Tow plate
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsJohn W. Bolender, Gerald C. Simmons
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tow plate including a retention assembly and a removable clevis assembly made up of a main clevis member and a drogue clevis member engageable with the main clevis member. A first latch mechanism latches the main clevis member to the retention assembly. A second latch mechanism latches the drogue clevis member to the main clevis member. To effect force transfer, the entire clevis assembly is released by unlatching the main clevis member from the retention assembly, with the drogue clevis member latched to the main clevis member. To effect drogue jettison, the drogue clevis member alone is released by unlatching it from the main clevis member, while the main clevis member remains latched to the retention assembly.
Claims12
A tow plate for use in an aerial cargo delivery system wherein an object is extracted from a moving aircraft by a drag force exerted by extraction means deployed rearwardly therefrom, said tow plate comprising:
- a clevis assembly connectable between the object and the extraction means and a retention assembly for selectively retaining said clevis assembly to transmit the drag force to the aircraft and releasing said clevis assembly to transmit the drag force to the object;
- said clevis assembly including a main clevis member connectable to the object and having a front end and a rear end, a drogue clevis member connectable to the extraction means and having a front end and a rear end, remotely actuatable latch means acting between said main clevis member and said drogue clevis member for selectively securing and releasing said front end of said drogue clevis member and said main clevis member, said latch means include a latching mechanism having roller means engagable with said front end of said drogue clevis member in overlying relation therewith in a retention position and backstop means operatively connected with said main clevis member for retaining said rear end of said drogue clevis member while said front end of said drogue clevis member is secured;
- said retention assembly including means for selectively securing and releasing the front end of said main clevis member, means for selectively actuating said latch means and backup means for interconnecting said securing means and said actuating means, said actuating means being capable of moving said roller means toward a release position disengaged from said front end of said drogue clevis member;
- said latch means and said backstop means permitting said drogue clevis member to rotate in a rearward direction about said rear end of said drogue clevis member toward a jettisoned position separated from said main clevis member when said front end of said drogue clevis member is released, whereby said extraction means may be jettisoned.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.