GB166909A - Improvements in parachute-flares - Google Patents

Abstract

166,909. Holt, H. E. S. July 4, 1919. Pyrotechnic apparatus and devices.-Relates to parachute flares adapted to be dropped from aircraft to facilitate night reconnaissances. According to the invention, a pilot parachute opens first, and operates through the sustaining-cord, a time fuze or mechanical means which ignites the flare, with suitable delay, and effects the release from the flare of a casing containing the main supporting-parachute. The pilot parachute then pulls off the casing and floats away, leaving the flare supported only by the main parachute. in the construction snown in Fig. 1, the main parachute c is contained in a casing d connected to the consumable flare casing b by a cord e, which passes through eyes d' on the casing d, guide tubes e<1> on the casing b, and over the reduced mouth of the flare casing. The cord is burnt through when the flare is ignited by the means described below. The pilot parachute q is contained in a detachable cap h connected by a cord and eye h<1> to the aircraft, so that the cap is pulled off and the pilot parachute released as the flare falls. The parachute g is connected to the casing d through means which effect the delayed ignition of the flare and consequent release of the casing d. One form of the connection is shown in Fig. 2. The parachute cord l is wound round a screwed spindle j working in a bearing and nut i on the top closure f of the casing d. The plain end of the spindle obstructs a spring striker k until the spindle is screwed out of the way by the unwinding of the cord l. The striker is then projected on to a percussion cap k<1> and starts the burning of a time fuze, a form of which is shown in Fig. 10. Instead of freeing a percussion striker k, the screwed spindle j may effect the closing of an electric firing-circuit, or may ignite a friction compound. The percussion cap or primer k<1> ignites the fuze composition in an arm k<2>, the outer end of which carries a pricker s, Fig. 10. A flanged disc q carrying a ring of fuze composition q<2> in a peripheral groove q<1> is rotatable under the arm k<2>, and is set in a position corresponding to the desired delay. The fuze q<2>, which is connected to the flare igniter, is then punctured by the pricker s. The flare, in burning, severs the cord e and frees the casing d, which is then pulled away by the pilot parachute, leaving the main parachute free to open. In modifications, (1) the flare is ignited electrically by the automatic closing of a switch as the flare leaves the discharge apparatus on the aircraft, and by burning severs, firstly, a cord retaining the cap h, and secondly, the cord e. The cap in this case is not connected to the aircraft, but together with the pilot parachute, is expelled by a spring when the retaining cord is burnt through. (2) The cord e is released mechanically by means operated by the parachute cord l and a spring-actuated bolt. The casing d has guide fins.