Self-propelled rocket and collapsible rocket launch stand for use in providing the controlled occurence of an avalanche or a mud slide

Abstract

A self-propelled and constant-acceleration rocket for use in triggering an avalanche includes a hollow cylindrical body member having an interior volume, an open top end, and an open bottom end whose exterior surface includes a plurality of flight guidance fins. A partition wall divides the interior volume into an upper volume and a lower volume. An explosive payload is mounted within the upper volume, and a nose cone having a circular and planar tip closes the open top end of the body member. A rocket motor is mounted within the lower volume. The rocket has a center of gravity and a center of pressure that are both located on the rocket's central axis and within the lower volume. The center of gravity is located closer to the open top end than is the center of pressure. A collapsible launch stand holds the rocket in a launch tube for launching of the rocket. Adjustment of a pair of launch tube support members provides for adjustment of the rocket's launch angle.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A self-propelled rocket for use in triggering an avalanche, comprising: 
 a hollow cylindrical body member having a central axis, an interior volume that includes an upper volume and a lower volume, an open top end, and an open bottom end whose exterior surface includes a plurality of flight guidance fins;    an explosive payload mounted within said upper volume;    a nose cone mounted to close said open top end of said body member and having a circular planar tip that extends generally perpendicular to said central axis;    a rocket motor mounted within said lower volume; and    said rocket having a center of gravity and a center of pressure that are both located on said central axis and within said lower volume, said center of gravity being located closer to said open top end of said body member that is said center of pressure.    
     
     
         2 . The rocker of claim wherein said rocket motor is operable to impart a substantially constant acceleration and a generally line of sight flight to said rocket.  
     
     
         3 . The rocket of  claim 2  wherein said rocket motor is activated by way of an ignition means having a time delay.  
     
     
         4 . The rocket of  claim 3  wherein said explosive payload comprises: 
 a main charge mass mounted within said upper volume; and  
 a cap detonator of smaller mass than said main charge mounted within said upper volume intermediate said main charge and said nose cone.  
 
     
     
         5 . The rocket of  claim 4  wherein said rocket motor provides from about 5 to about 18 pounds thrust to said rocket.  
     
     
         6 . The rocket of  claim 5  wherein said rocket motor operates to impart a velocity of about 26,000 feet per second to said rocket.  
     
     
         7 . The rocker of  claim 6  wherein: 
 said body tube is about 17-inches long and has an external diameter of about 2-inches;  
 said nose cone is about 3-inches long; and  
 a diameter of said circular planar tip of said nose cone is about 1.5-inch.  
 
     
     
         8 . The rocket of  claim 1  wherein: 
 said center of pressure is located about 7-inches from said bottom end of said body tube; and  
 said center of pressure is located about 5-inches from said bottom end of said body tube.  
 
     
     
         9 . The rocket of  claim 8  wherein said rocket motor provides from about 5 to about 18 pounds thrust to said rocket.  
     
     
         10 . The rocket of  claim 9  wherein said rocket motor operates to impart a velocity of about 26,000 feet per second to said rocket.  
     
     
         11 . The rocket of  claim 1  including: 
 a partition wall mounted within said body member and dividing said interior volume into said upper volume and said lower volume;  
 said explosive payload being mounted within said upper volume generally adjacent to said partition wall; and  
 said rocket motor being mounted within said lower volume generally adjacent to said open bottom end of said body tube.  
 
     
     
         12 . The rocker of  claim 11  wherein said rocket motor is operable to impart a substantially constant acceleration and a generally line of sight flight to said rocket.  
     
     
         13 . The rocket of  claim 12  wherein said explosive payload comprises: 
 a main charge mass mounted within said upper volume adjacent to said partition wall; and  
 a cap detonator of smaller mass than said main charge mounted within said upper volume intermediate said main charge and said nose cone.  
 
     
     
         14 . The rocket of  claim 13  wherein said rocket motor provides from about 5 to about 18 pounds thrust to said rocket.  
     
     
         15 . The rocket of  claim 14  wherein said rocket motor operates to impart a velocity of about 26,000 feet per second to said rocket.  
     
