Helicopter towline recovery buoy system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsCharles C. Cotton, Guy S. D. Jencks
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A helicopter carried, towline recovery buoy system including a package coining a retrieval line, inflatable buoys, and buoy inflating devices. A support and release mechanism releases the package response to dropping of the towline. The buoys and retrieval line are automatically deployed to permit recovery of the towline by grappling from a helicopter.
Claims11
A towline recovery system for use with a helicopter equipped with a droppable towline, said system comprising:
- a retrieval line and float package comprising a housing, an attachment member on said housing, a retrieval line coiled in said housing and having a first end portion extending therefrom and connected to said towline, inflatable float means disposed in said housing and connected to a second end portion of said retrieval line, and means for inflating said float means;
- and
- attachment and release means, mounted on said helicopter and cooperable with said attachment member, for securing said package to said helicopter and for releasing said package in response to dropping of said towline.
A towline recovery system for use in combination with a helicopter equipped with a towline having a proximal end that is adapted to be disconnected and dropped from the helicopter, said system comprising:
- a retrieval line and float package comprising a frangible housing, a retrieval line disposed in said housing and adapted to pay out therefrom, a plurality of inflatable floats disposed in furled condition in said housing and connected to one end of said retrieval line, and inflating means for inflating said floats in response to a predetermined condition, said package having a T-shaped attachment member extending upwardly therefrom;
- an attachment and release mechanism mounted on said helicopter and comprising a frame having a pair of horizontally spaced, parallel frame members, a pair of gripper members pivotally mounted between said frame members for swinging movement about horizontally spaced, parallel axes, said gripper members each having a claw portion engaging said T-shaped attachment member, removable clamp means holding said gripper members in gripping relation to said attachment member;
- and
- pendant means connecting said clamp means and the other end of said retrieval line to said proximal end of said towline, whereby dropping of said towline will cause said pendant to remove said clamp means so that said gripper members will release said attachment member and allow said package to fall free for deployment of said retrieval line and said floats.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.