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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7506500 | Propulsion from combustion of solid propellant pellet-projectiles Propulsion from combustion of solid propellant pellet-projectiles for providing a useful propulsion that has the advantages of both solid and liquid propulsion engines, and also can make use of either solid chemical propellants or fissionable nuclear material as the... | 03/24/2009 |
| 7347041 | Rocket engine combustion chamber An improved engine construction, such as a rocket engine construction is provided. The engine construction comprises a combustion chamber, a smooth wall nozzle, and a transition zone between the chamber and the smooth wall nozzle. The transition zone has a coolant s... | 03/25/2008 |
| 7254936 | Simple solid propellant rocket engine and super-staged rocket A solid propellant rocket engine includes: a propellant formed into a predetermined shape having a combustion cavity and capable of deflagrating into hot, high-pressure gas upon ignition; and a nozzle configured and positioned to expand the hot, high-pressure gas in... | 08/14/2007 |
| 7200994 | Free piston stirling engine control A control system for a Stirling engine including the use of a synchronous power converter (“SPC”) which is connected to the terminals of the alternator in a linear alternator/FPSE power system. According to the teachings of the present invention, the attached SP... | 04/10/2007 |
| 7194852 | Propulsion from combustion of solid propellant pellet-projectiles Propulsion from combustion of solid propellant pellet-projectiles for providing a useful propulsion that has the advantages of both solid and liquid propulsion engines, and also can make use of either solid chemical propellants or fissionable nuclear material as the... | 03/27/2007 |
| 7047724 | Combustion ignition Distributed initiation (e.g., multipoint or continuous) is utilized to obtain constant volume-like combustion performance in a pulse combustion device in the absence of detonation. A number of such devices may be utilized as turbine engine combustors. ... | 05/23/2006 |
| 7036303 | Ablative baffle for a liquid rocket engine thrust chamber An ablative baffle for a liquid rocket engine thrust chamber that includes a hub member having a hollow structure, of which both top and bottom parts are open; a plurality of blade rib members, each of which is connected removably at one end to the outer surface of ... | 05/02/2006 |
| 7012233 | Thrust vectoring a flight vehicle during homing using a multi-pulse motor A method and apparatus for thrust vectoring a flight vehicle during homing are disclosed. The flight vehicle includes a body; a plurality of attitude control mechanisms on the body; a multi-pulse motor housed at least partially in the body; and a control unit housed... | 03/14/2006 |
| 6968676 | Propulsion from combustion of solid propellant pellet-projectiles Propulsion from combustion of solid propellant pellet-projectiles for providing a useful propulsion that has the advantages of both solid and liquid propulsion engines, and also can make use of either solid chemical propellants or fissionable nuclear material as the... | 11/29/2005 |
| 6918243 | Bi-propellant injector with flame-holding zone igniter A bi-propellant injector (66) includes a first injector element (68) and a second injector element (70) injecting a first propellant (69) and a second propellant (71), respectively, into a combustion chamber (53). A flame-ho... | 07/19/2005 |
| 6631610 | Consumable port cover for ducted integral rocket-ramjet engine In an integral rocket-ramjet engine the air intake ports are covered with a port cover made of a laminate of Pd and Al. This port cover is rapidly consumed in the brief period between the end of the rocket mode and commencement of the ramjet mode to allow... | 10/14/2003 |
| 6631314 | Propellant utilization system A propellant utilization system for a space vehicle having at least a first thrust source and a second thrust source. The propellant utilization system utilizes a common set of algorithms to generate mixture ratios for each thrust source as each thrust so... | 10/07/2003 |
| 6378292 | MEMS microthruster array A microelectrical mechanical system (MEMS) microthruster array is disclosed. The MEMS microthruster array of the present invention can be used for maintaining inter satellite distance in small satellites. One microthruster array includes numerous microthr... | 04/30/2002 |
