US2442682A - Mechanical release - Google Patents

Description

June 1948- L. P. FRIEDER Er Al. 2,442,632

MECHANICAL RELEASE Filed Deo. 6, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet l Jun@ i948- L. P. FRIEDER Er AL *2,442,682

MECHANICAL RELEASE Filed Dec. 6, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS fawn/Pz? 959/505? June 1, 1948. L. P. FRIEDER ET An.

MECHANICAL RELEASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Dec. 6, 1944 June l, 1948. L, P FRlEDER [.1- AL 2,442,682

MECHANICAL RELEASE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec. 6, 1944 NN. Y EN 5m n R EN Y mw @km mp6 ,H .Mm A NT i WQ Y NN l bw .nu Mm,

etented June l, 1948 MECHANICAL RELEASE Leonard P. Frieder, Rockville Centre, and Walter S. Finken, Brooklyn, N. Y.; said Finken assigner to said Frieder Application December 6, 1944, Serial No. 566,944

(Cl. 28d-33.15)

7 Claims.

This invention relates to mechanical releases and it is la purpose of the invention to provide a device so constructed and arranged to connect oppositely pulling elements and to effect their immediate separation at the will of an operator, or as the result of the external application of force on the device. An application of the invention is for towing a glider. In this capacity the device is attached to a glider and releasably engages a bob on a tow line.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for towing a target and for eiiecting the release of a used target and its replacement by a new target. For attaining this object the `device is adapted to be opened for applying it labout a cable fastened to a towing airplane and to slide along the cable and replace a like mechanical device and assume the function of towing a new target.

Further and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafter set forth' in the accompanying specification and -claims and demonstrated by the drawings which show by way of illustration a preferred embodiment and the principle of our invention and what we now consider the best mode in which we have contemplated applying that principle. Other embodiments of the invention employing the same principle may be used and structural changes made as desired by those skilled in the art within the spirit of the appended claims and without departing from the present invention.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side view of a mechanical release temploying the principles of the present invenion;

Fig. 2 is a view of the mechanical device illustrated in Fig. 1 turned 90 on its axis;

Fig. 3 is a longitu-dinal section of the mechanical device taken on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig 4 is a cross-section on line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a cross-section on line 5--5 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line Ii-S of Fig. 2;

Fig. 7 is a sectional View similar to that shown in Fig. 3 with the mechanical bob-engaging means displaced to non-engaging positions;

Fig. 8 is a sectional View taken on the plane of line 13-4 of Fig 2, but with the halves of the device separated;

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal view of the device opened as in Fig. 8;

Fig. l0 is a longitudinal section through a bob.

It is very important in the operation of gliders that release means be provided between the glider and the towing plane whereby the glider may be 2 Y f instantly released at the will of the operator. The connecting and releasing device of the present invention includes two principal members I0 and II which are displaceable in respect to each other for effecting th'e immediate release of a tow line I2. Member I0 is provided with means for attaching the member to a glider and it also carries adjustable mechanical means which are engageable with a bob or other device I3 fastened to the tow line I2. This member transmits the pull between the tow line and glider,

The means for attaching the member I0 to a glider may be variously formed Iand in the embodiment of the device illustrated in the drawings consists oi a pair of lugs I4, I5, extending from one end of member I0 and having openings therein for receiving bolts I6, I 1, which are fastened to a stanchion or brackets I 8 and I9 carried by the glider. The other end of member I9 is provided with pairs of lugs 2U, 2I by which' the mechanical means for engaging the bob is supported.

The mechanical bob-engaging means comprise a pair of levers 22, 23,-each lever being supported for pivotal movement uppn bolts 24, 25 passing through the pairs of lugs 2U, 2I, respectively. These levers are arranged to pivot in a diametrical plane and are provided with jaws 26, 2l capable of being moved towards and away from each other. In their most advanced position towards each other, they engage a bob I3 secured to and by which the tow line I2 is held fast. The jaws are preferably crescent-shaped to engage a large area of the bob.

