US3610092A

US3610092A - Locking ring for store arming device

Info

Publication number: US3610092A
Application number: US780077A
Authority: US
Inventors: Matthew N Miller
Original assignee: Fairchild Industries Inc
Current assignee: Fairchild Industries Inc
Priority date: 1968-11-29
Filing date: 1968-11-29
Publication date: 1971-10-05
Anticipated expiration: 1988-10-05

Abstract

A SAFETY LOCKING RING FOR A STORE HAVING A REENTRANT LIP ON ONE OF ITS ENDS TO WHICH IS HELD A DETACHABLE INSERT CAP HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPACED, RESILIENT, MOVABLE ARMS THE RING HAS A PLURALITY OF FINGERS WHICH EXTEND INTO THE SPACES BETWEEN THE CAP ARMS TO ENGAGE THE ARMS AND PREVENT THEIR INWARD MOVEMENT AND DETACHMENT OF THE FROM THE STORE WHEN THE RING IS IN A FIRST POSITION.

Description

Oct. 5, 1971 M. N. MILLER 3,610,092

I LOCKING RING FOR STORE ARMING DEVICE Filed Nov. 29 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ,FIG. 1

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l r/ e 64 T 4 32 7 4 a2 76 5 5 L24 28 34 4 26 1 1 26 2 2e 29 4 v INVENTOR & MATTHEW N. MILLER Oct. 5, 1971 M. N. MILLER 3,610,092

LOCKING RING FOR STORE ARMING DEVICE Filed Nov. 29, 1968 2 Sheets-Shoot I f 22 y 2 2o- A FIG. 3

INVENTOR MATTHEW N. MILLER ATTORNEYS United States Patent i 3,610,092 LOCKING RING FOR STORE ARMING DEVICE Matthew N. Miller, Topanga, Califi, assignor to Fair-child Industries, Inc., Germantown, Md. Filed Nov. 29, 1968, Ser. No. 780,077 Int. Cl. F41f /02 US. Cl. 89-15 D 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In my co-pending application Ser. No. 585,996 entitled Store Launching System, filed Sept. 1, 1966, now US. Pat. No. 3,435,725, and assigned to the same assignee, a system is disclosed for launching stores, such as pyrotechnic devices, from an aircraft. In the system of that application a store having a re-entrant lip at its upper end has a plastic insert cap fitted therein. The cap has a central flange and a plurality of separate radially resilient arms with enlarged portions on the outer surfaces of the bottom portions of the arms depending downwardly from the flange. The enlarged portions of the resilient arms are snapped into the upper end of the store to engage and be held by the re-entrant lip. A lanyard for arming the store is connected between the cap and a fuse mechanism, or other similar actuating device, on the store.

As another component of the system of the foregoing application, a launch tube is provided with a plurality of fingers which extend into the tube. As the store is launched down the tube, the fingers grasp the flange on the cap and hold it, causing the resilient arms to move inwardly and break their engagement with the stores re-entrant lip. The cap is held by the fingers of the launch tube as the store leaves the tube so that the lanyard is pulled and the store is actuated.

The present invention relates to a store of the aforesaid type which uses an insert cap and more particularly to a safety device which prevents accidental removal of the cap and thereby accidental arming of the store. In accordance with the invention the safety device comprises a locking ring having a flanged portion from which depends downwardly a number of fingers which fit in the spaces between the arms of the insert cap. When located in a first, or safety position adjacent the top of the store re-entrant lip, the safety ring prevents the resilient arms of the cap from moving inwardly to a point where they can become disengaged from the re-entrant lip. This prevents arming of the store. When the locking ring is moved to a second position adjacent the cap flange, the cap arms can clear the fingers of the locking ring and move radially inward to a position where the cap can be detached from the store.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a. safety locking ring for a store of the type having a detachable insert cap.

Another object is to provide a safety locking ring for the detachable insert cap of a store in which the resilient arms of the insert cap are prevented from moving inwardly to a point where they can be detached from the store when the locking ring is in a first position.

