A pressure-released brake assembly restrains a projectile in a launch tube prior
to launch and automatically releases the projectile at launch. A brake assembly
housing defines cavities that extend substantially radially out from the projectile
when the housing is attached thereto. A brake pad adjoins the housing and has holes
formed therethrough with each hole being aligned with one of the housing's cavities.
Means are provided for positioning a loose-fitting pin partially in each of the
brake pad's holes and partially in a correspondingly aligned housing cavity. When
a launch pressure is generated in the projectile's launch tube, the launch pressure
acts on each pin via the holes in the brake pad. The launch pressure causes the
positioning means to fail and drives each pin out of engagement with the brake
pad to effectively uncouple the brake pad from the housing.
