within necessary limits such, for example, as tapped transformers.

While the operation of the device has been described with particular reference to steering the rocket by energization of a single one of the solenoids 31-34, it will be understood that, if desired, additional steering control may be obtained by simultaneously energizing an adjacent pair of these solenoids, it being merely necessary to close the proper pair of switches 112-116, FIG. 5, at the control station.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that other types of electron tubes having equivalent functions to the types of tubes disclosed herein may be utilized in lieu of the disclosed tubes. It will also be understood that amplifiers may be added in situations in which it is desired to increase the range of the rocket. Likewise, dry fuels of a suitable type may be utilized instead of the liquid fuels herein disclosed. It is obvious that simple devices of electrical or mechanical nature such, for example, as levers may be utilized to provide a mechanical advantage for the action of the magnets hereinbefore disclosed.

While the invention has been described herein with reference to a certain preferred example thereof which gives satisfactory results, it will be understood :by those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, after understanding the invention, that variou changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and it is my intention, therefore, to cover in the appended claims all-such changes and modifications.

The invention herein described and claimed may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In apparatus of the character disclosed, the combination of a rocket body having a chamber therein, an explosive charge carried within said chamber and adaptedto be forcibly ejected therefrom, a spring urged member operatively associated with an initially compressed spring for driving said member upon extension thereof, said member being mounted in abutting relation With said charge Within said chamber for imparting instantaneous force directly to said charge to forcibly eject said charge, a latch mechanism associated with said spring and adapted to normally maintain said spring in compressed position and maintain said charge within said chamber, a solenoid operatively associated with said latch mechanism and adapted when energized to operate said latch mechanism and thereby release said spring and charge, radiant energy sensitive means mounted on said body, and circuit means in said rocket body and including a source of electrical power interconnecting said radiant energy sensitive means and said solenoid for energizing said solenoid whereby said charge is ejected when radiant energy having predetermined characteristics reaches said radiant energy sensitive means.

2. A rocket including a frame fixed relative thereto and having a longitudinal axis, means forming a combustion chamber, means for supplying combustible material to said chamber for ignition therein to produce expansive gases which impart directional inertia to the rocket, a nozzle secured to said chamber and forming an exhaust vent for said gases to determine the direction of said directional inertia, means for pivotally mounting said chamber-forming means on said frame and encompassed therewithin, resilient means secured to said frame and engaging said chamber-forming means for yieldably urging the nozzle into alignment with said longitudinal axis, .a ,plurality of electroresponsive devices mounted at spaced intervals upon said frame and *operabl-e upon selective energization thereof to correlatively deflect said chamberforming means from said axis thereby to change the angular setting of said nozzle with respect to said axis selectively in accordance with the energization of said devices, a radio wave receiving antenna mounted on said frame, and electrical means interconnecting said antenna and said electroresponsive devices for selectively energizing the electroresponsive devices and thereby changing the setting of said nozzle with respect to said axis in accordance with a predetermined frequency of radio signal reaching said antenna, said resilient means being effective to restore said chamber-forming means with the attached nozzle to said longitudinal axis upon de-energization of said devices. 7

3. A rocket including a frame fixed relative thereto and having a longitudinal axis, means forming a combustion chamber, means for supplying combustible material to said chamber for ignition therein to produce expansive gases which impart directional inertia "to the rocket, a :nozzle secured to said chamber and forming an exhaust vent for said gases to determine the direction of said directional inertia, means pivotally mounting said chamber- Iforming means and nozzle upon said frame and encompassed :therewithin with the nozzle normally arranged in alignment with said longitudinal axis, four electroresponsive devices mounted in substantially equally spaced peripheral intervals upon said frame andoperable upon selective energization thereof to correlatively deflect said chamber-forming means from said axis thereby to change the position of said nozzle with respect to said axis selectively in accordance with the energization of said devices, means for returning said nozzle to its original aligned position when said devices are de-energized, an antenna mounted upon said rocket, a detector electrically connected on the input side thereof, to said antenna, anamplifier having the input side thereof electrically connected .to the output side of said detector, a plurality of relays electrically connected to the output side of said amplifier, said relays being adapted to be energized selectively in accordance with predetermined radio wave frequencies and being operatively connected to and controlling the energization of said 'electroresponsive devices whereby the position of said nozzle is controlled by radio waves of said predetermined frequencies reaching the antenna.

4. 'In apparatus of the character disclosed, in combination, a rocket body having a chamber therein, said chamber having a charge of explosive releasably supported therein, a'spring urged member operatively associated with anormally compressed spring for driving said member upon release thereof, said memberbeing mounted Within said chamber in abutting relation with said charge and adapted when said compressed spring is released to force said charge outside said chamber, latching means for. normally maintaining said spring in compressed position and said charge Within the chamber, a solenoid operatively associated with said latching means and adapted when energized .to release the latching means, a radio antenna mounted on said body, an electron discharge tube amplifier having the input circuit thereof connected to .said antenna, a relay in the output circuit of said amplifier having a pair of normally open contacts and adapted to be energized when the antenna receives a radio wave of predetermined frequency, and a circuit including a source of potential and interconnecting the contacts of said relay and said solenoid for energizing the solenoid as the contacts are closed.

