US3713387A

US3713387A - High speed fail safe weapon retarding system

Info

Publication number: US3713387A
Application number: US00808725A
Authority: US
Inventors: R Karp
Original assignee: US Department of Navy
Current assignee: US Department of Navy
Priority date: 1969-03-20
Filing date: 1969-03-20
Publication date: 1973-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 1990-01-30

Abstract

An improvement for an aerodynamic missile, such as a torpedo, wherein the missile has a main parachute which is contained by a container at the aft end thereof, the improvement including an initial stabilizing and velocity retarding parachute releasably folded about the container; and means releasably retaining the stabilizing parachute to the container. The container may be constructed of a flexible material such as cloth, and an improved means may be provided for releasing the main parachute from this container.

Description

United States Patent Karp 1 Jan. 30, 1973 541 HIGH SPEED FAIL SAFE WEAPON 2,934,011 4/1960 Fogal ..244/147 x RETARDING Y TEM 3,088,403 5/1963 Battling etal... "102 7 3,l45,956 8/1964 Widdows ..244/[47 [75] Inventor: Raymond E. Karp, San Marmo,

Calif- Primary Examiner-Samuel W. Engle [73] Assignee: The United States of America as Attorney-R. S. Sclascla and Ervm F. Johnston rNefryesented by the Secretary of the l ABSTRACT [22] Filed: March 20 1969 An improvement for an aerodynamic missile, such as a torpedo, wherem the misslle has a mam parachute [21] Appl.No.: 808,725 which is contained by a container at the aft end thereof, the improvement including an initial stabilizing and velocity retarding parachute releasably folded [52] U.S.Cl. ..102/4, l02/7,224;/l4; about the container; and means releasably retaining b l t e parachute to the c ai e T e con [58] Fleld of Search ..102/4, 7, 3535.6, tamer y be constructed of a flexible material Such 244/l47'150 as cloth, and an improved means may be provided for releasing the main parachute from this container. [56] References Cited 8 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,581,045 l/l952 Frieder et al. ..244/149 PATENTEU JAN 3 0 I873 SHEET 1 OF 5 FIG.

INVENTOR. RAYMOND E. KARP ERVIN F. JOHNSTON ATTORN EY.

Pmmiumaoma 3.713.387

SHEEI 2 {1F 5 PAIENTEU JAN 30 I975 SHEET 3 [IF 5 FIG. 8.

HIGH SPEED FAIL SAFE WEAPON RETARDING SYSTEM 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.

When a weapon, such as a torpedo, is launched form an aircraft at high speeds, random forces will cause early pitch acceleration and random torpedo flight attitudes. To counteract these erratic movements early torpedo stabilization is needed and should be initiated at about 0.25 second fall position from the aircraft. Most torpedo retarding systems include a main parachute which, if deployed at the 0.25 second fall position, would cause a serious hazard to the aircraft due to release of the parachute container and the sweeping action of the parachute below the aircraft. In order to insure the safety of the aircraft parachute deployment should occur at about 0.9 :02 second after ejection.

Since deployment of the main parachute is hazardous for early stabilization of the torpedo there is a need for a pre-stabilizer, prior to main parachute deployment, which will operate without any hazard to the aircraft. It is desirable that the deployment of the stabilizer as well as the deployment of the main parachute involve a minimum of deployed hard components so that maximum safety of the aircraft can be insured. I have accomplished one of these purposes by providing an initial stabilizing parachute which is releasably folded about the container of the main parachute at an aft end of the torpedo; and providing means which releasably retains the stabilizing parachute to the container. Another purpose of the invention is accomplished by constructing the main parachute container of a flexible material and by providing an improved means for releasing the main parachute from the container so that a minimum of hard objects are deployed when the main parachute is released. In addition to early stabilization of the torpedo, the stabilizer also retards the velocity prior to main parachute deployment so that the shock of this latter deployment on the torpedo is lessened.

