Claims
- 1. A chaff dispenser comprising:
- a structural delivery device,
- a payload compartment in the structural delivery device,
- a selectively activated source of fluid pressure in the payload compartment;
- a wrapper in the payload compartment;
- a bundle of chaff disposed in the wrapper in at least partially enveloping relation with said source, said wrapper-enclosed bundle being constructed to channel said fluid pressure from said source through said bundle and to provide for the emission of said chaff from said wrapper when the source is activated to provide the pressure;
- said source being activated after the ejection of the payload compartment from the structural delivery device to produce the fluid pressure;
- the wrapper being slit to facilitate the emission of the chaff from the wrapper; and
- means for preventing the wrapper from being emitted with the chaff during the emission of the chaff from the wrapper by the fluid pressure from the source.
- 2. The chaff dispenser recited in claim 1 wherein said chaff bundle is substantially toroidal in shape, with an axially oriented passage for receiving fluid pressure from the source and wherein said source of fluid pressure comprises tubular means which is positioned in said passage in substantially coaxial relation with said passage.
- 3. The chaff dispenser recited in claim 2 wherein said tubular means contains a combustible gas-generating material for producing the fluid pressure upon ignition.
- 4. The chaff dispenser recited in claim 3 wherein fluids are generated upon the ignition of the combustible materials and wherein a hydrate is disposed in the axially oriented passage to receive the fluids generated upon the ignition of the combustible material to cool such fluids.
- 5. A chaff dispenser comprising:
- a wrapper,
- a bundle of chaff enclosed within the wrapper;
- said chaff bundle being substantially toroidal in shape and having an axially oriented passage,
- tubular means positioned in said passage in substantially coaxial relation therewith;
- said tubular means containing an ignitable fluid-generating material;
- said ignitable fluid-generating material including a combustible material and an oxidizer, the combustible material and the oxidizer having characteristics to produce, upon combustion, fluids radially expansible at a temperature above the temperature for oxidizing the chaff in the bundle; and
- means in said tubular means for cooling the temperature of the expansible fluids produced by the combustion to provide a temperature of the expansible fluids at the chaff bundle lower than the temperature for oxidizing the chaff in the bundle, the expansible fluids being operative to expel the chaff radially from the wrapper; and
- means for preventing the wrapper from being expelled with the chaff during the expulsion of the chaff from the wrapper.
- 6. A chaff dispenser comprising:
- a selectively activated source of fluids under pressure;
- a wrapper,
- a bundle of chaff enclosed within the wrapper and disposed in at least partially enveloping juxtaposed relation with said source, said wrapper having openings for channeling said fluids under pressure through said bundle to obtain an expulsion of said chaff out of said wrapper;
- said chaff bundle having an axially oriented passage and said source of fluid under pressure comprising a tubular member which is positioned in said passage in substantially coaxial relation therewith;
- said tubular member comprising two concentric burstable tubes, said source including a combustible material which is disposed in the inner tube and which combusts to generate fluids and said source also including a hydrate which is disposed in the outer tube for cooling said generated fluids and for generating additional cooled fluids, and
- means for preventing the wrapper from being expelled with the chaff during the expulsion of the chaff from the wrapper.
- 7. A method of dispensing chaff comprising a plurality of dipole elements disposed in a bundle, comprising the steps of:
- providing a source of fluids under pressure, the source including chemicals for reacting upon the activation of the source to produce the fluid pressure;
- disposing said bundle within a wrapper;
- positioning said bundle of dipole elements in at least partially enveloping relation with said source;
- activating said source to obtain the chemical reaction for producing the fluids under pressure to blow said dipole elements radially out of said wrapper;
- maintaining the temperature of the fluids under pressure on the bundle of dipole elements after the chemical reaction at a temperature below the temperature for oxidizing the dipole elements, and
- preventing the wrapper from being expelled with the dipole elements during the expulsion of the dipole elements from the wrapper.
- 8. The method recited in claim 7 further comprising the step of cutting said wrapper prior to activating said source for blowing said bundle of dipole elements out of said wrapper.
- 9. The method recited in claim 7 further comprising the steps of
- slitting the wrapper,
- disposing the source, the slit wrapper and the bundle of dipole elements in a payload compartment,
- ejecting the bundle of dipole elements from the payload compartment, and
- retaining the wrapper with the payload compartment.
- 10. The method recited in claim 7 wherein the step providing the source of fluids under pressure includes the steps of:
- mixing a combustible material and an oxidizer;
- placing said mixture in a burstable member for generating fluids for bursting the member in accordance with a combustion of the combustible material and the oxidizer; and
- providing an endothermic material to cool the combusted fluids to a temperature below the temperature for oxidizing the dipole elements.
