US2175634A

US2175634A - Automatic parachute opener

Info

Publication number: US2175634A
Application number: US240551A
Authority: US
Inventors: Mcquillen Walter Charles
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-11-15
Filing date: 1938-11-15
Publication date: 1939-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1956-10-10

Description

' Oct.10,1939. w. QMC UILLEN- 2,175,634

AUTOMATIC PARACHUTE OPENER Filed Nov; 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIIIIA'IIIII,IIIIII III'I'A'II Oct. 10, 1939. w, c, McQU|LLEN AUTOMATIC PARACHUTE OPENER Filed Nov. 15, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ZJZZZSVL way/ I i N Patentedct.10,l939

mm srA'rss' I aurom'rrc ranaonu'ra omen Walter Charles MeQuillen, 1-,... .1 Application November 15, ms. Serial No. 240,551

This invention reiatu to automatic parachute openers and has for an object to provide aimplifled apparatus which may be applied to the harness of any conventional parachute and may be 5 adjusted to automatically open at a specified time interval after theperson wearing the harness clears the'aircraft regardless ofthe position assumed by the wearer.

A further object is to provide apparatus of this type which may be applied to a receptacle'ior' dropping food or other articles and which may be adjusted to release the parachute at a predetermined distance above the ground to permit the receptacle being landed more accurately at its destination.

A further object is to rovide a device of this character which'may be ormed of a few strong simple and durable parts; which will be inexpensive to -manutacture, vand 'which will noteasily get out of order. ,7

With the above and other objects in view the inventionconsists oi. certain novel details of construction and combinations 01' parts hereinafter fully described and 'claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of th advantages of the invention.

- In the accompanying drawings forming part oi. this specification,

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the casing of an instrument constructed in accordance with the invention, and showing the operating parts in side elevation.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view.

. through the casing of the instrument and showing the opposite side 01 the working parts from Figure 6 is a front elevation of a harness inoperative position and equipped with an automatic parachute opener constructed in accordance with the invention.

50 Figure 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a modiflediorm'of the invention applied to a storage receptacle.

Figure 8 is a cross sectional view taken on the line't-l of Figure 7 showing the covers of the ll parachute receptacle closed.

(or. 244-159) c Figure 9 is .a cross sectional view similar to Figure 8 but showing the covers open.

Figure 10 is a detail view in elevation showing the hinge stringot one oi the parachute covers.

Figurell is a detail'iront elevation of the shaft I and pointer for. indicating lapse of time before opening or the parachute. I

Figure 12 is a detail longitudinal sectional view showing the pilot chute in closed position.

Figure 13 is a cross sectional view taken on .a the line it-il oi. Figure 12. 1 I

Figure 14 is a bottom plan view 0! the pilot chute open.

Referring now to the drawings in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, ll designates a casing in which is mounted a clockwork mechanism comprising side plates II, a main shalt l2 Journaled in the side plates and upon which a main spring I3 is coiled for actuating the shaft. As is cusl0 'tomary the shaft is equipped with a gear ll which actuates a gearv train it terminating in an escapement it, these parts being conventional.

An electro-magnet I1 is mounted between the side plates at the top of the casing and the re- 25 silient armature I I of the magnet is rigidly secured at one end to one of the side plates as shown at is in, Figure 3. The armature -is 'equipped with a pin 20 which extends at a right angle to the armature and is equipped at the free end with a latch bar 2i, best shown in Figure 2 as being secured at one end to the other side plate and having an intumed lug 22 which engages between the teeth of the escapement wheel 23. When the magnet is energized the armature is 86 attracted and moves the'latch bar ii to dislodge the lug from between the teeth and permit the escapement to operate in the usual manner under the influence of the main spring I 3.

The electrc-magnet is energized to release the 40 escapement and start the clockwork mechanism operating just as the wearer of the parachute harness 2!, shown in Figure 6, clears the aircraft in any position, either upright or inclined. .For this purpose a battery 25 is secured to the belt 5 20 of the harness. One side of the battery is connected by a conductor wire 21 to one end oi the electro-magnet coil. 'A mercury switch 28,

and a vane operated switch 29, are connected in parallel with the other end of the coil through to. the medium of a conductor wire .30 leading from the other side of the battery and respective wires "-32 for the mercury switch and wires "-34 for the vane operated switch, as best shown diagrammatically in Figure ,5. A vane 35 is hinged as atoneendto'anendwallofthecasingasshown at it inl'lgure 3 and is provided at the upper end with a finger 81 which depresses the spring switch contact I! of the vane operated switch into contact with the stationary contact of this switch when the wind gets under the vane should the person fall in upright position, to close the circuit totheelectro-magnet. Should the person fall in any other position the mercury switch will operate to closethe circuit.