An object of the present invention is to provide a retarding system for an aircraft dropped missile, such as a torpedo, wherein deployment of the retarding system imposes substantially no hazard to the aircraft.

Another object is to provide a stabilizer for an aircraft dropped torpedo which will operate to correct early pitch of the torpedo prior to deployment of the main parachute.

Still another object is to provide a stabilizer for a missile which is safe to deploy and which will reduce shock to the missile when a main parachute is deployed.

A further object is to provide a retarding system for an aircraft dropped torpedo wherein a main parachute is deployed with maximum safety to the aircraft.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as it becomes better understood by reference to the description and accompanying drawings which follow.

FIGS. I through 5 illustrate side views of a torpedo and various stages of deployment of a retarding system subsequent to drop from the bombay of an aircraft;

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate the initial two stages of operation of the present torpedo retarding system in cooperation'with a missile airframe. Subsequent stages of this embodiment are similar to FIGS. 3, 4, and 5;

FIG. 8 is a sideview of the present torpedo retarding system with portions cut away to show details thereof;

FIG. 9 is a view taken along plane IX-IX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 illustrates an enlarged top view of the strap release assembly at the top of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a view taken along plane XI-XI of FIG. 10; and

FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view through a dual pin retractor for the torpedo retarding system.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate like or similar parts throughout the several views there is shown in FIG. 1 a missile, such as a torpedo 20, which is generally designated at 22.

The retarding system 22 includes a small stabilizer parachute 24 which is shown deployed in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2 the shroud lines 24a of the stabilizer parachute are connected to a container 26 for a main parachute. The main parachute 28 is shown deployed in FIG. 3, and located aft thereof is a deployment bag 30 which previously contained the main parachute. Connected to the deployment bag 30 and the main parachute 28 by a break line 32 is the container 26 which previously contained the deployment bag 30 and the main parachute 28.

The details of the various retarding system components in their unreleased conditions are illustrated in FIG. 8. The retarding system 22 is releasably connected to the tail end 34 of the torpedo by a release mechanism 36 which includes a ring assembly 38. The release mechanism 36 and a portion of the ring assembly 38 is shown in my previous US. Pat. No. 3,153,395 entitled Parachute Release Mechanism which is incorporated by reference herein. As will become fully apparent hereinafter the ring assembly 38 serves the function of a portion of a means for retaining both the stabilizer parachute 24 and the container 26 for the main parachute 28.

In order to protect the aircraft upon release of the container 26 I have found it desirable to construct the container of a flexible material, such as a fabric of cloth. As shown at the top of FIG. 8, this construction has the advantage of enabling an easy connection of the stabilizer shroud lines 24 to the container 26 by stitching at 40. The other end of the stabilizer shroud lines 240 are stitched to the stabilizer canopy 24 at 42. The stabilizer canopy 24 is folded over as many times as necessary about the container 26 with an exterior portion appearing as shown in the top portion of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 8, the container 26 extends forward over the ring assembly 38 for a releasable connection thereto. This paragraph describes the means for deploying the main parachute 28 and the bag 30 from the container 26. The ring assembly 38 may be provided with a radially extending annular ledge 44, and a forward edge 46 of the container 26 may be folded over this transverse ledge 44. As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9, the forward edge 46 of the container 26 may be provided with a series of eyelets 48 and this eyelet area may be strengthened by folding the container material back and stitching it on itself. In order to draw the container 26 into a tight unreleased condition about the ring 38 lacing 50 is laced through the eyelets 48 and is held in a taut unreleased condition by a pin 52 of a pin retractor 54 which will be described more fully hereinbelow.

