Extending airframe beam spring lock

Abstract

An airframe for a projectile having a cylinder having a bottom spring and a piston within the cylinder is provided. The cylinder has a locking assembly having a housing. A leaf spring is in the housing and coupled thereto. The housing has a limiter where the leaf spring operatively couples with the limiter and the limiter biases the leaf spring. The piston is moveable relative to the cylinder between a retracted configuration and expanded configurations. The piston has a housing where the piston moves between the retracted configuration and the expanded configurations when the piston housing receives a fluid. The piston has a groove that receives the leaf spring. The groove can align with the leaf spring in one expanded configuration where the piston groove receives the leaf spring thereby locking the piston with cylinder. In another expanded configuration, the leaf spring is outside the piston groove.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An airframe for a projectile comprising: 
 a cylinder having: 
 a locking assembly at a distal end of the cylinder, the locking assembly defining a housing, the locking assembly including: 
 a leaf spring disposed within the locking assembly housing and fixedly coupled with a proximal end of the locking assembly housing; and 
 limiter extending from a sidewall of the locking assembly housing, the leaf spring being operatively coupled with the limiter such that the limiter biases the leaf spring; 
 
 a bottom spring at the cylinder distal end; and 
 a piston disposed within the cylinder and moveable relative to the cylinder between a retracted configuration and first and second expanded configurations, the piston defining a housing, wherein the piston moves between each of the retracted configuration and the first and second expanded configurations when the piston housing receives a fluid, the piston including a groove configured to receive the leaf spring, the groove aligning with the leaf spring in the second expanded configuration where the piston groove receives the leaf spring in the second expanded configuration thereby locking the piston into the second expanded configuration and the leaf spring being outside of the piston groove in the first expanded configuration. 
   
     
     
         2 . The airframe of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom spring biases the piston in the first expanded configuration such that the groove is misaligned with the leaf spring. 
     
     
         3 . The airframe of  claim 2 , wherein the piston is configured to move to the retracted configuration from the first expanded configuration. 
     
     
         4 . The airframe of  claim 2 , wherein the leaf spring is configured to bias a surface of the piston when the piston is in the first expanded configuration. 
     
     
         5 . The airframe of  claim 1 , wherein the cylinder further includes a groove at the cylinder distal end and the locking assembly is disposed within the cylinder groove. 
     
     
         6 . The airframe of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 each of the cylinder and the piston have a circular configuration; and   the cylinder includes a plurality of locking assemblies having a plurality of leaf springs, the plurality of locking assemblies being symmetrically disposed at the cylinder distal end, wherein the piston groove is disposed about an entire outer surface of the piston such that the piston groove is configured to receive each of the plurality of leaf springs when the piston groove aligns with the plurality of leaf springs as the piston is in the second expanded configuration.   
     
     
         7 . The airframe of  claim 5 , wherein: 
 each of the cylinder and the piston have a rectilinear configuration;    the cylinder includes a plurality of locking assemblies having a plurality of leaf springs, the plurality of locking assemblies being disposed at a side of the cylinder distal end, wherein the piston groove is disposed about an entire outer surface of the piston such that the piston groove is configured to receive each of the plurality of leaf springs when the piston groove aligns with the plurality of leaf springs as the piston is in the second expanded configuration.   
     
     
         8 . The airframe of  claim 1 , wherein the locking assembly housing has a post at the locking assembly proximal end and a portion of a proximal end of the leaf spring winds around the post thereby fixedly coupling the leaf spring to the locking assembly housing. 
     
     
         9 . The airframe of  claim 1 , wherein the locking assembly includes an opening at a distal end of the locking assembly, the locking assembly opening configured to a receive a proximal end of the leaf spring when the piston is in the first expanded configuration. 
     
     
         10 . An airframe for a projectile comprising: 
 a cylinder having: 
 a locking assembly at a distal end of the cylinder, the locking assembly defining a housing, the locking assembly including: 
 a leaf spring disposed within the locking assembly housing and fixedly coupled with a proximal end of the locking assembly housing; and 
 limiter extending from a sidewall of the locking assembly housing, the leaf spring being operatively coupled with the limiter such that the limiter biases the leaf spring; 
 
 a bottom spring at the cylinder distal end; and 
 a piston disposed within the cylinder and moveable relative to the cylinder between a retracted configuration and first and second expanded configurations, the piston defining a housing, wherein the piston moves between each of the retracted configuration and the first and second expanded configurations when the piston housing receives a fluid, the piston including a groove configured to receive the leaf spring, the groove aligning with the leaf spring in the second expanded configuration where the piston groove receives the leaf spring in the second expanded configuration thereby locking the piston into the second expanded configuration and the leaf spring being outside of the piston groove in the first expanded configuration, wherein the bottom spring biases the piston in the first expanded configuration such that the groove is misaligned with the leaf spring. 
   
     
     
         11 . The airframe of  claim 10 , wherein the piston is configured to move to the retracted configuration from the first expanded configuration and the leaf spring is configured to bias a surface of the piston when the piston is in the first expanded configuration. 
     
     
         12 . The airframe of  claim 10 , wherein the cylinder further includes a groove at the cylinder distal end and the locking assembly is disposed within the cylinder groove. 
     
     
         13 . The airframe of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 each of the cylinder and the piston have a circular configuration; and   the cylinder includes a plurality of locking assemblies having a plurality of leaf springs, the plurality of locking assemblies being symmetrically disposed at the cylinder distal end, wherein the piston groove is disposed about an entire outer surface of the piston such that the piston groove is configured to receive each of the plurality of leaf springs when the piston groove aligns with the plurality of leaf springs as the piston is in the second expanded configuration.   
     
     
         14 . The airframe of  claim 12 , wherein: 
 each of the cylinder and the piston have a rectilinear configuration;    the cylinder includes a plurality of locking assemblies having a plurality of leaf springs, the plurality of locking assemblies being disposed at a side of the cylinder distal end, wherein the piston groove is disposed about an entire outer surface of the piston such that the piston groove is configured to receive each of the plurality of leaf springs when the piston groove aligns with the plurality of leaf springs as the piston is in the second expanded configuration.   
     
     
         15 . The airframe of  claim 10 , wherein the locking assembly housing has a post at the locking assembly proximal end and a portion of a proximal end of the leaf spring winds around the post thereby fixedly coupling the leaf spring to the locking assembly housing. 
     
     
         16 . The airframe of  claim 10 , wherein the locking assembly includes an opening at a distal end of the locking assembly, the locking assembly opening configured to a receive a proximal end of the leaf spring when the piston is in the first expanded configuration. 
     
     
         17 . A locking assembly defining a housing, the locking assembly comprising: 
 a leaf spring disposed within the locking assembly housing and fixedly coupled with a proximal end of the locking assembly housing; and   limiter extending from a sidewall of the locking assembly housing, the leaf spring being operatively coupled with the limiter such that the limiter biases the leaf spring.   
     
     
         18 . The locking assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the locking assembly housing has a post at the locking assembly proximal end and a portion of a proximal end of the leaf spring winds around the post thereby fixedly coupling the leaf spring to the locking assembly housing. 
     
     
         19 . The locking assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the limiter is adjustable within the locking assembly housing such that a spring rate of the locking assembly can be adjusted based on a position of the post within the locking assembly housing. 
     
     
         20 . The locking assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the locking assembly includes an opening at a distal end of the locking assembly, the locking assembly opening configured to a receive a proximal end of the leaf spring.