Pneumatic Unlocking Device for Munitions Releasable From a Carrier

The present invention concerns a device for unlocking a system for fixing sub-munitions on board a carrier, namely any flying vehicle (such as a rocket, a missile, a stand-off missile, etc.). The ejection of each of the sub-munitions fixed to the body of the carrier is done simultaneously upon command, by means of the unlocking of the fixing system.

The function of these carriers consists of the transportation, up to the vicinity of the target or targets, of sensitive sub-munitions, namely sub-munitions which could be damaged by stresses, for example mechanical stresses. This function further consists in releasing these sub-munitions by their simultaneous ejection in order to increase the probability of destruction of the target or targets.

The fixing of the sensitive sub-munitions, provided with external or internal supports, to the carrier is done by a holding system consisting, firstly, of a fixing system comprising a movable holding clamp gripping the sub-munition by means of the supports and, secondly, of a locking system keeping the moving holding clamp against the support of the sub-munition before ejection.

To activate the unlocking of the system for locking the clamp against the support of the sub-munition, several methods are used: either a mechanical system with rods or a pyrotechnical system placed at each holding point. The use of these systems shows up several drawbacks:

problems of bulk and weight;

the reduction of the reliability of a system such as this due to any pyrotechnical incident;

the changing of the reaction times;

the complex nature of an electrical network to be installed.

An aim of the invention is to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks in both locking systems by using a pneumatic unlocking system using the gases of a generator of a system for the ejection of the sub-munition.

An object of the invention is a device for the unlocking of a fixing system consisting of a movable holding clamp supporting a sub-munition against supports made on the sub-munition by means of a locking, system and holding sub-munitions on board a carrier, the fixing system being triggered prior to or simultaneously with the application of an ejection system, a device comprising a pneumatic system and means to send a part of the gases of a gas generator from the ejection system to the pneumatic system controlling the unlocking of the fixing system.

Other features and advantages provided by the invention will appear, by way of example, in an embodiment in the following detailed description illustrated by the following figures of which:

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a body of a carrier transporting sub-munitions and fitted out with a device for the mechanical unlocking of the sub-munitions fixing system;

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a pneumatic unlocking device, according to the invention, for a sub-munitions fixing system in locked position;

FIG. 3 shows a cross-section of a pneumatic unlocking device, according to the invention, for a sub-munitions fixing system in unlocked position.

FIG. 4 shows the pneumatic unlocking device of the present invention having a damping system.

FIG. 1 shows a cross-section of a body of a carrier conveying sub-munitions and fitted out with a device for the mechanical unlocking of a sub-munitions fixing system. The body 1 having, for example, three compartments, is fitted out, for example, in each of these compartments 3 with means 5 that hold the sensitive sub-munition 2 to the body 1. These means are mechanical systems. These mechanical systems enable at least on support 7 of the sub-munition 2 to fulfil the role of blocking this sub-munition 2. Each sub-munition is fitted out, for example, with four supports 7, two of which are shown in FIG. 1. In the present example, these supports are positioned on the exterior of the sub-munition, but internal supports could be arranged inside the sub-munition.

The means 5 include a fixed part 8 connected to the edge 4 of the body 1 and a movable holding clamp 9 around a shaft 15, fixed to the fixed part 8 and connected to a mechanical locking system constituted by a rod 6. A screw 10 provided, for example, with a clamp 11 sets up a clamping force on the external supports 7. This operation is performed at the four locations where the means 5 are housed, and enables the sub-munition 2 to be held on the body 1. The unlocking of the locking system is done prior to or simultaneously with the application of an ejection system which has also been shown in this same figure. This system of ejection is identical in all the compartments 3 containing a sub-munition and has, for example, a bag 12 connected by a conduit 13 to a section 14 linked to a gas generator 50. When the gas generator 50 is triggered, the gases that have emerged therefrom come through the different apertures into the bag 12 which expands and exerts a thrust force against the sub-munition 2 which acts on the clamping means 5 after the unlocking of the mechanical locking system.

