Airborne body with stabilizing fins

An airborne body possessing stabilizing fins or control surfaces, wherein each stabilizing fin is displaceable about an associated bearing axle between a retracted inoperative position and a position of flight in which it is unfolded from the airborne body. An arrangement is associated with each stabilizing fin or control surface, which arrangement is provided for the damping or cushioning of the extending movement of the respective stabilizing fin from the inoperative position into the flying position and for the latching of the stabilizing fin in the flying position, while inhibiting and rebounding of the fin.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to an airborne body possessing stabilizing 
fins or control surfaces, wherein each stabilizing fin is displaceable 
about an associated bearing axle between a retracted inoperative position 
and a position of flight in which it is unfolded from the airborne body. 
2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
An airborne body of that type is known, for example, from the disclosure of 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,969, assigned to the common assignee of this 
application, and incorporated herein by reference. In that instance, it is 
a particular object to be able to implement a simultaneous unlatching of 
all control surfaces. 
When the stabilizing fins or control surfaces of an airborne body of the 
above-mentioned type are extended into a flying position in which the 
stabilizing fins are unfolded from the airborne body either mechanically, 
pyrotechnically or due to the action of the spin of the airborne body, or 
in any other manner from their retracted inoperative position, upon 
reaching their operative position; in essence, their flying position, the 
stabilizing fins or control surfaces are in possession of so much kinetic 
energy, that a recoiling or rebounding of the stabilizing fins from their 
flying position in the direction towards their inoperative retracted 
position cannot be precluded with any certain degree of reliability. 
However, such a potential recoiling or rebounding of the stabilizing fins 
is not desired, or is not even at all permissible, due to reasons in 
adversely affecting the functioning of the airborne body. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to 
provide an airborne body of the above-mentioned type in which any 
recoiling or rebounding of the stabilizing fins or control surfaces from 
their extended flying position in a direction towards their inoperative 
position can be dependably avoided through the incorporation of simple 
measures. 
This object is inventively attained in an airborne body of the 
above-mentioned type in that an arrangement is associated with each 
stabilizing fin or control surface, which arrangement is provided for the 
damping or cushioning of the extending movement of the respective 
stabilizing fin from the inoperative position into the flying position and 
for the latching of the stabilizing fin in the flying position. 
With the aid of the damping arrangement or, in essence, latching device 
which is associated with each stabilizing fin there is obtained the 
advantage that the kinetic energy which is present in each stabilizing fin 
will be attenuated in a defined manner during the movement of the 
respective stabilizing fin from its retracted inoperative position into 
the flying position in which it is unfolded from the airborne body; in 
effect, the fin will be retained in the flying position in which it is 
unfolded from the airborne body. 
The defined or selected latching of the stabilizing fins in the flying 
position in which they are extended or unfolded from the airborne body 
also remains maintained even during a rotation of the shaft of the control 
surface or fin, when the damping or, in essence, latching arrangement, at 
an applicable construction of the inventive airborne body, is located on 
the respective shaft of the stabilizing fin or control surface. 
A further advantage consists of in that the stabilizing fins, subsequent to 
their unfolding into the flying position, are positioned so as to be 
precisely defined, and maintained in the flying position in the absence of 
any play, which is required due to aerodynamic reasons. 
A further advantage of the inventive airborne body consists of in that, for 
purposes of testing, it is possible with a low demand on energy and with 
simple auxiliary means, to unlatch the stabilizing fins in case of need, 
without this rendering it necessary to have to undertake complicated 
disassembling procedures on the airborne body. Through the resilient or 
inherent spring characteristic of the damping arrangement or; in effect, 
of the latching arrangement, or of each of a plurality of such 
arrangements, as has already been mentioned, there is attenuated or 
essentially restrained the recoiling or rebounding energy of every 
stabilizing fin or control surface, in consequence of which the danger of 
breaking of the above-mentioned arrangement is negligibly low and there is 
accordingly afforded a high operational reliability even under extreme 
environmental conditions, such as high or low temperatures, dust or the 
like. Through a suitable construction and dimensioning of the damping or 
latching arrangement, it is possible to dependably cover; in effect, 
absorb and attenuate a broad spectrum of differently high impact energies 
of the stabilizing fins in their flying position in which they are 
unfolded from the airborne body. 