- 11. The method recited in claim 10 including the step of separating the endothermic compound from said combustible material and said oxidizer for sequential ignition of said combustible material, oxidizing of the combustible material to produce resultant fluids providing the fluid pressure and endothermical cooling of the resultant fluids by the endothermic compound.
- 12. A dispenser for a payload, comprising:
- a plurality of axially aligned, spaced apart disks disposed in a generally cylindrical array;
- a plurality of elongated columns, each such column operatively coupled to the disks and extending the length of said array and having a plurality of grooves for attachment to said disks for structural support thereof;
- each pair of adjacent disks forming the axial walls of a payload section receiving a payload to be dispensed therefrom;
- each said disk having an aperture, the apertures of the respective disks being substantially aligned with one another to form a continuous passageway extending the length of said array; and
- a selectively activated source of fluids, the source being positioned in said passageway for emitting said payload out of said payload sections.
- 13. The dispenser recited in claim 12 further comprising a pair of base plates at the respective axial ends of said array; and
- means for securing the respective ends of said elongated columns to said base plates.
- 14. The dispenser recited in claim 12 wherein the payload sections include chaff particles and the source of fluids includes chemical components combustible to generate the fluids.
- 15. The dispenser recited in claim 14 wherein the chaff particles are formed from insulating material coated with aluminum and wherein the fluids generated by the combustion of the chemical components are chemically inert with respect to aluminum.
- 16. The dispenser recited in claim 15 wherein the source also includes means for cooling the fluids generated by the combustion of the chemical components below the temperature at which the aluminum oxidizes.
- 17. The dispenser recited in claim 12 wherein said source of fluids comprises a tubular gas generator and the payload comprises chaff particles and wherein the dispenser further comprises a delivery vehicle for transporting said payload to a desired location.
- 18. In combination,
- a burstable, membrane-enclosed chamber containing a first burstable tube and a second burstable tube enclosing the first tube; and
- a mixture of a combustible material and an oxidizer within said first burstable tube for generating expansible fluids upon the combustion of the mixture and for bursting the first burstable tube upon such combustion; and
- an endothermic material within said second burstable tube for cooling the expansible fluids;
- chaff particles enclosing said second burstable tube for dissemination upon the combustion of the mixture within the first burstable tube and the bursting of the first and second burstable tubes;
- the chaff particles being disposed in a bundle for expulsion from the bundle upon the combustion of the mixture;
- a wrapper holding the bundle of chaff particles; and
- means for preventing the wrapper from being expelled with the chaff particles during the expulsion of the chaff particles from the wrapper.
- 19. A combination as set forth in claim 18 wherein said combustible material comprises nitrocellulose, said oxidizer comprises ammonium nitrate and said endothermic material comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of borax and boric acid.
- 20. In combination,
- a burstable membrane-enclosed chamber defined by a first tube and a second tube enclosing the first tube;
- a pyrotechnic mixture as a heat source within the first tube;
- a hydrated salt as a coolant and water source within the second tube;
- the first tube being constructed to burst upon the generation of fluids at elevated temperatures from the combustion of the pyrotechnic mixture and the second tube being constructed to burst upon the passage of the combusted fluids into the second tube;
- chaff disposed in the path of the fluids after the second tube has burst;
- a wrapper holding the chaff;
- means for providing for the expulsion of the chaff from the wrapper upon the generation of the fluids; and
- means for preventing the wrapper from being expelled with the chaff during the expulsion of the chaff from the wrapper.
- 21. A method of dispensing chaff, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a combustible material;
- b) providing an oxidizer for oxidizing said material to produce resultant fluids;
- c) providing an endothermic compound for cooling the resultant fluids;
- d) arranging said combustible material, said oxidizer and said endothermic compound for a combustion of the combustible material by the oxidizer to produce combusted fluids and a subsequent cooling of the fluids by the endothermic compound;
- e) introducing the cooled combusted fluids to chaff to disseminate the chaff without oxidizing the chaff,
- f) disposing the chaff within a wrapper having properties of providing for the dissemination of the chaff from the wrapper; and
- g) preventing the wrapper from being expelled with the chaff during the dissemination of the chaff from the wrapper.
- 22. A chaff dispenser comprising:
- a selectively activated source of pressurized fluid;
- a plurality of compartments disposed in communication with said source for holding the chaff;
- at least two of said compartments respectively having disposed therein chaff having different characteristics;
- dye chemicals of respectively different colors associated with individual ones of said two compartments for visually distinguishing the dispensed chaff from such individual ones of the compartments; and
- means for activating said source for dispensing said chaff and said dye chemicals from said compartments while preventing chemical destruction of said chaff and said dye chemicals.
