Rotating and sliding hatch door for a launcher system

• US 8,087,336 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2008
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Fleischer, Corey A., Chiu, Bruce S., Heick, Kristopher
• Primary Examiner(s): David, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/266,445
• Publication Number:
  US 20100282051A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,153 Days
• Field of Search: 89/18, 89/18.17, 114/201, 114/202, 114/203, 296/155, 296/146.4, 493/56, 493/57
• US Class Current: 89/1.8
• CPC Class Codes: E05D 15/58 with both swinging and sliding movements
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/60 using electrical actuators
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/63 operated by swinging arms
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/50 for vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/504 for armoured vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E06B 7/16 Sealing arrangements on wings or parts co-operating with the wings specially adapted for fireproof or similar closures E06B5/164; E06B7/098 takes precedence ; fixed sealing joints E04B1/68; devices for fitting sealing strips E04F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41F 3/077 Doors or covers for launching tubes

Abstract

A system and method for actuating a hatch door. One embodiment includes a vertical launcher system that has a hatch door disposed in a plane at the top of a hold. The hatch door includes a leading edge and a trailing edge at opposite ends of the hatch door. When an actuator arm for maneuvering the hatch door is extended, the leading edge is lifted away from the plane by the actuator arm while the trailing edge remains in the plane and slides across the top of the plane toward the point where the leading edge was first lifted away. Such a sliding hatch mechanism allows for quick opening and closing of a hatch door while providing more efficient use of mechanical energy for breaking ice build up or prevent intrusion.

Claims

1. A door assembly, comprising:

a frame configured to be disposed on a hold having an opening, the hold configured to launch a weapon; and

a door disposed in the frame over the opening of the hold, the door rotatably attached to the frame at a first end of the door and slidably attached to the frame at a second opposite end of the door.

2. The door assembly of claim 1, further comprising an actuation point at the first end operable to be rotatably attached to an actuator for maneuvering the door.

3. The door assembly of claim 1 further comprising a seal for seating the door in the frame.

4. An apparatus, comprising:

a door configured to cover an opening of a hold and secured to the hold at a first end of the door; and

an actuator having an actuator arm as a means for applying a force to open the door at a second end of the door such that the actuator arm is configured to extend to push open the door.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the actuator comprises one of the group including:

an electrical actuator, a pneumatic actuator, a hydraulic actuator and a magnetic-energy actuator.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the opening is disposed in a plane over the top of the opening such that the first and second ends of the door are in the plane when the door is in a closed position.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the first end remains in the plane when the hatch door is maneuvered to an open position.

8. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a rotatable coupling point disposed between the door and the actuator arm.

9. A vertical launcher system, comprising:

a hold;

a hold door disposed over an opening of the hold and secured to the opening at a first end of the door; and

an actuator having an actuator arm configured to apply a force to open the door at a second end of the door such that the actuator arm extends to push open the door.

10. The vertical launcher system of claim 9 disposed on one of the group comprising:

a water vessel, an aircraft, and a land vehicle.

11. The vertical launcher system of claim 9 wherein the hold is operable for launching a device from the group comprising:

a rocket, a missile, munitions, a drone aircraft, and a drone vessel.

12. The vertical launcher system of claim 9 wherein the first end is slidably fixed in a plane at the top of the hold.

13. The vertical launcher system of claim 9 wherein the hold door, secured by the actuator, is operable to withstand a force from at least one of the group comprising:

wind drag, a missile plume, a water wave crash, external ballistics, and a gun blast.