US2089140A

US2089140A - Parachute

Info

Publication number: US2089140A
Application number: US79294A
Authority: US
Inventors: Tricau Marcelle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-05-14
Filing date: 1936-05-12
Publication date: 1937-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 1954-08-03

Description

Aug. 3, 1937. M. TRICAU PARACHUTE Filed May 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l I M. TRICAU PARACHUTE Aug. 3, 1937.

Filed May l2, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 3, 1937 PARACHUTE Marcelle Tricau, Paris, France Application May 12, 1936, Serial No. 79,294

' In France May 14, 1935 7 Claims.

This invention relates to parachutes.

Experience has shown that the sail or the.

apparatus in question is subjected to the greatest stresses when it spreads out, and when the parachutist violently checked in his descent' is subjected to what is practically called shock at opening.

These stresses to which the sail is subjected are so violent that they sometimes cause bursting of said sail or the rupture of the shroud lines provided on the latter for supporting the load hung therefrom. I

It has been found that the importance of the stresses to which the sail is subjected arises from the fact that, upon opening, its lateral extension is violently limited either by the fabric itself, the limit of elasticity of which is reached a longtime before the sail has been able to laterally extend sufficiently in order that, in particular, the 0 stresses should be less, or by the sennits and shroud lines of the sail which still further limit its lateral extension.

The present invention is adapted to remedy these various inconveniences and to provide sails 25 which, whilst not being liable to tear when they spread out, have, for an equal surface, a weight smaller than the sails manufactured up to now, subject the user or the load to a small shock at opening, and allow speeds of fall much lower 30 than those actually attained. g

' For allowing the invention to be more clearly understood, various embodiments have been described hereinafter, by way of example only, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 7

Fig. 1 is a perspectiveyiew of a first form of construction of a sail at the time a shock at opening takes place.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same sail when the speed of fall has approximately reached 40 its lower limit. Fig. 3 is a partial perspective view of a second form of construction. 7

Fig; 4 is a partial perspective view of a third form of construction.

The parachute which is illustrated in Figs. and 2 of the drawings comprises a sail which is constituted by panels I in the shape of a curvilinear trapezium the small base of which is arranged towards the pole of the said sail.

5 The side edges of these'panels I are reinforced by sennits 2 sewn one on the top, the other underneath and which extend, on the one hand, to-

.wards the pole where they are each rendered rigid with the diametrally opposed reinforcing 55 sennit and, on the other hand, towards the leading edge of the sail where the reinforcing sennits of the adjoining edges of adjacent panels are rendered rigid, atv a certain distance from said leading edge, witha single shroud line 3; this distance is chosen in such a manner that the sail 5 can spread out to the maximum, that is to say it can even unfold in a plane without said sennits being subjected to over-tensions by the panels I.

The adjacent panels are connected on a portion of their adjoining side edges by gussets 4 l0 constituted by cloth panels sewn on. either side on each of said adjoining edges of adjacent panels I. The width of these cloth panels is also so chosen as to allow the sail to spread out to the maximum, that is to'say to unfold in a 15 plane, in such a manner that said cloth panels should not be subjected to any tension from the panels I they connect.

These gussets 4 canextend from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the sail, or, on the contrary, they can be limited to the middle portion of the sail which is the main lifting zone.

When the sail spreads out at the time the shock at opening takes place, the sail can laterally extend to the necessary degree, the panels I i can freely move apart, the gussets 4 ensuring the connection between them and allowing the sail to present, notwithstanding its extension, a continuous surface.

The shock at opening is supported from this fact, not by the panels I or the gussets 4, but by the'shroud lines 3 or the longitudinal reinforcing sennits 2.

After the shock at opening, owing to the reduction of the speed of fall,-the gussets 4 pro 5 gressively diminish in amplitude until the speed of fall of the sail reaches its lower limit.

The adjoining edges of the adjacent panels approximately come in contact with each other, and the gussets 4 form so to speak pipes which 40 have for efiect to still further reduce the speed of fall of the sail and to increase its stability.

When the sail is provided with circular reinforcing sennits 5, the latter can be interrupted between the various panels I, or, on the contrary,

they can extend between the latter at the gussets.

desire to 1. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other, means secured to the upper edge of the said panels and joining the latter with each other relative to the pole, shrouds secured to the lower edge of the panels and gussets each of which is secured along the side edges of two adjacent panels for uniting them.

2. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other, means secured along the side edges .of the said panels and joining the latter with each other relative to the pole, shrouds secured to the lower edge of the panels in the extension of the said means and gussets each oi! which is secured along the side edges of the two adjacent panels for uniting them.

3. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other, means secured along the side edges of the said panels joining the latter with each other relative to the pole and extending at a certain distance from the lower edge of the said panels, shrouds each connected to the end of two means secured along the side edges of two adjacent panels and allowing of free play of the said panels relative to each other and gussets each of which is secured along the side edges of two adjacent panels for uniting them.

4. A parachute comprising panels independen of each other, means secured along the side edges of the said panels and joining the latter with each other relative to the pole and extending at 4 a certain distance from the lower edge 01 the said panels, shrouds each connected to the end of two means secured along the side edges of two adjacent panels and gussets each of which is secured along side edges of two adjacent panels for unit- .ing them, said gussets having such a width that they are not subjected to any tension Irom the panels which they unite even when the parachute is spread out to the maximum.

5. A parachute comprising panels independent 5 of each other, means secured along side edges of the said panels and joining the latter with each other relative to the pole and extending at a certain distance from the lower edge of the said panels, shrouds each connected to the end sail and secured to the means adjoining the said" panels. a

6. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other, means secured along side edges of the said panels, joining the latter with each other relative to the pole and extending at a certain distance from the lower edge of the said panels, shrouds each connected to the end of two means secured along the side edges or two adjacent panels, gussets each of which is secured along side edges of two adjacent panels for uniting them and a cap arrang'ed at the pole of the sail and secured to the means adjoining the said panels in such a manner that openings for the escape of the air exist between the lower edge of the said cap and the upper edge of the panels.

7. A parachute comprising panels independent of each other, means secured along side edges of the said panels, joining the latter with each other relative to the pole and extending at a certain distance from the lower edge or the said panels, shrouds each connected to the end of two means secured along the side edges of two adjacent panels, gussets each of which is secured along side edges of two adjacent panels for unit- 40 ing them and a cap arranged at the pole oi the sail and secured to the means adjoining the said panels in such a manner that openings for the escape of the air exist between the edge of the cap and the upper edge 0! the panels.

MARCEILE TRICAU.