Propellant grain cutting assembly

摘要

A cutting assembly for cutting propellant from a rocket motor. The cutting assembly includes a plurality of first cutting wheels, second cutting wheels and secondary cutters which are mounted to a mounting head. The mounting head is attached to an arm for rotation about an axis of rotation. Means are provided for rotating the mounting head. The cutting wheels are mounted to the mounting head for rotation about an axis of rotation transverse to the axis of rotation of the mounting head. Each cutting wheel includes a plurality of cutting blades extending outwardly from the rim. The cutting blades are each configured with a radially extending cutting edge for cutting in a direction substantially normal to the axis of rotation of the mounting head. The cutting blades are oriented at an approximate 30 degree angle to the axis of rotation of the first cutting wheel, with the angle of orientation of the cutting blades of the second cutting wheels being opposite in direction to the angle of orientation of the cutting blades of the first cutting wheels. The secondary cutters include a substantially circular cutting blade for making cuts in the propellant which are substantially transverse to the cuts made by the first and second cutting wheels.