US2386839A - Bomb displacing gear - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 16, 1945.

G. A. BRoNsoN BOMB DISPLACING GEAR Filed Dec. 1, 1942 sheets-sheet 1 y my y Mm NL T.

mm 5m Am A W m e 6` G. A. BRoNsoN BOMB DISPLACING GEAR Filed Deo.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2` m. R A] 6 md 6 BY g AUTOR/VFY G. A. BRoNsoN l BOMB DIsPLAcING GEAR Filed Dec. 1, 1942 oct. 16, 1945.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 lll George A Bron/on INVENroR.

BYQQM I ArroR/vfr Patented Oct. 16, 1945 UNlTED wif,

BOMB DISPLACIN G GEAR George A. Bronson, Santa Monica, Calif., assigner to Douglas Aircraft Company, Inc., Santa Monica, Calif.

20 Claims.

This invention relates to a bomb displacing gear for use on an airplane in conjunction with a bomb rack or other bomb carrier which is constructed to release the bomb at the will of the aircraft operator, and particularly to a bomb displacing gear for use on dive bombing airplanes.

The bomb rack is usually placed in a bomb bay formed in the under surface of the fuselage, both to keep the plane aerodynamically clean, and to bring the weight of the bombs nearer the level of the center of gravity of the plane.

In dive bombing, the diving angle is preferably between '70 and 9U degrees to reduce to a minimum the gravity deviation of the bomb trajectories from the direction of the dive and the consequent need for allowing for this deviation in sighting the airplane for the dive. The bombs released at the end of the dive, being aerodynamically cleaner than the airplane, tend to fall more rapidly than the plane. In high angle dives the bomb trajectory after release is nearly parallel to the iiight path of the airplane.

If the trajectory begins at the undersurface of the airplane, there is danger of the bombs falling into the propeller blades and breaking them or being exploded. Accordingly, devices have been employed to move the bomb upon its release from the bomb rack to a position sufficiently displaced outwardly from the fuselage that the bomb trajectory will clear the path of the propeller even in 90 dives.

One such device consists of a swinging structure pivoted to the underframe parts of the airplane on a transverse axis which is in advance of the position in which the bomb is carried by the plane. Its free end is held in the bomb bay by the bomb trunnions in position to carry the bomb upon its release from the bomb rack. Upon release of the bomb this free end swings downwardly and forwardly, carrying the bomb in a circular arc to a position substantially displaced below the fuselage where the bomb begins its fall to earth. Since the swinging structure acts like a sling, it gives the bomb an outward throw; further displacing it from the fuselage.

The position of the bomb bay longitudinally of the plane is determined by the consideration that the bombs, particularly the larger bombs, because of their weight must be located adjacent the transverse axis of the airplane so asto keep the airplane in proper balance for night control. When a displacing gear of the above described type is used there is an additional reason for locating the bomb bay longitudinally near the center of gravity of the plane. This position avoids the unbalancing effect which would be caused by the displacing movement of a heavy bomb mounted near the tail or nose of the air- I plane and the resulting lightening of the weight of these portions.

However, the understructure of a dive bombing plane is often such that .the hinge axis of a displacing structure which is positioned with its' free end opposite a bomb rack disposed centrally of the plane and which is of a length to sufficienti-.v

ly displace the bomb, would be at a location occupied by other equipment.

a short fuselage. Thus, a nose wheel may operate across a space which the pivoted end yof such a swinging bomb displacement structurev would have to occupy to satisfy the above stated conditions, i. e. that the bomb cannot be carried aft of the center of gravity of the plane, that the' bomb should be carried in a bomb bay or close to the body of the fuselage, and that the'radiusv arm of the swinging structure must be long enough to displace the bomb clear of`v the pro'- peller.

It is one object of this invention to provide a' bomb displacing gear which is relatively short longitudinally of the airplane with'reference to the degree of bomb displacement which it effects,A

so that the gear may be pivoted or otherwise secured aft of a nose Wheel or other interfering l plane parts.

