Hand-held maneuvering unit for propulsion and attitude control of astronauts in zero or reduced gravity environmen

Huber, W. C.

Johnson, H. I.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

REPLY TO 
kTTN OF: ep 
TO : 
FROM: 
SUBJECT 2 
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
WASH!NGTON. D.C. 20546 
October 15, 1970 
USI/Scientific & Technical Information Division 
Attention :: iss Winnie M, Morgan 
GP/Office of Assistant General 
Counsel for Patent Matters 
Announcement of NASA-Owned 
U,S, Patents in STAR 
In accordance with the procedures contained in the Code GP 
to code USE memorandum on this subject, dated June 8, 1970, 
the attached NASA-owned U , S .  patent is being forwarded for 
abstracting and announcement in NASA STAR. 
The following information is provided: 
U,S, Patent No, : 3,270,986 
Corporate Source g Manned Spacecraft Center 
Supplementary 
Corporate Source * "
NASA Patent Case No,: XMS-05304 
Gayle Parker 
Enclosure: 
copy of Patent 
U 4  
(CATEGORY) 
NASA-HQ 
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19710002861 2020-03-17T02:31:42+00:00Z
3 Sheetor-Sheet I 
BY 
NSQN ETAL 
ANEWERINO. UNIT 
Filed b o .  3, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 
I 
* 1. JOHNSON ETAL It. 
HAND-HELD SELF-MANEUVERING UNIT 
Filed Dec. 3, 3965 3 Sheets-Sheet ,s 

