Reefing apparatus for controlling the inflation of a gliding wing parachute

A reefing apparatus for controlling the inflation of a gliding wing parachute having a canopy with four outer corners, namely a first canopy corner, a second canopy corner, a third canopy corner and a fourth canopy corner, and a plurality of suspension lines extending downwardly therefrom, said reefing apparatus comprising:

• A. a primary reefing loop means being generally circular in shape and positioned beneath the gliding wing canopy;
• B. a first supplemental reefing loop means including a first forward attaching means and a first aft attaching means defined thereon which are each detachably and movably engaged with respect to said primary reefing loop means to define therebetween a first suspension line reefing zone for temporarily receiving and retaining therewithin of a plurality of suspension lines after release of the gliding wing parachute and prior to full deployment of the canopy, said first supplemental reefing loop means also being detachably and movably engaged with respect to a first outer corner of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute to facilitate defining of said first suspension line reefing zone at a position thereadjacent, said first forward attaching means comprising a first forward attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to facilitate movable attachment of said first supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means and said first aft attaching means comprising a first aft attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to further facilitate movable attachment of said first supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means;
• C. a second supplemental reefing loop means including a second forward attaching means and a second aft attaching means defined thereon which are each detachably and movably engaged with respect to said primary reefing loop means to define therebetween a second suspension line reefing zone for temporarily receiving and retaining therewithin of a plurality of suspension lines after initial release of the gliding wing parachute and prior to full deployment of the canopy, said second supplemental reefing loop means also being detachably and movably engaged with respect to a second outer corner of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute to facilitate defining of said second suspension line reefing zone at a position thereadjacent, said second forward attaching means comprising a second forward attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to facilitate movable attachment of said second supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means and said second aft attaching means comprising a second aft attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to further facilitate movable attachment of said second supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means;
• D. a third supplemental reefing loop means including a third forward attaching means and a third aft attaching means defined thereon which are each detachably and movably engaged with respect to said primary reefing loop means to define therebetween a third suspension line reefing zone for temporarily receiving and retaining therewithin of a plurality of suspension lines after initial release of the gliding wing parachute and prior to full deployment of the canopy, said third supplemental reefing loop means also being detachably and movably engaged with respect to a third outer corner of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute to facilitate defining of said third suspension line reefing zone at a position thereadjacent, said third forward attaching means comprising a third forward attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to facilitate movable attachment of said third supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means and said third aft attaching means comprising a third aft attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to further facilitate movable attachment of said third supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means;
• E. a fourth supplemental reefing loop means including a fourth forward attaching means and a fourth aft attaching means defined thereon which are each detachably engaged with respect to said primary reefing loop means to define therebetween a fourth suspension line reefing zone for temporarily receiving and retaining therewithin of a plurality of suspension lines after initial release of the gliding wing parachute and prior to full deployment of the canopy, said fourth supplemental reefing loop means also being detachably and movably engaged with respect to a fourth outer corner of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute to facilitate defining of said fourth suspension line reefing zone at a position thereadjacent, said fourth forward attaching means comprising a fourth forward attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to facilitate movable attachment of said fourth supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means and said fourth aft attaching means comprising a fourth aft attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to further facilitate movable attachment of said fourth supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means;
• and
• F. a reefing cutter means positioned on to said primary reefing loop means and being operable responsive to activation thereof to sever said primary reefing loop means to release said first forward attaching means and said first aft attaching means therefrom for releasing the suspension lines retained within said first suspension line reefing zone, and to release said second forward attaching means and said second aft attaching means therefrom for releasing the suspension lines retained within said second suspension line reefing zone, and to release said third forward attaching means and said third aft attaching means therefrom for releasing the suspension lines retained within said third suspension line reefing zone, and to release said fourth forward attaching means and said fourth aft attaching means therefrom for releasing the suspension lines retained within said fourth suspension line reefing zone, said reefing cutter means also being operable responsive to activation thereof when severing said primary reefing loop means to release the four outer corners of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute from engagement therewith to facilitate full deployment or deployment into subsequent reefed stages thereof.

A reefing apparatus for controlling the inflation of a gliding wing parachute having a canopy with four outer corners, namely a first canopy corner, a second canopy corner, a third canopy corner and a fourth canopy corner, and a plurality of suspension lines extending downwardly therefrom, said reefing apparatus comprising:

• A. a primary reefing loop means being generally circular in shape and positioned beneath the gliding wing canopy;
• B. a first supplemental reefing loop means including a first forward attaching means and a first aft attaching means defined thereon which are each detachably and movably engaged with respect to said primary reefing loop means to define therebetween a first suspension line reefing zone for temporarily receiving and retaining therewithin of a plurality of suspension lines after release of the gliding wing parachute and prior to full deployment of the canopy, said first supplemental reefing loop means also being detachably and movably engaged with respect to a first outer corner of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute to facilitate defining of said first suspension line reefing zone at a position thereadjacent, said first forward attaching means comprising a first forward attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to facilitate movable attachment of said first supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means and said first aft attaching means comprising a first aft attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to further facilitate movable attachment of said first supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means;
• C. a second supplemental reefing loop means including a second forward attaching means and a second aft attaching means defined thereon which are each detachably and movably engaged with respect to said primary reefing loop means to define therebetween a second suspension line reefing zone for temporarily receiving and retaining therewithin of a plurality of suspension lines after initial release of the gliding wing parachute and prior to full deployment of the canopy, said second supplemental reefing loop means also being detachably and movably engaged with respect to a second outer corner of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute to facilitate defining of said second suspension line reefing zone at a position thereadjacent, said second forward attaching means comprising a second forward attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to facilitate movable attachment of said second supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means and said second aft attaching means comprising a second aft attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to further facilitate movable attachment of said second supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means;
• D. a third supplemental reefing loop means including a third forward attaching means and a third aft attaching means defined thereon which are each detachably and movably engaged with respect to said primary reefing loop means to define therebetween a third suspension line reefing zone for temporarily receiving and retaining therewithin of a plurality of suspension lines after initial release of the gliding wing parachute and prior to full deployment of the canopy, said third supplemental reefing loop means also being detachably and movably engaged with respect to a third outer corner of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute to facilitate defining of said third suspension line reefing zone at a position thereadjacent, said third forward attaching means comprising a third forward attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to facilitate movable attachment of said third supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means and said third aft attaching means comprising a third aft attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to further facilitate movable attachment of said third supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means;
• E. a fourth supplemental reefing loop means including a fourth forward attaching means and a fourth aft attaching means defined thereon which are each detachably engaged with respect to said primary reefing loop means to define therebetween a fourth suspension line reefing zone for temporarily receiving and retaining therewithin of a plurality of suspension lines after initial release of the gliding wing parachute and prior to full deployment of the canopy, said fourth supplemental reefing loop means also being detachably and movably engaged with respect to a fourth outer corner of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute to facilitate defining of said fourth suspension line reefing zone at a position thereadjacent, said fourth forward attaching means comprising a fourth forward attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to facilitate movable attachment of said fourth supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means and said fourth aft attaching means comprising a fourth aft attaching loop for receiving said primary reefing loop means extending therethrough to further facilitate movable attachment of said fourth supplemental reefing loop means with respect to said primary reefing loop means, said first supplemental reefing loop means and said second supplemental loop means and said third supplemental reefing loop means and said fourth supplemental loop means being movably attached to said primary reefing loop means extending outwardly therefrom at approximately ninety (90) degrees with respect to one another;
• F. a reefing cutter means positioned on to said primary reefing loop means and being operable responsive to activation thereof to sever said primary reefing loop means to release said first forward attaching means and said first aft attaching means therefrom for releasing the suspension lines retained within said first suspension line reefing zone, and to release said second forward attaching means and said second aft attaching means therefrom for releasing the suspension lines retained within said second suspension line reefing zone, and to release said third forward attaching means and said third aft attaching means therefrom for releasing the suspension lines retained within said third suspension line reefing zone, and to release said fourth forward attaching means and said fourth aft attaching means therefrom for releasing the suspension lines retained within said fourth suspension line reefing zone, said reefing cutter means also being operable responsive to activation thereof when severing said primary reefing loop means to release the four outer corners of the canopy of the gliding wing parachute from engagement therewith to facilitate full deployment thereof, said reefing cutter means further comprising:
• (1) a first reefing cutter device attached on said primary reefing loop means;
• and
• (2) a second reef cutter device also attached on said primary reefing loop means and operable as a redundant cutting means to said first reefing cutter device to assure severing of said primary reefing loop means responsive to activation of said reefing cutter means;
• G. a first corner ring attached with respect to the first canopy corner, said first supplemental reefing loop means being positioned extending through said first corner ring to provide movable attachment between said primary reefing loop means and the first canopy corner which will release responsive to severing of said primary reefing loop means;
• H. a second corner ring attached with respect to the second canopy corner, said second supplemental reefing loop means being positioned extending through said second corner ring to provide movable attachment between said primary reefing loop means and the second canopy corner which will release responsive to severing of said primary reefing loop means;
• I. a third corner ring attached with respect to the third canopy corner, said third supplemental reefing loop means being positioned extending through said third corner ring to provide movable attachment between said primary reefing loop means and the third canopy corner which will release responsive to severing of said primary reefing loop means;
• and
• J. a fourth corner ring attached with respect to the fourth canopy corner, said fourth supplemental reefing loop means being positioned extending through said fourth corner ring to provide movable attachment between said primary reefing loop means and the fourth canopy corner which will release responsive to severing of said primary reefing loop means.