US3625461A - Load-landing device - Google Patents

Load-landing device Download PDF

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Publication number
US3625461A
US3625461A US868018A US3625461DA US3625461A US 3625461 A US3625461 A US 3625461A US 868018 A US868018 A US 868018A US 3625461D A US3625461D A US 3625461DA US 3625461 A US3625461 A US 3625461A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
bags
skirts
intermediate plate
bag
load
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US868018A
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English (en)
Inventor
Paul Francois Guienne
Paul Aime Lebargy
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Bertin Technologies SAS
Original Assignee
Bertin et Cie SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Bertin et Cie SA filed Critical Bertin et Cie SA
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3625461A publication Critical patent/US3625461A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60V—AIR-CUSHION VEHICLES
    • B60V1/00—Air-cushion
    • B60V1/16—Flexible skirts
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
    • B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
    • B64D1/00—Dropping, ejecting, releasing, or receiving articles, liquids, or the like, in flight
    • B64D1/02—Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles
    • B64D1/08—Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles the articles being load-carrying devices
    • B64D1/14—Absorbing landing shocks

Definitions

  • the volume confined within the skirts is fed with air out of the bags so that the cushions formed within said confined volumes sustain the device and allow it to move over the ground as long as it has not collapsed completely, after which it can progress over the shoes incorporated with it.
  • the plate carrying the load was provided with bags formed each by a deformable fluidtight wall connected on the one hand with said carrier plate and on the other hand with an intermediate plate or board the lower surface of which carries skirts defining with the ground chambers or spaces communicating with the corresponding bags through ports provided in said intermediate plate.
  • any horizontal cross section of the bag has an area which is smaller than any horizontal cross section of the associated skirt.
  • Such a feature allows a preferential crushing of the bags rather than of the skirts to be obtained upon impact with the ground so that the fluid contained in said bags may escape into the sustaining fluid cushions in the skirts through the communication ports in the intermediate plate.
  • the cross sections of the ports affording a passageway are gauged in a manner such that the pressure prevailing in the bag may rise up to a value sufficient for the desired vertical deceleration to be ensured.
  • the coefficient of loss of head in the communication ports is such that, in an embodiment of the device including frustoconical or the like bags over also frustoconical confining spaces and for each of such a combination of a bag and confining space, the following is true:
  • s being the total area of the gauged ports S the area of the opening defined by the free lower edge of the skirt D the diameter of last-mentioned area h the height of the leak gap under the skirts S the area of the larger base of the frustocone defined by the bag.
  • the arrangement of the bags and their shape allow the lateral relative movements of the plate carrying the load with reference to the intermediate plate to be limited.
  • the axes of said bags which are for instance substantially cylindrical are parallel with the carrier plate or with the intermediate plate or again the bags may assume the shape of volumes the bases of which are defined by sections of a straight line extending in substantial parallelism and connected with each other by arcs of a circle the vertical transverse cross sections of said volumes assuming substantially the shape of isosceles trapeziums.
  • the arrangement includes means for improving the expansion of the bags and possibly of the fluid-containing spaces within the skirts during the dropping of the load.
  • Said means may be constituted by elastic members which are compressed as long as the intermediate plate is near the carrier plate or else by weights or fairings connected with the intermediate plate or with the confining shirts by gauged connecting members in a manner such that said different members break when the device is released after the bags have expanded.
  • F IG. 1 is a diagrammatic elevational view of a device incorporating the improvements according to the invention
  • FIG. 2 is a cross section through line II-II of FIG. 1, on which the load has not been illustrated and which shows the condition of the bags before the impact with the landing surface;
  • FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 illustrating the beginning of the stage during which the speed of descent of the load is braked and the device can move over cushions of a compressed fluid;
  • FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, illustrating the end of the speed-damping stage
  • FIGS. 5 and 6 are respectively a partial view similar to FIG. 2 and a partial view similar to FIG. 1, illustrating the engage ment of the device over the landing area through the agency of shoes;
  • FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic view from above of an embodiment of the device the carrier plate of which is not illustrated;
  • FIG. 8 is a partial sectional view through line VIII-VIII of FIG. 7;
  • FIG. 9 is a partial view similar to FIG. 8 showing modifications in the bags
  • FIGS. 10 and 11 are views similar to FIG. 7 showing other arrangements for the bags.
  • FIGS. 1 to 6 show a device including a load-carrying plate 1 underneath which there extends an intermediate plate or board 31 while bags 32 are fitted between the two plates 1 and 31 and skirts 33 secured to the lower surface of the intermediate plate are directed towards the landing surface 34 on the ground.
  • the bags and skirts may be executed for instance by means of a fabric covered by a fluidtight coat which is impervious for the fluid used and which may be constituted by a mixture having a base rubber or an elastomer.
  • the shape of said bags and skirts may vary, but it is advantageously of revolution.
  • the bags are advantageously of a substantially frustoconical shape, their larger base being rigid with the intermediate plate 31.
  • any cross section of a bag 32 is smaller than any cross section of the confining volume enclosed by the associated skirt 33.
  • S is the cross section of the smaller base of the frustocone defined by the skirt 33 and S
  • the cross section of the larger base of the frustocone defined by the corresponding bag it is possible to write down
  • the spaces in the bags 32 and the volume enclosed by the skirts 33 communicate through openings 35 formed in the intermediate plate 31 is provided by a plate 36 showing ports 37 having a gauged cross section s2, the sum s of said cross sections being defined as a function of the weight of the load, of its speed of impact on the ground and of its desired vertical deceleration.