It is another object of this invention to provide a bomb displacing gear which will place the 'bomb' in the air stream with its longitudinal axis stabilized in a position lying in or parallel to the vertical plane of symmetry ofthe airplane, to

prevent lateral trajectory deviations which might with other bombs of a cause the bomb to collide salvo.

It is another object of this invention to accomplish the aforesaid objects by a structure which is safe, dependable and readily operated.

It is another object of this invention to provide a structure which may be used with similar struc-Hr tures in a battery of two or more Without opera-v tively affecting' each other in a Way to prevent'` the accomplishment of the aforesaid objects.

will act as a sway brace and will remove the This diiculty isA` -f more troublesome in the smaller planes having` bomb from the bomb bay with a minimum of lateral movement of the bomb, thus permitting the use of a bay but slightly wider than the bomb.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and appended claims.

In the drawings-which are for illustrative purposes only: 10

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a two unit displacement gear embodying the invention showing one bomb in position in a bomb rack with one displacement gear unit in normal positie-niceA neath it and the other bomb about to belreleasedls from the other displacement gear,..unit.-..;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of one of they arms of the displacing gear showing a portion of the arm cut away to expose the mechanism'therein.wr

Figure 3 is a rear elevation of the two unit gearflgo with bombs in position, showingr the bomb bay in phantom lines.

Figure 4 is' a side elevation showing-a one unit displacement Ygear in retracted position;t11e hy= draulic'retracting motor and the bomb .rack as-25 carriagesA showing the' arm'in 'cross section. f 30 Figure ,'7 is a graph .showing the performance characteristics: of :the gearwof this' invention. in s comparison with those of anothertype of displacing; gear.:

Figure 8-is a: side elevation-partly in section of 35 one'of t-liefhydraulicretracting motors.-

Figure 9 is a fragmentary side elevationalviewshowing :the fvalve operating'. l.mechanism of the hydraulic i'retracting i imo-torn and.v .associated parts. f

Figure'll() is afragmentary. sectional view/taken 40 along-:the line: IIJ-1.10 :ofnFgure 2, show-ingv the.` construction-of .the-device for'ilocking thebomb engagingrodfof the displacing gear.

Figurell is a sectional'view-illustrating-theinternal construction of the valve mechanism ein-w45 ployedin Aconjnnctionwith ithe retract-ing motors.-

A two unit .displacement -gear is shown'in Fig# ureswlzand 3; It is mounted-in a bomb baywhich-l is indicated..mphantomin Figure 3 and riesignatedz:bynthevnumeralwI-I.; f' Ea'chfunit lo com-J -50 prisesa pairfof :armsI/Z, disposedlongitudinally of the bay and pivoted at I3 by meansloi -ears-fA I4 onytheforward .ends ofthe arms'to the vframe structurev-of theaircraft-- adjacent the forward end-of theloay .I.I. :The'rear end-of each arm1 has v55 secu-redfthereto fa bumper-I5 which 'is formed withia catchy IB which engages 'a latch face-i3 of a latch: arm 4:8a.ifThe latch .arm is pivoted to a: bracket'vl'l :securedlto -thei-frame-structure of the aircraft adjacent the rear end of the bay: 60

The 'latch fac'el8 engages .the catch VIt when vthearm\:|2 :is in itsuppermost posi-tion in which it is inclined slightly.upwardly-from-its -pivoted front 'l endeto itslrearslatchedend, the flatch vandv'catchh Figure. e

Eachfarmfconsists-iof atubularA railL I9 'of lboxl like cross section-(see Figure with-a pair of fittings 420 and.2-I at :its im'ierend-andthebump-v er I-5 at its outer.z ende -Y Thel'fittings 2D 'and 2i are -70 bolted to .the rail I'9 andato each othen'the liit# ting-.20 "beingaextendediinwardly to providefthe@` The fittings ZI are each-formed hinge ear I4. with vla hub.25'iextendingfr laterally itoward the other'arm-,of thei-unit. .The hubs 2.5 iare-riveted-'f to the ends of a hollow shaft or tubular housing 26 which thus rigidly unites the arms I2.

