US3815469A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and device for launching missiles particularly antitank projectiles
Assignee: Airbus Defence and Space GmbH
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Filing: 1973-07-24
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Granted: 1974-06-11
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Expires: 1993-07-24
Abstract
Abstract A method of recoilless and concealed launching of missiles, particularly antitank projectiles, from launcher tubes open at both ends, comprises simultaneously accelerating the missile in the firing direction and a countermass in the opposite direction, using an inert, non-expansive and well dividable countermass of high specific gravity in a liquid, jelly-like, pulverulent, granular or mixed form, and imparting to the countermass a considerably higher, for example quadruple, exit velocity than to the missile, the weight and volume of the countermass being so dimensioned as to approximately balance the impulses and momenta at the two outlets. The acoustical and optical signs of the power gas expansion into the open air are prevented by closing the openings at both ends of the launcher tube at the moment the missile and the countermass have been expelled. A device for carrying out this method comprises, within a common pressureresistant tube or with pressure-resistant outer walls of the assembled parts, a missile compartment for receiving the missile and its driving piston, a countermass compartment for receiving the countermass and its driving piston, and a common cross-wall therebetween. The common cross-wall and the respective driving piston limit within the missile compartment a low pressure chamber, and within the countermass compartment, a high pressure chamber In these chambers, appropriately dimensioned power gas developing charges are placed or pressure gas is supplied therein from an outside source. The low pressure chamber may also be supplied with power gas from the high pressure chamber, through throttle openings which may be provided in the common cross-wall and, moreover, may be closed by inserts of fusible material permitting a control of the pressure development. To prevent signs of pressure gas expansion into the open air, the driving pistons in their outer positions close both ends of the device by abutting against annular stops. To simplify the recharge, the countermass compartment alone or together with the missile compartment are in the form of a preassembled package to be inserted in an outer tube. Also, the countermass compartment may be designed as a pressure-resistant case receiving a countermass quantity for several shots and a corresponding number of missile compartments in the form of launcher tubes may be joined thereto.
Inventors
- 👤 J Schubert
- 👤 W Schnabele
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 19:50
CPC Classifications
F; F41; F41A; F41A1/00; F41A1/08; F41A1/10
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for launching missiles, particularly antitank projectiles, from launcher tubes, comprising accelerating the missile in the direction of the tube mouth and, in order to reduce or compensate the recoil, simultaneously accelerating a non-expansive, well dividable and inert countermass of high specific gravity by a power gas pressure which is substantially higher than the pressure accelerating the missile so that at their exits of the launcher tube, the missile and the countermass have at least approximately balanced impulses and momenta, and, in order to suppress optical and acoustical signs of the firing, preventing or retarding the exit of power gases into the open air as soon as the missile has passed the tube mouth.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
115 words
A method for launching missiles, particularly antitank projectiles, from launcher tubes, comprising accelerating the missile in the direction of the tube mouth and, in order to reduce or compensate the recoil, simultaneously accelerating a non-expansive, well dividable and inert countermass of high specific gravity by a power gas pressure which is substantially higher than the pressure accelerating the missile so that at their exits of the launcher tube, the missile and the countermass have at least approximately balanced impulses and momenta, and, in order to suppress optical and acoustical signs of the firing, preventing or retarding the exit of power gases into the open air as soon as the missile has passed the tube mouth.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
26 words
A method according to claim 1 wherein the countermass comprises at least one of the following materials: a liquid, a jelly, a pulverulent, or granular substance.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the power gas pressures develop by igniting an explosive charge within the launcher tube between the missile and the countermass.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
102 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein the launcher tube is divided by a wall and wherein a driving piston is arranged on one side of the wall for driving the missile and on the other side of the wall for driving the countermass and the gases are generated between the wall and the driving piston for the countermass for generating the higher pressures for the countermass and the gases generated are passed throUgh orifices into the space between the wall and the missile driving piston to cause them to become reduced in pressure as they are directed through the counterwall orifices.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
92 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the missile launching tube is divided by a wall located between the missile and the countermass and a missile driving piston is located in spaced location from the wall on the missile side and a countermass driving piston is located within spaced location from the wall on the countermass side and including igniting a charge in the space between the wall and the countermass driving piston and in the space between the wall and the missile driving piston to generate the gases of different pressure.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the gases of different pressure are generated exteriorly of the missile launching tube.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
268 words
A missile launching device comprising a launching tube having an open muzzle end for the firing of the missile therethrough and an opposite end with a discharge opening, a wall extending across said tube on the interior thereof and dividing said tube into at least one missile compartment on the side adjacent the muzzle end and at least one countermass compartment of the side adjacent the discharge opening end, a countermass driving piston between said wall and said discharge opening and, means for holding a countermass between said countermass driving piston and said discharge end opening, a missile driving piston in said missile compartment, means for accommodating a missle to be launched between said missile driving piston and said muzzle end, first stop means adjacent said open muzzle end for stopping said missile driving piston adjacent the missile opening to prevent it from moving out of said tube, second stop means adjacent said discharge opening end for said stopping the countermass adjacent the discharge opening to prevent it from moving out of said tube, said muzzle end opening and discharge opening being closed by said missile driving piston and said countermass driving piston respectively to prevent the escape of gases which drive said pistons, and means for delivering gases under pressure to the spaces between said wall and said countermass driving piston at a first highest pressure and to the space between said wall and said missile at a second lower pressure lower than said first pressure to drive said missile piston and said countermass pistons in respective opposite directions toward the associated muzzle opening and discharge opening.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