| 6293091 | Axisymmetrical annular plug propulsion system for integrated rocket/ramjet or rocket/scramjet The invention is an airframe which includes a vehicle (12) having a solid propellant rocket engine (14) and a ramjet or scramjet engine (16); a thrust plug (18) extending from an end (20) of the vehicle which directs combustion gases (23 and 64) produced ... | 09/25/2001 |
| 6148610 | Solid propellant charge for a propulsion unit and propulsion unit equipped with such a charge A solid propellant charge for a propulsion unit (1). The latter includes a casing (2) containing the solid propellant charge (3), in the form of an elongated body having a longitudinal axis (X--X), which charge (3) has, over part of its longitudinal exten... | 11/21/2000 |
| 6036144 | Mass producible launch system The disclosed launch systems are formed from mass producible elements that integrate propulsion, pneumatics and structural systems. In one embodiment, a launch system (10) includes multiple stages (12-16) where each stage includes a number of generally we... | 03/14/2000 |
| 5613358 | Reduced cost membrane seal assembly for pulsed rocket motor A membrane seal assembly separating forward and aft combustion chambers of a rocket motor. The assembly covers the aft surface of a bulkhead having apertures therein to preclude flow communication between the combustion chambers during combustion of prope... | 03/25/1997 |
| 5582001 | Hybrid rocket combustion enhancement The combustion of a hybrid engine is improved by continuously injecting into a precombustion chamber a hypergolic fluid such as triethyl aluminum which exothermically reacts with and vaporizes the oxidizer such as liquid oxygen. The prevaporized oxidizer ... | 12/10/1996 |
| 5419118 | Multi-stage rocket motors A motor for impelling a missile or projectile has a housing and a plurality of spaced walls defining progressive compartments in the housing. A nozzle in one of the compartments produces a thrust for the missile or projectile when pressurized gases flow t... | 05/30/1995 |
| 5160070 | Reverse bulged forward acting scored rupture disc bulkhead structure for multi-stage rocket motor Rupture disc bulkhead structure for use in a multi-stage rocket motor for missiles or the like wherein the disc is supported by a multiple apertured backup member. The disc has a series of bulges which define dimples that conform to the configuration of t... | 11/03/1992 |
| 5125229 | Nozzleless propulsion unit of low aspect ratio A propulsion unit for the acceleration of a self-propelled vehicle, such as a missile or a rocket, is loaded with a propellant block secured laterally to the body of the propulsion unit by means of a combustion inhibitor and has an aspect ratio of between... | 06/30/1992 |
| 5070691 | Solid propellant canister loaded multiple pulsed or staged rocket A multi-pulse or multi-stage canister loaded solid propellant rocket motor. The canisters are prepared separately and loaded with solid propellant whereby the scrape rate may be reduced after which they are installed in a monolithic case which affords sti... | 12/10/1991 |
| 4999997 | Radial pulse motor igniter-sustain grain A radial pulse rocket motor having a nozzle at the aft end includes longitudinally spaced hollow boost and sustain propellant grains in the combustion chamber thereof with an elongated tubular thermal barrier covering substantially the whole of the interi... | 03/19/1991 |
| 4972673 | Solid rocket motor with dual interrupted thrust The invention disclosed is a solid propellant rocket motor, capable of providing two separate propulsive impulses to a missile. The rocket motor is connected at one end to the missile body, the other end including an exhaust nozzle. The rocket motor compr... | 11/27/1990 |
| 4964340 | Overlapping stage burn for multistage launch vehicles The invention relates to a multistage launch vehicle and method of multistage launch vehicle operation in which at least one subsequent motor stage is ignited following lift-off in partially overlapping relationship with its immediately preceding motor st... | 10/23/1990 |
| 4956971 | Solid propellant canister loaded multiple pulsed or staged rocket motor A multi-pulse or multi-stage canister loaded solid propellant rocket motor. The canisters are prepared separately and loaded with solid propellant whereby the scrap rate may be reduced after which they are installed in a monolithic case which affords stif... | 09/18/1990 |
