US3736877A - Ignition system for a parachute flare - Google Patents

Ignition system for a parachute flare Download PDF

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Publication number
US3736877A
US3736877A US00070968A US3736877DA US3736877A US 3736877 A US3736877 A US 3736877A US 00070968 A US00070968 A US 00070968A US 3736877D A US3736877D A US 3736877DA US 3736877 A US3736877 A US 3736877A
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
flare
firing pin
ignition
housing
parachute
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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
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US00070968A
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English (en)
Inventor
H Roberts
J Thurston
V Dinsdale
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United States Department of the Air Force
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United States Department of the Air Force
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Publication date
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Publication of US3736877A publication Critical patent/US3736877A/en
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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F42—AMMUNITION; BLASTING
    • F42C—AMMUNITION FUZES; ARMING OR SAFETY MEANS THEREFOR
    • F42C7/00—Fuzes actuated by application of a predetermined mechanical force, e.g. tension, torsion, pressure
    • F42C7/12—Percussion fuzes of the double-action type, i.e. fuzes cocked and fired in a single movement, e.g. by pulling an incorporated percussion pin or hammer

Definitions

  • ABSTRACT An ignition system for air dropped illuminating flares or the like, including a cord attached to a parachute which exerts a shock force.
  • the other end of the cord is attached to a bell crank which is rotated when the parachute opens causing a firing pin to strike a primer which ignites some pellets causing a wafer of polymer type ignition propellant to ignite.
  • the flare illuminant is then ignited and emits the required smoke and flame signal as the flare floats downward to earth.
  • the flare In modern flare technology, one of the most significant considerations is overall safety especially during handling and deployment of the flare. This requirement is particularly important in aircraft-launched parachute suspended illuminating flares which are generally used for signalling. In operation, the flare should be safe to handle and not subject to accidental ignition. At the same time, the flare should be dependable, that is, it should be reliable and ignite under the proper condition but not ignite if accidentally dropped.
  • the ideal parachute flare would be one which would be triggered by the chute shock opening force during deployment.
  • the application of impact or shock loads such as would result from a drop of forty feet, should not produce inadvertent ignition of the flare.
  • the present invention provides a flare ignition system which is suitable for use to ignite an aircraftlaunched parachute suspended illuminating flare and can be used for rocket deployed or other ordnance ground flare type equipment, such as colored markers, gas generators, etc.
  • the ignition system operates in response to the parachute shock opening force during flare deployment by pulling an ignition lanyard which triggers a firing pin subassembly. This produces a chain reaction by igniting a rifle primer, nitrate pellets and polymer propellant which, inturn, ignites the flare illuminant.
  • the ignition propellant is housed in foam plastic to absorb any impact energy which would occur if the flare were inadvertently dropped on the ignition end, thereby adding significantly to the safety of the device.
  • Another object of the invention is to provide a flare ignition system which can only be triggered by the parachute shock opening force during flare deployment.
  • Still another object of the invention is to provide a flare ignition system using materials which far exceed the safety and environmental requirements while offering reliability well above the specified level.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide an ignition system for an illuminating flare which is airdropped. As the parachute opens, a cord is pulled, releasing a firing pin which ignites other ignition components causing the flare illuminant to ignite andundergo progressive combustion.
  • FIGURE shown is a view in cross-section of the flare ignition system according to the invention showing the firing pin subassembly including the bellcrank, both before and in phantom immediately after release of the firing pin prior to spring biased movement toward the rifle primer.
  • a flare ignition system which includes a lanyard 13 having one end fixedly attached to a parachute support cable 15 by means of a crimp type fitting 17.
  • the other end of the lanyard 13 is attached to a bellcrank 19 which is arranged to rotate around the pivot pin 21 when the lanyard 13 is pulled with a jerk as the parachute opens.
  • a shear pin 23 prevents the bellcrank 19 from rotating until sufficient force is exerted on the lanyard 13.
  • the rotation of the bellcrank 19 operates to pull down the firing pin 25 by engaging the lower end thereof.
  • the firing pin 25 is positioned in the housing 27 along with the compression spring 29 which is compressed when the firing pin 25 is pulled downward.