Levers 22 and 23 are provided with arms'28, 29, respectively, which cooperate with member I I for holding the jaws in bob-engaging position when member II is in the position relative to member Il) shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Member Il is carried by and is slidable with respect to member IB and is provided with a ange or shoulder 3l! which is integral therewith and adapted to underlie the arms 28 and 29vof the levers for restraining them against movement from their bob-engaging positions.

Member II is provided with a nger piece SI by which the glider pilot may retract member II to the position shown in Fig. '7 for releasing the levers from their locked position and to effect release of the tow line. In order to facilitate the disengaging operation anti-friction means is provided between the levers and shoulder 30 in the form of rollers 32, 33, carried by larms 28 and 29, respectively.

So as to lprevent unintentional displacement of member I I with respect to member I0, means coacting between the two members are provided which h'ave the eifect of holding the two members in set positions relative to each other. This result is attained by spring washers 31, 38 which are held in place by screws 39 and 4B, respectively, engaged in member I. The shanks of these screws pass through elongatedslots 41|, 42 which determine the length of travel of member II over member IE), When member II is in leverlocking position, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, the screws engage one end of the elongated slots 4I and 42. The spring washers 31 and 38 effect a frictional drag against the unintentional `displacement of member II with respect to member I0, but it will be understood that the tension provided by the spring washers is adjustable and is set so as to provide not any more restraining force than can be easily overcome by an operator applying force to nger piece 3|. Immediately -upon -displacing member II, jaws 26 and 21 are expanded as a result of the lateral forces exerted upon the jaws bythe bob under the influence of the -pull of the towline.

It is convenient to construct members I5 and II as sleeves, and preferably with a central bore 43 having a-diameter-suiiici'ently great to accommodate -the passage therethrough of a Ibob, although ?for `glider towing purposes it is advantageous that vthe forward end of member AII) be hollowed at least to such a degree as to contact the greatest girth of the bob as at 43a, Fig. 3. lIhe bob is thereby held 'from lateral movement, andthe effect of the jaws 26 and 21 is to bear axially on the bob almost entirely.

Sleeve member I`I is extended forwardly of the jaws a distance at least as great as the permissible length 4of travel of member I I relative to member In and its forward end is provided with a -nose 45 with a rounded annular opening 46 whereby the angular deiiection ofthe line I2 is limited. Cricumstances sometimes make it desirable that the pilot of-a towing plane be able to cast off a tow and this may ybe accomplished by providing the pilot of the towing plane with a weighted Ymessenger that can be placed on the tow line and allowed to slide down towards the tow. When the messenger strikes nose 45 the levers 22 and `23 are released from their bobengaging positions and the tow is cast oif.

Projection e4 is provided with `a pair of openings 41, 4'8 through which Vthe `levers of jaws 26 and 21 extend. The parts Vmay be constructed of metal, such as steel, or of such other `material as will .provid-e the required strength.

While the mechanical release so far described is well suited for disconnecting gliders from a tow line, the invention lillustrated in the drawings is embodied in such a form as to be useful for towing a target Kand for replacing a device holding a target being towed. For serving in this capacity the two sleeve members I and Il are separable 'into two sections .and have central bores of sufcient diameter for enabling the passage therethrough of a bob or other similar device 'attached to a tow line. The device may be opened, as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, to be placed about a towing lineextending rearwardly from an airplane. Hinges 53 4and 5I are attached to the two sections of the outer sleeve Il. When the device is closed, the two sections of the outer sleeve mem-ber are locked together by a bolt 52, which passes through holes in lugs 53, 54 in one `of the sections of sleeve member Il and a hole in tongue 55 which is supported by a pin -55 carried Y 4 by the other section of sleeve member I I, Figs. 1 and 2.

Each section 51, B, of the inner sleeve member i5 is fastened to its adjacent outside section of outside sleeve member Il by means of the screws 39 and 43, respectively, Fig. 3. It will be appreciated that the inside sections 51 and 58 may be independently displaced longitudinally of the sections of the outside vsleeve member 'II when the device is open. In order to bring these sections into proper registry with each other for Vclosing the device, pins 59 and 65 and register- Y ing holes 5I and 62 are provided.

