GB517331A - Improvements connected with the catapulting of aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

517,331. Launching aircraft; drag anchors. SANDOR, N. July 22, 1938, Nos. 21853/38 and 6205/39. [Classes 4 and 114] A catapulting system for aircraft comprises a moving body which imparts an initial speed or acceleration to the aircraft, the kinetic energy of the moving body in conjunction with a resistance being then utilized to impart an additional substantially constant acceleration to the aircraft until take-off speed is reached. In the form shown in Fig. 1, an aircraft 15 is mounted on a carriage 13 adapted to run along the top of a car 2 which runs on rails 1. The car 2 is driven by motors, which may be carried on an auxiliary vehicle, or by the propellers of the aircraft itself. Upon the car 2 attaining a suitable speed, a body 19 is caused to apply brakes to rails and, being thus retarded, accelerate the carriage 13 relative to the car 2 by means of cables 16 and 21 attached to the body 19. The car 2 may be composed of a plurality of bogie trucks and be provided with an upper runway on which the carriage 13 is mounted, this runway being engaged by horizontally and vertically disposed rollers on the carriage. Hydraulic buffers 49 and 50 are provided to arrest the carriage 13 and the body 19. A separate track may be provided at each side of the rails 1 for the aircraft wheels to run on. For reloading purposes a cradle supporting the aircraft to be launched is provided with a base member adapted to engage in a groove in the carriage 13 whereby an empty cradle may be displaced from the carriage and replaced by a fresh cradle supporting an aircraft. In another form, Fig. 9, an aircraft 15 is launched from the deck of a moving aircraft carrier. The aircraft is drawn along the deck by a cable 16a passing round a drum 17a which is driven by a smaller drum 13a over which passes a cable 21a connected with the drogue 19a, which is dropped into the sea at the desired moment. In another form, Fig. 10 (not shown) a seaplane is towed by a ship through a small boat which carries drums 17a and 18a and from which the drogue is thrown overboard at the desired moment. The drogue described is fitted with a resistance-presenting surface 67, Fig. 11, the position of which is controlled by a servomotor 63 in dependence on the tension applied to the cable 21a towing the drogue. As a spring 57 is compressed by the tension in 'the cable a rack and pinion 58, 59 actuates a valve 61 to control the flow past the servomotor. The cable may be attached to another vessel or to a point ashore instead of to the drogue.