Lox Fueling Coupler
Figure 2-2. Alcohol Filling alcohol valve and flowed into the alcohol manifold surrounding the -thrust chamber. The inert fluid provided lor smoother ignition. After the lithium chloride had been loaded and the main alcohol valve had been closed, the connection from the lithium chloride tank and pump was disconnected and the alcohol filling operation began. The alcohol was metered as it was pumped into the missile. In addition to filling the missile with alcohol, an igniter alcohol container (located on the launcher, figure 2-1) was filled through a 1/4-inch hose by gravity flow from the alcohol trailer emergency valve.
When alcohol filling was completed, the mechanical couplings were manually disconnected, protective caps were replaced, and the alcohol trailer was moved from the area, with this type of umbilical connector.
- Figure 2-3. Alcohol Fill and Drain Valve
No problems were encountered
Liquid Oxygen (LOX). The LOX fill and drain valve was manually attached to a normally closed, spring loaded valve, located on the missile skin at fin III near the aft bulkhead of the center section (figure 2-4). This valve was provided with threaded couplings: one end provided a coupling to the missile, and the other end provided a coupling to the intermediate hose extending from the fueling ladder to the missile.
Two LOX trailers were used for LOX filling. Hoses from, the pumps on the LOX trailers extended to a Y-fitting, and the base of the Y-fitting was interconnected to the fueling ladder by a hose that was coupled near the base of the fueling ladder. An intermediate hose provided the connection between the fueling ladder and the missile (figure 2-4).
Protective caps were removed from all valves, hoses, pump couplings, and the fueling ladder. The lines were interconnected manually with threaded couplings. When the lines from the LOX trailer to the missile were manually coupled, LOX filling could begin. LOX was metered while being pumped into the vehicle.
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