Parachute reefing device

A gliding parachute including a canopy comprising a plurality of sections and having first and second stable stages of development, said canopy being in an aerodynamically balanced configuration in each of said stages of development thereof, reefing means extending along and at least adjacent opposite side edges of at least a section of said canopy for releasably securing opposed side edges thereof together and said section of said canopy having the same comprises a reefed section of said canopy, said reefing means being substantially interengagable with and along the length of said opposed siide edges of said reefed section, said reefed section of said canopy being substantially operably eliminated by said reefing means as a drag area of said parachute in the first of said stable stages of development of said canopy, and release means operable independently of the forces of inflation of said canopy for releasing said reefing means to allow said reefed section to inflate as an operable drag area of said parachute in full deployment of said canopy as the second of said stable stages of development thereof.

A parachute having a plurality of gores extending radially from a central region thereof and including smoothly releasable reefing means for securing together normally spaced parts of the canopy thereof as a reefed section in a first stable stage of canopy development wherein the canopy thereof is reduced in size by the elimination of said reefed section thereof intermediate said parts as an effective drag area of said parachute, said reefed section comprising at least one of said gores, and release means operable independently of the forces of inflation of said canopy for releasing said reefing means after said first stable stage of canopy development to allow said reefed section thereof to smoothly inflate and providing a second stable stage of canopy development wherein the canopy is fully developed.

A parachute having a canopy including a plurality of elongate sections and smoothly releasable reefing means for securing together normally spaced parts of at least an elongate section of each canopy thereof as a reefed section in a first stable stage of canopy development wherein the canopy thereof is reduced in size by the elimination of said reefed section thereof intermediate said parts as an effective drag area of said parachute, said reefing means and said reefed section provided thereby extending longitudinally along substantially the entire length of said at least an elongate section of said canopy, and release means operable independently of the forces of inflation of said canopy for releasing said reefing means after said first stable stage of canopy development to allow said reefed section thereof to smoothly inflate and providing a second stable stage of canopy development wherein the canopy is fully developed.

A gliding parachute including a canopy comprising a plurality of elongate sections and having first and second stable stages of development, said canopy being in an aerodynamically balanced configuration in each of said stages of development thereof, reefing means for releasably securing together at least a pair of normally spaced apart elongate sections of said canopy to each side of at least an elongate section of said canopy, said at least an elongate section of said canopy intermediate said secured together at least a pair of normally spaced apart elongate sections of said canopy comprising a reefed section of said canopy and being substantially operably eliminated by said reefing means as a drag area of said parachute in the first of said stable stages of development of said canopy, said reefing means and said reefed section provided thereby extending longitudinally along substantially the entire length of said at least an elongate section of said canopy, and release means operable independently of the forces of inflation of said canopy for releasing said reefing means to allow said reefed section to inflate as an operable drag area of said parachute in full deployment of said canopy as the second of said stable stages of development thereof.