.The time interval through which the clockwork mechanism is allowed to operate before release of the parachute is controlled through the medium of acam SI which is fixed to the inner end of the main shaft II. This cam revolves as a unit with the shaft and ratchet gear ll thereof and is disposed outside of the ratchet gear in position to impinge against the head ll of a pin 42 which is slidably mounted in guides 43 on'one of the side plates and is terminally equipped with a tooth 44. The tooth 4| engages in a notch 45 formed in a ilring pin ll which is disposed to slide longitudinally through the casing in guides 41. When the cam II impinges against the head ll of the pin 42 or trigger as it may be called, the trigger is withdrawn from the notch 45 and the firing pin is released to be moved by its control spring 48 to explode a cartridge 4! carried in a barrel 50 which projects fromone end of the casing. The explosion of the cartridge drives a plunger 5i outwardly in the barrel, and as best shown in Figure 6 the end of the plunger is connected to the conventional ring 52 on the rip cord 53 of the parachute which in the present embodiment of.

the invention is-not illustrated'as it is of the type worn either as a seat or as a back rest. Pulling of the rip cord permits the conventional parachute spring to open the parachute flap and release the pilot chute which pulls out the parachute as will be understood.

The main shaft extends exterlorly beyond the casing and is equipped with a winding key 54 as onds or other time intervals. By turningthe key until the pointer indicates any desired time interval the main spring will be wound to a corresponding degree so that it will unwind under control of the escapement It during the predetermined time interval before the cam 39 strikes the head ll of the trigger 42 to release the firing pin.

In Figure '1 there is shown a modified form of the invention for use in connection with parachute delivery of parcels, food, and other material.' In this form of the invention a streamlined casing 51 is divided into forward and rear compartments through the medium of transverse partitions II and 59 and is divided into upper and lower central compartments through the medium of a longitudinal partition 60. The forward compartment receives the clock operated mechanism for timing the release of the parachute. In the upper central compartment is stored the packed parachute 6i and the top of this compartmentis closed by hinged covers 62, best shown in Figure 9, which are normally closed as shown in Figure 8 and are opened after a predetermined lapse of timesubsequent to release of the casing from the bracket 63 which suspends the casin from the aircraft (not shown).

The covers are provided with respective hooks I which are disposed in alignment when the covers are closed to hook over a bracket arm I which is hinged at one end to the bottom of the bracket 83 as shown at 86. The bracket'arm Si is normally held stationary through the medium of a latch bar I which is pivoted intermediate its ends on the bracket I, as shown at I. The upper end of the latch bar is equipped with a cable 60' which terminates within convenient reach of the person responsible for the release of the parachute. The lower end of the latch bar is equipped with an opening 10 which receives the end of the hinged bracket arm ii in advance oi the registering hooks 04 as best shown in Figure 7. When the operator pulls the cable H the lower'end of the latch bar 61 will be rocked outwardly against the tension of its controlling spring ll which is connected at one end to the latch bar and at the other end to the bracket 62 and which normally holds the latch bar in latched position. When the latch bar 61 is swung outwardly it disengages from the hinged bracket arm 65 allowing the latter to gravitate and release the casing 51.

Immediately upon the casing being released the time controlled mechanism operates to govern the time period through which the casing will fall before the doors are opened to release the parachute. For this purpose a single switch is employed comprising a plunger 12 which is slidably mounted in a bracket 13 disposed on the top of the casing over the front compartment. The plunger projects within the compartment and terminates in a switch contact fll which bridges stationary switch contacts 15 to close the circuit from the battery 18 to the electro-magnet 11 of the time controlled releasing mechanism.