I have found it desirable to use a pair of cords for the lacing 50 which are tied together at 56 and are looped in an adjacent aligned relationship for retention purposes about the retractable pin 52. in order to protect the aircraft at the time of deployment of the stabilizer parachute 24 I have found it desirable to releasably fold this parachute about the container 26, as stated hereinabove, and provide a means for releasably retaining the stabilizer parachute 24 to the container. An exemplary releasable retaining means may include the ring 38 being provided with an aftermost annular lip 58 over which may extend the canopy of the stabilizer parachute 24 in a folded condition. A series of straps 60 may be stitched to the exterior portion of the stabilizer canopy 24 in its folded condition about the container 26 and the forward ends of these straps may be provided with transversely grooved clasps 62 which extend over and forward of the lip 58 of the ring assembly. A releasable band 64 may be disposed about these straps in the annular grooves of the clamps 62 and may be located forward of the lip 58 for retaining these straps 60 and the stabilizer parachute 24 to the container 26. If desired, the band 64 may be connected by a rivet 65 to one of the clasps 62 (see bottom of FIG. 8).

An exemplary means for retaining the band is shown in FIGS. and 11 wherein the left end of the band 64 is pivotally connected to a block 66 by a pin 68. The block 66 is connected to another block 70 by a turnbuckle 72 and the block 70 is in turn pivoted to opposite sides of a U shaped element 74 by a pin 76. Another block 78 is also pivoted within the U shaped element 74 by a pin 80 and this block is provided with a bottom hemispherical cavity 82 which is positioned opposite a hemispherical cavity 84 in the u shaped element 74 when the block 78 is in a closed position, as shown in FIG. 10. The right end of the band 64 extends between the block 78 and the bottom of the U shaped element 74 and has a small aperture in the area of the

hemispherical cavities

82 and 84 to enable placement of a ball 86 therein for retaining the band when the block 78 is in the closed position. To retain the block 78 in the closed position, as shown in FIG. 10, a retractable pin 88 from the pin retractor 74 may extend through both the U shaped element 74 and the block 78. When this pin 88 is retracted the block 78 is allowed to pivot upwardly around the pin 80 to release the ball 86 and the band 64. The release of the band 64 in turn releases the stabilizer parachute 24 from the container 26. To provide a bearing surface against the torpedo a band 89 may be connected to the bottom of the U shaped element 74 by any suitable means such as welding.

As shown in FIGS. 8 and 12 the pin retractor assembly 54 for retracting

pins

88 and 52 may be mounted to the ring assembly 38 by bolts 90, one of which is shown in FIG. 12. The pin retractor 54 includes a pair of

sears

92 and 94 which are pulled by arming wires at the time the torpedo is dropped from the aircraft. As shown in FIG. 1, the arming wires may be fixably connected to the bombay of the aircraft at 96. The retractor 54 is constructed so that when the

sears

92 and 94 are pulled the pin 88 is retracted almost immediately and the pin 52 is retracted after a desired delay. When the sear 92 is pulled a ball 98 releases a piston-type firing pin 100 from a cylinder 102 so that the pin 100 is driven to the right by a compression spring 104 to tire an igniter 106 which in turn ignites an explosive charge 108. The explosive charge 108 then generates a gas under pressure which travels through a passageway 110 of a cylinder 112 to the right end of a piston 114 which is connected to the left end of the retractable pin 88. The piston 114 then moves to the left within the cylinder 112 so as to retract the pin 88 and release the band 64. This then immediately releases the stabilizer parachute 24. A vent 116 to the atmosphere is provided in the cylinder 112. An identical construction may be provided in the bottom portion of the retractor 54 for retracting the pin 52 except a charge 118 is provided with a delay explosive mix so that the pin 52 will not be retracted until a redetermined period of time after the pulling of the sear 94.

Returning now to FIG. 8, the main parachute has shroud lines 28a (one of which is shown in the bottom portion of FIG. 8) which are connected to the ring assembly 38 by transverse blocks 120. The main parachute 28 and the major portions of the shroud lines 28a are contained within the deployment bag 30. The deployment bag 30 is open at its after end and has a longitudinal door. These details can be seen in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 8 the edges of the door may be provided with eyelets 122 through which there is releasably looped a cord 124. The end of the looped cord 124 is locked by a line 126 which is secured to the main parachute shroud 28a. When the deployment bag 30 is deployed the after movement of the bag will pull the free end of the line 126 from the end loop of the cord 124 so that the cord 124 will unravel from the eyelets 122 to open the door of the deployment bag and deploy the main parachute 28.