  • the plate 36 may be removable whereby it is possible to select one of several such plates in which the sum s of the cross sections of the gauged ports 37 satisfies various conditions of operation as concerns the load, the speed of approach of the load towards the landing surface and the like, This makes it easier to adjust the coefficient of loss of pressure.
  • the expansion of the bags 32 and skirts 33 is obtained by reason of the actual weight of the device during the dropping of the latter.
  • the intermediate plate 31 may also be connected through gauged connecting members 38 with a fairing such as 39 (FIG. 1). Said fairing encloses all the parts located underneath the plate 1 when the device is positioned on board an aircraft. When the device is released, the fairing 31 carries along with it towards the landing surface the intermediate plate 31, the carrier plate 1 being braked by the parachute. After expansion of the bags 32 the tensioning of the connecting members 38 rises beyond their breaking limit, which separates the fairing 39 from the remainder of the device.
  • auxiliary means may be resorted to.
  • elastic members 50 may be inserted between the cooperating surfaces of the carrier plate 1 and of the intermediate plate 31 within the bags for instance.
  • the device illustrated includes shoes 41 extending advantageously throughout the length of the underside of the carrier plate I. Said shoes 41 are secured to either side of the longitudinal axis of the device through the agency of the arms 42 which are rigid in their turn with the periphery of the carrier plate 1.
  • the length of said arms 42 is such that the shoes engage the landing surface 34 only when the bags 32 and possibly the skirts 33 when no longer fed with fluid under pressure, have been sufficiently crushed as illustrated in FIGS. and 6 as a consequence of the exhaust of the fluid contained in the bags 32 and skirts 33, that is when no progression of the device can any longer be provided over cushions of compressed fluid. Said shoes further then the desired sliding movement of the device over the landing surface. Said shoes as apparent from inspection of the drawings are spaced with reference to the carrier plate 1 whereby the basis of the support is increased and the risks of turning over are reduced.
  • the arrangement of the bags 32 and also their shape provides a limitation of the relative lateral movements of the carrier plate 1 with reference to the intermediate plate 31.
  • the bags 32 may be constituted by envelopes 43 closed at their ends and the shape of which is substantially cylindrical with an axis parallel with the carrier plate 1 and/or the intermediate plate 31 as illustrated in FIG. 8.
  • the bags may also be given the shape of the volume 44 illustrated in FIG. 9, the bases of which are defined by sections of a straight line which are substantially parallel and interconnected by arcs of a circle, the vertical cross sections of said volume being substantially in the shape of an isosceles trapezium.
  • a number of the bags may be arranged in a manner such that their longitudinal planes cut one another.
  • the bags may be arranged in substantial parallelism with all sides of the carrier plate 1 and/or of the intermediate plate 31.
  • Said bags may be distributed in a substantially symmetrical relationship with reference to the medial planes of the plates 1 and 31 as clearly shown in FIG. 7.
  • the bags may be advantageously distributed symmetrically with reference to an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the carrier plate 1 and/or to the intermediate plate 31. As also illustrated in FIGS. and 11, the longitudinal plane perpendicular to the carrier plate 1 and/or to the intermediate plate 31 of each of the bags may also extend through the volume defined by the adjacent bag.
  • the device is adapted to move over the cushions of compressed fluid, which latter are formed in the skirts 33 and are fed by the fluid under pressure passing out of the gauged ports 37.
  • the shoes 41 carry the device over the landing surface 34 which allows the device to continue if required its movement over said landing surface (FIGS. 5 and 6).
  • the material forming the intermediate plate 31 may show a sufficient yieldingness so as to absorb readily the stresses produced at the moment of the impact of the device on the landing surface 34 if the device is then not perfectly parallel with said surface. This is particularly the case when the load is released off an aircraft flying at a low altitude.
  • the intermediate plate 31 may be made for instance of veneer or of a thermoplastic material such as polyethylene.
  • a load-landing device adapted to be released off an aircraft, comprising a load-carrying plate, at least one yielding substantially frustoconical fluid-containing bag fitted underneath the plate, a yielding substantially frustoconical fluidconfining skirt carried underneath and in vertical registry with each bag and terminating at its lower end with a free circular edge, throttled passageways connecting the inside of the skirt with the corresponding bag, the following unequalities being satisfied:
  • s being the total cross-sectional area of the gauged ports connecting the bag and corresponding skirt S the cross-sectional area defined by the said free circular edge of the skirt D the diameter of said circular edge h the height of the leak gap between the circular edge and the surface on which the device is dropped upon landing, which height is predetermined for a given load S the area of the larger base of the frustoconical bag.
  • a device as claimed in claim 1 comprising an intermediate plate extending underneath the bags and over the skirts and provided with a large opening between each bag and the corresponding skirt and an auxiliary removable plate covering each opening and incorporating the passageways connecting said bag with the inside of the corresponding skirt.
  • a device as claimed in claim 1 comprising an intermediate plate extending underneath the bags and over the skirts and incorporating passageways connecting said bags with the inside of the corresponding skirts and elastic members inserted between the load-supporting plate and the intermediate plate and urging said plates apart to further the expansion of the bags during the dropping of the device.
  • a device as claimed in claim 1 comprising an intermediate plate extending underneath the bags and over the skirts and incorporating the passageways connecting said bags with the inside of the corresponding skirts and elastic members inserted between the load-supporting plate and the intermediate plate and through each bag and urging said plates apart to further the expansion of the bags during the dropping of the device.
  • a device as claimed in claim 1 provided with a parachute comprising a heavy fairing carrying and enclosing when at rest the other parts of the device, gauged members holding said fairing in position underneath said other parts during the dropping of the device and adapted to break under a predetermined tensional stress while the device is being dropped and decelerated by its parachute.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Toys (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
  • Fluid-Damping Devices (AREA)
US868018A 1968-10-23 1969-10-21 Load-landing device Expired - Lifetime US3625461A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR171003 1968-10-23