When this device isemployed for towing a target, -the-device'is `held by the bob I3 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3. The target is attached to -lugs Ill and i5 by 4means of lines engaged in the eyes in lugs I4 and I5. After the target has been shot away by gun re or has been so damaged as to render it useless, it Ibecomes desirable to east it oli` without reelingin the tow line. An operator in the airplane selects another ='device 'to which a 'new target is attached. The static line of 'the package containing the new target and the supporting line of the 'new target are secured to the eyes 'in lugs I4 and I5. This device is opened inthe manner illustrated iin Fig. 9, placed about the 'tow `line with its 'nose =45 in the "direction of vthe Vanchored lend 'ofthe tow line, and then closed and locked in closed position, by means of bolt 52. Before releasing the device and its attached target, the 'operator sees that sleeve II is extended to the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 so that the jaws 2'6, 21 of levers 22, 23 Vare held in bob-engaging position. The compression Iin springs 31 and 3'8 is 'adjusted to the extent necessary V.to hold sleeve I`I -in extended position during Ythe descent of 'the device along the tow line, and care is taken to make sure 'that the compression will not prevent-sleeve `Il from being displaced by another vsimilar device or messenger in a subsequent target-releasing operation. The Vdevice is then allowed to slide d'own the tow line. When'it strikes'the nose `45 of the device carrying the used target it will cause displacement of sleeve II of .the 'latter device and free its levers 22 'and -23 from bob-engaging position. The released device will then be cast off with its used target and the replacing device will assume its position with its levers in engagement with the freed bob. Upon thearrest of the substitute device the static line frees the wrapped target which is thereafter towedby'its sustaining cord.

The bob illustrated-in the drawings consistsof a member 63 having a bore through which the tow line lI2 passes. The tow line is-secured to member 63 by a, pin-64. A cap-65 is in threaded engagement with member-63 and encloses the lloop at the end of the line and at tthesame timeprevents displacement of pin 64 axially of itself and from disengaging relation with the loop.

What is claimed is:

1. lA mechanical release for holding'and releasing a bob attached to a line comprising engaged inside'and outside members slidablewith respect to each other, the outside member being in the form of a sleeve having a portion extending 'beyond one end of the other member, means coacting between said members for limiting 'the sliding movement of said outside sleeve member inthe direction of its extending portion, a Vpair lof flevers pivotally mounted oppositely each other on said inside member, said ylevers having arms movable through openings insaid outside sleeve'member and jaws on said arms movable towards and away from each other as the levers are pivoted, means on said outside member for holding said jaws towards each other in bob-engaging position when said members are located with respect to each other by said irst-named movement-limiting means, means :cooperating with said members for providing resistance to their relative movement, and means carried by said inside member for fastening the same .to an anchor.

2. A mechanical release for holding and releasing a bob attached to a line, comprising members engaged for linearly sliding with respect to each other, one of said members carrying a pair of levers pivotally supported opposite each other, said levers being symmetrically placed about the common longitudinal axis of said members and having jaws for engaging a bob located with its axis on the longitudinal axis of said members,

means on the other of said members for releasably holding said levers with said jaws disposed towards each other in bob-engaging Position when said members are so set with respect to each other as to locate said holding means in contact with said levers, and means frictionally cooperating between s'aid members for normally preventing relative sliding movement of said members while holding said levers in bob-engaging position but permitting relative sliding movement thereof to automatically release said levers from bob-engaging position by application of external force upon one of said members Ito eiTect sliding of one of said members from its set position relative to the other member and the accompanying release of said levers whereupon the bob is immediately freed.

3. A mechanical release for holding and releasing a bob attached to a line, comprising members engaged for sliding linearly with respect to each other, a pair of levers pivotally supported opposite each other on one of said members, said levers having jaws symmetrically disposed at opposite sides of the longitudinal axis of said members when engaging a bob and adapted to be spread apart by the camming action of ythe engaged bob unless said levers are restrained in a bob-engaging position, means on the other of said members for holding said levers with said jaws disposed towards each other in a bob-engaging position, and means friotionally cooperating between said members for preventing unintentional displacement of said members with respect -to each other whereby said members are held against displacement for holding said levers in bob-engaging position and said frictionally `operating means may be overcome and said members displaced to release said levers for releasing the bob as a result of application of an external force on one of said members along the axis of support of said bob.