FIG. 2 shows a cross-section of a pneumatic unlocking device, having a pneumatic system 40 according to the invention, for a sub-munitions fixing system in locked position. In this FIG. 2, only the end of the body 1 of the carrier where the pneumatic unlocking device is fixed is shown. In the locked position, the movable holding clamp 9a around the shaft 15a exerts a clamping force, for example, on the external supports 7 of the sub-munition 2. This force is due to the fact that, at the end 16 of the holding clamp 9aa roller 17 is placed in a leaning position against a step part 18 of a rod 20. This step part 18 is lightly engaged in a cavity 19 made at the upper end 30 of the edge 4 and enables the rod 20 to be guided during a movement of this rod. The cavity 19 is bounded at one of its ends, for example by a closing cap 21, so as to enable a sufficient shift of the step part 18 within the cavity 19 to release the movable holding clamp 9a through the reduction of the structure of the rod 20. This rod 20 is, for example, formed by three parts: a step part 18, a central part 22 and a flat part 23 at its lower end 24. The dimension and size of this rod 20 have been determined so that, in the locked position, the diameter and width of the step part 18 prevent any movement of the movable holding clamp 9a and, in the unlocked position, the diameter and width of the central part 22 release this clamp 9a. The flat part 23 has, for example, a width enabling it to be inserted into a first conduit 25 having a piston 26 therein. The flat part 23 is positioned on the piston 26 with the upper part of the piston 26 being used as a stop for the flat part 23. The rod 20, guided in its movement by the cavity 19 receiving the end of the step part 18 of the rod 20 has its flat part 23 placed, for example, inside the first conduit 25, on the piston 26 held in a position that is locked, for example, by means of a shearing pin 27. This first conduit 25 is directly connected with a second conduit 28 for the inlet of the gases coming from a generator of the ejection system not shown in this FIG. 2. This pneumatic unlocking device provides for the simultaneous ejection of the sub-munitions on board the body 1 of the carrier. For, in mechanical unlocking systems using rods, each movable holding clamp 9a was locked by a mechanical system which was disadvantageous for a simultaneous release of the different sub-munitions due to the different reaction times of the controls coming towards the mechanical systems. In the context of our invention, each pneumatic unlocking device releases two fixing systems, namely two movable holding clamps 9a under the effect of a rod 20 capable of translating by means of the gases of a generator of the ejection system actuating a piston 26 and going from a locked position to an unlocked position. This system enables a reduction in the number of unlocking devices since, in one and the same embodiment, with the same number of supports fixed to each munition, only six devices are used instead of twelve for a mechanical device.

FIG. 3 represents a cross-section of a pneumatic unlocking device for a fixing system according to the invention in unlocked position. The application of the ejection system provokes the simultaneous unlocking of the fixing systems holding the sub-munitions to the body of the carrier. After the actuation of the gas generator of the ejection system, at a pressure P.sub.1 lower than the expansion pressure P.sub.2 of the bags, the gases are sent towards the piston 26 which, under the pressure P.sub.1, shears the shearing pin 27, thus driving the rod 20 in a translational motion (the movement is represented by the arrows 29). This rod 20 gets engaged in the cavity 19, provided to this effect, up to the closing cap 21 of this cavity 19. The roller 17 lying on the step part 18, the diameter and width of which, before the movement of the rod 20, prevents any motion of the holding clamp 9a, topples over on to the central part 22, the diameter and width of which permit the release of the fixing system through the rotation of the holding clamp 9a around the rotation shaft 15a. This roller 17 is made of steel for example. The holding clamp 9a then releases the external support 7 from the sub-munition, and does so on either side of the upper end of the body 1 of the carrier, thus allowing the sub-munitions on board the body 1 of the carrier to escape.

To restrict the transmission of vibrations between the sub-munitions and the structure of the carrier, a system of dampers acting as an uncoupling system may be placed in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 4. For, it suffices to replace the fixed part 8, made of steel for example, connected to the edge 4 of the structure of the carrier, by a damper system 70 that absorbs the different vibrations liable to be transmitted and thus prevents possible damage to the sub-munition. The fixed part 8 which is made of steel is not directly connected to the edge shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In FIG. 4, the damper system 70 separates the fixed part 8 from the edge 4 and thus absorbs the vibrations coming from the carrier.

This pneumatic unlocking device for sub-munitions can be applied more particularly to sensitive sub-munitions, namely to any type of projectile used in a harsh environment where major precautions have to be taken to prevent a transfer of vibrations causing damage or a activation of the brittle parts of the sub-munition. This device according to the invention can be applied to any kind of system using a fixing device adapted to the properties of the system according to the invention.