EP0020225A1 - Safety release device for a transportable load suspended by an aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety device for dropping a load suspended from an aircraft. A so-called bus bar (10) occupies two positions, the first called "security", which prohibits the unlocking of any locking member linked to the load, even if orders were given, and a second position called "armed" which , on the other hand, allows given orders to be executed. With this bar, a load hooking system cooperates which comprises a certain number of means acting so that, as long as the hook of the carrier vehicle is secured to the hooking system, the movement of this bar is impossible. Such a fastening system consists of a ring (7) capable of undergoing a movement, in particular of rotation, of translation in a vertical plane, or of tilting, only when the hook is no longer present in the light (80 ) of the ring, this movement releasing a means secured to the ring that hindered the movement of the bar. The invention applies in particular to the transport and dropping of military loads.

Description

The invention relates to a safety device for dropping a load intended to be suspended from an aircraft for its transport. It also relates to any load equipped with such a device.

When a load is suspended from an aircraft for transport to its drop location, it is important that a number of safety rules are observed. For example, in the case of a military charge, the firing command should only be able to intervene when the separation of the charge from its bearer is effective.

The object of the present invention is to solve this problem and relates to a combination of means cooperating with each other so that the unlocking of the devices controlling the use of the load carried, can only intervene if the system for attaching this load is well released from the wearer. The invention relates more particularly to a safety device for dropping at least one load suspended from a carrier vehicle, of the aircraft type, characterized in that it comprises: on the one hand, a bus bar capable of occupying a first so-called "safety" position preventing any unlocking at the load level, even if the orders were given, and a so-called "armed" position allowing the execution of these orders; on the other hand a system for attaching the load to the hook of the carrier vehicle, provided with means cooperating with the bus bar so that, as long as the hook is not detached from the attachment member, the translation from the busbar from its "safety" position to its "armed" position is impossible.

• la figure 1 représente schématiquement comment coopèrent entre eux, d'une part, le système d'accrochage d'une charge à son véhicule porteur et d'autre part un dispositif assurant la mise en position de déverrouillabilité de moyens verrouillant les organes essentiels dont le fonctionnement ne doit absolument intervenir que si la séparation entre la charge et son porteur est effective ;
• les figures 2, 3 et 4 montrent schématiquement des variantes de réalisation d'une combinaison de moyens représentée sur la figure 1.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the explanations which follow and of the appended figures among which:

• Figure 1 shows schematically how cooperate with each other, on the one hand, the system for attaching a load to its carrier vehicle and on the other hand a device ensuring the unlocking position of means locking the essential members whose operation must absolutely intervene only if the separation between the load and its carrier is effective;
• FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 schematically show alternative embodiments of a combination of means shown in FIG. 1.

For greater ease of understanding, the same elements have the same references in all the figures.

In Figure 1 are shown locks 1, 2, 3 (by way of example three in number) and the control means associated therewith 4, 5, 6 intended to ensure their unlocking, thereby releasing the member or members contained in a container (not shown in the figure) that they locked. It can be military charges, elementary tanks, modules, intended to be released together or successively, that is to say on demand. All of these organs and their control accessories are attached to the carrier vehicle (not shown) by means of a hanging system. It is for example at least one ring 7, integral with the body containing the elementary modules, into the lumen 80 from which the hook of the carrying means (not visible in the figure), itself integral with the carrier vehicle, penetrates. The separation takes place when the hook is deliberately detached from the ring, thereby releasing the ring-hook connection.

According to the invention, a device 10 called in the following description "bus bar" having the character of a general mechanical control member, is provided. This busbar 10 can occupy two positions: the first so-called "safety" position (the one shown in the figure) and a second position called the "armed" position. The displacement of this bar can be controlled by any known means. For example, as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 1, a cable 11 which can be a releasable safety cable with an SLC base, is stressed in tension at one of its ends 12. By a set of pulleys 13, 14 and 15 and of the spring 16 it acts on the spring 17 which compresses against the stop 18, thereby releasing a movable locking finger 19 which retracts. The bus bar 10 previously held in its safety position by this finger 19 is released and, under the action of the return spring 20, moves back, translates in a given direction (for example that of the arrow 21) towards its position called "army".