As may be seen in Figures 2 and 5 each rail I9 is formed with grooved runways 2'I and 28 in the upper and lower horizontal walls thereof and has slidable thereon a bomb supporting carriage 29 comprising side plates 39 bolted together and providing bearings for a pair of upper rear side vertical-rollers f3 2,.an upper `Vfront Vertical roller 3l traveling in-the runway 21, a Vlower` front vertical roller 33 and a lower intermediate centralrrvertical roller 34 traveling in the runway 28, two upper intermediate central horizontal rollers--3v5ytwo-lower rear central horizontal rollers 39, and fonecloweriront horizontal roller 39a, thesefii'verhorizontal :rollers traveling in the runways 2'I or 28.1'Ihezrollers are so arranged as to hold the carriageparts spaced from the rail surfaces and prevent canting of the carriage longiitudinallyior transversely.

A heX rod 35 is slidably supported in two nether lugs 3l and 38 on 'the carriageand may be locked in anyl longitudinal position of adjustmentby a slide 'flocking pin .49 in a vertical passage 4I in thelug-SI as shownl in Figure 10 of the drawings. The pin 40 `'has ay key rib` 42 the'upper end 45 of which is spaced from the upper endof the'pin 40."This rib engages fluted serrations on the juxtaposed face of the hex rod 35,`-the pinfbeing manually retractable against the action of a compression spring 43 on a key-mounting rod 44 for the purpose of freeing theheX rod from the rib 42 for longitudinal adjustment with respect to 'the carriage 29.

The rear rend of the hex rod 33 is formed to provide :a rearwardly opening' fork 46 Awith an upper and lower jaw. between which mayberreceived--a trunnion 4l of a bomb 49." To prepare an `aircraft for night with a bomb load abomb is secured'in the bomb rack abovea unit I3. Then thepins of theeunit' +9 'are'pulledfout thev rods-36 are moved forwardly ofthe aircraft; the arms I2 are un'latched'from the-latchiarmsie by manually" swinging f the 'latch arms' outwardly, and `the'arms` I2 are 'then'manually' slightlyde`- pressed-to the lfully horizontal position shown'in Figure Y1 and in jfull Alines in Figure 2. `'Ih'efork 4S is thenvat a level to enga-ge Vthetrunnionsll'l of a bomb 48 suspended-from'ra bombrrack 49 in the bomb bay `I I. The carriage 29 'is manually-M held approximately at the level 'to afford this en'- gagement of the trunnions with the forks-46 land the" rodsA 36 are moved -rearwardly" of the"air craft to "seat the 'trunnions properly in the fork* openings, after which the pins 4I) are released for spring'retractionto vlockthe rods 35 yin position:

Each -cable 5I is anchoredat Yone end to the cableattachment-bracket Il, loops` around- 'a pulley'52 carried by the carriage Zland` is fastened-at its-other'end-to the bumper I5. "When a bomb 48 `is released-from the bomb rack-49 by -disengaging bomb -attaching'loops' therefrom,fthe weight of the Abomb is applied to 'the' armgl 2 andthe unit swings downwardly,l the increasing-'distance -between the carriage -29 and bracket I'l causing the-cable 5I to pull the car: riage toward the free rear end-of the unit; Thel length'of the cableis so designed that Ywhen the unithas swung through an arc of approximately ninety degrees the'carriage is at thel extreme limit of itsuoutward ytravely adjacent the bumpers I5 and thecable length is substantially all disposed'i-n a straight line from the' carriage vto the bracket IL*` Thehinge `axisVA at I3 is so located that 'cables Of' a length as above determined will;

whenthe arms are horizontal, position the forks 48 for engagement with the bomb trunnions, the position of which is prescribed by the position of the bomb rack and bomb bay.

To eect retraction of the carriages 29.0n the rails I9 when the unit swings back to its normal initial position after release of a bomb from the forks 45 on its downward swing, two cables 55 are employed, each of which is fastened at one end to the `carriage 29, extends along the upper grooved runway 21 to the free end of the rail I9 where it passes through an aperture in the rail wall and around a pulley 51 mounted in the interior chamber 58 of the rail and thence extends within the rail chamber toward the pivoted end of the arm.