     
         16 . The rocker of  claim 15  wherein: 
 said body tube is about 17-inches long and has an external diameter of about 2-inches;  
 said nose cone is about 3-inches long; and  
 a diameter of said circular planar tip of said nose cone is about 1.5-inch.  
 
     
     
         17 . The rocket of  claim 11  wherein: 
 said center of pressure is located about 7-inches from said bottom end of said body tube; and  
 said center of pressure is located about 5-inches from said bottom end of said body tube.  
 
     
     
         18 . The rocket of  claim 17  wherein said rocket motor provides from about 5 to about 18 pounds thrust to said rocket.  
     
     
         19 . The rocket of  claim 18  wherein said rocket motor operates to impart a velocity of about 26,000 feet per second to said rocket.  
     
     
         20 . In combination with the rocket of  claim 1 , a collapsible launch stand, comprising: 
 a flat base plate;    a pair of spaced and parallel extending support members extending generally vertically upward from said base plate;    a pair of spaced and parallel-extending linear launch tube support members;    each launch tube support member having one end pivotally connected to said base plate generally adjacent to one of said support members;    each launch tube support member having an opposite end;    a pair of spaced and parallel extending linear launch tube-positioning members;    each launch tube positioning member having one end pivotally connected to said opposite end of one of said launch tube support members;    each launch tube positioning member having an opposite end;    coupling means associated with said base plate for selectively coupling said opposite ends of said launch tube positioning members to said base plate at a desired common distance from said one end of said launch tube support members; and    a launch tube loosely sitting on said launch tube support members so as to engage said support members.    
     
     
         21 . The collapsible launch stand of  claim 20  wherein: 
 said base plate is about 5 feet long and about 2 feet wide;  
 said launch tube support members are about 3 feet long and extend in a direction of the length of said base plate; and  
 said launch tube positioning members are about 3 feet long and extend in said direction of said length of said base plate.  
 
     
     
         22 . The collapsible launch stand of  claim 21  wherein: 
 said rocket is loosely positioned within said launch tube; and  
 said selectively coupling of said opposite ends of said launch tube positioning members to said base plate at a desired common distance from said one end of said launch tube support members operates to determine a launch angle of said rocket.  
 
     
     
         23 . A collapsible launch stand for in launching a self-propelled rocket at a desired angle, comprising: 
 a flat base plate;    a pair of spaced and parallel extending support members extending generally vertically upward from said base plate;    a pair of spaced and parallel extending linear launch tube support members;    each launch tube support member having one end pivotally connected to said base plate generally adjacent to one of said support members;    each launch tube support member having an opposite end;    a pair of spaced and parallel extending linear launch tube positioning members;    each launch tube positioning member having one end pivotally connected to said opposite end of one of said launch tube support members;    each launch tube positioning member having an opposite end;    coupling means associated with said base plate for selectively coupling said opposite ends of said launch tube positioning members to said base plate at a desired common distance from said one end of said launch tube support members;    a launch tube loosely sitting on said launch tube support members so as to engage said support members; and    a self-propelled rocker loosely contained within said launch tube.    
     
     
         24 . A method of inducing an avalanche to occur on a hillside that has a propensity to naturally generate avalanches, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a self-propelled and constant acceleration rocket having a hollow cylindrical body member with a partition wall that divides said body member into an upper volume and a lower volume;    providing an explosive payload mounted within said upper volume;    providing a nose cone having a circular and planar tip mounted at an opposite end of said upper volume from said partition wall;    providing a rocket motor mounted within said lower volume;    said rocket being constructed and arranged to have a center of gravity and a center of pressure that are located a central axis of said rocket and within said lower volume;    said center of gravity being located closer to said nose cone end than is said center of pressure;    providing a collapsible launch stand for holding said rocket in a launch tube for launching said rocket;    providing launch tube support members for adjustment of a launch angle for said launching rocket;    transporting said rocket and said launch stand to said hillside;    opening said launch stand and adjusting said launch angle;    placing said rocket into said launch tube; and    activating said rocket motor.