4. A mechanical release for holding and releasing a bob attached to a line, comprising a loadcarrying member, a sleeve mounted ythereon for longitudinal displacement along said load-carrying member, a pair of levers pivotally mounted on said member and disposed with jaws symmetrically located with respect to the axis of said member for engaging a bob when said jaws are in their position of closest approach, means on said sleeve for holding said levers and jaws in bob-engaging position whereby said bob is releasably held by said jaws, said means being slidable with said sleeve for eiecting release of said levers, and means frictionally cooperating with said member and said sleeve temporarily to hold them against Vunintentional displacement relative to each other and to permit relative displacement of said sleeve over said member to release said levers from bobengaging position uponV application of force applied externally Ito said sleeve in a direction longitudinally of its axis.

5. A mechanical release for holding and releasing a bob attached to a line, comprising a pair of sleeves, one of said sleeves being inside the other and having a bore of suiicent diameter to permit the passage of a bob, lever means mounted on said last-named sleeve for engaging a bob centrally disposed with respect to its bore, means carried by the other of said sleeves for holding said lever means in bob-engaging .position when said sleeves are in a predetermined position with respect to each other and whereby said lever means are relieved from restraint of movement from bob-engaging position when said sleeves are displaced from such predetermined position with respect to each other, and means opposing unintentional displacement of the sleeve members from such predetermined position with respect to each other, said last-named means being adapted to be overcome to permit relative displacement of said sleeve members as a result of the application of external force upon one of said sleeve members.

6. A mechanical release for holding and releasing a bob attached to la line, comprising a pair of telescoping sleeves slidable with respect to each other unless restrained, the inner of said sleeves having a bore to accommodate a bob for passage therethrough and said sleeves being composed of sections separable on lines extending longitudinally of the sleeves so that the sleeves may be opened to receive a line attached to a bob and closed to encompass said line, means for holding said sections together in the form of sleeves, a pair of levers oppositely mounted for pivotal movement on one of said sleeves, said levers being provided with jaws for engaging a bobcentrally located on the axis of said sleeves, means on the other of said sleeves for holding said levers and jaws in bob-engaging position against the separating eiiort of said bob acting to spread said jaws, and means cooperating with said sleeves for restraining unintentional displacement of said sleeves with respect to each other and responsive to impact on one of said sleeves to permit relative displacement of said sleeves to release said levers from bob-engaging position.

7. A mechanical release for holding and releasing a bob attached to a line, comprising a pair of inside and outside sleeves slidable longitudinally with respect to each other, said inside sleeve having a bore to accommodate the passage of a bob longitudinally therethrough, each of said sleeves being composed of two sections connected together and longitudinally separable whereby the sleeves may be opened for the insertion of a line within the bore of the inner sleeve, means retaining adjacent inside and outside sections of said sleeves in nested relationship when the sleeves are parted, means for holding said sleeves in telescoping relationship when said sections are joined as sleeves, mechanical means carried by said inside sleeve and provided with movable jaws for engaging a bob centrally disposed with respect to the bore of said inside sleeve, means on said outside sleeve for engaging said mechanical means to hold said jaws in bob-engaging position against the spreading action of a bob engaged by said jaws, and means cooperating with both of said sleeves for preventing unintentional displacement of said sleeves with respect to each other and .-adapted ato .permit displacement .nf Lsaid '-:outside :sleeve with :respect :to said inside sleeve -as ia. .re- .sult of-.impactupon the outsidesleeve torelease saidemovable -jaws zfrom bob-engaging position.

LEONARD TP. FEEDER. WALTER .:S. FINKEN.

.REFERENCES CITED y Thelfollowing references are vo'f record in the "le fof this "patent: 30

Number UNITED "STATES PATENTS Name Date Sinclair Jan. 3, 1899 Pearen Apr. 16, 1918 Lamkey Mar. 25, 1930 Foulk Aug. 28,1934

Drescher Aug. 29, -1944

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