Patent ID: 6869043

Claim:
Apparatus comprising a support member, a projectile to which the support member is attached, an aft body attached to the rear of the projectile and adapted to be jettisoned from the projectile during flight, a plurality of petals each hinged at an end thereof to the support member, the petals being arrayed in a first position around a central axis of the apparatus in a first, undeployed configuration of the apparatus, actuating means operable to swing each of the petals around its hinged end to a second position in a second, deployed configuration of the apparatus, and locking means attached to the actuating means for locking the petals in said second position, wherein the locking means includes at least a first detent finger that is initially positioned in the support member and is pulled out of the support member by the operation of the actuating means, wherein the actuating means includes a slide member that is displaced from an original position to a displaced position responsive to the operation of the actuating means and wherein the detent finger is pulled out of the support member by the displacement of the slide member to the displaced position, and wherein the detent finger is adapted to assume a configuration upon being pulled out of the support member that prevents the detent finger from re-entering the support member and thereby prevents the slide member from returning to its original position.