268 words
A missile launching device comprising a launching tube having an open muzzle end for the firing of the missile therethrough and an opposite end with a discharge opening, a wall extending across said tube on the interior thereof and dividing said tube into at least one missile compartment on the side adjacent the muzzle end and at least one countermass compartment of the side adjacent the discharge opening end, a countermass driving piston between said wall and said discharge opening and, means for holding a countermass between said countermass driving piston and said discharge end opening, a missile driving piston in said missile compartment, means for accommodating a missle to be launched between said missile driving piston and said muzzle end, first stop means adjacent said open muzzle end for stopping said missile driving piston adjacent the missile opening to prevent it from moving out of said tube, second stop means adjacent said discharge opening end for said stopping the countermass adjacent the discharge opening to prevent it from moving out of said tube, said muzzle end opening and discharge opening being closed by said missile driving piston and said countermass driving piston respectively to prevent the escape of gases which drive said pistons, and means for delivering gases under pressure to the spaces between said wall and said countermass driving piston at a first highest pressure and to the space between said wall and said missile at a second lower pressure lower than said first pressure to drive said missile piston and said countermass pistons in respective opposite directions toward the associated muzzle opening and discharge opening.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
94 words
A missile launching device, according to claim 7, wherein said wall is provided with at least one throttle passage therethrough, said means for delivering gases under pressure comprising an ignitable charge located between said wall and said countermass driving piston which are ignitable to generate gases at high pressure in the space between said wall and said countermass driving piston and the gas being deliverable through said throttle passage to the space between said wall and said missile driving piston to produce said second gases at a lower pressure from said first pressure gases.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
41 words
A missile according to claim 7, wherein said wall is impermeable, said means for delivering gases under pressure comprising separate ignitable charges in the spaces between said wall and the associated countermass piston and said wall and said missile driving piston.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
16 words
A missile according to claim 7, wherein said wall forms a part of said launcher tube.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
34 words
A missile according to claim 7, wherein said wall comprises a portion of a component part of a package uniting said missile compartment and said countermass compartment which is inserted into said launching tube.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
154 words
A launching device, according to claim 7, wherein said at least one missile compartment comprises a plurality of compartments each adapted to contain a missile and each having a missile compartment wall spaced from said wall, said countermass compartment comprising a single compartment for all of said missile comPartments, said means for delivering gases under pressure comprising an exterior pressure gas supply connected between said missile compartment walls and said wall, said wall having openings with inserts of fusible material therein which may be fused during operation to control the passage of gases through the openings, said openings being throttle means for controlling the pressure development through the openings, said missile compartment walls including at least one wall having a throttle opening therethrough permitting passage of pressure from the space between said wall and said missile compartment wall to produce said second pressure gases between said missile compartment wall and said missile driving position.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A missile launching device, according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said missile compartment wall is impervious, said means for delivering gases under pressure including a separate means for delivering gases under pressure between said impervious wall and said missile driving piston.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
91 words
A missile launching device, according to claim 12, wherein at least one of said missile compartment wall is impervious and at least one of said missile compartment walls has a throttle passage therethrough, said means for delivering gases under pressure being connected to the space between said missile compartment walls and said wall for delivering said second pressure gases through said throttle of said missile compartment wall and including a second connection for pressure gases to the space between said impervious wall and said missile driving piston of the associated compartment.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
29 words
A missile according to claim 7, wherein said means for holding a countermass is of a size permitting the quantity of the countermass to be dimensioned for several shots.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
26 words
A missile according to claim 7, including a plate closing the opposite end of said tube exterior of said countermass having at least one nozzle therethrough.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
27 words
A missile according to claim 7, wherein said wall has a plurality of openings therethrough with at least some of them being filled with a fusible material.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
34 words
A missile according to claim 7, including a missile plate at the discharge opening having one annular nozzle therein and an inert well dividable countermass located between said countermass driving piston and said plate.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-10 | 1977-12-10 | 1978-06-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-10 | 1981-12-10 | 1982-06-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-10 | 1985-12-10 | 1986-06-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |