Aerial emergency load release mechanism
OwnerWilliam Cleveland Cox, IVinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An airborne tree trimming system is described that includes a helicopter having a chassis and a frame extending beneath the helicopter chassis; a trimming apparatus including a boom with an upper end and a plurality of rotatable cutting blades mounted on the boom; and a release mechanism attaching the trimming apparatus to the helicopter, the release mechanism including a connector having an upper end with a first hook attachment point, a lower end with a boom attachment point, and a second hook attachment point intermediate the upper and lower end; a first release hook mounted on the helicopter chassis and releasably attachable to the first hook attachment point; and a second release lock mounted on the frame and releasably attachable to the second hook attachment point.
Claims20
An emergency release mechanism for attaching an external load to a helicopter having a chassis and a downwardly extending frame comprising:
- a) a connector having an upper end with a first hook attachment point, a lower end with a load attachment point, and a second hook attachment point;
- b) a first release hook mounted on said helicopter chassis and releasably attachable to said first hook attachment point;
- and
- c) a second release hook mounted on said frame and releasably attachable to said second hook attachment point,
- wherein the load is not released unless both hooks are released.
An emergency release mechanism for attaching an external load to a helicopter having a chassis and a downwardly extending frame with a sleeve having a vertical conduit comprising:
- a) a connector vertically slidable within said sleeve, said connector having an upper end with a horizontal first hook attachment bar, a lower end with a load attachment point, and a horizontal second hook attachment bar intermediate said upper and lower end;
- b) a first release hook mounted on said helicopter chassis and releasably attachable to said first bar;
- and
- c) a second release hook mounted on said frame and releasably attachable to said second bar,
- wherein the load is not released unless both hooks are released.
An airborne tree trimming system comprising:
- a) a helicopter having a chassis and a frame extending beneath the helicopter chassis;
- b) a trimming apparatus including a boom with an upper end;
- and
- c) a release mechanism attaching said trimming apparatus to said helicopter, said release mechanism including a connector having an upper end with a first hook attachment point, a lower end with a boom attachment point, and a second hook attachment point intermediate said upper and lower end;
- a first release hook mounted on said helicopter chassis and releasably attachable to said first hook attachment point;
- and a second release hook mounted on said frame and releasably attachable to said second hook attachment point,
- wherein the load is not released unless both hooks are released.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.