In order to actuate the release means 36 so as to release the ring assembly 38 and the entire retarding system 22 from the tail end of the torpedo 20 a line is connected between the main parachute shroud 28a and an actuating pin 130 of the release mechanism 36. The shroud 28a is temporarily shortened by a rubber band 132 so as to insure pulling of the pin 130 at approximately the time of full extension of the shroud lines of the main parachute 28. This occurs in the stage illustrated in FIG. 3.

In the operation of the present invention, for a torpedo launched from an aircraft bombay (see FIG. 1), a pair of bomb rack hooks 134, which are connected to a pair of torpedo suspension bands 136, are electrically opened by an aircraft bomb release system (not shown). The torpedo is then released from the aircraft bombay and the drop of the torpedo causes the arming wires to pull

sears

92 and 94. The pulling of sear 92 causes the pin 88 to be retracted so as to release the suspension band 64 and the stabilizing parachute 24. This stage is illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the stabilizing parachute 24 stabilizes the torpedo early in its flight so as to prevent the torpedo from pitching into a position in contact with the aircraft. The stabilizer parachute 24 also retards the acceleration of the torpedo and after a predetermined period, about 0.9 10.2 second after ejection, the pin 52 is retracted which causes the container 26 to be released and the main parachute 28 to be deployed, as shown in FIG. 3. Since there are substantially no hard components involved in the release of the stabilizing parachute 24 or the main parachute 28 there is no hazard of any flying debris to the aircraft. In about the position of the main parachute 28 in FIG. 3, a lanyard 138, which is connected between the main parachute shrouds 28 and the suspension bands 136, causes a release of the suspension bands 136. Also, at

this time one of the main parachute shrouds 28a pulls pin 130 of the release mechanism 136 which activates a G sensor (not shown) within the release mechanism 36.

Upon impact of the torpedo with the water, as shown in' FIG. 5, the G sensor is activated and the release mechanism 36 causes the entire retarding system 22 including the ring 38 to be separated from the tail end 34 of the torpedo. The torpedo is now operational within the water.

Another embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7. This torpedo is normally fired from a shipboard location with a missile airframe assembly 140. At a predetermined time the airframe 140 pivots to an open position causing attached arming wires to pull the

sears

92 and 94. As shown in FIG. 7, the stabilizing parachute 24 is then deployed in the same manner as shown in FIG. 2. The torpedo is early stabilized without any fouling with the airframe assembly 140. The subsequent stages of the torpedo are substantially identical to the stages illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, and 5.

Iclaim:

1. In an aerodynamic missile having a main parachute which is contained by a container at the aft end of the missile, a means for releasing the main parachute from the container comprising:

a ring connected to the aft end of the missile and having a radially extending annular ledge;

said container being folded over the transverse ledge;

lacing extending through the folded over portion of the container for drawing the container into a tight unreleased condition about the ring; and

means carried by the ring for releasing the lacing so as to in turn deploy the main parachute from the container.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein:

the lacing is a double cord which ends in a pair of aligned loops; and

the lacing releasing means includes a retractable pin extending through the aligned loops.

3. In an aerodynamic missile having a main parachute which is contained by a container at the aft end of the missile, the improvement comprising:

an initial stabilizing and velocity retarding parachute releasably folded about said container;

means releasably retaining the stabilizing parachute to said container, the retainer means including:

a ring connected to the aft end of the missile and having an aftermost outwardly extending annular lip;

a series of straps connected to the canopy of the stabilizing parachute and extending over and forward of the lip of said ring;

a releasable band disposed about the straps forward of the lip for retaining the straps and the stabilizing parachute to the container; and

meanscarried by the ring for releasing the band so that the stabilizing parachute can be released from the container;

the container being constructed of a flexible material; and

the stabilizing parachute having shrouds which are stitched to said container.

