Patent ID: 6094906
Filing Date: 2000-08-01
Classification: F02K,F42B

Abstract:
A rocket motor comprising:propellant enclosed by a casing having a cylindrical region, a closed forward end and an aft assembly;said aft assembly including an aft closure member, provided with a central opening, secured to said casing within said cylindrical region;a sliding piston assembly slidably retained within said aft assembly and said casing so as to be movable between an at rest position adjacent said aft assembly and a maximum pressure position forward of said aft assembly in which the propellant is axially compressed to radially expand the propellant toward said casing;a nozzle assembly slidably mounted within a central bore of said sliding piston assembly so as to be movable between a forward vent path defining position and an aft vent path closing position;a propellant igniter assembly mounted within said motor; anda burn path structure arranged in combination with said sliding piston assembly and including at least a sheet insulator positioned between a portion of an aft face of the propellant and a forward face of said sliding piston assembly so that abnormal propellant burns will propagate along an aft interface of said at least a sheet insulator and normal propellant burns will propagate along a forward interface of said at least a sheet insulator.