WO1994025212A1

WO1994025212A1 - Cable sectioning device

Info

Publication number: WO1994025212A1
Application number: PCT/FR1994/000490
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rémi BOUSSUGES; Paul Carre
Original assignee: Societe D'etudes, De Realisations Et D'applications Techniques (S.E.R.A.T.)
Priority date: 1993-04-30
Filing date: 1994-04-28
Publication date: 1994-11-10
Also published as: FR2704466B1; AU6660394A; FR2704466A1

Abstract

Manually triggered portable device for sectioning a cable, of the type comprising a cutting element that is set in translational motion by the firing of a propulsive cartridge. The device consists of a firing handle (2) on which is mounted, for each use, an elongate tubular body (1) receiving at least one removable cartridge holder (10), in which is positioned a cartridge (5) provided with a cutting element, containing the propulsive cartridge (12) and cutting element (7). The tubular body consists of a closed chamber provided with a notch (3) into which is inserted the cable (4).

Description

CABLE SHEARING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a portable cable sectioning device with manual release.

A number of mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, electrical and pyrotechnic devices are known which are designed to cut cables. An exemplary embodiment of such devices is described by Fr-A- 1 502 951.

Experience has shown that these known devices have unacceptable drawbacks during emergency use in a certain number of situations and in particular in the event of distress and / or rescue. So :

- All hydraulic, pneumatic, and electrical systems of the grinder type require a large auxiliary source of energy, which may also become unavailable, or in working order, in an accident situation;

- The mechanical cutting pliers used for this purpose must have large dimensions in order to be effective. For example, on board sailboats, although this clamp is among the compulsory equipment, it is rare that it is actually on board and, moreover, it is generally insufficient to easily shear the shrouds, and in general this operation ends at using a hacksaw after long minutes and a lot of effort;

- Pyrotechnic bolt type systems represent a latent danger given that they must be stationary permanently, which requires the provision of sophisticated firing systems (with safety devices) which results in a high price;

- Cutting systems with pyrotechnic cords also pose safety problems (projection of large fragments). These systems, which must be permanently stationary, have the same disadvantages as pyrotechnic bolts;

- Pyrotechnic shears are generally too bulky or too sophisticated.

The present invention has therefore set itself the objective of designing a manual trigger cable cutting device, of the portable type, of simple and inexpensive design, not presenting the drawbacks of the solutions according to the prior art recalled above.

The invention applies to all fields in which, for safety or emergency reasons, it is necessary to cut a cable effortlessly and very quickly. The invention applies more particularly to pleasure boating or such a device makes it possible to quickly shear the standing rigging of a dismantled sailboat in order to quickly get rid of the mature and the rigging which represent a danger for the deck and for the hull and which makes it possible to start the engine, to find freedom of maneuver, without risk of engaging the propeller, or the rudder with one of the cables of the standing or running rigging.

Consequently, this invention relates to a portable device for manually cutting cable sectioning, of the type comprising a knife driven by a movement of translation by firing a propellant cartridge characterized in that it is constituted by a firing handle, on which is mounted for each use an elongated tubular body, receiving at least one detachable cartridge holder in which is positioned a knife cartridge, comprising the propellant cartridge consisting of a gas generator and the knife, said body, constituting a closed enclosure, being provided with a light for the cable engagement.

According to a characteristic of the invention, the light for the engagement of the cable on said body also forms anvil during the cutting of said cable by the knife.

According to another characteristic of this invention, the body comprises an anvil, of shape adapted to the knife.

According to yet another characteristic of the present invention, the propellant cartridge which is crimped on the knife is a gas generator or it comprises a viscoelastic material capable of generating significant pressure with an appropriate elongation under the action of a pyrotechnic charge.

Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below with reference to the appended drawings which illustrate an embodiment thereof devoid of any limiting character.

In the drawings:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view with partial cutaway showing the body of the device object of the present invention; FIG. 2 is also a perspective view showing the cable cutting device according to the invention and,

- Figures 3 and 4 are views, in axial section, vertical of the body of the cutting device, respectively in the initial position (rest) and in the final position (after cutting a cable).