Further advantages reside in the reliable operating characteristics which 
are evident through the adjustable positioning accuracy of the stabilizing 
fins or control surfaces in the flying position which is specified by the 
exact measurements of the damping or, in essence, latching arrangements; 
in the simple mounting for the expendiently producible damping or latching 
arrangements, the latter of which are preferably constructed from stamped 
sheetmetal and bent components, and which require only a small amount of 
space and possesses a low weight; as well as in the reusability of the 
above-mentioned arrangement. Furthermore, through the use of these 
arrangements there is obtained a freedom from the need for maintenance, 
inasmuch as; for instance, there is no requirement for any lubrication.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
FIG. 1 illustrates the tail end portion of an airborne body 10 which 
possesses two stabilizing fins or control surfaces 12. The airborne body 
10 is formed with two opening slits 14 through which the stabilizing fins 
12 are extendable or unfoldable from the airborne body 10. In the airborne 
body 10 there are supported shafts 18 for the stabilizing fins through the 
intermediary of bearing devices 16, wherein the shafts are oriented along 
the radial direction of th airborne body 10 and are pivotable about an 
axis of rotation 20. Each stabilizing fin 12 has its vane footing 22 
pivotally supported on the associated control surface shaft 18 with the 
aid of a bearing axle 24. Each bearing axle 24 is perpendicularly oriented 
relative to the associated axis of rotation 20. 
Each stabilizing fin or control surface 12 has a damping or, in essence, 
latching arrangement 28 associated therewith, which is provided for 
implementing the unfolding movement of the associated stabilizing fin 12 
from its inoperative position in which it is retracted into the airborne 
body into the flying position in which it extends radially from the 
airborne body 10, and for the latching of the associated stabilizing fin 
12 in the above-mentioned flying position. 
FIG. 2 illustrates a segmentary portion of a stabilizing fin 12 as well as 
the two damping or latching arrangements 28 for the mentioned stabilizing 
fin, and which arrangements possess two spring elements 30. The 
stabilizing fin 12 is pivotably supported on the associated stabilizing 
fin or control surface shaft 18, whereby the bearing axle 24 is 
represented through only its central longitudinal middle line. From FIG. 2 
there can be ascertained that each spring element 30 possesses a latching 
portion 32. The latching portions 32, during the extending or unfolding 
movement of the stabilizing fins, lie against the transitional edges 34 
which are present between the side surface 36 and the back surface 38; in 
effect, against the side surfaces 36 of the respective stabilizing fin 12. 
The mutually-facing latching portions 32 of the two spring elements 30 of 
a damping or latching arrangement 28 are bent apart during the unfolding 
movement of the associated stabilizing fin 12 into the direction of the 
arrows 40, whereby the latching portions 32 press with a certain amount of 
force against the side surfaces 36 of the stabilizing fin 12. This force 
produces a frictional force through which there is produced a reduction or 
attenuation in the kinetic energy of the stabilizing fin 12. 
In the unfolded flying position for the stabilizing fins 12, in which the 
back surface 38 of each stabilizing fin 12 comes into contact against a 
stop or contacting surface 42 on the associated stabilizing fin shaft 18, 
the elastically resilient, prestressed latching portions 32 of the spring 
elements 30 of the applicable damping or latching arrangement 28 engage 
into an associated latching portion 44, as can be particularly clearly 
ascertained from FIG. 4. The latching portions 44 are formed by cutouts or 
recesses 46 in the two side surfaces 36 of the respective stabilizing fin 
12 which face away from each other. 
The spring elements 30 of the damping or latching arrangement 28 of each 
stabilizing fin 12 are fixed on the respectively associated stabilizing 
fin shaft 18. For this purpose, each stabilizing fin shaft 18 can be 
formed with a suitable mounting attachment 48. 
In FIGS. 1 through 4 the same or similar components are each identified by 
the same reference numerals. 
In FIG. 4 there are represented arrows 50, through which there is indicated 
the elastically resilient engagement of the latching portions 32 of the 
spring elements 30 into the cutouts 46 indicated in the position of flight 
of the stabilizing fins or control surfaces 12 in which they extend from 
the airborne body 10. The double-headed arrow 52 in FIG. 4 signifies the 
capability in the rotation of the stabilizing fin shaft 18 about the axis 
of rotation 20 of the applicable stabilizing fin 12, which is 
perpendicular to the bearing axis 24 and the longitudinal axis 26. In FIG. 
4, there is also ascertainable the narrow contacting of the back surface 
38 of the stabilizing fin 12 against the contact surface 42 on the 
stabilizing fin shaft 18.