A solid propellant rocket motor has a tubular casing accommodating a mass of solid propellant material and at least one opening for the space in the casing to communicate with the outside closed by a closing head; the closing head being coupled to the casing by means of one or the other of two blocking portions with different strength both carried by a movement device which can be elastically deformed and operated from the outside.

A rocket motor assembly (3) for use with an aircraft ejection seat comprises a rocket motor (4) having a rocket motor housing (5) and an exhaust outlet (6-9) to permit exhaust gas to be output from the rocket motor (4) along a thrust vector. The rocket motor assembly (3) comprises a first rotational coupling (12) which is configured to rotationally couple a first part (13) of the rocket motor housing (5) to a support structure (10) and a releasable coupling (14) which is configured to releasably couple a second part (15) of the rocket motor housing (5) to the support structure (10). The releasable coupling (14) is configured to release the second part (15) of the rocket motor housing (5) to permit the rocket motor housing (5) to rotate about the rotational coupling (12) to change the angle of the thrust vector of exhaust gas output from the exhaust outlet (6-9).

Hanger assemblies for coupling heat shield liners to cases of gas turbine engines are disclosed. The disclosed hanger assemblies include a pivoting joint coupled between a first segment and a second segment. The first segment is coupled to the liner by a liner attachment assembly and the second segment is coupled to the case by a case attachment assembly. At least one of the liner attachment assembly or the case attachment assembly permits translational movement of the first or second segments respectively with respect to the liner or case to accommodate for thermal expansion in the axial direction.

A rocket motor assembly (3) for use with an aircraft ejection seat comprises a rocket motor (4) having a rocket motor housing (5) and an exhaust outlet (6-9) to permit exhaust gas to be output from the rocket motor (4) along a thrust vector. The rocket motor assembly (3) comprises a first rotational coupling (12) which is configured to rotationally couple a first part (13) of the rocket motor housing (5) to a support structure (10) and a releasable coupling (14) which is configured to releasably couple a second part (15) of the rocket motor housing (5) to the support structure (10). The releasable coupling (14) is configured to release the second part (15) of the rocket motor housing (5) to permit the rocket motor housing (5) to rotate about the rotational coupling (12) to change the angle of the thrust vector of exhaust gas output from the exhaust outlet (6-9).

A liquid rocket engine assembly comprising a thrust chamber, a nozzle, and a joint structure. The joint structure attaches the thrust chamber and the nozzle and comprises at least one seal element and an attachment ring interposed between the thrust chamber and the nozzle. Fasteners extend between the nozzle and the thrust chamber through the at least one seal element and the attachment ring. Materials of the thrust chamber and of the nozzle comprise different coefficients of thermal expansion. A method of forming a liquid rocket engine assembly is also disclosed.

A flexible bearing assembly includes at least one metal end ring, a flexible bearing core having a plurality of layers of a resilient material between layers of a reinforcement material, and a phenolic composite material between and bonded to each of the at least one metal end ring and the flexible bearing core. A rocket motor assembly includes a chamber configured to contain a propellant and a movable thrust nozzle coupled to the chamber. The movable thrust nozzle includes a phenolic composite material between and bonded to each of a metal end ring and a flexible bearing core. Methods of forming a flexible bearing assembly include bonding a phenolic composite material to at least one metal end ring and bonding a flexible bearing core to the phenolic composite material. The flexible bearing core includes a plurality of layers of a resilient material between layers of a reinforcement material.

The present disclosure relates to a dismantleable mandrel assembly and a method of molding solid propellant grains with deep fin cavities whose major transverse dimensions are larger than casing opening dimensions in a monolithic rocket motor. The mandrel assembly comprises a base mandrel, a core mandrel insertable into the base mandrel and a plurality of fin molds attachable onto the base mandrel in a circular pattern about the motor axis. The plurality of longitudinal fin cavities is configured with forward swept leading and trailing edges. The manufacturing technique involves assembling and disassembling the mandrel components before propellant casting and after propellant curing respectively in a specific sequence. With minimum number of components and critical joints the method assures reduced quantum of explosive hazard in propellant grain manufacturing for high performance solid rocket motors.

A thrust ring for a rocket motor for one or more of limited re-use or single use, including a rocket motor housing, the motor housing adapted to contain propellant; an aft closure with a nozzle, the aft closure connected or connectable to the housing; a forward closure connected or connectable to the housing; wherein one or both of the aft closure and the forward closure are connectable to the housing in manner adapted for one or both of limited re-use or single use.

A multi-component structure includes a first hybrid metal composite structure, a second hybrid metal composite structure, and a joint structure. The first and second hybrid metal composite structures include layers, each layer comprising a fiber composite material structure including a fiber material dispersed within a matrix material and at least one metal ply located between layers of the layers. The joint structure extends between and connects the first hybrid metal composite structure and the second hybrid metal composite structure. Additionally, the joint structure exerts a clamping force on the first and second hybrid metal composite structures and to reduce gaps between the layers, between the layers and the at least one metal ply, and between the joint structure and the first and second hybrid metal composite structures to less than half a thickness of the at least one metal ply.

A solid propellant rocket motor (1) has a tubular casing (3) accommodating a mass (5) of solid propellant material and at least one opening (10) for the space in the casing (3) to communicate with the outside closed by a closing head (11); the closing head (11) being coupled to the casing (3) by means of one or the other of two blocking portions (28) (21A) with different strength both carried by a movement device (21,35) which can be elastically deformed and operated from the outside.