Launchers for airborne missiles
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 07/139,774, filed Dec. 20, 1987, now abandoned. 
    
    
     This invention relates to rail launchers for airborne missiles. 
     In U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,660,456 and 4,711,151 to Griffin and Field, both assigned to the assignees of the present invention and incorporated herein by reference, there are featured rail launchers which enable a number of different types of raillaunched missile to be interfaced to the same pylon on an aircraft. This is achieved using a removable sub-rail which has a common load-transferring structural interface to the main launcher body and a second interface specifically tailored to suit the missile for which the sub-rail is designed. 
     From this has been developed a rail jettison system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,802,400 to Griffin and Delves, likewise assigned to the assignees of the present invention. 
     The present invention provides further improvements usable in the common weapons release systems described in the foregoing patent specifications. 
     According to one aspect of the invention, a pair of detachable hook modules are provided adapted to fit on the sub-rail interface of the launcher body at different selected longitudinal spacings. Actuating means can be provided for releasing both hooks simultaneously, while permitting relative longitudinal adjustment of the hook modules to a number of different standard spacings. 
     According to another aspect, a plurality of independent electro-mechanical release units are provided adapted to be mounted at different positions along the sub-rail interface of the launcher body, thereby to convert it to a multiple store carrier and release device. 
     According to a third aspect, a different interfacing arrangement is provided for light and heavy missiles, which serves to prevent heavy missiles from being fitted on to launchers and pylons only capable of carrying light missiles. 
    
    
     Arrangement according to the invention will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is diagrammatic side elevation of a missile launcher body with a pair of detachable hook modules, 
     FIGS. 2 and 3 are respectively sectional side elevations of the aft and forward hook modules of FIG. 1, 
     FIG. 4 is a pictorial view of a launcher body fitted with multiple detachable release units to carry multiple stores, 
     FIG. 5 is a pictorial view of one of the release units of FIG. 4, and 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional diagrams of two launcher body and detachable sub-rail combinations with different body/sub-rail interfaces. 
    
    
     The sub-rail interface along the main body of the launcher provides a well-defined structural interface that can be used for other purposes. Two modules can be fitted containing hooks that can be used to suspend a store on bail lugs at 10 inch, 14 inch or 13 inch centres depending on where the hook modules are positioned along the rail interface. The simultaneous release of the two suspension hooks can be accomplished by rotation of an actuating shaft which runs along the body and through the hook modules. By sliding the hook modules along this shaft, the hooks can be set at 10, 14 or 30 inch spacings as required. 
     FIG. 1 shows two such hook modules 11, 12 and their longitudinal positioning along the launcher body 13, with engagement locations 10 providing hook spacings at 10 inches, 14 inches and 30 inches. FIGS. 2 and 3 show the common actuating shaft 14 operated by an actuator on the forward hook module 11 which actuator comprises a solenoid 15 that releases a sear lever 16, normally engaged in the teeth of a cog wheel 17 on the shaft 14, to enable the shaft to be rotated by a torsion spring 18. At each hook module, suspended on the launcher body 13 by a slidable hanger 28, the rotary motion of the shaft 14 is converted to linear motion of the hook by a helical ball thread 19. 
     Other actuator arrangements are, of course, 
     Various mechanisms can be incorporated into the hook modules to give the desired hook movements within the geometric constraints of the layout. Whatever arrangement is used, it is important to ensure that synchronism in the operation of the two hooks is always achieved. While the hooks shown are for use with bail lugs on the store, the hooks can be double-nibbed for use with stores fitted with saddle lugs of the MACE type. 
     Referring now to FIGs. 4 and 5, the launcher body 13 is shown carrying a number of identical independent electro-mechanical hook modules or release units 20 each with a special body mounting which is compatible with the rail interface. The units 20 can incorporate a mechanism of known design, with the body of the unit being provided with integral double T lugs 21 to fit the interface. A clamping device enables each unit to be locked against longitudinal motion: as shown, a cam arrangement 22 is used to force the `T` shaped lugs 21 into contact with the launcher body slots and hence lock the unit in position. The number of units and their longitudinal spacing can be chosen to suit the size of the stores, which may, for instance, be practice bombs 23. 
     The weight of missiles currently in use varies considerably and to carry the load of heavy missiles (e.g. Harm, Exocet, Sea Eagle, etc.) the design stresses in the launcher body and/or pylon have to be calculated accordingly. In such a case it has been found that a double T rail interface is inadequate. FIG. 6 shows a triple T interface 24 on a launcher body 13&#39; designed to receive a sub-rail 25 to carry a heavy missile. The light missile launcher body 13 and sub-rail 26, with the double T interface 27, is shown in FIG. 7. The outer T&#39;s of the triple interface 24 are the same as the double T interface 27. This has the advantage that a heavy missile pylon or launcher is configured to take triple T rails designed for heavy weight stores and will also accept all the double T rails for the lightweight stores. However, a lightweight pylon or launcher with a double T interface cannot be fitted with a triple T rail, thus preventing the carriage of heavy stores on lightweight launchers.