Patents by Inventor Robert E. Betts
Robert E. Betts has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 4549486Abstract: A smoke canister used as a spotting charge for locating a point in space re a warhead has been detonated. The canister is provided with a plurality of seals to prevent leakage of the smoke producing chemical in the canister during a very long storage life of the canister in the missile warhead.Type: GrantFiled: May 25, 1984Date of Patent: October 29, 1985Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Robert E. Betts, John F. Crawford, Robert E. McNeill
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Patent number: 4542695Abstract: A contoured configured detonating cord and detonator is incorporated into a ember during manufacture thereof. The member may be a rocket motor which is disposed to be broken into small fragments over inhabited areas subsequent to separation of the motor from the warhead. Separation permits the warhead to fly to the target without excessive drag and fragmenting the motor prevents large pieces from falling on the inhabitants. The detonating cord is contoured to the configuration of the motor to prevent stress risers from occurring and thereby weakening the motor structure.Type: GrantFiled: March 24, 1983Date of Patent: September 24, 1985Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Robert E. Betts, John F. Crawford, Jacqueline C. Meador
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Patent number: 4488490Abstract: A precussion initiated spotting charge in which the spotting charge is caed by the front end of a solid propellant rocket and has a priming charge which is specifically mounted in a forward section of the housing for the spotting charge in a lead support structure with a strengthening outer structure for supporting the lead structure relative to the spotting charge body structure.Type: GrantFiled: August 29, 1983Date of Patent: December 18, 1984Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 4488486Abstract: A low brisance detonating cord including an outer case of explosive material of predetermined detonating velocity and an inner core of explosive material concentrically carried in the outer core. The inner core has a detonating velocity greater than the outer core.Type: GrantFiled: December 16, 1982Date of Patent: December 18, 1984Inventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 4462483Abstract: A solid propellant gas generator operating with a calibrated tunable resonator produces a strong sonic field capable of affecting particle coagulation in an aerosol. The resonator is calibrated to produce a sonic field at the optimum frequency for a given aerosol and can be changed according to the aerosol involved. The resultant coagulation increases visibility and/or electromagnetic transmissibility within the sonic field. The device can be used to reduce obscuration during battlefield operations.Type: GrantFiled: July 5, 1983Date of Patent: July 31, 1984Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Robert E. Betts, Lawrence B. Thorn
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Patent number: 4432202Abstract: A pyrotechnic delay system for controlling the time of events from initian of an initial ignition impulse to ignition of a secondary output.Type: GrantFiled: May 7, 1981Date of Patent: February 21, 1984Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Robert E. Betts, Nathan P. Williams, Arnold T. Stokes
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Patent number: 4391196Abstract: Disclosed is an add-on pyrotechnic package to a pyrogen igniter for a solid ropellant rocket motor which employs a perforated solid propellant grain. The pyrotechnic package is comprised of a container fabricated out of a material selected from pressed paper, plastic, or metal and contains pyrotechnic pellets selected from boron-potassium nitrate (B/KNO.sub.3), aluminum-potassium perchlorate (Al/KClO.sub.4), titanium-aluminium-potassium perchlorate (Ti-Al/KClO.sub.4), and large granules of black powder. The combination of the pyrogen igniter and the add-on pyrotechnic package when fired performs the functions of sweeping away any propellant components that have migrated to the propellant surfaces or that have formed on the propellant surfaces from chemical reactions, igniting the propellant perforated grain, and maintaining the pressure in the solid propellant rocket motor chamber to achieve more efficient ignition and performance of the rocket motor.Type: GrantFiled: April 20, 1981Date of Patent: July 5, 1983Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 4380958Abstract: A safe electroexplosive device such as an electric match is provided by cring the existing electric match with a coating that prevents electrostatic discharge penetration of the coating. The coating may be either an inner insulator with a conductive outer layer or it may be just a conductive layer over the match. Use of the insulator coating allows an open-circuit terminal to remain once the device is initiated by its power source. Use of only the conductive coat requires the coat to have a resistance greater than the match bridgewire circuit resistance and leaves a low resistance path across the power source after the device has been fired.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 1980Date of Patent: April 26, 1983Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 4356720Abstract: A method for burst testing a vented pressure vessel accurately measures the rue burst pressure of the vented pressure vessel. The method employs a burstpressure test fixture which comprises a plug and a gauge adapter member for substantially plugging the vent opening in a pressure vessel to be burst tested. The plug and gauge adapter member is adapted for receiving a transducer or pressure gauge that is integrally mounted with a pressure gauge tube which is insertably mounted in the plug and gauge adapter member. The vent opening which is substantially plugged with the tube member of the plug and gauge adapter member is free from stress during pressurization to burst pressure. The method requires that the plug and gauge adapter member be stationary, but the vented pressure vessel is allowed to move outwardly along the tube member during dynamic testing. The fit of the plug to the vent opening (i.e.