Canopy release mechanism
AssigneeConax Corporation
InventorsCarlton W. Naab, Roman Jankowiak
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A water-activated canopy release mechanism having a detachable sleeve positioned between the arms of a buckle yoke. The sleeve contains a longitudinal passage having a release piston and bushing positioned therein and supporting the sleeve within the yoke. An explosive cartridge mounted at the piston end is fired by a sensor activated by water of predetermined conductivity and drives the release piston completely into the sleeve and wedges it there, thus freeing the end of the sleeve adjacent the cartridge. Simultaneously, the piston drives the bushing out of the other end of the sleeve and against a wedge carried by the yoke arm. As a result, both the piston and the bushing are held in a position which permits the sleeve to drop free of the yoke releasing the canopy from its load.
Claims15
A detachable sleeve positioned within a yoke, said sleeve provided with a central bore having disposed therein a piston adapted for limited axial travel and bridging the junction between one end of the sleeve and the yoke, shear pin means releasably retaining said piston in its bridging position, a bushing positioned in said bore also adapted for limited axial travel and bridging the junction with the yoke at the other end of said sleeve, the facing ends of said piston and bushing being spaced apart within said sleeve, explosive means adapted to drive said piston out of its bridging position into said sleeve toward said bushing to in turn drive said bushing out of said sleeve and thereby release said sleeve from the yoke, means trapping said piston within said sleeve, and sensing means adapted to activate said explosive means.
A canopy release mechanism comprising a release body having a yoke, a detachable sleeve positioned within said yoke, said sleeve being provied with a central bore, a piston disposed in said bore and adapted for limited axial travel therein, said piston bridging the junction between one end of said sleeve and said yoke, means releasably retaining said piston in its bridging position, a bushing positioned in said bore and bridging the junction with said yoke at the other end of said sleeve, means releasably retaining said bushing in its bridging position, the facing ends of said piston and bushing being spaced apart within said sleeve, explosive means adapted to drive said piston out of its bridging position into said sleeve toward said bushing to in turn drive said bushing out of said sleeve and means trapping said piston within said sleeve, thereby releasing said sleeve from said yoke, said sleeve being adapted to receive a strap released from said yoke upon release of said sleeve, and sensing means adapted to activate said explosive means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.