Near the free end of rail I9, it is connected to a sprocket chain 68 which extends to the pivoted Vend of the arm |2 where it passes around a sprocket wheel 59 mounted between the fittings 28 and 2|, leaves arm |2 through an openingr between these :fittings and is connected to another cable length BI which extendsl to and is secured to the forward end of the carriage 29. A collar 53 fixed on cable 55 near the pulley 51 and a stop disk 65 fixed within the rail |9 form abutments for a compression spring 64 which resists movementof the carriage 29 toward the free end of the rail I9 during outward movement of the unit and retracts the carriage to its initial position as the unit returns to its initial position.

The sprocket wheels 59 of the two arms of a unit are i'ixed upon a connecting shaft 68 rotating inthe hollow shaft housing 25 to ensure the two carriages 29 occupying at any moment the same relative positions longitudinally of the rails I9. Any inclination of the axis of the bomb trunnicns from a position perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the unit is thereby prevented.

Consequently, and since also the unit arms are rigidly associated and held perpendicular to the pivot axis i3, the bomb must be held at all times as it moves outwardly, with its longitudinal axis steadily perpendicular to the direction of the transverse axis of the airplane and lying in or parallel to the vertical plane of symmetry of the airplane depending on whether the bomb is initiallyl transported on the airplane in, orlaterally displaced from, the plane of symmetry of the airplane. Stabilized in this positionl the axis of the bomb is less apt to wobble and depart from a smooth curved trajectory lying in a single plane and consequently less apt to collide with other bombs released approximately at the same time in a salvo.

The displacing gear unit is retracted from its outward ypendent position by a hydraulically motivated device indicated in general by the numeral 18 (see Figures 4 and 8') A plunger 1| is automatically thrust forward by a hydraulic reciprocating motor 13 upon arrival of the displacing gear at its pendent position. This plunger pushes forward a lever arm 12 on the shaft housing 26 to elevate the unit until the catch l5 engages the latch face I8 of the latch arm |811 and holds the unit'in its uppermost idle and unloaded position. The motor 13 and plunger 1| permit substantially free downward movement of the arms l2 when, after the bomb displacing gear is again placed in operative position with the bomb trunnions seated in the forks 45, the bomb is released from the bomb rack.

The motor 13 comprises a cylinder 14 and a piston 15. VThe piston 15 has extending th'erefrom an elongated pneumatic cylinder 16 con- 14, the cylinder 18 having a sealed sliding joint with the cylinder 14 at 11. An elongated annular chamber 18 is enclosed between the cylinders 16 and 14. Y

As best shown in Figure 8, the plunger 1| comprises an outer end 19 pivoted to the lever arm 12 and a. pneumatic cylinder 88 which telescopically slides within the cylinder 16, the cylinders 16 and 88 being of approximately the same length and the cylinder 88 having a small air escape aperture 8| near its outer end.

Fluid under pressure is admitted to and exhausted from the right end of cylinder 14 throughA within the valve casing 83 may be turned by means of a valve stem 88 to occupy either a first position (shown in full lines) in which' conduits 84 and 85a, and conduits 85 and 86 are connected, or a second position (shown in dotted lines) in which conduits 85 and 84, and conduits 86 and 85a are connected. The valve stem 88 is turned by a Geneva movement mechanism 88, the pin |88 of which is carried by a projection 8| on the arm l As the arms I2 drop, upon the release of a bomb, toward a pendent position, the arm 12 is moved to the right moving the plunger 1| from a normal position shown in full lines in Figure 9 to the transitional position shown in dotted lines in that figure, the latter position corresponding to that shown in Figure 8.