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3625461A true US3625461A (en) 1971-12-07

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ID=8656008

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US868018A Expired - Lifetime US3625461A (en) 1968-10-23 1969-10-21 Load-landing device

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3625461A (fr)
DE (1) DE1953413A1 (fr)
FR (1) FR96031E (fr)
GB (1) GB1292329A (fr)

Cited By (16)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS492300A (fr) * 1972-04-24 1974-01-10
US4409658A (en) * 1977-02-04 1983-10-11 Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft Mit Beschraenkter Haftung Apparatus for landing loads from transport aircraft, especially low flying aircraft
US5110071A (en) * 1990-04-18 1992-05-05 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Personnel capsule extraction apparatus
US6511018B1 (en) 2000-10-13 2003-01-28 Willie M. Parson Air drop container assembly
US6622968B1 (en) * 2002-03-01 2003-09-23 Edward Strong Guided airborne vehicle, cargo and personnel delivery system
GB2395189A (en) * 2002-11-07 2004-05-19 Aircraft Materials Ltd Aerial delivery platform
US6761334B1 (en) * 2003-05-28 2004-07-13 Costica Nutu Aircraft passenger safety module
CN104149976A (zh) * 2014-08-26 2014-11-19 中国人民解放军装甲兵工程学院 可主动同步快开排气的组合式空投缓冲气囊
CN104176255A (zh) * 2014-08-26 2014-12-03 中国人民解放军装甲兵工程学院 空投缓冲气囊用主动同步快开排气阀门系统
WO2015035288A1 (fr) * 2013-09-09 2015-03-12 Parkinson Stephen T Système de plateforme amortie pour distribution aérienne
CN108528296A (zh) * 2018-04-23 2018-09-14 长沙理工大学 一种空降乘员多级气囊协同缓冲座椅的工作方法
CN109080787A (zh) * 2018-07-05 2018-12-25 武汉理工大学 一种应用于船舶防撞气囊的主动泄压装置
EP3789298A1 (fr) * 2019-09-05 2021-03-10 IrvinGQ Limited Ensemble de déconnexion
CN113428364A (zh) * 2021-06-25 2021-09-24 湖南华望科技股份有限公司 一种针对轻型物资的轻便空投方法
CN113682478A (zh) * 2021-06-25 2021-11-23 湖南华望科技股份有限公司 一种针对轻型物资的轻便空投系统
US20210403162A1 (en) * 2020-06-29 2021-12-30 Hdt Expeditionary Systems, Inc. Inflatable impact attenuator for parachuted items