Referring to the drawings, it can be seen that, in this nonlimiting exemplary embodiment, the cutting device according to the present invention comprises a body 1, constituted by a thick elongated tube, which is designed so that it can be positioned on a handle - _g of firing designated as a whole by the reference 2 and which has been represented in FIG. 2, so that said body 1 constitutes a closed enclosure.

As can be seen in the drawing, and in a known manner, the

20 body 1 has a light 3 allowing the establishment of the cable 4 to be cut.

The body 1, in this exemplary embodiment has on its rear part a thread intended to receive a

25 cartridge holder 10, in which is positioned a knife holder cartridge designated as a whole by the reference 5 and which consists of a propellant cartridge 12 which is crimped on the knife 7.

0 This knife 7, which is cylindrical in shape, is provided on its front part with a sharp part 8 in the form of a bevel, the shape of which is optimized according to the material of the cable to be cut and, at its rear end, a groove of crimping 6. A seal 14 is also provided on the knife (see FIG. 3), as well as a keying device 9 to orient the cartridge properly. knife holder 5, and consequently the bevel 8 of the knife relative to the axis of the cable 4.

In addition, a certain number of openings 11 are provided, intended, as will be seen below, to make it possible to obtain a drop in the pressure of the propellant gases of the knife during shearing of the cable 4.

The cartridge 12 of the knife-holder cartridge 5 can be a gas generator or it can consist of any viscoelastic material capable of generating a significant pressure with an appropriate elongation, under the action of a very reduced pyrotechnic charge.

The cartridge holder 10 is provided at the rear with a bead 13 used for fixing the system to the firing handle 2 as can be clearly seen in FIG. 2. Thus, it can be understood that the cartridge holder 10, in which a knife-holder cartridge such as 5 is engaged, is screwed onto the body 1 of the device, which makes it possible to change the cartridge-holder 10 and knife-holder cartridge 5 assembly at will, when necessary, especially after the knife holder cartridge has expired. Triggering takes place by engaging the system in the handle such as 2, thanks to the presence of the bead 13 (see FIG. 2), the latter being provided with a conventional cartridge percussion system 12.

The cartridge holder 10 further comprises a chamfer 16 located on its front face and allowing the cartridge 12 to deform when fired.

The operation of the device which is the subject of the invention is as follows: The device is ready for use (FIGS. 1 to 3) when the tube 1 is positioned on the handle 2 by engaging the bead 13 of the cartridge holder 10, in the firing handle 2, a knife holder cartridge 5 constituted by the propellant cartridge 12 crimped on the knife 7 having been previously engaged in the cartridge holder 10 and the latter having been screwed on the rear part of the tube 1. The cable 4 is then engaged in the slot 3 provided for this purpose on the front part of the body 1.

The knife-holder cartridge 5 is then ignited by the striker of the handle 2. Under the effect of the gas pressure, the knife 7 is thrown forward, it comes into contact with the cable 4 and it begins to slice the latter, in this embodiment, the front surface 15 of the lumen 3 then serving as an anvil. Of course, and without departing from the scope of the present invention, an anvil can be provided on the body 1, the shape of which will be adapted to the knife.

In the final phase of the movement of the knife 7, illustrated in FIG. 4, the bevel 8 of the cutting blade of this knife ends the cutting of the cable 4 and the gas pressure decreases due to the presence of the open air such as 11.

When the cable 4 is completely cut, the tube 1 can be disengaged from the firing handle 2, which allows the installation of a new cutting device.

Thus the device is suitable for a new operation.

It appears from reading the above description that the device which is the subject of the invention provides the following advantages: - Ergonomics adapted to difficult situations (portable, light action with one hand);

- Speed of action;

5

- No physical effort is necessary;

- Safety (low mass of powder: conventional cartridge and no parts, chips or particles come out of the

_1Q device.

- Safety firing by a simple mechanism (no stored energy):

→, c - Low cost because there is no complicated mechanism and low mass of powder.