| 4936092 | Propellant grain design A solid propellant rocket motor propellant grain configuration having a center bore of a varying diameter, ballistic slots, a stress/ballistic groove, and a burn inhibitor band for withstanding service motor operating environments and providing the requir... | 06/26/1990 |
| 4891938 | Solid fuel burn enhancer A solid rocket motor grain construction is disclosed for use in a ramjet to improve performance. The solid fuel burn enhancer adds oxidizer for burn rate control. Two constructions are disclosed. The inlaid approach places cores of solid low-oxidizer fuel... | 01/09/1990 |
| 4866930 | Membrane seal for application to pulsed rocket motors A thin membrane of high strength but ductile material is placed over a perforated structural support, thus allowing high pressure on the membrane side of the support to separate one chamber from another. Upon application of pressure through the perforated... | 09/19/1989 |
| 4864817 | Membrane seal for application to pulsed rocket motor A thin membrane of high strength but ductile material is placed over a perforated structural support, thus allowing high pressure on the membrane side of the support to separate one chamber from another. Upon application of pressure through the perforated... | 09/12/1989 |
| 4856276 | Variable mass flow rate solid propellant grain A solid propellant grain for a gas generator such as a missile canister erection actuator. The grain provides a sustain phase followed by a boost phase which may then be followed by another sustain phase. The aft portion of the grain may have the configur... | 08/15/1989 |
| 4829765 | Pulsed rocket motor A segmented rocket motor case includes wedge members for forcing the case segments into position to remove free play at the joint thereof which may otherwise interfere with or upset the missile's guidance system and throw it off target. A lap joint member... | 05/16/1989 |
| 4819426 | Rocket propelled vehicle forward end control method and apparatus A rocket propelled vehicle includes a lower stage solid propellant rocket motor and at least one upper stage solid propellant rocket motor. Each of the rocket motors includes a case, a nozzle and a solid propellant having a central combustion chamber, wit... | 04/11/1989 |
| 4817377 | Head end control and steering system: using a forward end maneuvering gas generator An auxiliary gas generator is used to provide gas for steering and pointing control of a multi-stage rocket motor system to a head or forward end located final interception maneuvering stage. During lower stage operation, this gas is routed through the "D... | 04/04/1989 |
| 4766726 | Segmented case rocket motor A segmented rocket motor case includes wedge members for forcing the case segments into position to remove free play at the joint thereof which may otherwise interfere with or upset the missile's guidance system and throw it off target. A lap joint member... | 08/30/1988 |
| 4478040 | Dual area nozzle actuating mechanical actuation system In a dual area nozzle automatic mechanical actuation system for a boost-sustain solid propellant rocket motor, a pressure differential is created on the opposite sides of a ball-catch retaining ring when a fast-burning portion of the solid-propellant grai... | 10/23/1984 |
| 4277940 | Integral rocket-ramjet closed loop fuel control system In an integral rocket-ramjet having a combustor which initially serves as a rocket combustion chamber for booster propellant, and after the booster propellant is expended serves as a ramjet combustor where fuel and air are burned, a fuel control system is... | 07/14/1981 |
| 4263781 | Integral rocket-ramjet open loop fuel control system In an integral rocket-ramjet having a combustor which initially serves as a rocket combustion chamber for booster propellant, and after the booster propellant is expended, serves as a ramjet combustor where fuel and air are burned, a fuel control system i... | 04/28/1981 |
| 4250705 | Apparatus for the connection between two stages of a self-propelled engine A device for joining the two stages 2 and 3 of a self-propelled engine comprises means for achieving the separation of the two stages 2 and 3 after the combustion of the pyrotechnic charge 12 of the rear stage 2 is completed, means for carrying out the ig... | 02/17/1981 |
| 4203284 | Combustion chamber for a ramjet and booster rocket The invention relates to a combustion chamber of a ramjet and booster rocket, which comprises an inner envelope provided with upstream lateral ports for the inlet of air and a downstream nozzle for ejecting the combustion gases, to allow functioning of th... | 05/20/1980 |
