A jet aircraft with integrated, rotary sonobuoy launch system has storage racks for a number of sonobuoys in sonobuoy launch containers; and one or more launcher units in its cabin. Each launcher unit has a pressure shell with a door allowing loading of sonobuoys in sonobuoy launch containers from t
A jet aircraft with integrated, rotary sonobuoy launch system has storage racks for a number of sonobuoys in sonobuoy launch containers; and one or more launcher units in its cabin. Each launcher unit has a pressure shell with a door allowing loading of sonobuoys in sonobuoy launch containers from the storage racks. With the door closed, the inside of the shell can be depressurized for launching a sonobuoy by opening a gate valve that connects the interior of the shell to the exterior of the aircraft. With the gate valve closed, the shell can pressurized so that the door can be opened and sonobuoys reloaded. A control system can be used to rotate a rotary launcher inside each pressure shell so that a selected sonobuoy is moved to a launch position above the gate valve and a launch tube, and a pneumatic system can be used to launch the sonobuoy.
대표청구항▼
We claim: 1. An aircraft stores launch system comprising: a dome structure having a door and that provides a pressure boundary between a cavity inside the dome structure and a cabin outside the dome structure when said door is closed; a gate valve connecting said cavity to an exterior outside the a
We claim: 1. An aircraft stores launch system comprising: a dome structure having a door and that provides a pressure boundary between a cavity inside the dome structure and a cabin outside the dome structure when said door is closed; a gate valve connecting said cavity to an exterior outside the aircraft wherein said cavity is depressurized when said door is closed and said gate valve is opened; a stores launcher inside said dome structure configured to receive at least one sealed sonobuoy launch container containing a store; and a pneumatic system connected to said stores launcher that forces the store from said stores launcher out of the aircraft, wherein the store remains sealed in the sonobuoy launch container until said pneumatic system provides a pressure that forces the store from the sonobuoy launch container, breaking the seal of the sonobuoy launch container and launching the store from the aircraft. 2. The stores launch system of claim 1 wherein said cavity is pressurized when said gate valve is closed. 3. The stores launch system of claim 1 wherein said door is opened when said cavity is pressurized. 4. The stores launch system of claim 1 wherein said door allows access to at least one sonobuoy at a loading position. 5. The stores launch system of claim 1 wherein stores are loaded in said stores launcher when said door is open and said cavity is pressurized so that said stores are loaded without crossing a pressure transition. 6. The stores launch system of claim 1 wherein stores are deployed when said door is closed and said gate valve is open so that said stores are deployed without crossing a pressure transition. 7. The stores launch system of claim 1 wherein stores are deployed pneumatically. 8. The stores launch system of claim 1 wherein said gate valve opens to a launch tube. 9. The stores launch system of claim 1 wherein the stores are sonobuoys. 10. The stores launch system of claim 1 wherein the stores in the sonobuoy launch containers are sonobuoys. 11. A sonobuoy launch system comprising: a pressure dome having a door wherein when said door is closed said pressure dome maintains a pressure difference between a cabin pressure outside said pressure dome and an ambient pressure inside said pressure dome; a gate valve in a floor under said pressure dome that, when said gate valve is closed, allows said pressure difference to be reduced and allows said cabin pressure to be maintained inside said pressure dome so that said door can be opened; a rotary launcher inside the pressure dome that rotates a sonobuoy launch container receiver into a loading position and into which rotary launcher a sonobuoy in a sealed sonobuoy launch container is loaded while said gate valve is closed and said door is open; and a pneumatic system connected to said rotary launcher and that forces the sonobuoy from its sealed sonobuoy launch container when the gate valve is open and the door is closed. 12. The sonobuoy launch system of claim 11, further comprising a launch tube located at the launch position, and through which said sonobuoy is launched. 13. The sonobuoy launch system of claim 11, wherein: said gate valve is located at said launch position and above said launch tube; and when the sonobuoy is launched, said gate valve is open. 14. The sonobuoy launch system of claim 11 further comprising a pneumatic launch valve that communicates with an air pressure source and connects to the sealed sonobuoy launch container located at the launch position. 15. The sonobuoy launch system of claim 11 wherein, when the sonobuoy is launched, a launch valve is opened, pressurizing the top of the sealed sonobuoy launch container of the sonobuoy located at the launch position, so that the sonobuoy breaks the seal and is forcibly ejected from the launch tube. 16. An automated, rotary sonobuoy launch system comprising: a pressure shell having a door and that provides a pressure boundary between a cavity inside the pressure shell and a cabin of an aircraft outside the pressure shell wherein, when said door is closed, said pressure shell maintains a pressure difference between a cabin pressure outside said pressure shell and an ambient pressure inside said pressure shell; a gate valve in a floor under said pressure shell and connecting said cavity to the exterior of the aircraft wherein: when said door is closed and said gate valve is opened said cavity is depressurized to said ambient pressure so that said pressure difference is present across said pressure shell but not across said gate valve; and when said gate valve is closed allows said cavity to be pressurized to said cabin pressure so that said pressure difference is reduced and said door can be opened; and a rotary launcher inside said pressure shell that rotates a sonobuoy launch container receiver into a loading position for installation of a sealed sonobuoy launch container containing a sonobuoy into said rotary launcher and into a launch position above said gate valve for launching the sonobuoy from its sealed sonobuoy launch container. 