US3593146A

US3593146A - Personnel and target locator beacon

Info

Publication number: US3593146A
Application number: US672916A
Authority: US
Inventors: William E Schriewer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1967-10-05
Filing date: 1967-10-05
Publication date: 1971-07-13
Anticipated expiration: 1988-07-13

Abstract

A personnel and target locator beacon provided with an inflatable helium balloon from a helium storage tank, a beacon mounted in a recess having an illuminating light that is observable only from aircraft and not from the ground when the beacon is supported from the balloon, and a 300-foot line releasable from a storage reel upon the beacon structure being subject to impact or triggered by a releasable button, upon which conditions the reel becomes free to spin, the balloon becomes inflated from said storage tank, and the beacon light becomes energizable.

Description

United States Patent [72] lnventor William E. Schriewer Rt. 2, Box 425 B, New Braunfels, Tex. 78130 [21] Appl. No. 672,916

[22] Filed Oct. 5, 1967 [45] Patented July 13,197]

[54] PERSONNEL AND TARGET LOCATOR BEACON 2 Claimsfl Drawing Figs.

[52] 11.8. C1 325/112, 325/114 [51] Int. Cl. 1104b 1/02 [50] Field olSearch 325/111,

[56] References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 651,361 6/1900 Kitsee 325/112 2,628,307 2/1953 Lloyd et al 325/114 2,825,803 3/1958 Newbrough.. 325/112 2,831,967 4/1958 Bayze I 325/112 2,979,608 4/1961 Sirons 325/112 Primary Examiner-Robert L. Griffin Assistant Examiner-R. S. Bell Attorney-Victor J. Evans & Co.

ABSTRACT: A personnel and target locator beacon provided with an inflatable helium balloon from a helium storage tank, a beacon mounted in a recess having an illuminating light that is observable only from aircraft and not from the ground when the beacon is supported from the balloon, and a 300-foot line releasable from a storage reel upon the beacon structure being subject to impact or triggered by a releasable button, upon which conditions the reel becomes free to spin, the balloon becomes inflated from said storage tank, and the beacon light becomes energizable.

PATENTED JUL 1 3 ran SHEET 1 UF 2 m m m N 1 Mwwkw PATENTEU Juu sum 3593145 SHEET 2 BF 2 w 5% INVENTOR.

M kV/l/M/V/ fSCHMEn E/Q PERSONNEL ANID TARGET LOCATOlR BEACON The present invention relates to a new and improved personnel and target locator beacon and, more particularly, relates to apparatus having as its object a system of apparatus useful for locating pilots who have ejected themselves from their aircraft or who have crash-landed in enemy territory, especially in wooded areas where it would be possible for the apparatus of the present invention to ascend above the trees and environmental vegetation and at the same time not be observed by the enemy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a beacon that can be observed by friendly aircraft for pilot recovery, as well as to mark hard-to-find target areas.

A further object of the invention is to provide an outside container for the beacon of the present invention that could be constructed of cork or other lightweight material and is cone-shaped, and wherein the inside container is of lightweight aluminum for allowing easy sliding out of the deployed contents.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lightweight beacon that is waterproof, will float, does not burn, and in which the entire device is of the general shape and contour of a large ice cream cone or a large salt water fishing cork.

A further object of the invention is to provide a beacon for use where helicopter rescue is being used, such as in Vietnam, and where the finding oftargets or pilots is difficult.

A further feature of the invention is to provide a homing device which would be elevated so aircraft and ships may easily locate a downed pilot or a hard-to-find target.

An additional feature of the invention is to provide a device used as an aid in hoisting the pilot aboard the helicopter. The helicopter would fly to the balloon and beacon light, attach the line to a hoist and pull the pilot aboard, rather than first lowering a line into the jungle or heavy vegetation. The pilot would place the empty container between his legs and grab the line with both hands during pullup. This would probably out rescue time in half and lessen the chance for the helicopter to be shot down, since the helicopter would not have to hover into place first, drop a cable and then pull up the pilot.

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon full consideration of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. II is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the personnel and target locator beacon in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a reduced scale but similar cross-sectional view showing the beacon in its opened position;

FIG. 3 is a broken-away cross-sectional view of the trigger mechanism and spool or reel mechanism of the beacon of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines M of FIG.

FIG. Sis a cross-sectional view taken along lines 5-5 of FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 66 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines 77 of FIG. 6.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown a hollow metal cone container 10 having an end element R2 at the small end. Mounted within the small end of the cone It) is a spherical case 14 for a spinning reel 16 on which is coiled about 300 feet of monofilament line 18 and which is released by a release button 20. FIG. 3 shows the button in its depressed position while FIG. 1 shows the button prior to being actuated for release.

The free end of the monofilament line 18 is tied to a casing 22 from which depends a spirally configured radio antenna 24 On the casing, there is also the radio circuitry in the form ofa homing device 26, a battery 28. a beacon light 30 and the rotating mechanism or other rotating beacon means 32 for said beacon light 30, and there is interposed between the chassis 22 and a support structure 36, a l0-foot monofilament line 38.