thereabout. As best shown in FIG. 1, the lefthand arm 
41 is &xed to ,wive1 spool 38 and the righ.thand arm 43 
is a&ed ta swivel spool 37 which is disposed in axial 
abutting alignment above the first mentioned wive1 spool. 
It is thus seen that the arms are retained in communi- 
cative relationship with veIrtical transfer bore 33 when 
they are open to extended position, and as they are folded 
back along the sides of the housing 3 the openings 
0re closed b prevent transmission of fuel to  the tractor 
nozzles 15,17. In this manner each of thc arms may be 
pivotally removed from the operative, fully extended posi- 
tion (shown in FIG. 1) to the inoperative position b 
which the arms are folded. 
As with the front portion of rocking trigger 7, the 
rear portion 57 is arranged to abut a spring biased poppet 
contact 59. Application of hand force at this end of the 
trigger causes a clockwise rotation which raises the pop- 
pet contact 59 against the opposing force of its respective 
biasing spring 23, thus opening ,feed passageway 61 and 
allowing fuel to flow into the fuel lines 52, 54. As shown 
in FIGS. 2 and 3, fuel line 54 are disposed in the hol- 
low trigger guard 53 and communicates with pusher 
nozzle 19 at the front end of the propulsion unit. A 
port plug 5§ is threaded into fuel line 52 to retain fuel 
therein. This is necessitated by reason of constructional 
methods which arise from drilling of the bore forming 
fuel line 32 into the poppet valve bore. The pusher 
nozzle 19 is aligned with the fuel line and threaded into 
tapped aperture 56 at the front end of the propulsion 
unit. It is thus seen that the hollow trigger guard 53 
serves not only to prevent accidental movement of trig- 
ger 9 but also provides a fuel conduit for the pusher 
nozzle 19. 
The aforementioned high pressure section 
to the propulsion unit at the front end by 
pin 71 and clevis 67 construction and a t  the back end 
by the lock nut arrangement &scribed hereinafter, see 
FIGS. 1 and 4. The clevis 67 contains a transverse aper- 
ture 69 (FIGS. 2 and 3) that receives lock pin 71 which 
is attached to the high pressure &ion by lanyard 54. 
The lanyard is fixedly tied to the tank strap 73 tu insure 
against accidental displacement. To connect the front 
end of the high pressure section to the propulsion unit 
an extendhg apertured flange on the former is insepted 
into clevis 67. The pin 71 is then inserted through both 
aligned apertures to thus fixedly hold the sections to- 
gether. The high pressure section is connected to the 
back end of the propulsion unit by manifold assembly 91 
and by tube assembly 75 (FIG. 1) having at one end 
thereof a nut 77 in which is disposed a conventional male 
coupling shaft (not shown). Briefly, the manifold as- 
sembly 91 comprises an elongated member (FIG. 4) 
having three threaded entrance ways 97, 99, and 100. 
Two of ,these entrances 97, are inserted in the fuel 
containers and threaded thereto by the attach& nut 
members. The remaining entrance way 100 receives 
threaded male end %01 (FIG. 5 )  uf fin vaIvc 152. The 
fill valve, which is operled by adjuster nut 105 is in turn 
coupled with the pressure reducing valve 109 (FIG. 4), 
which supplies fuel to the maneuvering unit through the 
afomnentioned tube assembly 7§ upon actuation of the 
trigger. 
As most clearly shown in FIG. 4, ithe fill valve p@ 
includes the threaded male end 101 having fuel wndu 
103 therein. The conduit leads to cavity 106 containing 
spring loaded poppet valve 107 movably disposed with 
respect to the conduit 103. adjuster nut 105 i s  
threaded against the poppet val 7 to rstain it in place. 
A conventional safety passage 113 may be provided to 
prevent accidental explosion of threaded cap 115 lvhen 
the latter is being removed for filling purposes. Sealing 
type O-rings generally indicated at 117 may be provided 
in the cap and other valving mechanism to insure amhst  
leakage therethrough. The conduit 103 extends from 
Valve cavity I06 into valve body section 123 whereupon 
it is closed by means of the plunger assembly 
plunger assembly is opened or closed by means of a 
buttefly handle 125 threaded onto the rear portion 
of housing 127. Cavity stop means 1559 is provided with- 
5 in the housing so as to limit movement of the plunger 
shoul&rs 831. The passage of fuel through the 611 valve 
is accomplished merely by opening the buterfly handle 
so a to permit back- 
ing the continuation ( 
body section 123. Conduit (1183~) is c o n n e d  to pres- 
sure reducimng valve (IFIG. 4) by means of the afore- 
mentioned connection nut 114 threaded about the male 
extension 11.2 of the fill valve. 
As shown best in FIG. 4, reducing valve 109 
15 main body section 141 having a sensing cavity 
in. The sensing cavity contains corrugated metal &a- 
phragm 145 which is biased by spring 147 to maintain 
poppet 1149 in a normally open position with respect to 
conduit 103b. Although the corrugated metal diaphragm 
20 and associated reference spring 147 may be adjusted for 
any desired pressure drop, the subject device is arranged 
for a constant pressure of 120 p.s.i. in the down stream 
25 
is provided. The conduit 157 in turn communicates with 
the cavity of the spring closed valve member 163 which 
30 opens to the atmosphere. It is thus seen that should the 
pressure reducing function of the primary poppet valve 
be destroyed or  impaired, the resulting abnormal high 
pressure on the downstream side (10%) would cause 
valve 163 to open thereby venting excess pressure to 
In operation the hand-held maneuvering unit of the 
invention is held in one hand in a partially outstretched 
,psition, as shown in FIG. 7. To move in a fornard 
direction the operator depresses the forward portion 21 
