Patent ID: 6378436
Filing Date: 2002-04-30
Classification: C06B,F02K

Abstract:
A solid propellant cutting assembly suitable for making radial cuts into an annular solid propellant grain having a central bore of a predetermined diameter, said assembly comprising:one or more extension beams extending in length between a proximal end and a distal end, the length of said extension beams being less than the diameter of the central bore; a distal retaining head provided at said distal end of said extension beams, said distal retaining head having a curvilinear surface that is complementary to an inner surface of the central bore and faces away from said extension beams; a proximal retaining head provided at said proximal end of said extension beams, said proximal retaining head having a curvilinear surface that is complementary to the inner surface of the central bore and faces away from said extension beams; an adjustment mechanism cooperatively connecting said extension beams to either said distal retaining head or said proximal retaining head, said adjustment mechanism being constructed and arranged to permit relative movement of said distal and proximal retaining heads towards and away from each other between a loading position, in which the distance between said curvilinear surfaces of said distal and proximal retaining heads is less than the diameter of the central bore to permit loading of said assembly into said central bore, and an operative position, in which the distance between said curvilinear surfaces of said distal and proximal retaining heads is approximately equal to the diameter of the central bore to permit said support beams and retaining heads to be collectively wedged in and supported at diametrically opposed positions of the inner surface of the solid propellant grain; a planar blade having a cutting edge, said blade being movable along at least a portion of the length of said extension beams to a position in which said blade extends beyond said proximal end of said extension beams so that, by placing said assembly in the operative position, movement of said cutting edge of said blade by a sufficient distance beyond said proximal end makes a radial cut into the solid propellant grain; and a level constructed and arranged to control the orientation of said blade relative to the propellant grain when said assembly is in the operative position.