US1388361A

US1388361A - Airplane-launching apparatus

Info

Publication number: US1388361A
Application number: US379354A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mesurier Louis John Le
Original assignee: Sir WG Armstrong Whitworth and Co Ltd
Current assignee: Sir WG Armstrong Whitworth and Co Ltd
Priority date: 1920-05-06
Filing date: 1920-05-06
Publication date: 1921-08-23
Anticipated expiration: 1938-08-23

Description

L. J..LE MESURIER. AIRPLANE LAUNCHWG APPARATUS.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

UNITED STATES I PATENT, OFFICE.

LOUIS J'onN LE MESURIER, OF NEwcAs'rLE-UPoN-TrNE, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF 'ro SIR w. G. ARMSTRONG, WHITWORTH & COMPANY, LIMITED, or.

NEWCASTLE-UPON-TYNE, EN LAND.

mmNn-nau cmNe APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23,1921.

Application filed May a, 1920. Serial No. 379,354.

barges, ships or like restricted spaces and has for its object to provide an apparatus of simple construction which will obviate the employment of the airtight glands through which it has hitherto been necessary to pass some of the wire ropes.

According to this invention a carriage for the aeroplane is mounted to travel on a track formed on the deck or like structure and a cylinder actuated by the expansion of compressed air is mounted to travel on a .second track, parallel to the first track, the

carriage being connected by means of a rope to the cylinder in such a way that'movement of the latter causes acceleration of the carriage along its track. The carriage is also connected to the cylinder by a second rope in such a manner that a retardation of t e carriage takes. place after the aero lane has been released therefrom, ports eing so formed in the piston that during the final portion of the cylinders travel air is compressed therein. The carriage 1s retained 1n its initial position b means of a catch or trigger, and the air 1s then'introduced into the cylinder so that the. carriage is drawn forward along its track directly the trigger is released without any valve gear or the like being necessary. A cam or ramp suitably placed on the track or some other part of the main structure automatically releases the aeroplane from its carriagewhen the maxi-- mum speed has been attained.

One form of apparatus according to this invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure -1 is aside elevation.

Fig. 2 is a plan on an enlarged scale, partly in section, showing the compressed air cylinder and its ram, and

Fi 3 is a diagram drawn to a larger scale than ig. 1 showing a trip mechanism omitted from that figure.

' The aeroplane A is placed upon a carriage B which is mounted to travel upon a track or rails Bextending the full length of the deck or other main structure. Formed parallel to and preferably below the main track B is a second set of rails C, along which a cylinder D, having wheelsD, is adapted to travel relatively to a 'fixedram E under the expansion of a charge of compressed air. The carriage B is connected to the cylinder D by a wire rope F whose ends F F are respectively secured tothe fore art ofthe carriageand a fixed portion G Oth8-Stl'l10- ture, the rope being passed around a pulle H on the fore end of the cylinder insuc a way that an acceleration twice thatof the cylinder is imparted to the carriage B. A retarding rope J is similarly provided and secured to the carriage and structure but so arranged as to celerating rope the ends of the retardin rope being respectively secured to.a fixe (ippose the motion of theacwhen the apparatus is used for launching a seaplane.

The trip mechanism shownin Fig. 3 comprises a lever O pivoted at its lower end to the carriage and having its upper end adapted to engage the axle A of the aero-' plane- This lever O is provided with a safety catch? which holds the axle in place and prevents the aeroplane from creeping or lifting until the maximum speed is attained. Until then the safety catch is held in place by a pivoted pawl R held by a spring S against a stop T, but when the maximum speed is reached the lower end of the pawl R is brought into contact with a ramp B fixed launchingposition by means of a suitable catch or lever M secured to the rear end of the main structure G.

The traveling cylinder D is adapted to reciprocate relatively to a stationary ram E having a hollow shank or rod E provided near its forward end with suitable exhaust ports E which are uncovered after the cylinder' has moved forward a predetermined distance suflicient to impart the necessary launching acceleration to thecarriage. For the remainder of its travel the air trapped between the rear end of the cylinder and inner face of the piston E is compressed, so retarding the final portion, of the cylinders travel, while the charge of compressed air hitherto operating between the face of the piston and closed forwardend or' the cylinder, escapes freely through the open exhaust ports E into the atmosphere.

When the aeroplane is to be launched the carriage is anchored to the rear of the track or structure b the retaining lever M and the cylinder is charged to the required pressure with compressed air through the charging valve N which is then closed. The

retaining lever M is then released, where-- upon the cylinder D will be driven forward owing to the expansion therein ofthe compressed air and the carriage B will receive twice the amount of acceleration through the acceleration rope F.