4. The combination of claim 3 including:

a means for releasing the main parachute from the container, said means comprising:

said ring having a transverse annular ledge;

said container being folded over the transverse ledge;

lacing extending through the folded-over portion of the container for drawing the container into a tight unreleased condition about the ring; and

5. The combination of claim 4 including:

the lacing being a double cord which ends in a pair of aligned loops; and

the lacing releasing means being a retractable pin extending through the aligned loops.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 5 including:

the main parachute having shrouds which are connected to said ring;

a deployment bag with the main parachute disposed therein, said deployment bag having eyelets;

a cord releasably looped through the eyelets of the deployment bag; and

a lock line connected to a shroud line of the main parachute and extending through a loop of the looped cord for locking the deployment bag until released by said container.

7. In an aerodynamic missile having a main parachute which is contained by a container at the aft end of the missile, the improvement comprising:

means releasably retaining the stabilizing parachute to said container;

the container being constructed of a flexible materithe stabilizing parachutehaving shrouds which are stitched to said container; and

means for deploying the main parachute from the container, said means comprising:

said container being folded over the transverse ledge;

8. The combination as claimed in claim 7 wherein:

the lacing is a double cord which ends in a pair of aligned loops; and

Claims

1. In an aerodynamic missile having a main parachute which is contained by a container at the aft end of the missile, a means for releasing the main parachute from the container comprising: a ring connected to the aft end of the missile and having a radially extending annular ledge; said container being folded over the transverse ledge; lacing extending through the folded over portion of the container for drawing the container into a tight unreleased condition about the ring; and means carried by the ring for releasing the lacing so as to in turn deploy the main parachute from the container.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein: the lacing is a double cord which ends in a pair of aligned loops; and the lacing releasing means includes a retractable pin extending through the aligned loops.

3. In an aerodynamic missile having a main parachute which is contained by a container at the aft end of the missile, the improvement comprising: an initial stabilizing and velocity retarding parachute releasably folded about said container; means releasably retaining the stabilizing parachute to said container, the retainer means including: a ring connected to the aft end of the missile and having an aftermost outwardly extending annular lip; a series of straps connected to the canopy of the stabilizing parachute and extending over and forward of the lip of said ring; a releasable band disposed about the straps forward of the lip for retaining the straps and the stabilizing parachute to the container; and means carried by the ring for releasing the band so that the stabilizing parachute can be released from the container; the container being constructed of a flexible material; and the stabilizing parachute having shrouds which are stitched to said container.

4. The combination of claim 3 including: a means for releasing the main parachute from the container, said means comprising: said ring having a transverse annular ledge; said container being folded over the transverse ledge; lacing extending through the folded-over portion of the container for drawing the container into a tight unreleased condition about the ring; and means carried by the ring for releasing the lacing so as to in turn deploy the main parachute from the container.

5. The combination of claim 4 including: the lacing being a double cord which ends in a pair of aligned loops; and the lacing releasing means being a retractable pin extending through the aligned loops.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 5 including: the main parachute having shrouds which are connected to said ring; a deployment bag with the main parachute disposed therein, said deployment bag having eyelets; a cord releasably looped through the eyelets of the deployment bag; and a lock line connected to a shroud line of the main parachute and extending through a loop of the looped cord for locking the deployment bag until released by said container.

7. In an aerodynamic missile having a main parachute which is contained by a container at the aft end of the missile, the improvement comprising: an initial stabilizing and velocity retarding parachute releasably folded about said container; means releasably retaining the stabilizing parachute to said container; the container being constructed of a flexible material; the stabilizing parachute having shrouds which are stitched to said container; and means for deploying the main pArachute from the container, said means comprising: a ring connected to the aft end of the missile and having a radially extending annular ledge; said container being folded over the transverse ledge; lacing extending through the folded-over portion of the container for drawing the container into a tight unreleased condition about the ring; and means carried by the ring for releasing the lacing so as to in turn deploy the main parachute from the container.