US3366008A

US3366008A - Lanyard

Info

Publication number: US3366008A
Application number: US577095A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew J Grandy
Original assignee: Army Usa
Current assignee: US Department of Army
Priority date: 1966-09-02
Filing date: 1966-09-02
Publication date: 1968-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1985-01-30

Description

Jah. 30, 1968 A. J. GRANDY LANYARD Filed Sept. 2, 1966 INVENTOR. F IG. 2, ANDREw J.GRANDY W1- W, W? WW ATToRNsYs:

United States Pater Ofice 3,3%,008 Patented `iian. 30, 1968 3,366,008 LANYARD Andrew J. Grandy, North Hills, Pa., assignor to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army Filed Sept. 2, 1966, Ser. No. 577,095 Ciaims. (Cl. 89-15) This invention relates to lanyards and, more particularly, to a munition launching arrangement that facilitates laun-ching a munition s-uch as a fiare from an aircraft, particularly from helicopters With which extensive fiare use has developed in the present-day confiict.

The use of conventional Wire spools to enable pay-out for such fiare use has been unsatisfactory in that a particular launchh orientation of the flare Was required.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a munition launching arrangement in which the pay-out characteristics of a compactly arranged 'cable are not dependent upon launch orientation of the munition.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a launching arrangement which may be safely operated at random launch or discharge orientation.

in one aspect of the invention a belted lanyard is provided to launch munitions from an aircraft and in which there is a flexible belt With a substantial length of Wire threadedly stitched thereto, the Wire having a substantial central portion, including a plurality of return bends threadedly secured to the belt, and a pair of end portions one of which having means for connection to and actuation of a munition igniting means, and the other end portion having means for connecting the Wire to an aircraft frame member.

These and other objects, advantages and features Will become more apparaent from the following description and accompanying drawings in which:

PIG. 1 is an exploded perspective vieW of a munition launching arrangement embodying the principles of the invention.

PIG. 2 is a plan VieW of an opened belted lanyard of the PIG. 1 arrangement.

In the munition lanu'ching arrangement shown generally at (FIG. l) a flare 11 has an ignition line 12 extending upwardly from the central portion of the flare body through a centrally apertured existing disc 13 that upon assembly is suitably secured to the top outer Wall portion 14 of the fiare 11. One end of the ignition line 12 is appropriately secured to a fuze arming train (not shown) and the free end passing through disc 13 terminates in an appropriate loop 15.

A heat sealed package 16 of plastic tubing containing a belted lanyard which Will be more fully described hereinafter, is secured to the flare or munition 11 by a pressure Sensitive adhesive tape 17.

The belted Wire lanyard, shown generally at 20 (FIG. 2) comprises a lightweight fiexible Canvas 21 to which a substantial length of braided Wire 22 is belted or seWn by cotton thread 24 rated at 4 to 12 pounds test. The Wire 22 has a substantial central portion 23, including a plurality of 'continuous return bends 25 arranged in zig-zag formation, threadedly secured to the canvas belt 21 and a pair of

end portions

26, 27 that respectively have an attachment means such as a quick disconnect loop 28 for securing or connecting the pay out Wire 22 to an aircraft 5 anchoring member or static line (not shown) and a fastener 29 that in turn is secured to the ignition line loop to actuate the munition or flare igniting means.

The canvas belt is hemmed at 30 on the back face along its edges, and the belted lanyard is folded in half th-ree times prior to packaging With the

Wire end portions

26, 27 protruding at corresponding ends of the sealed package.

By virtue of the foregoing, trouble free pay out of the lanyard is obtained and by which the arming distance of the munition or flare can be substantially increased to meet existing requirements.

Various modifiactions, changes or alterations may be resorted to Without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the `appended claims.

I claim:

1. A belted lanyard for launching munitions from aircraft and the like, comprising a flcxible belt With a substantial length of Wire threadedly stitched thereto, said Wire having a substantial 'central portion, comprising a plurality of return bends threadedly secured to said belt, and a pair of end portions,

means on one of said Wire end portions for connectng said Wire to a munition igniting means to actuate the same, and

means on the other of said end portions for connecting said Wire to an aircraft anchoring member,

so constructed and arranged that pay-out characteristics of the lanyard are not dependent upon launch orientation of the munition.

2. In a munition launching arrangement having -a munition and means for igniting said munition,

a belted lanyard comprising a fiexible belt With a substantial length of Wire threadedly stitched thereto, said Wire having a substantial central portion, comprising a plurality of return bends threadedly secured to said belt, and a pair of end portions,

means on one of said Wire end portions connected to said igniting means for actuating the same, and

so constructed and arranged that pay orut characteristics of the lanyard are not dependent upon launch orientation of the munition.

3. The arrangement of claim 2 wherein said munition 50 is a fiare.

4. The structure of claim 3 in which said Wire central portion comprises a plurality of continuous return bends arranged in zig-zag formaton.

5. The structure of claim 1 Wherein said Wire central portion comprises a plurality of continuous return bends arranged in zig-zag formation.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BoRcHELT, Prz'mzz'y Examz'ner.

Claims

1. A BELTED LANYARD FOR LAUNCHING MUNITIONS FROM AIRCRAFT AND THE LIKE, COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE BELT WITH A SUBSTANTIAL LENGTH OF WIRE THREADEDLY STITCHED THERETO, SAID WIRE HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL CENTRAL PORTION, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RETURN BENDS THREADEDLY SECURED TO SAID BELT, AND A PAIR OF END PORTIONS, MEANS ON ONE OF SAID WIRE END PORTION FOR CONNECTING SAID WIRE TO A MUNITION IGNITING MEANS TO ACTUATE THE SAME, AND MEANS ON THE OTHER OF SAID END PORTIONS FOR CONNECTING SAID WIRE TO AN AIRCRAFT ANCHORING MEMBER, SO CONSTRUCTED AND ARRANGED THAT PAY-OUT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE LANYARD ARE NOT DEPENDENT UPON LAUNCH ORIENTATION OF THE MUNITION.