Another object is to provide a locking ring for the insert cap of a store in which the locking ring has a flange and a plurality of downwardly depending fingers, the

3,610,092 Patented Oct. 5, 1971 fingers preventing the cap from being accidentally detached from the store when the locking ring is in a first position, the flange of the ring adapted to be grasped by the fingers of a launching tube and moved to a second position when the store is launched to permit the cap to be detached.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reference to the following specification and annexed drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a portion of a store with an attached insert cap and locking ring shown partially in section and partially broken away;

'FIG. 2 is an elevational view partly in section, showing a portion of a store and a portion of a launch tube and demonstrating the action of the locking ring;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a portion of an assembled store, cap and locking ring with the locking ring in the safety position;

FIG. 4 is a top view taken in cross-section along lines 4-4 of FIG. 1, showing the cap and ring assembled to a store with the ring in the safety position; and

FIG. 5 is a top view taken in cross-section along lines 55 of FIG. 2, showing the locking ring in a second position, permitting detachment of the cap from the store.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the upper portion of a store 10 is shown which comprises a casing filled with any suitable material such as an explosive or a pyrotechnic chemical. The upper end of the store housing '10 has an inwardly bent or re-entrant lip 12 at the upper end of a portion of the casing which extends above the top 14 of the filled section of the casing. An actuating device, such as a fuse 16, is located on the top of the filled section of the body.

A detachable insert cap 20 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 associated with the store 10. Insert cap 20 is of a generally tubular overall shape and has an upper outwardly extending flange 22 below which and from which depends downwardly a cylindrically shaped segment 23 whose outer diameter is less than the outer diameter of flange 22. A plurality of arms 24 extend downwardly from the closed segment 23. The upper portion of each of the arms is of the same diameter as the segment 23 While the lower portion has an enlarged diameter portion 26 with chamfered upper and

lower edges

28 and 29. There is a space between two adjacent downwardly depending arms 24. The insert cap 20 is made of a suitable material such as plastic so that the arms 24 are radially resilient. The entire cap can be molded in one operation by any suitable process.

As shown in FIG. 1, the insert cap 20 is held within the top section of the casing of store 10. A lanyard (not shown) is connected between the actuating mechanism 16 on the store body and a fixed point on the cap. This is described in greater detail in the aforesaid co-pending application. When the cap is separated from the store by a distance slightly in excess of the lanyard length and the cap held to a fixed point, the lanyard will be pulled and the store will be armed.

Considering the attachment of the cap to the store without the use of the safety locking ring, this is accom' plished by pushing the cap downwardly so that the arms 24 move radially inward until their enlarged sections 26 fit within the re-entrant lip 12. At this time the arms 24 expand radially outwardly so that the enlarged portions 26 thereof abut the inside of the store housing 10 and the re-entrant lip 12 locks on the chamfered upper edge 28. The cap can be separated from the store by grasping the top flange 22 and pulling it upwardly. This causes the upper chamfered edges 28 of the arms 24 to ride over the re-entrant lip and the arms 24 to be moved radially inwardly. This breaks the engagement between the arms and the re-entrant lip 12. If the upward force is maintained, eventually the cap is pulled completely out of the store carrying with it the lanyard. If the cap is moved far enough with respect to the store, the lanyard pull will arm the store.

As should be apparent from a description of the manner by which the cap can be detached, it is desirable that some safety arrangement be provided so that the insert cap cannot be removed accidentally from the store to arm it. Such accidental removal can occur, for example, when the store is located in an area available to personnel who are moving or loading the stores. Here there might be a tendency to pick up the store by the cap rather than by its body. This gives rise to the possibility of detaching the cap and accidentally arming the store.

To prevent accidental arming of the store, a locking ring is provided. The locking ring 30 has an upper outwardly extending flange 32. A plurality of fingers 34 depend downwardly from the inner edge of the flange and are spaced therearound. It is preferred that the entire locking ring 30 be made of a rigid material, such as metal, so that the fingers 34 are not radially movable. As shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, the fingers 34 of the locking ring are spaced around the flange 32 and are of such a size that they fit within the spaces between the arms 24 of the cap 20.

As shown best in FIG. 3, each of the fingers 34 of the locking ring has a generally S-shape with the S being laid on its side. The upper leg 34a lies outwardly of the minimum outer diameter segment 23 of the cap so that it can clear this portion when moved upwardly toward the cap flange 22. The lower leg 34b of each finger 34 lies inwardly of the outer diameter of the enlarged portions 26 of two adjacent arms 24. The two

legs

34a and 34b are joined by a small center leg 340.