40 of trigger 9 thus allowing pressurized gas to flow from 
the fuel tanks rhrough the p~l.iousiy opened fill valve 
102 and into pressure reducing vaive 109, whemupon 
operation of the poppet and preset spring biased dia- 
phragm means provides gas a t  the desired pressure to 
45 conduit 5 in the housing of the unit. As best shown in 
FIG. 2, the fluel flows into transfer conduits 31, 33 and 
into arms 41, 43 of the traotor nozzles as previously 
explained. The tractor nozzles 15, 17 of FIG. 1 ex- 
ert a reactionary force, thereby pulling the operator in 
60 a fomvard direction. Should it be desired to reduce the 
wlocity of iorward motion, stop, or reverse direction, 
the operator merely slides his hand to rear portion 59 of 
the trigger whereupon compression of the poppet con- 
tact S9 opens the feed passageway 5 and allows fuel 
55 into lines 52, 54 which communicate with pusher n o a l e  
19 at the front of the unit. Reactionary force at this 
point acts against the operator thereby slowing or re- 
versing his forward movement as explained above. It 
will be recognized th&t the magnitude of the velooity ob- 
eo tainable with the unit will be dependent upon the t y p  
of fuel used and also upon other factors such as pressure 
on the trigger and duration of its e c t i o n .  
Although oxygen gas has bxn found to be a satisfac- 
tory fuel for operation of the unit, it is contemplated that 
65 other types Of fuels in either liquid or gaseow f o m  may 
be used. For example, liquid hydrazine may be stored 
in the tanks and transmitted in liquid state tbrou& the 
unit whereupon it is converted to a high pressuE gas by 
passage over a catalytic bed downstream of the nozzles. 
7o Similarly, flurWdxib0n fuels or the gaseous products re- 
sulting from the comlmstion of solid rocket fuels could 
be used in the maneuvering unit. 
Referring now to FIGS. G and '9 there is shown the 
typical operational position and certain functiond aspects 
75 of the maneuvering unit. It is seen, for example, that 
35 ,the atmosphere. 
3,%70,986 
pusher nozzle 19 and tractor nozzles an actuation means operatively connected to said hous- 
disposed at an angle 01 to the axis of the housing 3. This ing for selectively directing fuel through said con- 
permits the operator to hold the unit in a rather normal duits to said n o d e  means to thereby control trans- 
position without having to bend his wrist in orderto point lational and orientating movements of the astronaut. 
it in the direction he intends to  move. For the same 5 2. The propulsion and attitude control device of claim 
reason, that is physical comfort, the nozzle angles of 1 including: 
the unit are pitched downwardly at an angle ~3 wibh fuel storage means removably affixed to said housing; 
respect to the housing axis. It is apparent therefore that and 
the device may be built for both right and lefthanded op- fuel transmission means operatively connected to both 
erators to avoid the physical exertion normally associated said storage means and said housing conduits so 
with periods of prolonged usage. To accomplish trans- that deflection of said actuation means causes fuel 
lational movement in the direction of a specific dbject flow through said transmission means. 
161, it is necessary only for the operator to visually align 3. The propulsion and attitude control device of claim 
the pusher n o d e  119 with it a d  to then actuate the 1 wherein said reaction nozzle means irrcludes a first 
trigger. Because of its central location and coaxial align- 18 nozzle means disposed to effect movement in a first di- 
ment with the axis of operator's body, this nozzle serves reotion and a second nozzle means disposed to effect 
as the sighting element, therefore eliminating need for moWment in a Second direction, 
the operator to pay specific attention to the position of each said first and second nozzle means operative in- 
tractor nozzfes 15, P7. If the object, which the operator dependently and exclusively of the other by said 
intends to move to is located in front of and ab 20 actuation means. 
it is necessary only to point the pusher nozzle 4. The propulsion and attitude control device of claim 
since this would inherently move the tractor nozzles 15, 3 wherein said first nozzle means includes a first and sec- 
17 into the appropriate angular position to accomplish ond nozzle head; 
translational movement to said object. Although the first and second nozzle arms having each said first 
reactionary forces of the maneuvering unit would nor- 25 and second n o d e  heads respectively aflixed at one 
mally be the only ones acting on the position and atti- end thereof; and 
tude of operator certain external forces may sometimes the other end of each said nozzle arms pivotally rnount- 
exert distributing or undesirable components to his direc- ed to said housing and extending on opposite sides 
tion of movement. For example, the operator while in- thereof from a folded inoperative position adjacent 
tending to translate in a forward direction, becomes 30 the housing sides to a fully extended operative posi- 
aware of a slight rotational force caused by a tether line tion. 
which tends to pivot him to the right, about his own longi- 5. The propulsion and attitude control device of claim 
tudinal axis. In order to eliminate or dampen this rota- 
tional motion, he must move the maneuvering unit slight- the axis of said first nozzle means is transverse to the 
ly to the right so that the combined thrust of nozzles 85, 35 longitudinal axis of said housing; and 
17 has a resultant which is counterclockwise rather than the axis of said second nozzle means is substantially 
linear. The degree to whioh the maneuvering unit is coincident with the direction of forward movement 
