US 12,241,710 B2
Automated missile loading system
Christopher Alden Greer, Tuscon, AZ (US); Brian Gin, Vail, AZ (US); Nathan Albrand Jones, Vail, AZ (US); Zachary Boydell, Cary, NC (US); and Emile M. Szlemko, Vail, AZ (US)
Assigned to Raytheon Company, Arlington, VA (US)
Filed by Raytheon Company, Waltham, MA (US)
Filed on Mar. 9, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/181,540.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/269,163, filed on Mar. 10, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2024/0035766 A1, Feb. 1, 2024
Int. Cl. F41A 9/09 (2006.01); F41A 9/87 (2006.01)
CPC F41A 9/09 (2013.01) [F41A 9/87 (2013.01)] 18 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for automatically loading a plurality of hazardous entities into
a hazardous-entity container, the system comprising:
an elevator configured to lift a selected hazardous entity of a plurality of hazardous entities from a stowed position to an elevation of a corresponding hazardous-entity portal of the hazardous-entity container;
an alignment sensor configured to sense relative alignment of the selected hazardous entity with respect to the corresponding hazardous-entity portal, wherein the alignment sensor is further configured to sense vibration of the selected hazardous entity;
an alignment system configured to align, based on both the relative alignment and the vibration sensed by the alignment sensor, the selected hazardous entity with the corresponding hazardous-entity portal;
an insertion apparatus configured to insert the selected hazardous entity into its corresponding hazardous-entity portal; and
a loading controller configured to evaluate, based at least in part on the relative alignment sensed by the alignment sensor, whether an insertion condition is met,
wherein the loading controller is further configured to cause the insertion apparatus to insert the selected hazardous entity into the corresponding hazardous-entity portal in response to the insertion condition being met.