To assemble a locking ring 30 to a cap 20, it is only necessary to take the cap and push its arms 24 through the opening of the flange ring 32. The cap and the locking ring are aligned so the fingers 34 will be in the spaces between the cap arms 24 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

To attach the assembly of the cap and locking ring to the store, the ring is pushed up on the cap as far as possible. The leg 34a of the fingers clear the cap segment 23. With the ring in this position, the resilient arms 24 of the cap are free to be moved radially inwardly, to clear the lip 12. It should be understood that in an inward radial movement of an arm 24, that its lower end will move farther inward than any other point on the arm. Thus, the cap can be forced down into the store casing opening defined by the re-entrant lip 12 and the cap arms 24 will snap into position to lock the cap-ring assembly to the store in the manner previously described for the cap alone.

After the assembly is fastened to the store, the locking ring 30 is pushed downward as far as possible to the safety position. This is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. With the ring in the safety position the ends of its fingers contact the top 14 of the store. If an upward force is exerted on the cap 20, the arms 24 thereof will initially begin to deflect radially inwardly. However, after a small initial movement the inner edges of the enlarged portions 26 of the arms 24 will engage the fingers 34 of the locking ring 30 and further inward movement of the arms 24 is prevented. The widths of the locking ring fingers 34 are selected with respect to the spaces between the cap arms 24 so that the cap arms engage the fingers and prevented from further inward movement at a point before their enlarged portions 26 can clear the re-entrant lip 12. FIG. 4 shows the cap and ring in cross-section and it can be seen that there will only be a slight radially inward deflection of the arms 24 before they engage the rigid fingers 34 of the locking ring. Since the cap arms cannot clear the lip 12, the cap is locked to the store.

To disengage the cap-ring assembly from the store, it is only necessary to move the cap to the upward or release position which is shown in FIG. 2. With the ring in the upward, or release, position the upper leg 34a of each finger 34 clears the cap segment 23 so that the ring flange 32 can come near to or abut the cap flange 22. With the locking ring 30 in this position the arms 24 of the cap are free to move radially inward by a sufiicient distance where they can clear the re-entrant lip 12 before engaging the fingers of the locking ring. This is shown in FIG. 5. Thus, as should be apparent from the foregoing description, the only Way that the cap can be removed from the store to arm it is to first pull the locking ring 30 up to a position where its flange is adjacent the flange 22 of the cap 20.

FIG. 2 shows the cap and ring assembly used in a launching system of the type described in the aforementioned patent application. A launching tube 60 is provided having a number of openings 62 spaced around its periphery. There are usually three or four of these openings. A spring-loaded gripping finger 64 is mounted on a suitable bracket 66 about a pivot 68. A spring 70 is placed around the pivot 68. The spring has extending arms one of which 71 engages the tube and the other of which 73 engages a point on the gripping finger 64. Each of the gripping fingers 64 is biased inwardly into the interior of the launching tube by the spring 70.

Each of the gripping fingers 60 has a shoulder portion 74 which is normally located in the tube, and a hook 76 at its end. In operation of the launching system the store 10 is launched down the tube (from the upper portion of the tube as shown in FIG. 2). The locking ring is in its safety (down) position during launch, as shown in FIG. 1. As the store moves down the launch tube the shoulder 74 of each gripping finger 64 rides on the outer casing 10 of the store, thereby keeping its hook 76 cleared of the store.

When the shoulder 74 of a gripping finger falls into the space between the cap flange 22 and the flange locking ring 32, the gripping fingers will move in. The hooks 76 of the gripping fingers will first catch the underside of the locking ring flange 32. As the store continues its travel down the tube, the locking ring is pulled upwardly into its release position where the arms 24 are free to move inwardly to a position to detach the cap from the store. Continued further movement of the store down the tube causes the cap arms 24 to move inwardly since the locking ring has reached its upward travel limit and it and the cap are held by the gripping fingers 64. Thus, the

arms 24 of the cap 20 are moved inwardly by the movement of the store to a position where they finally disengage the cap from the store. As the store moves further down the tube and out of the tube, the cap is held. As it moves a distance slightly greater than that of the length of the lanyard, the store is armed. The length of the lanyard is usually selected so that the store will not be armed until it clears the aircraft.

