US2150055A - Remote control apparatus for the successive release of bombs in aircraft - Google Patents

Description

March 7, 1939. R DEFlVEs 2,150,055

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR THE SUGCESSIVE RELEASE OF BOMBS IN AIRCRAFT Filed April 1, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l a r-rww -n N x 3 a m -1- a G I 3 k 3, R a

March 7, 1939. 2,150,055

REMOTE CONTROL APPARATUS FOR THE SUCCESSIVE RELEASE OF BOMBS IN AIRCRAFT R. DEFIVES Q 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 1, 1957 FIG. 7.

FIG. 5.

Patented Mar, 7, 1939 umrao STATES nEMo'm ooNTRoL armaaa'us roa 'rma guooassrva RELEASE OF norms my AIR- Raymond lDeflves, Brussels, Belgium, assignor to Servo-Frein Dewandre Societe Anonyme, Liege,

Belgium Application April 1, 1937, Serial No. 134,419 'lln France April 8, 1936 4 Claims.

My invention relates to an apparatus for remotely controlling the release of bombs on board aircraft and relates particularly to a dev'lce for ensuring the successive fall of the bombs.

According to the invention the support of each bomb is provided with a release mechanism established in such a way that the operation of the release mechanism of a first bomb upon the actuation of the control member actuated by the operator automatically puts the said control member in communication with the release mechanism of a second bomb, each mechanism being put into the operative position by means of a locking system actuated by the putting into position of each bomb.

' An example of embodiment of the invention in its application to a pneumatic device will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic view of the apparatus assembly and of the bomb secured to the aeroplane;

Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the control mechanism shown in its unlocking position;

Figure 3 is a front view of the mechanism shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showin the mechanism in its unlocking position;

Figure 5 is an end view of the bomb showing the means for securing it on its support;

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the aeroplane showing the arrangement of the bombs and the release mechanisms with pneumatic fluid circult;

Figure 7 shows a modification of the device for attaching the bomb to the aeroplane.

In these figures, a support l secured to the aeroplane is provided with a socket H or the like in which engages a lug i2 provided on the bomb l3 for its attachment by means of a pin or pull out piece It engaged in apertures provided in the socket and in the said lug.

V shaped abutment members l (Figures 1 and 5) secured to the support ID are intended to hold the bomb l3 in a suitable position.

The pull out piece I4 is pivotally connected by a rod i6 to the end of an oscillating lever I'I pivoted at l8 and subjected to the action of a spring i9 secured to the support iii.

A rod 20 further connects the said lever H to the end of a lever 2| pivoted at 22 to an extension 23 providedon the body 24 of the actuating mechanism secured to the support Ill.

The said mechanism comprises a cylinder 25 closed at 26 and in which slides a piston 21 the rod 28 of which presents a transverse recess 23. In the latter is engaged the lever 2| which is guided by a driving pivot 33 extending into a diametra-l boring of the said rod and into an eyelet provided on the said lever 2i Parallel to the cylinder 2| and at the side of it, the body 24 is provided with a two valve distributor 3i and 32, said valves being connected together by a rod 33.

The first of these valves is intended to cut of! communication between the cylinder 25 and the source of pneumatic fluid delivered by the conduit 34.

The valve 32 is provided for cutting of! communication between the conduit 34 and the conduit 35.

The said valves are urged" by springs 33 and 37 acting respectively behind the valve 3| and on a guide piston 38 integral with the control rod 39 of the said valves.

In a transverse guide 43 secured to the body 24 is guided a bolt ll subjected to the action of a spring 42 and presenting a median constricted part in which an aperture 43 permits the sliding of the rod 39.

The said bolt is intended to automatically engage a groove 44 notched in the said rod 33 when the latter is moved against the opposition of springs 31 and 36 and when the valve 32 is brought into its closed position while the valve 3| is brought into its open position.

The displacement of the said rod 33 is effected under the action of a lever 45 pivoted at 43 to the casing of the mechanism and provided with a stop 41 intended to act on the end 48 of the rod 33 when the said lever 45 is displaced angularly in a clockwise direction in order to permit the bomb l3 to be placed in position on the support iii.

A ball latch 49 is provided in order to operate on the lever 45 and to hold it stationary in its extreme angular positions.

A tappet 50 pivoted at 5| on the rod 28 is intended to act on a boss 52 of the bolt 4| and is normally held against a stop 53 of the said rod 28 by the action of a spring 54. v

The diiferent bomb supports provided with their release mechanisms are secured for example under the wings of the aeroplane as shown in Figure 6.

This figure further shows a compressed air tank 55 connected by means of an expansion valve 56 to a selector valve 51 intended to put the ducts 58 and 58a in communication either with the tank of fluid or with the atmosphere. The duct 58' extends from the valve to the conduit 34 of the release mechanism of a bomb -A while the conduit 35 of this mechanism is connected by a tube 53 to the conduit 34 of the mechanism of a bomb B the conduit 35 of which is connectedto the mechanism of a bomb C and so on for each following bomb. The arrangement shown for the series of bombs in the right wing of the aeroplane is identical with that of the series of bombs on the left wing.

In order to maintain the equilibrium of the aeroplane during the fall of the bombs, the fluid distribution is preferably established in such a way as to produce simultaneously the release of one bomb of the series on the right wing and one bomb of .the series on the left wing, it being understood, nevertheless, that the selector valve 51 may be arranged so as to release only one bomb at a time.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

The lever 45 having been necessarily actuated in order to put the bombs in position on their support, the valves of the difierent bomb mechanisms become locked by the bolt ll in the position shown in Figure 4. In this position of the valves the cylinder 25 of the first bomb is in communication with the tube 58 while the tube 59 connecting the mechanism of this first bomb to the next is isolated bythe closure of the valve 32.