Housing 25, 26 and 27 are provided in this bus bar. An example bus lock-bar combination is described below. These housings intended to cooperate with the locks comprise two parts: a first open cavity having a profile with a substantially circular section of diameter D and a second open cavity having a profile with a substantially rectangular section of width D much less than D. The locks, in the example described, for example have two parts: the first, of cylindrical section, with a diameter very slightly less than D can move in the first cavity and therefore be unlocked; the second has a thinned section over a length L slightly greater than the thickness of the busbar and can only move in the second cavity over a short stroke corresponding approximately to this length L.

In the safety position (that of the figure) the locks, even if they receive the unlocking order, are locked, and the operation cannot take place. On the other hand, when the busbar 10 is in its so-called "armed" position, these same locks are positioned in the second cavity 25 b, 26 b, 27 b of the housings and are then in the unlockable position and ready to undergo the action. unlocking means 4, 5, 6 for retracting as shown respectively by the arrows 30, 31, 32. The unlocking orders depend on the sequence of operations chosen, either simultaneous or offset.

According to the invention, when moving from its "safety" position to its "armed" position, the busbar pushes through an additional housing 350 on a stud 35 which rotates (see the direction of arrow 36) the ring 7. If this ring 7 is still connected to the hook of the carrier vehicle, the hook-ring connection opposes this rotation and therefore opposes the movement of the busbar 10 from its "safety" position to its "armed" position. Consequently it is necessary that the separation of the ring from the hook of the carrier vehicle is effective for this movement to take place and for the unlocking of the locks 1, 2 and 3 to be possible. It is an extremely reliable security system which constitutes one of the main characteristics of the invention.

Figure 2 is a schematic representation of an alternative embodiment of the combination of a bus bar 10 and a ring 7 cooperating in order to obtain the result stated above, namely the possible movement of the bus bar exclusively in the case where the hook of the carrier vehicle is well separated from the ring. Found in this figure 2, the ring 7 with its thread 70 intended to fix it to the container which must be transported and then released. This ring 7 is connected, in this variant, to the bus bar 10 of the type which was described in the previous variant in the manner described below. The first end of a lever arm or pallet 50 penetrates into the lumen 80 of the ring 7. This arm is articulated around a hinge pin 51. It has the function, when pressure is applied to its first end, to press on a locking pin 55 which crosses the bus bar in an additional housing 56 provided for this purpose and hinders any movement of the latter from its safety position to its armed position. A return spring 52 which rests on a stop 54 tends to lift the pin 55. This pressure is exerted on the arm 50 as long as the hook (not shown in the figure) is introduced into the ring 7. As soon as this hook is detached from this ring, this pressure disappears, the pin 55 drives the lever arm 50 which rises in the direction of the arrow 560. The pin 55 comes out of its housing 56 and thus frees the bus bar whose movement can then be carried out by any means such as, for example, that which has been described by means of FIG. 1. A device 57 for detecting the position of the arm 50 can also be provided, this device then being able to control an electrical circuit.

Figure 3 is a schematic representation of another alternative embodiment of a combination according to the invention. In this case, the ring does not rotate as in the case of Figure 1, but it rocks. Indeed it is held in place during the entire transport phase thanks to a lug 60 which takes place in a housing 61, provided for this purpose and formed in the bus bar 10 hampering the movement thereof. This lug 60 leans upwards during transport against the structure of the container (not shown). It is held there as long as the hook of the carrier vehicle, by its presence inside the ring prevents a torsion spring 61 from playing its role. As soon as the hook is detached from the ring, under the precise action of this torsion spring 61, the ring 7 rocks, lowering the lug 60 by a stroke greater than the thickness of the busbar 10 and allowing at the same time the translational movement of the latter from its "safety" position to its "armed" position.

FIG. 4 schematically represents an alternative embodiment in which the movement of the ring is vertical. The ring 7 comprises, in addition to the lumen 80 intended to receive the hook of the carrier vehicle, a first cylindrical part 81 comprising a shoulder 82. This cylindrical part 81 is contained in a housing 83 formed in the envelope 84 of the container which must support the ring, a spring 85 is provided between this shoulder 82 and one of the walls 86 of the housing 83. The ring also comprises a second part 87 intended to penetrate into the bus bar 10. This second cylindrical part comprises a portion 90 thinned over a determined length. When the ring is suspended from the carrier hook, the spring 85 is compressed and the cylindrical part 87 is located in the circular section cavity 91 provided for this purpose in the bus bar 10. The translational movement of the bus bar is hampered , however, when the hook is detached from the ring, the spring 85 relaxes and the cylindrical part 87 descends into the bus bar until the thinned portion 90 faces the housing 95. The movement of the bus bar can then take place.