  • the firing pin 25 is disengaged form the bellcrank l9 and the compression spring 29 causes it to be forced upward against a primer 31 which may be, for example, a conventional large rifle primer.
  • a primer 31 which may be, for example, a conventional large rifle primer.
  • highly flammable pelletized material 33 such as boron potassium nitrate
  • a wafer of polymer type of ignition propellant 35 is positioned laterally adjacent to and in operative communication with the pelletized material 33. This propellant 35 is ignited by the combustion output of the pelletized material 33.
  • a piece of plastic foam 37 such as polystyrene, is positioned around the sensitive ignition propellant 35 to protect it by absorbing the impact shock if the flare should be inadvertently dropped on the ignition end.
  • the entire ignition end including the firing pin subassembly is enclosed in the housing 39 made of aluminum alloy or plastic.
  • the ignition system assembly is then installed in the flare case 41 by crimping the flare case 41 into an 0-ring 43 creating an environmental sealed structural joint.
  • the flare illuminant 45 is positioned to receive the heat and flame output of the ignition propellant 35 which operates to ignite the illuminant 45 and cause it to burn while the parachute is floating earthward.
  • a timer mechanis minot shown that also acts as an end closure goes through its present time cycle that serves to release and pull the parachute.
  • the parachute shock opening force acting on the support cable during flare deployment pulls the ignition lanyard 13 which rotates the bellcrank 19 around the pivot pin 21 after causing the shear pin 23 to fail.
  • the firing pin 25 is pulled downward compressing the spring 29.
  • the firing pin 25 escapes in the energy in the compressed spring 29 drives the firing pin 25 into a standard type rifle primer 31.
  • HB polymer type ignition propellant 35 The heat and flame output from the rifle primer 31 ignites a few grams of boron potassium nitrate pellets 33 or the like which, in turn, ignites a wafter of solid ammonium perchlorate HB polymer type ignition propellant 35.
  • a suitable HB polymer would be any known type of polymer used as the fuel-binder component in solid propellants. For example, it may be an acrylo-butadiene polymer which is a liquid terpolymer of butadiene, acrylic acid and acrylonitrile and which may be made by the process disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,563,966.
  • This illustrative propellant is made by mixing the liquid terpolymer with finely divided ammonium perchlorate and a suitable curing agent such as polyepoxide and heat-curing the mixture to form a dispersion of ammonium perch lorate particles in a rubber-like matrix.
  • a suitable curing agent such as polyepoxide and heat-curing the mixture to form a dispersion of ammonium perch lorate particles in a rubber-like matrix.
  • the flare illuminant 45 is ignited from the output of the ignition propellant 35.
  • the ignition propellant 35 is housed with in a piece of polystryrene foam 37 which functions to hold the propellant 35 in position as well as to absorb a great amount of the impact energy and provide a built-in safety factor for the flare ignition system.
  • the ignition system as hereinbefore disclosed is configure d to pass the forty foot drop test and other impact and shock loads as required by present military standards preventing inadvertent ignition.
  • a flare ignition system for igniting an aircraft launched parachute suspended illuminating flare, said ignition system comprising, a first housing, a bellcrank disposed in said first housing for rotation around a pivot pin, a lanyard having one end attached to said bellcrank and the other end fixedly attached to said bellcrank and the otherend fixedly attached to the parachute support cable, a firing pin disposed in said first housing for vertical movement therethrough means on the lower end of said firing pin for engaging said bellcrank to produce initial downward movement of said firing pin in response to the pulling of said lanyard, a compression spring positioned around said firing pin for urging said firing pin upward, said compression spring being loaded by the downward movement of said firing pin, said bellcrank being arranged to release said firing pin after full downward travel to permit said compression spring to drive said firing pin upward, a second housing disposed in the flare causing for containing said first housing and the elements therein, a primer positioned in said second housing above and in axial alignment with said firing pin flammable pelletized.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)
  • Aiming, Guidance, Guns With A Light Source, Armor, Camouflage, And Targets (AREA)
  • Compositions Of Macromolecular Compounds (AREA)
US00070968A 1970-09-10 1970-09-10 Ignition system for a parachute flare Expired - Lifetime US3736877A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US7096870A 1970-09-10 1970-09-10

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3736877A true US3736877A (en) 1973-06-05

Family

ID=22098448

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00070968A Expired - Lifetime US3736877A (en) 1970-09-10 1970-09-10 Ignition system for a parachute flare

Country Status (9)