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 1981Date of Patent: November 2, 1982Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 4337702Abstract: An electroexplosive device and percussion safe and arm device in which a ton actuated squib or a directional shaped charge is used to set off a pyrotechnic booster charge that is rotated relative to the squib to align the booster charge with the squib and thereby enable the squib to set the booster charge off. The booster charge is used to ignite an initiator main charge or an additional booster charge that then sets off an initiator main charge.Type: GrantFiled: June 9, 1980Date of Patent: July 6, 1982Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 4208967Abstract: The electrically initiated squib of this invention is comprised of a plug member with a pair of spaced apart electrical leads extending through the plug member into a holder member for containing a predetermined quantity of an easily-ignitable composition. A bridgewire that is constructed of a bimetallic composite (Pyrofuze) selected from palladium and aluminum, platinum and aluminum, and ruthenium-palladium alloy and aluminum is secured between the electrical lead ends that terminate in the holder member of the squib.Type: GrantFiled: May 15, 1978Date of Patent: June 24, 1980Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 4092189Abstract: A method of preparing high burning rate solid propellant grains that have od mechanical properties and the high burning rate solid propellant grains prepared from a multimodal blend of at least one ultra-high burning rate propellant that has been cured and ground to a predetermined particle size of from about 100 microns (0.1 millimeter) to about 5 millimeters and at least one uncured propellant composition that has high tensile strength and compatibility with the ultra-high burning rate propellant and that serves as a binder for the solid propellant grain when cured. The solid propellant grain which has good mechanical and physical properties and a high burning rate burns with a flame that moves through the grain as a plane wave. Even though the individual components have different burning rates, it is the rate of the plane wave through the grain that is controlled by the averaging of the rate of burning through each of the particles of the multimodal blend and the binder propellant.Type: GrantFiled: August 1, 1977Date of Patent: May 30, 1978Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 4068591Abstract: This invention is an igniter for solid rocket propellants that is used when testing propellant compositions for smokiness. The igniter has a charge of solid propellant in the form of small, generally spherical particles or thin sheets so as to have a large total burning surface and thin web. The composition of the igniter propellant is same or similar to that of the propellant being tested so that true smokiness of the test propellant can be ascertained. Upon ignition, the igniter propellant charge burns rapidly in an igniter combustion chamber and produces a high internal pressure. The hot gases produced by this combustion of the igniter propellant discharge through an orifice in an igniter chamber wall and flow onto the surface of the main propellant being ignited.Type: GrantFiled: March 10, 1976Date of Patent: January 17, 1978Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 4036013Abstract: A rocket motor nozzle closure for controlling the initial release of prese from the rocket motor nozzle to reduce the occurrence of high pressure shock fronts which are detrimental to the weapon operator. The mass and geometry of the nozzle closure are predetermined to fit the desired motor performance. The release of motor pressure is controlled by the rate of change of momentum of the nozzle closure.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1975Date of Patent: July 19, 1977Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Robert E. Betts, Lawrence B. Thorn, Albert R. Maykut
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Patent number: 4033121Abstract: A rocket motor nozzle closure for controlling the initial release of prese from the rocket motor nozzle to reduce the occurrence of high pressure shock fronts which are detrimental to the weapon operator. The mass and geometry of the nozzle closure are predetermined to fit the desired motor performance. The release of motor pressure is controlled by the rate of change of momentum of the nozzle closure.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1975Date of Patent: July 5, 1977Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Robert E. Betts, Lawrence B. Thorn, Albert R. Maykut
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Patent number: 4023356Abstract: A rocket motor nozzle closure for controlling the initial release of prese from the rocket motor nozzle to reduce the occurrence of high pressure shock fronts which are detrimental to the weapon operator. The mass and geometry of the nozzle closure are predetermined to fit the desired motor performance. The release of motor pressure is controlled by the rate of change of momentum of the nozzle closure.Type: GrantFiled: December 22, 1975Date of Patent: May 17, 1977Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Robert E. Betts, Lawrence B. Thorn, Albert R. Maykut
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Patent number: 4014262Abstract: A blast simulator for use as a noise environment tester in a simulated mile launcher. The blast simulator includes a cylinder capped at both ends by a paper disc and encloses a pyrotechnic charge. An electric squib is inserted through either the cylinder walls or the end discs and when actuated ignites the pyrotechnic charge.Type: GrantFiled: February 4, 1975Date of Patent: March 29, 1977Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventor: Robert E. Betts
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Patent number: 3968646Abstract: A rocket motor nozzle closure for controlling the initial release of prese from the rocket motor nozzle to reduce the occurrence of high pressure shock fronts which are detrimental to the weapon operator. The mass and geometry of the nozzle closure are predetermined to fit the desired motor performance. The release of motor pressure is controlled by the rate of change of momentum of the nozzle closure.Type: GrantFiled: June 28, 1974Date of Patent: July 13, 1976Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the ArmyInventors: Robert E. Betts, Lawrence B. Thorn, Albert R. Maykut