If it is desired to release a first bomb from each wing, the operator after having opened the selector valve 51 operates on the expansion valve 56 in order to send through the ducts 58 and 58a, the compressed air which passes through the conduit 34 of the bombs A of each wing and operates in the cylinder 25 in order to displace the piston 21 and the rod 28. The latter in its movement moves the lever 2| which in its turn actuates the rod 20, the lever l1 and the rod l6 which disengages the pull out piece 14 from the lug l2 of the bomb. During the movement of the rod 28 the tappet 50 rocks on the boss 52.

So long as the operator bears on the expansion valve 56 the piston 21 remains at the bottom of its stroke and a single bomb from each wing is released.

As soon as the operator ceases his action on the valve 56 putting the channels 58 and 58a and the cylinder 25 of the mechanisms of the bombs A of each wing in communication with the atmosphere, the piston 21 returns to its original position urged by the action of the spring l9 actuating the lever H. -The return movement of the piston 21 causes the tappet 50 to act onthe boss 52 pushing back the bolt 4| against the action of the spring 42 while disengaging the said bolt from the groove 44. Under the action of the springs 31 and 36 the valves 32 and 3| take up their position shown in Figure 2. The valve 3| is then closed cutting off communication between the cylinder 25 and the conduit 34 whereas the valve 32 is opened establishing communication of the conduit 34 with the conduit 35. During its move ment the rod 33 operates by its end 48 on the stop '41 of the lever 45 which falls and takes up the position shown in Figure l and is held in this new position by the action of the ball 49.

In this latter position of the valves of the mechanism of the bomb A of each wing the compressed fluid can now pass to the mechanism of the bomb B of each wing while passing through the channels 58 and 58a, conduits 34 and 35 and the tubes 59 and 59a. A fresh action of the operator on the expansion valve 56 in order to have previously fallen and in each of which the valve 32 is open and the valve 3| is closed.

The selector valve 51 provided at a point of the cockpit within reach of the pilot further permits the control of the bomb release to be isolated when it is desired to pneumatically control other firearms such as machine guns, cannons, et c., fitted on board the aeroplane. The expansion valve in this case serves to actuate the various firearms.

'I'he bombs may also be supported vertically according to the arrangement shown in Figure 7. In this arrangement the bomb attachment in which is engaged the pull out piece I4 is then provided at one end of the projectile.

What I claim is:

1. In a remote control device for actuating successively, on board an aeroplane, fluid motor operated bomb releasing mechanisms, a fluid motor for each of said mechanisms, a distributor for each of said motors, a source of fluid under pressure, a conduit for connecting the said source of fluid with the said distributor, a member for cutting of! the pressure of fluid in the said conduit, a first valve in the said distributor, a spring for acting upon the said valve to normally close the communication between the said conduit and the said motor, a second valve in the said distributor, a second spring for acting upon the said second valve to normally open the latter and establish the communication between the said conduit and the driving means for the bomb release mechanism to be actuated next, a positive connection between the said first and second valve, means for automatically locking the said first and second valve after a movement of these valves against the opposing action of the said first and second spring, and means associated with the motor co-operating with the said distributor, for unlocking the said first and second valve when the pressure is cut off in the said conduit upon operation of the said motor.

2. In a fluid operated remote control device for successively actuating on board an aeroplane, 'a number of bomb release mechanisms by means of fluid motors, a fluid operated motor for each of the said mechanisms, a fluid distributor associated with each of the said motors, a source of fluid under pressure, a conduit for connecting the said source of fluid to the said distributor, a member for cutting off the pressure in the said conduit, valves in the said distributor for being simultaneously actuated against the opposing action of resilient means and foralternately opening the communication between the said conduit and the said motor, and with the controlling means of the bomb release mechanism to be actuated next, a rod for operating the said valves, an annular groove in said rod, a loaded bolt provided transversely of the said rod and subjected to the action of a spring to engage automatically the said groove when the said valves are driven and are establishing the communication between the said conduit and the said fluid motor, a cylinder for the said fluid motor, a piston in this cylinder, means opposing the displacement of the said piston, a piston rod for the said piston, a loaded pawl pivoted .to the said piston rod for acting upon the said bolt and for disengaging the latter when the pressure is cut off in the said conduit upon operation of the said fluid motor, and means moved by the action of fastening a bomb to the said mechanism, for operating the said valves.

3. In a fluid operated remote control device for actuating successively, on board an aeroplane a number of fluid motors driving each a bomb release mechanism, a base for the said mechanism, a recessed support secured to the said base for engagement by an eye associated with a bomb to be released, a transverse aperture in the said eye, a transverse aperture in the said recessed support, a pull pin engaging the aperture in the said recessed support and the aperture in the said eye, a motor cylinder supported on the said base, a piston in said cylinder, resilient means opposing the movement of the said piston, a piston rod associated with the said piston, a linked connection for uniting the said piston rod to the said pull pin, a fluid distributor integral with the said cylinder, a source of fluid under pressure, a conduit for connecting the said source of fluid with the said duit and the controlling means of the bomb release mechanism to be actuated next.

4. In a remote control apparatus for successively actuating bomb-release mechanisms of an air-craft controlled by fluid motors, a source of compressed fluid and a conduit for connecting the motors with said source, a member in the conduit for cutting ofi the pressure of the fluid, a bomb support for each of the bomb-release mechanisms, a fluid cylinder for each mechanism, a movable member in said cylinder for actuating said mechanism when moved under the action of the fluid, a spring acting on said movable member to return it to its normal position, a three-way distributor for providing communication of said motor with said conduit when arranging a bomb in position, means provided on said movable member to act during the return stroke of the latter and cause said distributor to return into a position for establishing communication of the conduit with the motor of the following mechanism to be actuated.

RAYMOND DEFIVIB.

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