When the arms l2 in their downward swing have traveled a small angle which may be adjustably set between 10 and 25 degrees, the Geneva movement 88 turns th'e valve stem 88 admitting fluid under pressure to the right face of piston 15 and exhausting fluid from the chamber 18 causing the piston to move to the left. The cylinder` 18 thereupon begins a leftward movement toward cylinder 88 which is moving to theiright. The restricted size of inlet opening 82 prevents too rapid a movement of the cylinders toward each' other. Obturation of aperture 8| further slows relative movement of the two cylinders toward each other, cylinder head 15 finally engaging the right end of cylinder 88, the two cylinders moving together to the right under the gravity action of the bomb. As soon as the bomb leaves the forks 46 of the displacing gear, the hydraulic pressurev to the right 0f piston 15 moves both cylinders 88 and 16 to the left, the compressed air between the cylinders pushing cyl- K inder 88 ahead of cylinder 16, and the cylinder centrically spaced from and within the cylinder `or oth'er bombicarryingfmeam are xed in posislowlyzbronght". to atmosphericrpressurez by spas-1..: 'l sageafof fairnithroughz thenaperture'sfBIiL Y Whenthedisplacing gear is next usedito dropzw a bomh;tthe:weightvof the-.bomb overcomessthezf air pressure between the pneumatic cylinder: v5 endsrthedisplacing fgear. `dropping .unde-r a measi uren-'of pneumaticnloadoto a bombe'dischargingzs pendentzposition, vobturatoniof :the aperture. V81| cushioningrthelgeartto anioscillatory lstop'at fan anglerof y90".:or less to thelongitu'dinaliaxis :of the -10 plane:dependingz upon the'1position-'at rvvhich' the bomb is discharged. .Air isforcedfromzi-,he aperturerfl prionto obturation of thataperturexandi anyxresidual air-pressure within the cylinders .16 i" I anditill :aftereobturationcacts to assisttheui'd 15 pressuregrwhichcis at zonce. brought to 'bear uponf 1 chamber 118;; in elevating. the4 now: unloaded .fg'ear y The'ndisplacing :gearfwhen f in Iii-tsl horizontal. I operatiYemositionin which the bomby trunnions1'20 areaengaged by :.thefforks-A ffacts. :as a supple-'h mentary z sway inraceuforl the; xbomb. suspended from the bomb rack. 'Ilieiforksfd prevent-rotation'al movement-'of `thefbomb aboutfitslaxis andM the :inner sid'exfaces .of vthe fork :arms/of vthe twof=2 forkssare; :proximately adjacent'. the sides' of the bomb.;

Figure-7. is .a graph :illustratingl.the-'path-of *f movement-.fof aibombiin .the displacing gear; f` Inl thisgraphgdiierent'positionslof thelarms 'I2 of Y 30 the -gear f-:are: :represented byr the.' numerals 12a', I2;,-I2ci|2d",IZB,V |21?, :I2g.;i IZB; is thefpositi'on'of the armsxin the initial latched' position of the gear.v I2g is the extreme position of the arms at the-W end:.of the-operative movement: of thegearr' InA 35 termediate' positions-.'I2b5fl2, fIZdgz I2e and VI2f are approximatelyat ,the angles 15i30g 459,' 60"-Tand` '7 5 respectively.: z The corresponding Y positions of the=icable1i5l :are shown :in .thedrawings IV The' hingexis'of .thefarms'vis letteredfl3 'as-.inthe 40 structural figures.

