US3561705A

US3561705A - Self-inflating target deployment container

Info

Publication number: US3561705A
Application number: US801594A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond S Daughenbaugh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1969-02-24
Filing date: 1969-02-24
Publication date: 1971-02-09
Anticipated expiration: 1988-02-09

Abstract

A container for deploying a self-inflating target from an aircraft comprising an elongate tubular casing for the target, a nose cap and a weighted tail portion which also serves as an airscoop. Upon release from the aircraft the weighted tail portion orients the container vertically. A valve positioned in the airscoop controls the amount of air entering the target to prevent target ejection and inflation until the falling container and target have decelerated to a safe opening speed.

Description

D United States Patent 1 1 3,561,705

[72] inventor Raymond S. Daughenbaugh 2,382,442 8/1945 Rich et al.. 244/138 860 S. LaLuna. Ojai, Calif. 93023 3221656 12/1965 Sutten 1 244/138 [21 Appl. No. 801,594 3234503 2/1966 Wojcieehowski 244/142 [22] Filed Feb. 24. 1969 3,328,750 6/1967 Gimber et al. 244/142 [45] Patented Feb. 9. 1971 3.508.724 4/1970 Scher et a1. 244/138(X) Primary Examiner-Ge0rge E. A. Halvosa s4 SELF-INFLATING TARGET DEPLOYMENT Examiwqames Pmenger CONTAINER Att0rneysEdgar .l Brower, Q. Baxter Warner and Gayward 6 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 244/138,

ABSTRACT: A container for deploying a self-inflating target [51] Int. Cl 364d 1/02 from an aircraft comprising an elongate tubular casing for the [50] Field of Search 244/138, t, a nose cap and a weighted tail portion which also serves as an airscoop. Upon release from the aircraft the weighted tail portion orients the container vertically. A valve positioned [56] References c'ted in the airscoop controls the amount of air entering the target UNITED STATES PATENT to prevent target ejection and inflation until the falling con- 1,777,188 9/ 1930 Wiley 244/1 38 tainer and target have decelerated to a safe opening speed.

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PATENTEU FEB 91971 3,561,705

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SHEEI 2 OF INVENTOR. RAYMOND s. DAUGHENBAUGH SELF-INFLATING TARGET DEPLOYMENT CONTAINER STATEM ENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS In a copending application, Ser. No. 801 ,524 filed Feb. 24, 1969, applicant discloses a self-inflating target of the type which may be housed within and deployed from the container of the present invention. While the target of the copending application is not part of the present invention, it has been illus trated in the drawings and mentioned in the description of the preferred embodiment primarily to add clarity and to assure full understanding of this invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to containers and more particularly to containers for housing inflatable targets which are to be transported by and dropped from aircraft.

Prior art sea targets are usually heavy wood or steel barges which must be towed to the selected target areas by ship. Such methods of target delivery are slow and impose expensive personnel and equipment requirements. These requirements are obviated by the container of the present invention when used with a self-inflating sea target.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly the present invention is directed to a device which renders a self-inflating target droppable from an aircraft traveling at a relatively high speed. It is a compact storage and launching container part of which may be an integral part of the deployed target. It comprises a tubular casing for storing the deflated target, a removable nose cap mounted on the front of the casing and a weighted airscoop positioned on the rear of the casing. The weight of the airscoop properly orients the container upon its release from the aircraft. An airflow control valve is mounted in the airscoop for limiting the amount of air entering the scoop until the device decelerates sufficiently to permit ejection and opening of the target without damage.

STATEMENT OF THE OBJECTS OF INVENTION BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the container with portions broken away.

FIG. 2 is a slightly enlarged view of the weighted airscoop shown in FIG. 1 but rotated on its longitudinal axis 90.

FIG. 3 is a rear end view of the container taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 (a-f) is a diagrammatic step-by-step illustration of the action of the container upon airdrop showing how the enclosed target is deployed.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT FIG. I of the drawings illustrates the circular target container I0 of the present invcntionwhich has a central elongate tubular packing barrel 12 with a detachable nose cap I4 mounted on the forward end and a weighted airscoop 16 located at its rear end. Reference is made to the aforementioned copending application for details of the target housed within the container.

The packing barrel I2 is the largest single section of the container I0 and provides the main storage area for the enclosed target. It is formed of two identical separable halves I8 and 20 the edges of which abut at 22 to form tubular packing barrelv 12. The packing barrel is mated at the rear through lap joint 24 with the airscoop I6 and at the front through lap joint 26 with the nose cap 14. The latter is detachably located at the forward end of the packing barrel so that it can be pushed off by the emerging target and allow the barrel halves to separate after release of the container 10 from the aircraft.

The hollow airscoop 16 may be in the form of an annulus and is provided with a central aperture 27 through which air can pass into a target inflation sleeve 29 when the container is released from an aircraft. The airscoop may be formed of any suitable material such as sheet metal or plastic and has an outer surface 30 which is turned back upon itself in reentrant fashion to form an inner tubular sleeve 28 to which the target inflation sleeve 29 may be secured. An annular pocket 25 is formed at the juncture' of sleeve 28 and ledge 30 and may accommodate a body of weighted material which may be lead and may be mounted in a plastic cement if desired. Such weight helps to vertically orient the container with the airscoop 16 in a forwardly or down position substantially coinciding with the trajectory path of its fall after release from an aircraft. Outer surface 30 may be mated to the end of packing barrel 12 through a suitable lap joint 24 as shown in FIG. I.

