Patent ID: 6375124
Filing Date: 2002-04-23
Classification: B64D,B66C

Abstract:
An automatically-actuated apparatus for suspension from an aircraft capable of hovering, in its hover mode, for accommodating a load, including a or an inanimate cargo, consisting of two elongated halves, each half being held together by a main pivot pin, with front and back surfaces and each half including an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion having an unbendable knee, each upper portion being configured for use with at least one hoist cable; the lower portion being an inwardly projecting extension at its bottom, each extension having an end, and each elongated half having an inside wall surface; at least one cushion being attached along each of said inside walls; each upper portion having a bar inwardly extending from an inside surface, each bar having a hammerhead, with a face, extending toward the other, the hammerheads when abutting, receiving the major structural compressive stresses imposed by the horizontal components of said hoist cables, when supporting said load; a securing means for helping to keep said load in place on each of said extension, thus helping to provide positive secure retention for the load either being retrieved or rescued; each said upper portion having a weight on top, each said weight assisting in said lower portion's separation at said apparatus' touch-down, the improvement being provision for minimizing the swaying of the apparatus while being suspended, such provision consisting of at least one tank for holding a predetermined quantity of compressed air, selectively on said apparatus to counter the efforts of a wind gust blowing in any direction, including back and forth and sideways, two sensitive micro switches and to sense wind gusts two solenoid air valves selectively placed on or near the tank to blow high pressure, each of said microswitches inserted in a flared opening to receive the effect of the wind gust, and each solenoid valve having an inlet port communicating with said tank, an outlet port adapted to immediately react to the wind gust with a burst of air, the Micro Switchesâ„¢ closing an electrical circuit for providing an open condition of each of said solenoid valves for allowing compressed air in said compressed air tank to pass there through for allowing said burst of compressed air to occur in a same direction as the wind gust, to counter the effect of the wind gust so said apparatus can more safely and precisely position itself over an object to be scooped up.