- 23. In combination,
- first means defining at least one bundle having a central opening,
- a plurality of chaff particles disposed in the bundle, each of the chaff particles having an electrically conductive surface to define a dipole,
- wrapper means for retaining the chaff particles in the bundle,
- second means including a combustible material disposed in the central opening in the bundle and constructed to provide a combustion of the combustible material and a generation of expansible fluids as a result of the combustion and including an endothermic material disposed relative to the expansible fluids for expelling the chaff particles radially from the bundle at a temperature inhibiting the oxidation of the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles,
- the wrapper means slit to provide for the expulsion of the chaff particles from the bundle upon the generation of the expansible fluids, and
- third means for preventing the wrapper means from being expelled with the chaff particles during the expulsion of the chaff particles from the wrapper means.
- 24. In a combination as set forth in claim 23,
- the wrapper being slit at positions adjacent the central opening in the bundle.
- 25. In a combination as set forth in claim 24,
- means disposed in the bundle and provided with properties for imparting an individual color to the space occupied by the chaff particles upon the expulsion of the chaff particles from the bundle.
- 26. In a combination as set forth in claim 24,
- the fluids being expansible radially into the bundle,
- the second means being constructed to provide a sequence of chemical reactions for initially combusting the combustible material to generate the fluids expansible radially into the bundle to expel the chaff particles radially from the bundle and for subsequently providing a reaction of the endothermic material to limit the temperature of the expansible fluids to a temperature below the temperature for oxidizing the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles.
- 27. In combination,
- first means defining a bundle,
- a plurality of chaff particles disposed in the bundle and constructed to define electrical dipoles and having electrically conductive external surfaces,
- the bundle having a central opening,
- second means disposed in the central opening of the bundle for initially reacting chemically on an exothermic basis to generate fluids expansible radially into the bundle from the central opening for expelling the chaff particles radially from the bundle,
- third means disposed in the central opening of the bundle for subsequently providing an endothermic reaction in response to the heat from the fluids to limit the fluids to a temperature below the temperature for oxidizing the electrically conductive external surfaces of the chaff particles,
- a wrapper,
- the chaff particles in the bundle being retained in the wrapper, and
- fourth means for preventing the wrapper from being expelled with the chaff particles when the chaff particles are expelled radially from the bundle.
- 28. In a combination as set forth in claim 27,
- a first tube disposed in the central opening in the bundle for holding the second means and constructed to provide for the radial expansion of the fluids from the first tube, and
- a second tube disposed in the central opening in the bundle in enveloping relationship to the first tube for holding the third means and responsive to the heat from the fluids for producing an endothermic reaction to limit the temperature of the fluids expanding radially into the bundle from the second tube to a temperature below the temperature for oxidizing the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles.
- 29. In a combination as set forth in claim 28,
- fifth means disposed in the bundle for expulsion radially from the bundle with the chaff particles to provide a distinctive color to the space occupied by the chaff particles after such expulsion.
- 30. In a combination as set forth in claim 27,
- fifth means disposed in the bundle for expulsion radially from the bundle with the chaff particles for providing a distinctive color to the space occupied by the chaff particles after such expulsion without raising the temperature of the chaff particles to a temperature above the temperature for oxidizing the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles, and
- the wrapper being slit before the chemical reaction of the second means to facilitate the expulsion of the chaff particles from the bundle.
- 31. In combination,
- first means defining at least one bundle having a central opening,
- a wrapper disposed in the bundle,
- a plurality of chaff particles disposed in the wrapper, each of the chaff particles having an electrically conductive surface to define a dipole, the wrapper being constructed to prevent the expulsion of chaff particles from the wrapper,
- second means disposed in the opening in the bundle and including materials for reacting chemically to generate fluids expansible radially to expel the chaff particles radially from the bundle,
- the wrapper being slit prior to the generation of the expansible fluids to facilitate the expulsion of the chaff particles from the bundle, and
- third means for preventing the wrapper from being expelled during the expulsion of the chaff particles from the bundle.
- 32. In a combination as set forth in claim 31,
- the second means including a tube and chemicals disposed within the tube to provide a chemical reaction for generating the expansible fluids.
- 33. In a combination as set forth in claim 32,
- means notched to provided for the slitting of the wrapper axially prior to the generation of the expansible fluid to facilitate the expulsion of the chaff particles from the bundle.