5. A rocket including a frame fixed relative thereto and having a longitudinal axis, means forming a combustion chamber, means for supplying combustible material to said chamber for ignition therein to produce expansive gases which impart directional inertia to the rocket, a nozzle secured to said chamber and forming an exhaust vent for said gases to determine the direction of said directional inertia, resilient means pivotally mounting said chamber-forming'means and nozzle within the confines of said frame and normally maintaining said nozzle in alignment with said longitudinal axis, a plurality of electroresponsive devices mounted at substantially equally spaced peripheral intervals upon said frame and operable upon selective energization thereof to correlativelydeflect said chamber-forming means from said axis thereby to change the position of said nozzle with respect to said axis selectively in accordance with the energization of said devices, a radio wave sensitive antenna mounted upon said frame, a detector having the input side thereof operatively connected to said antenna, an amplifying means having the input side thereof connected to the output side of said detector, a plurality of relays connected in the output circuit of said amplifying means whereby said relays are adapted to be selectively energized when the antenna receives radio waves of predetermined frequencies, said relays being operatively connected to and controlling the energization of said electroresponsive devices whereby the direction in which said nozzle points is controlled by the radio waves which have predetermined frequencies and which reach the antenna.

6. A rocket including a frame fixed relative thereto and having a longitudinal axis, a jet propulsion motor, a nozzle fixed to said motor and forming an exhaust vent therefor, resilient means for mounting said motor Within the confines of said frame and normally maintaining said nozzle in alignment with said longitudinal axis, magnetic means secured to said nozzle, a plurality of electromagnets mounted at equally spaced intervals around the periphery of said frame in close adjacency to said magnetic means and operable upon selective energization thereof to exert attractive forces on said magnetic means sufficient to defleet said motor and nozzle from said axis to predetermined angular settings with respect to said axis, a radio wave receiving antenna mounted on said frame, and circuit means interconnecting said antenna and said electromagnets, said circuit means including a source of electrical power for energizing said electromagnets selectively in accordance with variations in frequency of the radio waves reaching the antenna.

7. A rocket including a body with a fixed frame portion having a longitudinal axis, a jet propulsion motor, a nozzle fixed to said motor and forming an exhaust vent for said motor, resilient means mounting said motor within the confines of said frame portion and normally maintaining said nozzle in alignment with said longitudinal axis, magnetic means secured to said nozzle, a plurality of electromagnets mounted at equally spaced intervals around the periphery of said body in close adjacency to said magnetic means and operable upon selective energization thereof to exert attractive forces on said magnetic means sufficient to deflect said motor and nozzle from said axis to predetermined angular settings with respect to said axis, a radio wave receiving type antenna mounted on said body, radio wave detecting means connected to said antenna for detecting radio waves reaching said antenna, first circuit means interconnecting said detecting means and said electromagnets, said circuit means including a source of electrical power and a plurality of tuned relays for energizing said electromagnets selectively in accordance with different selected frequencies of radio waves which are detected by said detecting means, means forming a chamber within said rocket body, an explosive charge disposed within said chamber and adapted to be forcibly ejected therefrom, an initially compressed spring mounted in said chamber for ejecting said charge, a latch mechanism associated with said spring and adapted to normally maintain said spring in compressed position and maintain said charge in said chamber, a solenoid operatively associated with said latch mechanism and adapted when energized to operate said latch and thereby release said spring and charge, and second circuit means including a source of electrical power interconnecting said detecting means and said solenoid whereby the solenoid is energized and the charge is ejected when the frequency of the radio waves reaching said antenna is of a predetermined value.

8. In apparatus of the character disclosed, in combination, a rocket body with a fixed portion having a longitudinal axis, means forming a combustion chamber, a fuel tank mounted within said body, an exhaust vent at least a portion of which is composed of magnetic material and which is secured to said combustion chamber-forming means, resilient means pivotally mounting said combustion chamber and exhaust vent within the confines of said frame portion and normally maintaining said exhaust vent in alignment with said longitudinal axis fuel lines interconnecting said fuel tank with said combustion chamber, a plurality of electromagnets carried by said frame portion and arranged at substantially equally spaced intervals about said exhaust vent and in close adjacency to the magnetic material portion thereof whereby each of said electromagnets is operable upon energization thereof to exert an attractive force on said exhaust vent sufficient to deflect the exhaust vent to a different angular setting with respect to said axis, a plurality of tuned circuits each including a relay respectively connected to said electromagnets for causing the actuation thereof selectively upon actuation of the associated relay, each of said tuned circuits being tuned to a difierent predetermined response frequency of radiant signal, signal receiving means carried by said body, means interconnecting said signal receiving means and said relays for operating a selected one of said relays corresponding to a particular frequency of signal when the signal comprises only one elemental frequency thereby to effect one of a plurality of predetermined settings of the exhaust vent corresponding thereto and for simultaneously operating a plurality of relays corresponding to different predetermined frequencies of the signal simultaneously received by said signal receiving means whereby additional settings of the exhaust vent intermediate said predetermined settings are effected.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,249,274 Chandler Dec. 4, 1917 1,319,068 Hammond Oct. 21, 1919 2,019,341 Dome Oct. 29, 1935 2,183,311 Goddard Dec. 12, 1939 2,257,277 Righter Sept. 30, 1941 2,413,621 Hammond Dec. 31, 1946 2,414,898 Rous Jan. 28, 1947 2,462,069 Chatterjea et a1 Feb. 22, 1949 2,520,433 Robinson Aug. 29, 1950 2,557,401 Agins June 19, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 797,933 France Mar. 6, 1936 339,479 Italy Apr. 22, 1936

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