An airflow control valve arrangement may be positioned in sleeve 28 and is adapted to limit the amount of air passing into the target so as to prevent premature target ejection. The valve arrangement comprises a pair of flexible valve plates 34 hingedly mounted on a shaft 36 which is centrally and transversely mounted within the sleeve 28. Both valve plates 34 are normally held in an open position by springs 38 which connect each valve plate 34 to an opposed airscoop wall 40 substantially as shown in the drawings. An adjustable turnbuckle 39 may be interposed between wall 40 and each spring 38 for controlling the tension exerted on valve plate by such spring. Control of such tension permits varying the point at which the target is ejected and the container breaks up. A valve stop rod 42 extends transversely across sleeve 28 at a angle to shaft 36 and is positioned behind the valve plates 34 in order to suitably position the plates in their closed position. Each valve plate is loosely fitted within the inner wall of sleeve 28 so as to effectively limit the amount of air flowing into the container when the valve plates are in the closed position. It will be apparent that if desired a suitable spring hinge may also be used to apply opening tension to the valve plates.

A pair of separable holding clamps 44 are positioned around the container 10 at the junctures of the packing barrel 12 with the nose cap 14 and the airscoop I6. The clamps function to hold the three parts of the container 10, i.e., nose cap 14, packing barrel l2 and airscoop 16 in their mated position and also serve as mounts for attachment of the container to a conventional bomb rack. When the container 10 is released in the target area, the rings 44 come apart and the container will orient itself with the airscoop l6 directed forwardly along the path of trajectory due to its greater weight.

While in place on a bomb rack, the valve plates 34 are normally in the open position. Upon release the heavier rear end of the container causes it to swing around so that the airscoop faces forwardly along the trajectory path and the ram air pressure then acts upon the plates 34 to close them and prevent any air ingress into the scoop. However, as the container decelerates to its terminal velocity the ram air pressure against the valve plates is reduced and springs 38 can gradually force the plates open to allow ram air to enter the airscoop 16 This inflates the target which latter then forces off nose cap 14. Thereupon the packing barrel 12 splits into two

halves

18 and 20. The inflatable target is now free from containment and the air entering the permanently attached airscoop 16 eventually completely fills out the descending target. Upon striking the ocean surface, the weighted airscoop 16 will sink thereby anchoring the target on the ocean surface.

l claim:

1. An air-droppable device for housing a target made of thin flexible material which target is adapted to be inflated by ram air forced thereinto when dropped through the earths atmosphere comprising:

a container of elongate overall shape formed of a plurality of breakaway parts having interfltting edges;

a weighted airscoop positioned at the aft end of said container with an opening leading into the interior of said target; and

means for orienting the major axis of the container along the path of the container trajectory with the weighted airscoop directed forwardly when the container is dropped from a moving body; so that said container breaks up during its fall to free said target in order that it may become fully inflated before impact.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the container comprises a nose section, a central body section and a tail section, said sections being interfitted together and forced off during the disassembly.

3. The device of claim l wherein the airscoop is provided with airflow control means.

4. The device of claim 3 wherein the airflow control means automatically responds to ram air pressure so as to prevent air ingress during periods of high ram air pressure and to permit air ingress during periods of low ram air pressure.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the airflow control means if adjustable to vary the point at-which air ingress is permitted.

6. The method of erecting a collapsible target at a remote site comprising the steps of:

collapsing said target into a small bundle;

encapsulating said bundle within a breakaway container.

said container having a weighted airscoop positioned at the aft end thereof with an opening leading into the interi or of said target; transporting said container to a position above said site; releasing said container on a trajectory path directed toward said site, whereupon the container will become oriented with the airscoop directed forwardly;

decelerating said container to its normal terminal-velocity at free fall; and

decapsulated said collapsed target when such normal ter' minal velocity is reached, so that the collapsed target may fully expand to its normal shape before impact at the tar get site.

Patent NO- 3 a Dated February 9 Inventor(s) Raymond s ugh it is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4 line 9 "if" should read is Signed and sealed his 7th day of March 1972 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Pa FORM PO-10 (10-69) useomm-oc cos.

Claims

1. An air-droppable device for housing a target made of thin flexible material which target is adapted to be inflated by ram air forced thereinto when dropped through the earth''s atmosphere comprising: a container of elongate overall shape formed of a plurality of breakaway parts having interfitting edges; a weighted airscoop positioned at the aft end of said container with an opening leading into the interior of said target; and means for orienting the major axis of the container along the path of the container trajectory with the weighted airscoop directed forwardly when the container is dropped from a moving body; so that said container breaks up during its fall to free said target in order that it may become fully inflated before impact.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the airscoop is provided with airflow control means.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the airflow control means if adjustable to vary the point at which air ingress is permitted.

6. The method of erecting a collapsible target at a remote site comprising the steps of: collapsing said target into a small bundle; encapsulating said bundle within a breakaway container, said container having a weighted airscoop positioned at the aft end thereof with an opening leading into the interior of said target; transporting said container to a position above said site; releasing said container on a trajectory path directed toward said site, whereupon the container will become oriented with the airscoop directed forwardly; decelerating said container to its normal terminal velocity at free fall; and decapsulated said collapsed target when such normal terminal velocity is reached, so that the collapsed target may fully expand to its normal shape before impact at the target site.