Parachute-release mechanism and method

A parachute actuator, which comprises:

• (a) power means to deploy a parachute,
• (b) an aneroid system having a spring rate,
• (c) means responsive to operation of said aneroid system (b) to effect actuation of said power means (a) to deploy said parachute,
• (d) a dial having a scale indicating various altitudes at which deployment of said parachute may occur,
• said dial being adapted to be set to effect said deployment of said parachute at various desired altitudes,
• (e) means to associate said aneroid system (b) with said dial (d) to thus cause deployment of said parachute to occur at different altitudes depending upon the setting of said dial (d), and
• (f) means selectively operable to either increase or decrease the effective spring rate of said aneroid system (b) in such manner as to cause said scale of said dial (d) to indicate accurately, for various settings of said dial (d), the altitude at which said parachute deployment will occur,
• said means (f) including spring means external to the aneroid of said aneroid system, and adapted to expand said aneroid.

A parachute actuator, comprising:

• (a) power means to deploy a parachute,
• (b) an aneroid system,
• (c) means, including a trigger associated with said aneroid system, to operate said power means to deploy said parachute,
• (d) a dial having a scale,
• (e) lever means associated with said trigger to determine when said trigger will be operated by said aneroid system,
• (f) means responsive to movement of said dial to pivot said lever means and thus change the relationship between said lever means and said aneroid system, and
• (g) means to vary operation of said dial movement-response means (f) to correlate said scale of said dial (d) with the altitude at which said power means (a) will effect deployment of said parachute.

A parachute actuator, which comprises:

• (a) power means to deploy a parachute,
• (b) an aneroid,
• (c) means responsive to the position of said aneroid to operate said power means (a) to deploy said parachute, and
• (d) spring means disposed exteriorly of said aneroid and so associated with said aneroid as to create
• a bias tending to move said aneroid in the
• direction that said aneroid moves when the
• ambient pressure decreases.

A parachute actuator, which comprises:

• (a) power means to deploy a parachute,
• (b) an aneroid,
• (c) means responsive to the condition of said aneroid to effect operation of said power means (a) to deploy said parachute,
• (d) a lever arm connected to the movable end of said aneroid, and
• (e) spring means provided externally of said aneroid and connected to said lever arm, said spring means being so oriented as to effect a bias on said lever arm tending to lengthen said aneroid.

A mechanical device for effecting actuation of a parachute, which comprises:

• (a) a housing,
• (b) power means mounted in said housing and adapted to effect deployment of said parachute upon release of said power means,
• (c) an aneroid mounted in said housing,
• (d) latch means mounted in said housing and associating said aneroid with said power means to effect release of said power means when said aneroid is in a predetermined condition,
• (e) a cocking and interlock plunger mounted in said housing and associated with said latch means,
• said cocking and interlock plunger being adapted to cock at least a portion of said latch means after a jump,
• said cocking and interlock plunger being movable to an arm position permitting operation of said latch means, and
• (f) actuating means providing on said housing and operable by the parachutist to move said plunger between cock and arm positions,
• said last-named means and said plunger not being adapted to be removed from said housing by the parachutist.

An actuator for reserve parachutes, said actuator comprising:

• (a) a housing,
• (b) power means provided in said housing to effect deployment of the reserve parachute upon release of said power means, and
• (c) rate-of-fall means to prevent operation of said power means to deploy said reserve parachute unless the parachute actuator is in substantially free fall,
• said rate-of-fall means comprising means to define a sealed chamber in said housing,
• said rate-of-fall means further comprising means to admit air into said sealed chamber from the ambient atmosphere at a predetermined rate,
• said predetermined rate being such that the pressure in said sealed chamber becomes substantially less than ambient pressure when said parachute actuator is in free fall condition,
• said rate-of-fall means further comprising a diaphragm having one side in communication with said sealed chamber,
• the other side of said diaphragm being in communication with the ambient atmosphere,
• said rate-of-fall means further comprising biasing means provided to urge said diaphragm in a predetermined direction with sufficient force to overcome the force created by said diaphragm at all times except when the parachute actuator is in free fall condition,
• said rate-of-fall means further comprising a combination spring, ramp and catch element provided in said housing on the side of said diaphragm remote from said sealed chamber,
• said combination spring, ramp and catch element being actuated to a relatively elevated position when said actuator is not in free fall condition, but moving back to a relatively low position when said actuator is in free fall condition so that the pressure differential across said diaphragm overcomes the force of said combination spring, ramp and catch element,
• said rate-of-fall means further comprising an arm or crank adapted to catch on said combination spring, ramp and catch element ss when the same is in elevated condition, and further adapted to prevent operation of said power means to deploy said reserve parachute when said arm or crank is caught on said combination element.