Country Link
US (1) US3736877A (de)
JP (1) JPS5018720B1 (de)
CA (1) CA942580A (de)
CH (1) CH544285A (de)
DE (1) DE2141780A1 (de)
FR (1) FR2107494A5 (de)
GB (1) GB1336789A (de)
IL (1) IL37516A (de)
SE (1) SE388933B (de)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4029014A (en) * 1976-02-23 1977-06-14 Thiokol Corporation Safety igniter for flares
US4155306A (en) * 1977-06-28 1979-05-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Out-of-line igniter
US4483250A (en) * 1983-04-14 1984-11-20 Thiokol Corporation Flare manual safety device
US4599945A (en) * 1984-10-29 1986-07-15 Morton Thiokol, Inc. Out-of-line interrupter ignition system for flares and markers
US4688466A (en) * 1986-09-11 1987-08-25 Explosive Technology, Inc. Explosive initiator and method
US5347931A (en) * 1992-11-12 1994-09-20 Thiokol Corporation Combustible flare ignition system
US5386781A (en) * 1992-11-12 1995-02-07 Thiokol Corporation Parachute deployment system
US20080110364A1 (en) * 2006-11-14 2008-05-15 Richards Kevin W Igniter safe and arm, igniter assembly and flare so equipped and method of providing a safety for an igniter assembly
US8430031B1 (en) * 2010-01-05 2013-04-30 Kilgore Flares Company, Llc Ignition train mechanism for illumination flare
US9829288B2 (en) 2015-09-17 2017-11-28 Orbital Atk, Inc. Retention clips for safety mechanisms of illumination flares and safety mechanisms

Families Citing this family (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ES236575Y (es) * 1978-06-08 1979-05-01 Mejoras introducidas en los tubos sumergidos, aplicable a distribuidores en colada continua de fundicion.
IL68623A0 (en) * 1983-05-06 1983-09-30 Motorola Israel Ltd Front activated fuze
FR3124990B1 (fr) 2021-07-09 2023-10-06 Psa Automobiles Sa Système pour prédire une durée de vie d’un feu d’un véhicule

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1686117A (en) * 1924-03-18 1928-10-02 Guy M Ball Parachute flare
US1832855A (en) * 1927-09-23 1931-11-24 Unexcelled Mfg Company Inc Flare device
US2340047A (en) * 1941-08-20 1944-01-25 Andrew C Dunn Flare gun
US3352244A (en) * 1965-10-22 1967-11-14 Atlantic Res Corp Gas-generating grain

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1686117A (en) * 1924-03-18 1928-10-02 Guy M Ball Parachute flare
US1832855A (en) * 1927-09-23 1931-11-24 Unexcelled Mfg Company Inc Flare device
US2340047A (en) * 1941-08-20 1944-01-25 Andrew C Dunn Flare gun
US3352244A (en) * 1965-10-22 1967-11-14 Atlantic Res Corp Gas-generating grain

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4029014A (en) * 1976-02-23 1977-06-14 Thiokol Corporation Safety igniter for flares
US4155306A (en) * 1977-06-28 1979-05-22 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Out-of-line igniter
US4483250A (en) * 1983-04-14 1984-11-20 Thiokol Corporation Flare manual safety device
US4599945A (en) * 1984-10-29 1986-07-15 Morton Thiokol, Inc. Out-of-line interrupter ignition system for flares and markers
US4688466A (en) * 1986-09-11 1987-08-25 Explosive Technology, Inc. Explosive initiator and method
US5347931A (en) * 1992-11-12 1994-09-20 Thiokol Corporation Combustible flare ignition system
US5386781A (en) * 1992-11-12 1995-02-07 Thiokol Corporation Parachute deployment system
US20080110364A1 (en) * 2006-11-14 2008-05-15 Richards Kevin W Igniter safe and arm, igniter assembly and flare so equipped and method of providing a safety for an igniter assembly
US7726243B2 (en) 2006-11-14 2010-06-01 Alliant Techsystems Inc. Igniter safe and arm, igniter assembly and flare so equipped and method of providing a safety for an igniter assembly
US8430031B1 (en) * 2010-01-05 2013-04-30 Kilgore Flares Company, Llc Ignition train mechanism for illumination flare
US9829288B2 (en) 2015-09-17 2017-11-28 Orbital Atk, Inc. Retention clips for safety mechanisms of illumination flares and safety mechanisms

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
SE388933B (sv) 1976-10-18
JPS5018720B1 (de) 1975-07-01
DE2141780A1 (de) 1972-03-16
IL37516A0 (en) 1972-01-27
CA942580A (en) 1974-02-26
GB1336789A (en) 1973-11-07
CH544285A (de) 1973-11-15
FR2107494A5 (de) 1972-05-05
IL37516A (en) 1975-06-25

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