17. The automated, rotary sonobuoy launch system of claim 16, wherein said gate valve is located above a launch tube and said gate valve is opened preparatory to a sonobuoy being launched through said gate valve and said launch tube. 18. The automated, rotary sonobuoy launch system of claim 16, further comprising a pneumatic system for launching a sonobuoy located at said launch position including: a gas bottle, rechargeable pressure source; and a launch valve connected to said pressure source, said launch valve having an outlet that connects to the sealed sonobuoy launch container at said launch position, wherein: when the sonobuoy is launched, the launch valve is opened, pressurizing the top of the sealed sonobuoy launch container of the sonobuoy located at the launch position so that the sonobuoy launch container seal is broken and the sonobuoy is forcibly ejected from the sonobuoy launch container. 19. The automated, rotary sonobuoy launch system of claim 16, further comprising a control system that includes a motor, wherein said motor is connected to provide positioning of a selected sonobuoy at the launch position. 20. The automated, rotary sonobuoy launch system of claim 16, further comprising a control system that interacts with a launch valve of a pneumatic system and ensures sonobuoy launch only when a sonobuoy is positioned at the launch position and said gate valve is open. 21. A jet aircraft with integrated rotary sonobuoy launch system comprising: a cabin; storage racks in said cabin that store a plurality of sonobuoys in sonobuoy launch containers; at least one automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher unit in said cabin, wherein: said automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher unit has a door that allows loading of sonobuoys in sealed sonobuoy launch containers from said plurality of sonobuoys in sonobuoy launch containers in said storage racks; said automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher unit includes: a pressure shell that when said door is closed provides a pressure boundary between pressure in a cavity inside the pressure shell and a cabin pressure outside the pressure shell; a gate valve in a floor under said pressure shell and connecting said cavity to an exterior of the aircraft wherein: when said door is closed and said gate valve is opened said cavity is depressurized to ambient pressure outside the aircraft so that a sonobuoy can be launched; and when said gate valve is closed said cavity can be pressurized to said cabin pressure so that said door can be opened and said sonobuoys from said plurality of sonobuoys can be loaded; and a rotary launcher inside said pressure shell that rotates a sealed sonobuoy launch container containing a sonobuoy into a launch position above said gate valve and a launch tube leading to the exterior of the aircraft. 22. The jet aircraft of claim 21, further including a pneumatic system connected to said automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher unit and having a pressure source connected to a launch valve having an outlet that connects to the sealed sonobuoy launch container at said launch position so that said sonobuoy located at said launch position is pneumatically ejected from its sealed sonobuoy launch container through said launch tube when said launch valve is activated. 23. The jet aircraft of claim 21, further including an electronic control system that activates said launch valve. 24. A modified transport aircraft comprising: a cabin; storage racks in said cabin that store a plurality of sonobuoys in sealed sonobuoy launch containers; a plurality of automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units in said cabin, wherein: each of said automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units has a door that allows loading of sonobuoys in sealed sonobuoy launch containers from said plurality of sonobuoys in sealed sonobuoy launch containers in said storage racks; each of said automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units includes: a pressure shell that when said door is closed provides a pressure boundary between pressure in a cavity inside the pressure shell and a cabin pressure outside the pressure shell; a gate valve in a floor under said pressure shell and connecting said cavity to an exterior of the aircraft wherein: when said door is closed and said gate valve is opened said cavity is depressurized to ambient pressure outside the aircraft so that a sonobuoy can be launched; and when said gate valve is closed said cavity can be pressurized to said cabin pressure so that said door can be opened and said sonobuoys from said plurality of sonobuoys can be loaded; a rotary launcher inside said pressure shell that rotates a sealed sonobuoy launch container containing a sonobuoy into a launch position above said gate valve and a launch tube leading to the exterior of the aircraft; and a pneumatic system and control system connected to said plurality of automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units so that a sonobuoy in its sealed sonobuoy launch container from each of said plurality of automated, rotary sonobuoy launcher units can be individually and selectively launched directly from its sealed sonobuoy launch container. 25. A method of launching sonobuoys, comprising the operations of: loading a rotary launcher with sonobuoys in their respective sealed sonobuoy launch containers through a door in a pressure dome; closing said door and opening a gate valve at a floor above a launch tube to depressurize the inside of said pressure dome; and launching a sonobuoy from its sealed sonobuoy launch container, in the process breaking a frangible seal of the sonobuoy launch container, using a pneumatic system. 26. The method of launching sonobuoys of claim 25, further comprising an operation of providing power to the rotary launcher when the door is closed. 27. The method of launching sonobuoys of claim 25, further comprising an operation of operating the rotary launcher from a remote workstation using a control system. 28. The method of launching sonobuoys of claim 25, further comprising an operation of selecting a sonobuoy to be launched from one of a plurality of rotary launchers. 29. The method of launching sonobuoys of claim 25, wherein said launching operation includes launching through a launch tube using pneumatics; by applying high-pressure air to the top of the sealed sonobuoy launch container. 30. The method of launching sonobuoys of claim 25, further comprising an operation of reloading the rotary launcher, including the steps of: closing the gate valve; opening the door on the pressure dome; removing empty sonobuoy launch containers; and loading sealed sonobuoy launch containers containing sonobuoys from a storage rack.
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이 특허에 인용된 특허 (7)
Ferraro John R. (Clinton CT) Foerster Philip P. (Waterbury CT) Greenstreet Peter T. (Sandy Hook CT) Schwarz Steven R. (Cranbury NJ) Turgeon Milton R. (Enfield CT), Buoy deployment system.
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