A parachute actuating apparatus, which comprises:

• (a) a housing,
• (b) power spring means provided in said housing to release a parachute,
• (c) an aneroid mounted in said housing,
• (d) a trigger support arm pivotally mounted to said housing,
• (e) an aneroid lever pivotally mounted to said housing,
• said aneroid lever being connected to said aneroid for actuation thereby,
• (f) a trigger mounted on said trigger support arm, said trigger being adapted to shift to a triggering position unless held by said aneroid lever,
• (g) a pivot member pivotally mounted in said housing,
• (h) means to bias said pivot member to effect pivotal movement thereof in a predetermined direction unless said pivot member is constrained against such movement,
• (i) latch means mounted in said housing to hold said pivot member in a predetermined position, despite said bias, when said trigger is in a predetermined position,
• (j) a main latch mounted in said housing to hold said power spring means (b) in a position such that it will not release said parachute until operation of said main latch,
• (k) a second latch controlled by said pivot (g),
• said second latch being released when said trigger is released,
• (l) a dial, and associated scale, mounted on said housing for operation by the parachutist,
• (m) an altitude cam connected to said dial for operation thereby,
• (n) means operated by said altitude cam to pivot said trigger support arm (d) to various positions in order to set the parachute actuator for release of the parachute at various altitudes,
• (o) spring means provided in said housing externally of said aneroid,
• said spring means being connected to said aneroid in such relationship as to tend to cause said aneroid to extend, and
• (p) means to cause said aneroid and aneroid lever to permit said trigger to shift to triggering position when, and only when, said parachute actuator is substantially at an altitude corresponding to the setting of said dial and scale (1).

A method of providing a parachute actuator that is relatively immune to shock and that will effect release of a parachute vary near a pre-set altitude, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a bellows having a cap, and having a relatively low spring rate and a relatively long stroke.
• (b) providing an internal stop in said bellows to prevent collapse of said bellows to such a condition that it will achieve a set or be damaged,
• (c) effecting substantial evacuation of said bellows to cause said cap thereof to seat on said internal stop, and
• (d) providing an external spring to create a force on said bellows directed to pull said cap off said stop,
• said external spring acting in combination with said bellows to provide an overall spring rate substantially higher than that of said bellows.

A method of providing a parachute actuator having a relatively high immunity to shock, and a high ability to effect release of the parachute at a pre-set altitude, said method comprising:

• (a) providing a housing having a dial and scale thereon,
• (b) providing an aneroid,
• (c) providing a trigger having a support, and
• (d) so associating said aneroid and trigger that said aneroid will effect release of said trigger substantially at an altitude setting determined and indicated by said dial and scale,
• said last-named step (c) being achieved by creating a variable lever-arm relationship between said dial and said a support for such trigger.

A mechanical device for effecting actuation of a parachute, which comprises:

• (a) a housing,
• (b) power means mounted in said housing and adapted to effect deployment of said parachute upon release of said power means,
• (c) an aneroid mounted in said housing,
• (d) latch means mounted in said housing and associating said aneroid with said power means to effect release of said power means when said aneroid is in a predetermined condition,
• (e) a cocking and interlock element mounted in said housing and associated with said latch means,
• said cocking and interlock element being adapted to cock at least a portion of said latch means after a jump,
• said cocking and interlock element being movable to an arm position permitting operation of said latch means, and
• (f) actuating means provided on said housing and operable by the parachutist to move said cocking and interlock element between cock and arm positions.
• said last-named means and said cocking and interlock element not being adapted to be removed from said housing by the parachutist,
• said last-named means, when operated by the parachutist to effect cocking effecting movement of said cocking and interlock element through a predetermined distance adapted to cock at least said portion of said latch means.