The cap-ring assembly is held by the gripping fingers 64 until the next store is launched. The leading edge of the store casing engages the shoulders 74 of the gripping fingers 64 causing the fingers to move outwardly so that the hooks 76 clear the locking ring flange 32. The store being launched pushes the cap-ring assembly out of the tube ahead of it. It should be understood that the store can be launched from an inclined or horizontal position by gravity or under pressure, if desired.

As can be seen, a novel and simple locking ring has been provided which prevents the accidental actuation of a store by the removal of an insert cap to which a lanyard is attached.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be understood that this is illustrative only, and the invention is limited solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. In combination, a first member having a plurality of resilient arms which depend from a common portion of said first member and having spaces between the free ends of said arms, said arms being normally free to move radially inwardly, a locking ring of substantially rigid material having a central member which is generally concentric with said first member and is movable longitudinally relative thereto between a first and a second position, said locking ring having a plurality of fingers depending from its central member each being of a shape and size to fit in a respective space between two of the arms of said first member, each of said fingers having a first portion the distance to whose inner wall as measured from the center of the ring is greater than the distance to the inner wall of another portion of the finger which is more closely adjacent the free end of the arm of said first member, said locking ring when in said first position having its fingers located adjacent the free ends of the arms of said first member to engage the arms upon radially inward movement thereof, and said locking ring when in said second position locating the fingers more remotely from the free ends of the arms to permit further radially inward movement of said arms than when said locking ring is in said first position.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the overall height of said locking ring and the height of its fingers are less than the height of the arms of said first member thereby permitting the locking ring to be moved relative to said arms from said first position where the ends of its fingers are near the bottom ends of the arms of said first member to said second position where the ends of the locking ring fingers are above the bottom ends of said arms, the width of the locking ring fingers being of a size to engage said arms and prevent radial inward motion thereof beyond a predetermined distance.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the fingers of the locking ring are formed -with an upper portion which can clear the outer surface of the first member when the locking ring is moved to said second position, the lower portion of each finger lying within the space between two adjacent arms of the first member.

4. The combination of claim 2 wherein said first member and said locking ring are of generally circular shape and have a common central axis.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein said other portion of each said finger lies entirely within the area of the inner and outer surfaces of the respective arms adjacent each finger.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein each of said arms has its lower free end portion of enlarged thickness as compared to the upper portion of the arm which is adjacent to the common portion of said first member,

7. In combination a store having a housing with an inwardly extending holding means surrounding an open portion, an insert cap having a plurality of radially resilient spaced arms which depend from a common member, a locking ring having a plurality of fingers depending from a central member and being of a shape and size to fit within the spaces between the arms of the insert cap, the central member of said ring fitting around the outside of the arms of said cap and the overall height of said locking ring and the height of its fingers being less than the height of the cap arms thereby permitting the locking ring to be moved on said insert cap from a first position where the ends of its fingers are near the free ends of the cap arms to a second position where the ends of the locking ring fingers are above the free ends of the cap arms, the width of the locking ring fingers being of a size to engage the free ends of the cap arms and prevent radial inward motion thereof beyond a predetermined distance the outer diameter of the insert cap across said arms in the area where said insert cap moves from said first to said second position being less than the diameter of the remaining portion of the arms below said first position, the arms of said insert cap fitting within the store housing and the insert cap being held to said holding means of said store housing by the enlarged lower portions thereof which engage said holding means.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said locking ring central member comprises a ring flange, said ring flange when in a first position which places the bottom of its fingers adjacent the bottom of the cap arms preventing inward movement of the arms beyond a predetermined point which prevents removal of the cap from the store.

9. The combination of claim 8 wherein said locking ring when moved toward the central member of the insert cap permits inward movement of the cap arms to a point where they can detach from the holding means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,485,763 10/1949 Moon 28586 2,928,319 3/1960 Sokolowski 89-l (.01) 3,435,725 4/1969 Miller 89-1.5

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 285-86