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10008915B4 (de) 2000-02-25 2004-07-22 Eads Deutschland Gmbh Lastenabsetz-Plattform zur Dämpfung von Lasten beim Lastenabwurf
CN106379538B (zh) * 2016-10-29 2019-01-15 武旺琪 一种模块化空降装备或物资的缓冲运输保护装置

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2774560A (en) * 1954-09-01 1956-12-18 Lockheed Aircraft Corp Aerial delivery platform
US2938689A (en) * 1957-01-21 1960-05-31 Gq Parachute Comp Ltd Shock-absorbing air cushion
US3266757A (en) * 1963-12-06 1966-08-16 Bertin & Cie Devices for landing loads
US3410511A (en) * 1966-12-12 1968-11-12 Gen Electric Inflatable bag for dissipating impact energy

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2774560A (en) * 1954-09-01 1956-12-18 Lockheed Aircraft Corp Aerial delivery platform
US2938689A (en) * 1957-01-21 1960-05-31 Gq Parachute Comp Ltd Shock-absorbing air cushion
US3266757A (en) * 1963-12-06 1966-08-16 Bertin & Cie Devices for landing loads
US3410511A (en) * 1966-12-12 1968-11-12 Gen Electric Inflatable bag for dissipating impact energy

Cited By (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS492300A (fr) * 1972-04-24 1974-01-10
US4409658A (en) * 1977-02-04 1983-10-11 Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gesellschaft Mit Beschraenkter Haftung Apparatus for landing loads from transport aircraft, especially low flying aircraft
US5110071A (en) * 1990-04-18 1992-05-05 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Air Force Personnel capsule extraction apparatus
US6511018B1 (en) 2000-10-13 2003-01-28 Willie M. Parson Air drop container assembly
US6622968B1 (en) * 2002-03-01 2003-09-23 Edward Strong Guided airborne vehicle, cargo and personnel delivery system
GB2395189A (en) * 2002-11-07 2004-05-19 Aircraft Materials Ltd Aerial delivery platform
GB2395189B (en) * 2002-11-07 2006-03-29 Aircraft Materials Ltd Improved aerial delivery platform
US6761334B1 (en) * 2003-05-28 2004-07-13 Costica Nutu Aircraft passenger safety module
WO2015035288A1 (fr) * 2013-09-09 2015-03-12 Parkinson Stephen T Système de plateforme amortie pour distribution aérienne
CN104176255A (zh) * 2014-08-26 2014-12-03 中国人民解放军装甲兵工程学院 空投缓冲气囊用主动同步快开排气阀门系统
CN104149976A (zh) * 2014-08-26 2014-11-19 中国人民解放军装甲兵工程学院 可主动同步快开排气的组合式空投缓冲气囊
CN104176255B (zh) * 2014-08-26 2016-02-10 中国人民解放军装甲兵工程学院 空投缓冲气囊用主动同步快开排气阀门系统
CN104149976B (zh) * 2014-08-26 2016-08-24 中国人民解放军装甲兵工程学院 可主动同步快开排气的组合式空投缓冲气囊
CN108528296A (zh) * 2018-04-23 2018-09-14 长沙理工大学 一种空降乘员多级气囊协同缓冲座椅的工作方法
CN109080787A (zh) * 2018-07-05 2018-12-25 武汉理工大学 一种应用于船舶防撞气囊的主动泄压装置
EP3789298A1 (fr) * 2019-09-05 2021-03-10 IrvinGQ Limited Ensemble de déconnexion
GB2586836A (en) * 2019-09-05 2021-03-10 Irvingq Ltd A disconnect assembly
GB2586836B (en) * 2019-09-05 2023-06-14 Irvingq Ltd A disconnect assembly
US20210403162A1 (en) * 2020-06-29 2021-12-30 Hdt Expeditionary Systems, Inc. Inflatable impact attenuator for parachuted items
US11655030B2 (en) * 2020-06-29 2023-05-23 Hdt Expeditionary Systems, Inc. Inflatable impact attenuator for parachuted items
CN113428364A (zh) * 2021-06-25 2021-09-24 湖南华望科技股份有限公司 一种针对轻型物资的轻便空投方法
CN113682478A (zh) * 2021-06-25 2021-11-23 湖南华望科技股份有限公司 一种针对轻型物资的轻便空投系统

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE1953413A1 (de) 1970-07-16
GB1292329A (en) 1972-10-11
FR96031E (fr) 1972-05-19

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