Patent GB-588920-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in apparatus for launching rocket projectiles
IPC: F41A19/64
Filed: 1944-04-04
Abstract: 588,920. Rocketdischarge apparatus. HYDRAN PRODUCTS, Ltd:, and MOTLEY, L. April 4, 1944, Nos. 6289 and 22605. [Class 92 (ii)] A launching apparatus for rocket projectiles has the rounds fed successively to firing position behind a launching tube and fired continuously, or as single shots, by releasable firing mechanism, interlock means being provided controlled by the rounds themselves for preventing firing while the round following the one last fired has been fed only part way to the firing position. Fig. 2 shows one form of apparatus adapted for the electric firing of rockets 3 fed downwardly from a magazine one at a time into the breech compartment 2 of a launching tube 1. The firing mechanism comprises a contact arm or striker 5 pivoted at 11 and pressed to firing position by a spring 14 on the release of a pivoted sear 12 engaging the bent 5b in the striker. The sear is released by a solenoid 6, the movable core of which engages a lever 17 pivoted at 18, the lever having a spring pawl 19 engaging one arm of the sear. The controlling electric firing circuit, Fig. 6, is so arranged that pressure on the firing button 7 completes the firing circuit only when contacts 9 and 34 are closed on the rocket reaching the firing position. For automatic fire, a switch 8a is closed, the switch 8b for controlling single-shot fire being open. Pressure on the firing button 7 then energizes the firing solenoid 6 through battery 33, switch 8a, contact 9 and contact 34, the striker 5 being thus released and the electric striker point 5a rendered live for igniting the rocket charge of the projectile. As the rocket leaves the tube, contacts 9 and 34 are broken and the solenoid de-energized to be again energized when a fresh rocket falls into firing position. Automatic fire thus continues as long as the button 7 is pressed. For single-shot fire, switch 8b is also closed to complete a branch circuit through contact 10 which causes the solenoid to remain energized until button 7 is released, a further pressure on the button being necessary to discharge the next rocket. The striker is recocked by the passage of the rocket over a shoe 22 which is depressed to actuate a rod 25 engaging by pin 26 with an arcuate slot in the striker. To prevent a rocket being moved forwards bv the suction from the rocket previously discharged, a spring-pressed plate 46 is provided. The contact 9 is actuated by an arm 28 engaging the rocket and the contact 10 is controlled by an arm 37a, Figs. 2 and 4, bearing against the solenoid core 16. Contact 34 is controlled by an arm 44, Fig. 4, bearing on a pivoted strut 41 depressed by the rocket as it falls into firing position, the strut rising to the position shown to support the rocket and permit arm 44 to move upwards by spring action to close the contact 34. In a modification in which the electric firing mechanism is replaced by mechanically-operated trigger mechanism, the hammer 5 is released by a lever 17 as before, but the release is effected by the strut 41 through the medium of a vertically-reciprocating rod. This rod is controlled by a hand-operated trigger mechanism having the usual rotary cam adjustment for automatic or single-shot fire.