GB555831A - Improvements in or relating to parachutes - Google Patents

Abstract

555,831. Parachutes; balloons. INGRAM, G. Jan. 23, 1942, Nos. 963 and 5451. [Class 4] Parachutes are combined with balloons that are inflated by air or gas, and serve for effecting the opening or controlling the descent of the parachute or for maintaining it suspended for a period prior to descent. According to Fig. 1 the balloon 1 serves both to effect the opening of and to sustain the parachute 2 but instead, there may be a relatively small balloon serving only to effect the opening of the parachute, or two disposed one above the other within the parachute, one for opening and the other for buoyant suspension. The upper part of the balloon may actually form the whole or part of the canopy of the parachute and in one such construction, Fig. 10, the balloon is surrounded by a skirt 12 that provides a degree of parachute support even when the balloon is inflated. In a further construction, Fig. 12, the balloon is disposed above the parachute so that both may function simultaneously. For inflating the balloon, a vessel 19 containing compressed air or gas may be connected directly to the balloon, Fig. 1, the inlet valve being controlled by the suspended person 24 by a cable 22 or the vessel may be attached to the suspended person as in Fig. 13, or the valve may be operated automatically by the tension between the parachute and the load suspended thereby. Deflation may be effected by an escape valve or a rip panel or by both of these devices operable in succession by a single cable. Where the parachute device is used for dropping military supplies, leaflets &c. the balloon can be inflated prior to launching the device and be subsequently punctured by a delay-action fuse device to effect the descent. The balloon may be traversed by a vertical air-duct, controlled at its lower end by a valve, to provide directional control of the descent. Reference has been directed by the Comptroller to Specifications 23081/92, 7712/93, 12907/09, 109,496, 144,046, 275,994 and 302,671, [all in Class 4].