- 34. In a combination as set forth in claim 32,
- fourth means disposed in the bundle for expulsion from the bundle with the chaff particles and having properties for providing the space encompassing the expelled chaff particles with a distinctive color.
- 35. In combination,
- first means defining at least one bundle having a central opening,
- a wrapper disposed in the bundle,
- a plurality of chaff particles disposed in the wrapper, each of the chaff particles having an electrically conductive surface to define a dipole,
- second means disposed relative to the opening in the bundle for initially reacting chemically to generate fluids expansible radially into the bundle to expel the chaff particles radially from the bundle and for subsequently maintaining the temperatures of the expansible fluids in the bundle, before the expansion of the expansible fluids into the bundle, at a temperature below the temperature at which the conductive surfaces of the chaff particles oxidize,
- the wrapper being slit to facilitate the expulsion of the chaff particles from the bundle upon the generation of the expansible fluids,
- third means associated with the second means for retaining the second means in the central opening in the bundle and for providing for the expansion of the fluids from the second means into the bundle upon the generation of the fluids,
- fourth means for preventing the wrapper from being expelled with the chaff particles during the expulsion of the chaff particles radially from the bundle.
- 36. In a combination as set forth in claim 35,
- the third means including a tube disposed in the central opening in the bundle and having properties of bursting upon the generation of the expansible fluids to pass the expansible fluids radially into the bundle, and
- the second means including a combustible material and an oxidizer disposed in the tube for combusting the combustible material to generate the fluids.
- 37. In a combination as set forth in claim 35,
- the third means including a first tube disposed in the central opening in the bundle and constructed to pass the expansible fluids radially and further including a second tube disposed in the central opening in the bundle in enveloping relationship to the first tube and constructed to pass the expansible gases radially into the bundle, and
- the second means including a combustible material and an oxidizer disposed in the first tube for oxidizing the combustible material in an exothermic reaction to generate the fluids expansible into the second tube and further including a material disposed in the second tube and responsive to the heat from the expansible fluids in an endothermic reaction to limit the temperature of the expansible fluids in the bundle to a temperature below the temperature at which the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles oxidize.
- 38. In a combination as set forth in claim 37,
- fifth means disposed in the bundle for expulsion with the chaff particles for imparting an individual color to the chaff particles after the expulsion of the chaff particles from the bundle without increasing the temperature on the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles to the temperature at which the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles oxidize.
- 39. In a combination as set forth in claim 35,
- means disposed in the bundle for expulsion with the chaff particles and responsive to the heat from the expansible fluids in the bundle for generating an individual color in the space occupied by the expelled chaff particles.
- 40. In combination,
- first means defining at least one bundle having a central opening,
- a plurality of chaff particles disposed in the bundle, each of the chaff particles having an electrically conductive surface to define a dipole,
- first chemical means disposed in the central opening in the bundle for initially reacting chemically to generate a controlled exothermic reaction, at a temperature above the temperature for oxidizing the conductive surfaces of the chaff particles, to produce fluids expansible into the bundle to expel the chaff particles from the bundle,
- second chemical means disposed in the central opening in the bundle for generating a controlled endothermic reaction to provide in the expansible fluids a temperature below the temperature for oxidizing the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles,
- third chemical means disposed in the bundle for expulsion with the chaff particles and responsive to the heat from the expansible gases in the bundle for generating an individual color in the space occupied by the chaff particles outside of the bundle without increasing the temperature on the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles to a temperature at which the electrically conductive surfaces of the chaff particles become oxidized,
- the first means including a wrapper holding the chaff particles, and
- means for preventing the wrapper from being expelled with the chaff particles during the expulsion of the chaff particles from the bundle.
- 41. In a combination as recited in claim 40,
- the first chemical means including a combustible material and an oxidizer chemically reactive to generate fluids expansible at an elevated temperature toward the bundle and the second chemical means including additional chemicals responsive to the heat from the expansible fluids for reacting on an endothermic basis to limit the temperature of the fluids expansible into the bundle to a temperature below the oxidizing temperature of the conductive surfaces of the electrically chaff particles.
- 42. In a combination as recited in claim 41,
- the additional chemicals included in the second chemical means including a hydrate responsive to the heat from the expansible fluids for generating steam on an endothermic basis; and
- the combustible material and the oxidizer providing a combustion of the combustible material and the generation of the expansible fluids before the expansion of the fluids into the bundle to expel the chaff particles from the bundle.
- 43. In a combination as set forth in claim 42,
- the combustible material constituting a nitrocellulose and the oxidizer constituting a nitrate.