'Ih'e-.curved'line'l represents the lpath.r of travelv of theforks '46,a'fof the bombzltrunnion sea-ted thereineand'of azfbombr48'4 carriedl thereby".I rThe arcuate.` line :92 `represents the quarter circle path Y of travel-of the 1bumper I5 which is also the -path f of travel of a bombr48f? in 'bombdisplac'ement gears. of presentlyused :types-in which the forksl tionilongitudinally 'of the :arms and Y at theirV -outer ends; and in which thegbombiis displaced in a circularoarcuate path iaboutxthe hinge axis ofthe arms .as apenterf" Comparing'the ftravel: path linesI 9 I 'and 92,the followinglsimilarities' and :differences-arenoted The Apointbf separationv of the bomb from i the f trunnion forks-for anygivenLangleof dive is a v littlebeyond that-angular position'of the arms with respect to theflongitudinal axis `of the plane i at which thearmsf havea true `horizontal" posiw60 tion; for it s at that position. that thegjavvsy of the fork begin to incline. olownward1y.-l .'For a 45.- angledive this angular yposition of the arms is' the I 45 position for .both types of displacing gear. Dx represents the lateral displacement andar?.5 the'forward ydisplacement of the .bombJI8- at thev moment of separation from the forks on line 9i andf Dyand'dy 1the lateral and forward displacements of bomb 48" at the moment vof sepa-V ,.f rationfon line 92.I Gx, grr, Gy and yy represent o the-corresponding Ydisplacements for a 90 dive. A study of these vdisplacement values shows that a gear of'this invention gives an adequate lateral-displacement 'for' anygivenangleof dive andxgives.` a forward. :displacement 'of substantial#V '35 small.` radius and the llinefl being curvilinear with a muchl'onger -radius' means that bomb *48"1 is givena strong outward centrifugal throw upon release especiallyfat high angle dives" whereas bomb 48" leaves the forks-'With a negligible'outward movement. Obviously aiming at a target is a simpler matter in the -latter case, sincel no al-' lowance` need be made for this centrifugal throwVA` at the beginning of thebomb trajectory;

I claim:

1. Ina bomb displacing'devicev for use'with'a i releasing bomb support on anz aircraftgthe com.- bination of: an arm structure 'pivoted on anaxis transverse of the aircraft and 'forwardly' of the... position of the supported bomb to be angularly movable downward from and upward to a pOSi-L' tion adjacent said'b'omb support; a' bombcarrying means movaolycarried byfsaid arm struc ture; and means `interconnecting 'said bombearrying meansv and. saidl airplane whereby said bomb carrying means is moved on said arm struc--M ture outwardly from and inwardly towardan in-A ner position/therealong adjacent .the axis'of said..

pivot in correlationwith'downward and upward l movement respectively'of said arm structure, said Y bomb carrying means being so constructed and,... arranged when at its inner positionand when-.. said structure is angularly adjacent saidbomb...

support to receive said bomb upon. release from..

bination of an arm structure .pivoted .on and.

axis transverse of the aircraft and forwardly of the position of the supported bomb to be angue larly movable downward from and upward to a position adjacent said bomb support; a bomb carrying means movably carried by said. arm` structure; and means interconnectingsaidbomb carrying means and said airplanewherebysaid bomb carryingy means .is moved inwardly .and outwardly on said arm structurel a major.ipor tion of the length of said armv structure. in correlation with downward and upwardmovement .1. respectively of said arm structure; said-bomb carrying means beingfso constructedand arranged when at its inner position andwhensaid struc-w ture is angularly adjacent said bomb support to receive saidbomb uponrelease from said-bomb support, and when said structure isat ani-angular downwardly positionand. said. bombv carrying a means is at anoutward position to releasesaid` bomb.

3. In a bomb displacing device I-for usevrith a releasing bombsupporton an aircraft, the combination of: an arm structure` pivoted on anaxisA transverse .of theaircraftand forwardly-of theif position of the supportedbomb to be angular1:yf,

movable downward from andupward to a posi-fI i structure in correlation with downward and upward movement respectively of said-arm structure, said bomb carrying means being so constructed and arranged when at its inner position and when said structure is angularly adjacent said bomb support to receive said bomb support and when at an outward position and when said structure is at an angular'downward position to release said bomb.

4. In a bomb displacing device the combination of: a downwardly and forwardly swinging structure pivoted to an aircraft on an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft; a bomb support means longitudinally movable on said structure; and means'interconnecting said bomb support and the aircraft whereby said support means is longitudinally'moved on said structure responsive to and simultaneous with downward movement of said structure, said longitudinal movement being from an initial position adjacent said axis and inwardly remote from the free end of said structure to a position radially outwardly therefrom over a distance which is a substantial portion of the length of said structureA and which substantially displaces the centers of curvate movement of the bomb support with respect to the aircraft forwardly from said axis, said support being so constructed and arranged as to release a bomb as said structure swings downwardly and forwardly. v

5. The combination defined in claim 4, and in which the interconnecting means comprises: a pulley means on said bomb support means: and a flexible strand means fixed at its one end to the aircraft at a level adjacent that of said axis at a point more remote from said transverse axis than the normal position of the pulley, looped around said pulley and fixed at its other end to the outer end of said structure.

