초록 ▼

A propulsion motor for an underwater vehicle such as an anti-submarine weapon. The motor includes a propulsion chamber into which water is admitted and then rapidly expelled through an exhaust nozzle, developing thrust to propel the vehicle. Gas generators are used to develop the successive hydropul

A propulsion motor for an underwater vehicle such as an anti-submarine weapon. The motor includes a propulsion chamber into which water is admitted and then rapidly expelled through an exhaust nozzle, developing thrust to propel the vehicle. Gas generators are used to develop the successive hydropulses to expel the water following each filling of the motor chamber with water. In one particular embodiment of an anti-submarine weapon which is directed through the air to the vicinity of a submarine by a rocket motor, the hydropulse underwater propulsion system can use the same chamber as the rocket motor.

대표청구항 ▼

A hydropulse propulsion system for a weapon designed to operate under water against surface or undersea targets comprising: a housing for the weapon; a chamber within the housing near the aft end thereof; a water jet nozzle projecting aft from the chamber; and means for periodically admitting sea wa

A hydropulse propulsion system for a weapon designed to operate under water against surface or undersea targets comprising: a housing for the weapon; a chamber within the housing near the aft end thereof; a water jet nozzle projecting aft from the chamber; and means for periodically admitting sea water to the chamber and thereafter expelling the sea water through the nozzle with substantial force to develop thrust for propelling the weapon, the expelling means including: a plurality of discrete gas generators mounted forward of the chamber, a corresponding plurality of tubes individually associated with the gas generators, each connecting an associated gas generator with the chamber to transmit combusted gas to the chamber at substantial pressure, electrical ignition means coupled to the gas generators for igniting the gas generators individually, and control means for selectively activating the ignition means to ignite the gas generators individually at successive time intervals selected to develop a speed for the weapon during at least a portion of a coasting interval between ignitions which is below the speed at which onboard acoustic detectors are disabled by flow noise. The method of using the expended rocket chamber of an undersea weapon which is rocket propelled through the air to a point of water entry as a chamber for propelling the weapon under water comprising the steps of: detecting the entry of the weapon into the water; closing the rocket nozzle ports while leaving open a water jet nozzle; permitting sea water to enter the spent rocker chamber; thereafter directing gas at substantial pressure into the chamber from a selected one of a plurality of gas generators, each being mounted forward of the chamber and communicating therewith through a small tube, to eject a pulse of sea water through the water jet nozzle; thereafter permitting the weapon to coast for a predetermined interval sufficient for its speed to reduce below a speed at which onboard acoustic detectors are disabled by flow noise; and repeating the cycle of permitting the chamber to fill with sea water and directing gas at substantial pressure into the chamber from succeeding individual gas generators until all gas generators have been spent.