- 44. In combination,
- means defining a dispenser structure,
- means including a plurality of discs and at least one column in the dispenser structure for dividing the dispenser structure into a plurality of sections,
- a plurality of wrapper means each disposed in the dispenser structure and configured in accordance with the configuration of an individual one of the sections,
- a projectile including the dispenser structure and means covering the dispenser structure means, the covering means being separable from the dispenser structure in an axial direction,
- a plurality of particles of chaff disposed in each individual one of the sections and confined by the wrapper means in such individual one of the sections for radial movement from such individual one of the sections,
- means disposed in the dispenser structure radially interior to the chaff particles and expansible radially for expelling the chaff particles from the sections,
- the wrapper means being slit to facilitate the expulsion of the chaff particles from the sections, and
- means for preventing the wrapper means from being expelled during the expulsion of the chaff particles from the sections.
- 45. In a combination as set forth in claim 44 wherein
- the expansible means includes chemical means reactive to generate fluids expansible into the sections holding the chaff particles for expelling the chaff particles from the sections.
- 46. In a combination as set forth in claim 44,
- the expansible means including a inner tube and a combustible material and an oxidizer disposed in the inner tube to provide a chemical reaction on an exothermic basis for the production at an elevated temperature of the fluids expansible radially from the inner tube, and
- the expansible means further including an outer tube enveloping the inner tube and chemical means disposed in the outer tube and responsive to the elevated temperature from the expansible fluids for reacting chemically on an endothermic basis to limit the expansible fluids to a temperature below the oxidizing temperature of the chaff particles as the fluids expand into the sections holding the chaff particles.
- 47. In a combination as set forth in claim 46,
- means disposed in the sections and responsive to the heat from the fluids expansible into the sections for imparting an individual color to the space occupied by the chaff particles after the expulsion of the chaff particles from the sections.
- 48. In a combination as set forth in claim 44,
- the retaining means including a plurality of columns disposed in the dispenser structure for holding the wrapper means and the wrapper means being shaped to conform to the dispenser structure means for retention by the dispenser structure.
- 49. In combination,
- a plurality of sectioning means disposed in a spaced relationship in a first direction,
- a plurality of supporting means extending in the first direction and spaced from one another in a second direction transverse to the first direction and operatively coupled to the sectioning means to define with the sectioning means a plurality of compartments spaced from one another in the first direction,
- a plurality of wrapper means each disposed in an individual one of the compartments and supported by one of the supporting means,
- pluralities of chaff particles, each of the pluralities of chaff particles being disposed in an individual one of the wrapper means,
- first means disposed in the compartments for producing fluids under pressure and for providing for the introduction of such fluids under pressure into the compartments to provide for the expulsion of the chaff particles from the wrapper means
- the wrapper means being slit before the production of the fluids under pressure to facilitate the expulsion of the chaff particles in the pluralities from the wrapper means, and
- second means for preventing each of the wrapper means from being expelled from each of the compartments during the expulsion of the chaff particles from said wrapper means.
- 50. In a combination as set forth in claim 49,
- the first means including chemical components combustible to generate the fluids under pressure.
- 51. In a combination as set forth in claim 50,
- the chaff particles having a conductive coating with properties of oxidizing at a particular temperature above ambient,
- the chemical components having properties of combusting at a temperature above the particular temperature,
- the first means including additional chemical components responsive to the heat generated by the combustion of the first chemical components for reducing the temperature of the fluids under pressure to a temperature below the particular temperature and for generating additional fluids at such reduced temperatures.
- 52. In a combination as set forth in claim 49,
- the plurality of wrapper means having central apertures and the first means being disposed within the apertures.
- 53. In a combination as set forth in claim 52,
- each of the wrapper means being slit at the central aperture in the wrapper means.
- 54. In a combination as set forth in claim 53,
- the first means including chemical components combustible to generate the fluids under pressure,
- the chaff particles having a conductive coating with properties of oxidizing at a particular temperature above ambient,
- the chemical components having properties of combusting at a temperature above the particular temperature,
- the first means including additional chemical components responsive to the heat generated by the combustion of the first chemical components for reducing the temperature of the fluids under pressure to a temperature below the particular temperature and for generating additional fluids at such reduced temperatures.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/907,301 filed Jul. 1, 1992 (now abandoned), which in turn is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/450,472 filed Dec. 14, 1989 (now abandoned).
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2091855 |
Aug 1982 |
GBX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
Hawley, The Condensed Chemical Dictionary, Eighth Edition, 1971, p. 53. |
Continuations (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
907301 |
Jul 1992 |
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Parent |
450472 |
Dec 1989 |
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