6. The combination defined in claim 4, and in which the interconnecting means comprisesta pulley means on said bomb support means; and a flexible strand means fixed at its one end to the aircraft at a level adjacentthat of said axis at a point more remotefrom said transverse axis than the normal position of the pulley, looped around'said pulley and fixed at its other end to the outer end of said structure, said strand means being of a length to dispose said carriage at the outer end ofsaid structure at an extreme positionv thereof substantially perpendicular tothe aircraft axis.

7. The combination defined in claim 4 and in addition thereto; resilient energy storing means on said structure and connected to said bombsupport for storing energy-from said bomb support vmeans as it moves outwardly on said structure duringthe fall of said structure when loaded with a-bomb and for releasing said energy to return said bomb support means to its initial position on said structure after release of said bomb from said structure.

said pulley and fixed at its other end to the outer-1 end of said structure; and in addition thereto, resilient energy storing means on saidstructure `and connected to said bomb support for storing energy from said bomb support means 'as it moves, outwardly on said structure during the fall of said" structure when loaded with a bomb and for releasing said energy to return said bomb support means to its initial position on said structure after v"release of said bomb from said structure as peran axis transverse of the longitudinal axis of the aircraft; a bomb support movably mounted on said arm structure; means interconnecting the support and said aircraft for moving said bomb support radially ,outwardly in a continuous synchronous relation with the angle of said down- Ward swing of said larm structure as the same swings downwardly kabout its axis, said support being so constructed and arranged as to release the bomb when the arm structure is in a downward position. o

10. The combination defined in claim 9 in which the bomb support comprises a pairv of rearwardly opening forks each having vertically alined jaws for engaging the trunnions of a bomb.

' 11. In a bomb displacing device for use with a; bomb releasing rack on an aircraft for supporting a bomb longitudinally of the aircraft and with a bomb on said rack provided with trunnions on opposite sides lof the bomb: a pair of arms hinged on a transverse axis forwardly of the position of the trunnions; a, rearwardly opening yoke carried by each arm in position to embrace the corresponding trunnion, when said arms are in an upper position; means for elevating said arms to said upper position', said means being arranged to permit downward swing of said arms, by the weight of a bomb released from said rack; a longitudinally movable carriage on each arm for mounting a corresponding one of said yokes; and control means for the carriages correlatively and progressively responsive to the radial position of the arms for positioning the carriages initially adjacent the said axis when the arms are adjacent the bomb rack and subsequently adjacent the free ends of the arms when the armsare directed outwardly from the aircraft.

12. In abomb displacing device for use with a bomb releasing rack on an aircraft for supporting a bomb longitudinally of the aircraft and with a bomb on said rack provided with trunnions on Vopposite sides of the bomb; a pair of arms hinged on a transverse axis forwardly of the position of vthe trunnions; a rearwardly opening yoke carried by each arm in position to embrace the corresponding trunnion', when said arms are in an upper position; means for elevating said arms to said upper position, said means being arranged to permit downward swing of said arms, by the weightofa bomb released from said rack; a longitudinally movable carriage on each arm for 'mounting a corresponding one of said yokes; a pulley on each carriage; and a pair of flexible strands each connected lat one end to the aircraft structure rearwardly of the position of said trunnions and at a point more rearwardly remote from the trunnions than the normal position of the pulleys, passing around the corresponding 'pulley rizo,

and `secured at the other end to the free'end of the correspondingl arm.

'13.,The combination defined in claim 12 and in addition thereto: a pulley'at the free end of each arm; a transverse shaft rotatably mounted `and"a pair of flexible strand connectors, each secured at one end to one of said carriages, passing tors at a point between the associated sprocket Wheel and pulley; a stationary spring abutment on each of said arms adjacent the associated sprocket wheel; and a compression spring seated between said movable abutment and said stationary abutment.

GEORGE A. BRONSON.

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