It has been specified above that this device could be applied as an oboe shear system

20 for yachting. For such an application, the invention provides:

- a "sailboat" box which could include:

5

. a floating firing handle with safety rope;

. a belt with a dozen or more (depending on the 0 boats) of shroud cutters;

. a cable cutter device: this device is identical to the stay cable cutter except that it can operate underwater and that it is fitted with a system allowing it to be fixed to a hook or oar, as well as a cord for its remote triggering.

- an "engine" box which would include:

. a floating firing handle;

. a belt fitted with one or more cable cutters (depending on the size of the boat and the propeller shade).

We can envisage various variants of this invention while keeping the same inventive idea:

Thus, the tube 1 can comprise two knife-holder cartridges such as 5, each of these cartridges being positioned in the tube, on each side of the light provided for the engagement of the cable to be cut, so that each knife propelled during the firing of the cartridge comes to cut a respective side of the cable. In this exemplary embodiment, means are provided for ensuring simultaneous ignition of the propellant charges of each of the cartridges. These means can be of conventional type: for example detonating cord connecting the two charges or simultaneous electrical ignition system of the two charges provided on the handle 2 or alternatively light for transmitting the firing wave.

Still within the scope of the present invention, the system can be organized so as to receive a magazine or a barrel in which a plurality of knife-holder cartridges such as 5 are stored so that the system constitutes a multi-shot assembly. In this case, it is possible to provide knife-holder cartridges comprising knives of different caliber so as to adapt the knife to the diameter of the cable to be cut. In this embodiment, it may be necessary to ensure that the knife holder and tube cartridge system 1 is consumable, this assembly can be ejected after each shot (use), the magazine or the barrel then comprising as "ammunition" a such together.

Still according to the invention, the anvil which cooperates with the knife to ensure the cutting of the cable 4 (or the surface 15 of the tube serving as anvil in the nonlimiting embodiment described above with reference to the drawings) may be provided with a damping material, this variant being particularly recommended when using the device of the invention for cutting cables of small diameters.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, means can be provided for masking the opening of the light 3 provided for the engagement of the cable 4 to be cut, either to protect the light 3, or to ensure the correct positioning of the cable 4 during use. These means can be produced in any suitable form such as in particular cover, sliding sleeve, etc.

It remains to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiments or applications described and mentioned here but that it encompasses all variants thereof.

Claims

1 - Portable device for manually cutting cable sectioning, of the type comprising a knife driven in a translational movement by firing a propellant cartridge, characterized in that it is constituted by a firing handle ( 2), on which is mounted at each use an elongated tubular body (1), receiving at least one detachable cartridge holder (10), in which is positioned a knife holder cartridge (5), comprising the propellant cartridge (12) consisting of a gas generator and the knife (7), said body which * constitutes a closed enclosure being provided with a light (3) for the engagement of the cable (4).

2 - Device according to claim 1 characterized in that said light (3) also forms an anvil during the cutting of said cable by the knife.

3 - Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the body (1) comprises an anvil whose shape is adapted to the knife (7).

4 - Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 characterized in that the propellant cartridge (12) of the knife holder cartridge system (5) comprises a viscoelastic material capable of generating a significant pressure with an appropriate elongation under the action of a pyrotechnic charge.

5 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the knife holder cartridge (5) comprises a polarizing device (6) making it possible to ensure a suitable orientation of the bevel (8) of the knife relative to the axis of the cable (4). 6 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the cartridge holder (10) is provided, on its rear part, with a bead (13) for fixing the tube (1) on the setting handle fire (2).

7 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that said tube (1) has on its internal bore a certain number of vents (11) allowing a pressure drop to be obtained

10 propellant gas from the knife (7) when shearing the cable (4).

8 - Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises two

- (. carches knife holders, each of these cartridges being positioned in the tube on each side of the light provided for the cable engagement, means being provided to ensure simultaneous ignition of the propellant charges of each of the cartridge holders knife.

20

9 - Device according to any one of claims

1-8 characterized in that it comprises a barrel or a charger wherein storing a plurality of cartridges knife to form a multi-device list _ _c.

30