The plunger is spring pressed outwardly through the medium of a helical spring 1! which is sleeved upon the plunger and normally bears against a stop 19 carried by the bracket 63. This vibration when the apparatus is being transported and coacts with a similar stop 83 which depends from the bracket 63 and engages the rear end of the casing, for the same purpose.

As previously described when the electro-magnet is energized it releases the previously described escapement II to start the clockwork mechanism and when the previously described cam lodges against the trigger 82 the latter is withdrawn from the plunger 83 which is slidably mounted in the front compartment of the casing. Upon withdrawal of the trigger the plunger is moved forwardly through the medium of a helical spring 84 which is sleeved on the p'unger between stop collars 85, movement of the plunger pulling the cable 86 which is attached to the plunger at one end and which carries a. latch pin 81 at the opposite end. Thelatch pin is normally engaged in eyes 88 formed at the lower ends of the hooks 64 to hold the hooks stationary until withdrawal of the latch pin whereupon helical springs l9, best shown in Figure 10 as sleeved upon the hinge pintles 90 of the doors 6!, exert tension upon the doors to spread the doors to wide open position. At this moment a pilot chute Si, having spring wire ribs, springs out and opens, simultaneously assisting opening movement of the doors 62, and pulls after it the parachute -6 i The time interval through which the clockwork mechanism will continue to run is governed by winding of the clockwork mechanism main shaft, previously described and shown in Figure 11 until the pointer 55 registers with the time stop holds the front end of the casing against designating character on the dial 55, as also previously described.

Since the operation of the parts has been described as the description of the parts progressed it is thought that the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What. is claimed is: Y

1. In an automatic parachute opener, a support, a time responsive escapement on the support, means connected to the escapement for holding the escapement stationary, an electromagnet'controlling said means to release the escapement for actuation when the parachute is initially dropped from aircraft, a parachute releasing cord, time responsive means connected to the cord and controlled by actuation of the escapement to release the parachute after a predetermined time perlod has elapsed subsequent to dropping of the parachute, a source of electricity, and a mercury switch connected in circuit with said source of electricity and with said electro-magnet adapted to energize the electromagnet when the parachute is initially dropped from aircraft.

2. Inan automatic parachute. opener, a support, a time responsive escapement on the support, means connected to the escapement for holding the escapement stationary, an electromagnet controlling said means to release the escapement for actuation when the parachute is initially dropped from aircraft, a parachute releasing cord, time responsive means connected to the cord and controlled by actuation of the escapement to release the parachute after a predetermined time period has elapsed subsequent to dropping of the parachute, a source of electricity, a. vane operated switch, a mercury switch, and conductors connecting both switches in parallel with the source of electricity, and with the electro-magnet,saidswitches being adapted to energize the electrmmagnet when the parachute is initially dropped from the aircraft regardless of the position of the wearer in the air.

3. In an automatic parachute opener, a support, a time responsive escapement on the support, a latch member slidably mounted on the support and engaging the escapement to hold the escapement stationary, an electro-magnet, an armature for the magnet connected to said latch pin and adapted to move the latch pin to release the escapement for actuation when the electromagnet is energized, time responsive cam means, a trigger connected to said means, a parachute releasing cord, a plunger connected to said cord for pulling the cord, a barrel connected to said the cartridge, said trigger normally engaging said firing pin and holding the pin in cocked position against the tension of its controlling spring, said cam means releasing the trigger to permit the firing pinto move tofiring position after a predetermined time period has elapsed subsequent to dropping of the parachute, a source of electricity, and switch means connected in circuit with said source of electricity and with said electro-magnet adapted to energize the electro-magnet when the parachute is initially dropped from the aircraft. 4. The combination of a casing, partitions in the casing dividing the casing into compartments, a packed parachute in one compartment, spring pressed hinged doors closing the last named compartment, means for 'detachably securing said casing to an aircraft, means for manually 'releasing said securing means to permit the casing to drop, a clockwork mechanism in one of said compartments including an escapement, a main spring, and a winding shaft for the spring, means connected to the escapement for normally holding the escapement stationary, means for releasing the escapement holding means when the easing is initially dropped from aircraft, means for holding said doors closed against the tension of the controlling springs of the doors, door releasing means connected to the last named means and time responsive means connected to said winding shaft and to said door releasing means controlled by actuation of the escapement to operate the door releasing means after a predetermined 'time"