An ejector rack for releasably supporting, and for selectively ejecting forcibly, a nuclear store from an aircraft, wherein said store has a plurality of lugs from which said store is removably engaged with and to said ejector rack, comprising:
- a. means for releasably supporting said removably engaged nuclear store by said store lugs, wherein said support means includes:
- 1. two oppositely disposed hooks configurated and dimensioned to accept and to removably engage said nuclear store by said store lugs, with said hooks at a distance of 30 inches from each other;
- 2. suitable dimensioned and configurated linkage, disposed between, and interconnecting, said oppositely disposed hooks, whereby said responsive simultaneously to any movement of said interconnecting linkage;
- 3. means, connected to said interconnecting linkage, for moving said interconnecting linkage to effect simultaneous movement of said hooks downwardly to close said hooks and thereby to removably engage said nuclear store and said store lugs by said hooks, and also to effect simultaneous movement of said hooks upwardly to open said hooks and thereby to disengage and to release said store lugs and said nuclear store from said hooks, wherein said interconnecting linkage moving means includes a centrally located, pivotally movable main bellcrank;
- 4. means, connected to said interconnecting linkage, for selectively preventing any movement of said interconnecting linkage, wherein said linkage movement prevention means includes:
- aa. a first safety lock assembly that further includes a first locking member pivotally rotatable about a first shaft, with said first locking member selectively movable to a lock position and to an unlock position;
- bb. a second safety lock assembly that further includes a second locking member pivotally rotatable about said first shaft independently of said first locking member of said first safety lock assembly, with said second locking member aligned with said first locking member, and with said second locking member selectively movable to the same lock position, and also to the same unlock position, as said first locking member, and also with said second safety lock assembly operatively associated with said first safety lock assembly;
- cc. and, a plurality of iinterlinked components common to both said first locking member of said first safety lock assembly and said second locking member of said second safety lock assembly, wherein said interlinked components common to both locking members and both lock safety assemblies include:
- 11. a pivotally movable release pawl component selectively abutable by either and both of the locking members, with said release pawl having a lock position and an unlocked position;
- 22. and a pivotally movable trigger component selectively abuttable by said release pawl component, with said trigger component linked to said main bellcrank of said interconnecting linkage movement means;
- whereby, when both said locking members of said safety lock assemblies are moved to said lock position, said release pawl component locks with said trigger component, and said trigger component locks with said common interlinked components, and said common interlinked components lock with said main bellcrank, thereby preventing any movement of said interconnecting linkage of said support means, and thereby preventing release and ejection of a nuclear store supported and engaged by said hooks of said support means;
- 5. and, means connected to said interconnecting linkage moving means, for preventing acceleration forces from acting on said interconnecting linkage moving means and inadvertently causing said interconnecting linkage moving means to move said interconnecting linkage to open said hooks and thereby to disengage and to release said store lugs and said nuclear store from said hooks, wherein said inadvertent release prevention means includes a counterbalance system which further includes a plurality of counterweights having a total mass which is equal to a total mass of those components which can cause the inadvertent release of said supported and engaged nuclear store;
- b. means for selectively ejecting said nuclear store forcibly, with said ejection means operatively associated with said support means, wherein said ejection means includes:
- 1. a plurality of ejection piston cylinders connected to said attachment means, with each said cylinder of said plurality of ejection piston cylinders having an upper portion, a metering probe disposed within said cylinder and releasably connected to the upper portion of the cylinder, and an open-ended lower portion;
- 2.