US 12,152,867 B1
Apparatus and methods for pushing out and drilling an aerial flare
Paul Fries, Owensburg, IN (US); Nicholas Uebelhor, Jasper, IN (US); Austin D. Schulte, Bloomfield, IN (US); and Michael C. Jones, Loogootee, IN (US)
Assigned to The United States of America, Represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Washington, DC (US)
Filed by The United States of America, as represented by the Secretary of the Navy, Crane, IN (US)
Filed on May 3, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/142,609.
Int. Cl. F42B 33/06 (2006.01); F42B 4/26 (2006.01)
CPC F42B 33/06 (2013.01) [F42B 4/26 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for pushing out and drilling of a flare grain in an aerial flare comprising:
a first stand mounted to a base and configured to hold a first electric linear actuator with a throw rod positioned to interface with a first end of an aerial flare and exert a force on a first end of a flare grain within the aerial flare to cause the flare grain to move relative to a case of the aerial flare;
a second stand mounted to the base and configured to receive and fixedly hold the aerial flare;
a third stand mounted to the base and configured to be movable relative to at least the second stand and the aerial flare and further including a drilling device attached thereto;
a second electric linear actuator coupled to the third stand and configured to move the third stand and the attached drilling device relative to a second end of the flare grain to engage the drilling device with the second end of the flare grain for drilling a hole in at least one portion of the flare grain; and
a controller electrically coupled to the first and second electric linear actuators and configured to control the first and second electric linear actuators according to a predetermined sequence of operation.