GB201004A - Improvements in bomb or other article releasing gear for aeronautical machines, vehicles, vessels, and the like - Google Patents

Abstract

201,004. Pyne, E. G., and Dodridge, B. J. S. June 22, 1922. Aerial warfare.-An apparatus for dropping bombs or ,other articles comprises a revoluble frame or cradle, means for rigidly securing a number of bombs around the cradle and means for releasing any one of the bombs onlv when it has been moved by the cradle to the dropping-position. As shown in Fig. 3, the revolving cradle comprises a hollow shaft 1 with a disc or discs 4 and a number of radial arms 7 provided with adjustable forks 8. The bombs 6 are held against these forks and in recesses in the circumference of the disc 4 by means of eye-pieces 20 engaged by bellcrank levers 14 pivoted on a flange 15 on the shaft 1. The cradle is rotated by means of spur gearing 9, 10 by a handle 12, which is designed to make one complete revolution to bring successive bombs to dropping-position, and is held in place after each revolution by a spring catch. When the bomb reaches the dropping position, it is automatically released by its bell-crank 14 being deflected by a pin 17, which is pushed outwards by a cam 18. This arrangement is suitable for small bombs. For heavier bombs, the arrangement shown in Fig. 6 is preferred. The bombs in this arrangement are each held by a lever 21 locked by a trigger 22, which is deflected to release the bomb by a nose-piece 25 on an axially sliding rod 23 operated through a flexible wire by a handle 24. The nose-piece can only act on the trigger of the bomb in the dropping position. In this arrangement, a flexible shaft 13 is provided between the handle 12, and the spindle 11 of the pinion 10.