Claims
- 1. A projectile having variable stability, said projectile being arranged to be spin stabilized and comprising:
- a casing having a cavity wherein said cavity is shaped to provide a pair of chambers, each communicating with the other a fluid of a given mass contained within said cavity;
- drive means for propelling said fluid between said pair of chambers, said pair of chambers includes;
- an inner chamber and an outer chamber encircling said inner chamber, said drive means including a source of pressurized gun gas; and
- normally closed valve means responsive to said gun gas exceeding a predetermined pressure for injecting said gun gas into said cavity to displace said fluid;
- an inner piston slidably mounted in said inner chamber;
- an outer annular piston slidably mounted in said outer chamber, said fluid being contained between said inner and outer pistons; and
- said cavity being shaped to provide a balanced flow of said fluid with respect to the axis of spin as said projectile is trajected, said balanced flow altering the flight stability of said projectile.
- 2. A projectile according to claim 1 wherein said casing has an inlet port communicating with said cavity and wherein said normally closed valve means comprises:
- a tapered valve member slidably mounted on said casing and exposed to ambient pressure external to said casing; and
- yieldable means for urging said valve member into sealing engagement with said port, ambient pressure in excess of a predetermined magnitude retracting said valve member from said port, so that said cavity is pressurized in excess of said predetermined magnitude.
- 3. A projectile according to claim 1 wherein said pair of chambers are spaced to longitudinally shift the center of gravity of said projectile in response to transfer of said fluid between said pair of chambers.
Parent Case Info
This is a division of application Ser. No. 948,127, filed Oct. 3, 1978.
GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the Government for Governmental purposes without the payment to me of any royalties thereon.
US Referenced Citations (5)
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
948127 |
Oct 1978 |
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