초록 ▼

A weapons launching system (20) is located in an internal weapons storage compartment of an airplane, preferably a widebody aircraft. The system includes a monorail assembly (22) supported by a rail frame (24), and a number of carriage trucks (26) movably engaged with the monorail assembly (22). The

A weapons launching system (20) is located in an internal weapons storage compartment of an airplane, preferably a widebody aircraft. The system includes a monorail assembly (22) supported by a rail frame (24), and a number of carriage trucks (26) movably engaged with the monorail assembly (22). The carriage trucks (26) deliver weapons (27) via the monorail assembly (22) to a launch bay (28) located near one end of the storage compartment. The carriage trucks (26) include handling-release units (30) for picking up and moving weapons (27) within the storage compartment and for releasing the weapons (27) out the launch bay (28). A portion of the weapons are initially held by the handling-release units (30), while the remaining weapons are supported on stationary support units (34) located in the rail frame (24). An automatic launching control system (36) causes translation of the carriage trucks (26) along the monorail assembly (22) and activation of the handling-release units (30) and stationary support units (34). The carriage trucks (26) are used to quickly deliver weapons (27) to the launch bay (28) in an orderly, sequential manner. The carriage trucks (26) may also be used initially to load weapons (27) in the storage compartment.

대표청구항 ▼

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [10.] A weapons launching system for use in an aircraft having an internal storage compartment with a launch bay for releasing weapons, the weapons launching system comprising:(a) a mon

[ The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:] [10.] A weapons launching system for use in an aircraft having an internal storage compartment with a launch bay for releasing weapons, the weapons launching system comprising:(a) a monorail assembly comprising a plurality of interconnected monorails located within the storage compartment; the monorail assembly including at least one monorail extending to the launch bay;(b) a number of carriage trucks movably engaged with the monorail assembly for delivering weapons to the launch bay via the monorail assembly, each carriage truck having a handling-release unit, a portion of the total number of weapons onboard being attached to the handling-release units; and(c) an automatic launching control system in communication with the carriage trucks for controlling the translation of the carriage trucks along the monorail assembly and for activating the handling-release units;wherein at least a portion of the carriage trucks are used and reused to deliver weapons to the launch bay.