As the device is self-contained as regards power after being charged with compressed air there will be no losses. due to wire drawin at valves during the acceleration.

hen the cylinder has reached its maximum speed the trip mechanism releases the aeroplane .from the carriage and the exhaust ports E in the hollow shank of the ram E are simultaneously uncovered, so that the main charge of compressed air escapes into the atmosphere while the air trapped between the rear end of the cylinder and inner face of the piston E is compressed, thus acting as a retardin bufi'er. If desired an auxillary bufl'er spring may be providedto assist in bringing the empty carriage to rest. i

To prepare the device for a further launch the carriage is rolled back to the starting position and held there by the re taining lever M while the cylinder is recharged with compressed air.

Although in the above description single acceleration and retarding ropes have been referred to, in practice these may be duplicated and provided on eachside of the cylin-- der, the latter having pulleys on either side for this purpose.

It will be understood that other suitable means for holding and releasing the traveling cylinder and carriage may be used; as, for example, a release mechanism acting directly upon the cylinder without departing from this invention.

track, a movable'member adapted to travel on the second track, and means operatively connecting said track, movable member, and carriage whereby acceleration is imparted tothe carriage at the beginning-of the movement of said member and retardation is imparted thereto as said member reaches the end of itstravel.

' 2. In apparatus for launching an air plane from a restricted area the combination of v.1i'. .-,track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a second trackparallel to the first track, a movable member adapted to'travel on the second track, a pulley on said member, an accelerating rope, a second pulley on the movable member and a retarding rope passing around said pulley having its ends respectively secured to the carriage and to a fixed part of the track structure.

3. In apparatus for launching an air plane from a restricted area the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a second track parallel to the first track, a member adapted to travel on the second track under the expansion of a fluid pressure medium and flexible connections between the carriage, movable member, and track whereby acceleration is imparted to the carriage at the beginning of the movement of said member, and retardation as said member approaches the-limit of its movement. v 4. In apparatus for launching an air plane from a restricted area-the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a second track parallel to the first track, a member adapted to travel on the second track under the expansion of a fluid pressure medium, a flexible connection between the carriage and movable member whereby acceleration is imparted'to the care riage, and flexible connections between said movable member and carriage whereby the carriage is accelerated during .the greater portion of its travel and retarded at the end of its movement.

5. .In apparatus for launching an air plane from a restricted area the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a second track below the first track and paralinventionand desire lel thereto, a fixed plunger, a cylinder adapted to move on the second track under the expansion of a fluid pressure medium relatively to the fixed plunger, a pulley on the from a restricted area the combination of a.

track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a second track below the first track and parallel thereto, a fixed plunger, a cylinder adapted to move on the second track under the expansion of a fluid pressure medium relatively to the fixed plunger, a pulley on the igylinder, an accelerating rope having its 'nds secured to the carriage and to a fixed part of the track structure passing around said pulley, a second pulley on the cylinder and a retarding rope having its ends secured to the carriage and a fixed part of the track structure passing around the second pulley.

7. In apparatus for launching an air plane from a restricted area the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a second track below the first track and par-- allel thereto, a fixed plunger, a cylinder adapted to move on the second track under the expansion of a fluid-pressure medium relatively to the fixed plunger, a pulley on the cylinder, an accelerating rope having its ends secured to the carriage and to a fixed part of the track structure passing around said pulley, a second pulley on the cylinder, a retarding rope having its ends secured to the carriage and a fixed part of the track structure passing around the second pulley, and means for retarding the cylinder toward the end of its forward stroke.

8. In apparatus for launching an air plane from a restricted area the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a second track mounted below the first track and parallel thereto, a fixed plunger, a cylinder adapted to move on the second track under the expansion of a fluid pressure medium relatively to the fixed plunger, a puL ley on the forward end of the cylinder, an accelerating rope passing around said pulley having its ends respectively secured to the forward portion of the carriage'and to the rear end of the track structure, a second pulley near the rear end of the cylinder and a retarding rope passing around the second pulley having its ends respectively secured to the rear end of the carriage and to the forward portion of the track structure 9. In apparatus for launching an air plane from a restricted area the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a second track mounted below the first track and parallel thereto, a fixed plunger, a cylinder adapted to move on. the second track under the expansion of a fluid pressure medium relatively to the fixed plunger, a pulley on the forward end of the cylinder, an accelerating rope passing around said. pulley having its ends respectively secured to the 3 forward portion of the carriage and to therear end of the track structure,-a second pulley near the rear --end of the cylinder, a retarding rope passing around the second pulley having its ends respectively secured to the rear end of the carriage and to the 'forward portion of the track structure, and means for retarding the cylinder toward the end of its forward stroke.

10. In apparatus for launching an. air plane from a restricted area the combination of a track, a carriage adapted to travel thereon, a second track mounted below the first track and parallel thereto, a fixed plunger, a hollow stem therefor having exhaust ports therein, a cylinder adapted to move under the expansion of a fluid pressure medium relatively to the fixed plunger upon the second track, a pulley mounted onthe forward end of the cylinder, an accelerating rope passing around the pulley having its ends respectively secured to the forward end stem.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this s ecification.

LOUI JOHN LE MESURIER.