Electric aerospace propulsion system

• US 3,177,654 A
• Filed: 09/26/1961
• Issued: 04/13/1965
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1961
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Vjekoslav Gradecak
• Original Assignee: Vjekoslav Gradecak
• Inventors: VJEKOSLAV GRADECAK
• Application Number:
  US04/140,919
• Time in Patent Office: 1,295 Days
• US Class Current: 60/202
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/405 Ion or plasma engines per se F03H1/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/413 Ion or plasma engines
• CPC Class Codes: F03H 1/0087 Electro-dynamic thrusters, e.g. pulsed plasma thrusters

Claims

1. AN IONIZED JET PROPULSION SYSTEM, COMPRISING:

AN OPEN ENDED CHAMBER;

A SOURCE OF IONS COMPRISING A CORONA FIELD EMISSION ELECTRODE AT ONE END OF SAID CHAMBER;

A GRID ELECTRODE AT THE OTHER END OF SAID CHAMBER;

A SORUCE OF HIGH VOLTAGE CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID GRID ELECTRODE AND SAID CORONA FIELD EMISSION ELECTRODE;

ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD PRODUCING MEANS AROUND SAID CHAMBER TO PROVIDE A FIELD, THE LINES OF FORCE OF WHICH ARE SUBSTANTIALLY AXIALLY DIVERGENT OF SAID CHAMBER;

A PULSED SORUCE OF POWER CONNECTED TO SAID FIELD PRODUCING MEANS TO DRIVE IONS TOWARD SAID GRID ELECTRODE;

A SOURCE OF WORKING FLUID DIRECTED INTO SAID CHAMBER TO FORM A PLASMA WITH THE IONS THEREIN;

AND A MEANS TO PRODUCE AN ELECTRICAL FIELD TRANSVERSELY OF SAID CHAMBER BETWEEN PULSES OF THE ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD TO PURGE EXCESS ELECTRONS FROM THE CHAMBER.