All of the above description refers to the case where the load is actually attached to the carrier vehicle before being released. However, before this transport, however, these loads are most often stored and it is advisable to provide a safety device called, on the ground, somehow replacing the hook of the carrier vehicle. In the case of the rotating ring (FIG. 1), a piece of square section is for example introduced inside the lumen of the ring or rings, a piece which is removed at the time of attachment to the carrier vehicle. Other types of ground safety devices can also be implemented, they do not fall within the scope of the present invention. They are removed as soon as the load is attached to its carrier vehicle.

The applications of a bus bar cooperating with a ring provided with means capable of blocking or allowing the translational movement of this bus bar are numerous. Such a combination applies whenever locking means must not be able to be unlocked, until a determined operation has taken place, namely for example, the separation of a ring and a hook connecting it to a carrier vehicle. This problem is found more particularly in applications such as, for example, the transport of military loads.

Claims (10)

1. Safety device for dropping at least one load suspended from a carrier vehicle of the aircraft type, characterized in that it comprises: on the one hand, a bus bar (10) capable of occupying a first position called " security "preventing any unlocking at the level of the load, even if orders were given, and a so-called" armed "position allowing the execution of these orders; on the other hand, a hooking system (7) of the load on the hook of the carrier vehicle provided with means cooperating with the bus bar (10) so that, as long as the hook is not detached from the system attachment, translation of the busbar from its "safety" position to its "armed" position is impossible. 2. Safety device according to claim 1, characterized in that the bus bar (10) comprises as many housings (25, 26, 27) as there are members locking the load, the respective profiles of these housings and these bodies of the locking being such that, when the bus bar (10) is in the safety position, the locking member cannot move in the housing, while when the bus bar (10) is in its armed position this movement can take place if an unlocking control command is given to the body in question. 3. Safety device according to claim 2, characterized in that this housing comprises two parts, a first open cavity having a profile - of substantially circular section of diameter D, and a second open cavity having a profile of substantially rectangular section of width D less than D. 4. Safety device according to one of claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the locking member comprises a first part having a profile with substantially cylindrical section of diameter very slightly less than D allowing the displacement of this cylindrical part in the first cavity and a second thinned part of length L and of thickness very slightly less than D allowing the displacement of this second part in the second cavity, only on this length L. 5. Safety device according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the bus bar (10) comprises at least one additional housing cooperating with the attachment system. 6. Safety device according to claim 5, characterized in that the attachment system consists of at least one ring comprising a light intended to receive the hook of the carrier vehicle and a stud driving in rotation this ring when the hook is detached of the ring and that the bus bar (10) is driven in translation from its safety position to its armed position, the stud then being guided by an additional housing provided for this purpose in the bus bar. 7. Safety device according to claim 5, characterized in that the ring (7) is provided with a lever arm (50), one end of which is introduced into the opening (80) of the ring, acting on a movable pin (55) capable of sliding in the additional housing provided for this purpose in the bus bar (10) so that this pin locks the bus bar as long as the hook of the carrier vehicle is present inside the light of the ring and is retracted under the action of a spring as soon as the hook is detached from the latter. 8. Safety device according to claim 5, characterized in that the ring (7) is provided with a lug (60) and subjected to the action of a torsion spring, such that the lug is held in place in the additional housing provided for this purpose in the bus bar (10) as long as the hook of the carrier vehicle is present inside the opening of the ring and, subtracted from this housing under the action of the torsion spring, as soon as the hook is detached from the ring. 9. Safety device according to claim 5, characterized in that, on the one hand, the ring (7) comprises two cylindrical parts, the first (41) of larger diameter comprising a shoulder (82) intended to support a spring (85) acting in compression, and a second part (87) of smaller diameter comprising a thinned zone and in that, on the other hand, the housing additional provided in the bus bar (10) has two cavities; the first allowing the sliding of the part of the ring of smaller diameter and the second cavity only that of the thinned part; the ring and the bus bar cooperating with each other so that if the hook of the carrier vehicle is present in the lumen of the ring, the spring is compressed, and the cylindrical part of smaller diameter is located in the first cavity; if the hook of the carrier vehicle is detached from the ring, the spring is released, vertically moving this second cylindrical part until the thinned part comes opposite the second cavity, thus allowing the translation movement of the bus bar . 10. Load intended to be suspended from an aircraft, characterized in that it is equipped with a device according to one of the preceding claims.

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