In the support structure 36, there is encased a helium tank 40, a neck 42, a helium spring valve pin 44; which upon release from the cone 10, is opened for inflating the balloon 46. This is seen to be caused by the pin 44 acting under the pressure of the spring 48 in a manner such that the pin 44 is distended 0ut wardly from portion 50 of the cone as the helical spring 24 causes the chassis 22 and the tank 40 to be removed from the inner parts of the cone I0.

The hollow remaining

sections

52, 54, 56 may be filled with Styrofoam for cushioning the construction, and to lend rigidity to the components during use.

The release button 20 upon being depressed releases the reel I 6 and it pushes the beacon construction 22-36 from the cone 10 so that pin Ml is released and helium in tank 40 is allowed to feed into the balloon under pressure. The balloon 46 is then inflated as shown in FIG. 2.

In order to hold the releasing mechanism in place after the release button has been actuated, there is a stop 60 that slides into an aperture 62, as shown in FIGS. 4-7, and in which FIG. 5 shows the arrangement prior to insertion of the stop 60 and FIG. 6 shows the stop having been inserted into the opening 62 upon the button 20 having been depressed.

Additional embodiments of the invention in this specification will occur to others and therefore it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited only by the appended claims and not by the embodiment described hereinabove. Accordingly, reference should be made to the following claims in determining the full scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A simple and efficient personnel and target locator beacon comprising a hollow, inverted truncated cone, a hollow casing secured under tension for upward movement within said cone, a light beacon and homing device secured within said casing, a helium tank mounted within said cone above said beacon, a deflated balloon mounted within said cone and secured to said helium tank, a button mounted within and extending outward from the bottom of said cone, a releasably wound monofilament line mounted within said cone and holding said casing under tension in place within said cone, said line being released soley by said button when de essed for instantaneously initially pushing said casing upward to at least a height where the top surface of said tank is at the level of the top of said cone, means for inflating said balloon, actuating said light beacon and homing device, and causing said casing to rise while remaining attached to said cone, a spinning reel having said line thereon mounted within said cone located above and attached to said button, said reel having a shaft with a squared cross section extending from one end of the axis of said reel, said cone having a vertical longitudi. ..l groove with squared sides in which the end of said shaft fits preventing rotation of said reel about the axis thereof, said groove ending at the top thereof with a circular cutout having a diameter greater than the diagonal distance of the cross section of said shaft allowing rotation of said reel when pushed upward by depressing said button so that the axis of said reel is in alignment with the center of said cutout, the end of said line being attached to the bottom of said casing, and a pressure means mounted above said reel with one end against the bottom of said casing, the rotation of said reel allowing said pressure means to push said casing upward and unwind a portion of said line.

2. The structure of claim I, wherein said means comprises a vertical neck extending from the top of said tank and attached at the top thereof to said balloon, said neck having a single hole between the outer and inner circumference thereof, a longitudinal pin having one end thereof mounted within said hole and said neck completely obstructing air passage through said neck, the other end of said pin extending out of said neck and resting against the inner circumference of said cone, a spring secured between said neck and said other end of said of said pin slides against said inner circumference as said pin is raised with said tank upon rotation of said reel causing inflation of said balloon.

Claims

1. A simple and efficient personnel and target locator beacon comprising a hollow, inverted truncated cone, a hollow casing secured under tension for upward movement within said cone, a light beacon and homing device secured within said casing, a helium tank mounted within said cone above said beacon, a deflated balloon mounted within said cone and secured to said helium tank, a button mounted within and extending outward from the bottom of said cone, a releasably wound monofilament line mounted within said cone and holding said casing under tension in place within said cone, said line being released soley by said button when depressed for instantaneously initially pushing said casing upward to at least a height where the top surface of said tank is at the level of the top of said cone, means for inflating said balloon, actuating said light beacon and homing device, and causing said casing to rise while remaining attached to said cone, a spinning reel having said line thereon mounted within said cone located above and attached to said button, said reel having a shaft with a squared cross section extending from one end of the axis of said reel, said cone having a vertical longitudinal groove with squared sides in which the end of said shaft fits preventing rotation of said reeL about the axis thereof, said groove ending at the top thereof with a circular cutout having a diameter greater than the diagonal distance of the cross section of said shaft allowing rotation of said reel when pushed upward by depressing said button so that the axis of said reel is in alignment with the center of said cutout, the end of said line being attached to the bottom of said casing, and a pressure means mounted above said reel with one end against the bottom of said casing, the rotation of said reel allowing said pressure means to push said casing upward and unwind a portion of said line.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said means comprises a vertical neck extending from the top of said tank and attached at the top thereof to said balloon, said neck having a single hole between the outer and inner circumference thereof, a longitudinal pin having one end thereof mounted within said hole and said neck completely obstructing air passage through said neck, the other end of said pin extending out of said neck and resting against the inner circumference of said cone, a spring secured between said neck and said other end of said pin, and a stop secured to said neck and located at said other end of said pin, said pin being pushed out of the passageway of said neck, but not completely out of said hole as said other end of said pin slides against said inner circumference as said pin is raised with said tank upon rotation of said reel causing inflation of said balloon.