moved will of course be dependent upon scveral factors m d  is parallel with the axis of said first nozzle 
such as the speed of his rotational movement and upon means, said second nozzle means thereby providing 
the time available in which to dampen it. Similarly, if 40 a sighting element for movement in a forward direc- 
the operator detects an undesirable feet first (counter- tion. 
clockwise) (FIG. 7)  pitching motion, such motion may 6. The propulsion and attitude control device of claim 
be dampened or offset by lifting the maneuvering unit 
from its normal waist area position to one in the area a pair of valves affixed in a housing conduit and nor- 
of the chest or above depending upon the speed of the 45 m a l b  preventing the flow of fuel therethrough; 
pitching motion and the time available in whioh to cor- a trigger pivotally mounted intermediate its ends to said 
rect it. housing for opening said valves and permitting the 
While a particular embodiment of the invention has flow of fuel through the conduit; 
been shown and described herein, it is evident that nu- each said valves disposed in operative relation to an 
merous variations and modifications embodying the es- 50 end of said trigger so that rocking of said trigger 
sential structural and human engineering features may in a first direction opens only one of said valves to 
be made. For example, in order to carry larger quan- allow fuel flow to a nozzle means and rocking of 
tities of fuel or to reduce the size of the unit it may said trigger in a second direction opens another of 
become necessary to remove the fuel containers and as- said valves to permit fuel flow to another nozzle 
sociated valving assembly from their fixed attachment 55 means, each said valves therefore operable exclu- 
to the propulsion unit. In such case these elements may sively of the other. 
be stored in the spacecraft or satellite adjacent the op- 9.  An astronaut's propulsion and attitude control unit 
erator and connected to the unit hy means of an ex- for hand supported use in a reduced gravity environment 
tensible flexible hose. Likewise other changes such as comprising: 
the number of nozzles and shape of the unit may be 60 a housing having conduits therein for transmitting fuel 
made. The disclosed invention is therefore intended to to  various reaction nozzles; 
cover all such changes and variations as lie within the a fuel container having fuel transmission means affixed 
spirit and scope of the invention and as defined in the thereto and to the conduits in said housing; 
claims appended hereto. a pair of normally closed valves affixed in the housing 
What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters 65 conduits for selectively directing fuel therethrough; 
Patent is: an elongated actuator pivotally affixed intermediate its 
I. A propulsion and attitude control device for hand ends to said housing; and 
supported use by an astronaut in a reduced gravity en- each said pair of valves disposed adjacent the ends of 
vironment comprising: said actuator and in  operative reiationship therewith 
a housing having conduits therein for conducting fuel 70 so that pivotal movement of said actuator in a first 
to reaction nozzle means; direction opens only one of said valves to permit fuel 
reaction nozzle means affixed to said housing in opera- flow to certain of the rcaction nozzles and pivotal 
tive communication with said conduits, said -nozzle movement of the actuator in a second direction opens 
means adapted to emit pressurized gas so as to im- only the other of said valves to permit fuel flow to 
part thrust to the unit; and the other of the reaction nozzles, each suid vdvcs 
3 wherein: 
1 wherein said actuation means comprises: 
78 
3,870,988 
7 8 
operable by said actuator exclusively of the other. 
8. The propulsion and attitude control unit of claim 7, 
said housing has a first nozzle means connected thereto 
and disposed to effect forward movement, and a 5 
second nozzle means connected thereto disposed to 
effect reverse movement; and 
each said nozzle means operatively connected by con- 
duit means to only one of said mutually exclusive 
valves. 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS 
9. The propulsion and attitude control unit as recited 3,0hh.X87 ,2,1962 Moo,.e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  24d4 
3,107,069 1011963 Draim _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  2 4 4 - 4  said first nozzle means includes a first and second nozzle 
head; References Cited by the A ~ ~ ~ ~ c a n ~  
first and second nozzle arms having each said first and 15 UNITED STATES PATENTS 
second nozzle heads respectively affixed to one end thereof; and 2,509,603 5/1950 Marin. 
the other end of each said nozzle arms pivotally 3,021p095 2/1962 Moore* 
mounted to said housing and extending on opposite 390639663 11/1962 Rickards. 
sides thereof from a folded position adjacent the 20 Draim* 
housing sides and in which fuel may not flow there- 
through to a fully extended operative position. 
10. The propulsion and attitude control unit as recited 
the longitudinal axis of said housing is transverse to 
the axis of said nozzle means and the axis of said 
second nozzle means is substantially coincident with 
'the direction of intended forward movement and is 
parallel with the axis of said first nozzle means, said 
second nozzle means thereby providing a sighting 
element for movement in a forward direction. 
wherein: 
ehrences Cited by the Examiner 
in claim 8 wherein: 
3~107,069 
3,121,440 2/1964 
MILTON BUCHLER, Priinnrp Exurniizcr. 
A. E. CORRIGAN, Assisfarit Examiner. in claim 9, wherein: 


Hand-held self-maneuvering unit Patent

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

NASA Technical Reports Server