Device for the bearing harmonization of an airborne load

This device incorporated in a release or ejector mechanism for adjusting the transverse direction of an airborne load comprises a device for pivoting thereon the load-supporting hook and a bell crank linkage system, whether the load is equipped with a so-called saddle member or with standard rings. This device comprises essentially a cylindrical body formed either with an eccentric portion or with a transverse screw for performing the necessary adjustment, and a lock nut for firmly maintaining the selected adjustment position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Field of the Invention 
This invention relates in general to devices for lining up airborne loads 
with the aircraft and has specific reference to the application of devices 
of this kind to load release or launching devices of the type now in 
current use on various aircraft types. 
When the use of an airborne load requires a high degree of precision with 
respect to an aircraft reference axis, so-called harmonization devices for 
setting or adjusting the site and bearing values must be used. 
More particularly, the present invention is directed to provide a 
satisfactory solution to the problem of adjusting airborne loads 
comprising anchoring members either of the so-called "saddle" type or of 
the standard ring type. As a rule, these loads are suspended by means of 
so-called release or ejector devices comprising a launching or ejection 
mechanism having characteristics consistent with the specific nature and 
conditions of use of the airborne load. The definition of such mechanisms 
is obtained only at the cost of extended calculations and practical tests 
both on the ground and under varius flying conditions and if in certain 
cases a bearing adjustment device is to be incorporated in this mechanism 
it is obviously essential to preserve the previously adjusted initial 
mechanism. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is the primary object of the present invention to meet this requirement 
by incorporating in a release or ejector mechanism a device capable of 
adjusting the position in a transverse direction of the load supporting 
hooks of the release device, without modifying the release mechanism 
proper, notably the means actuating said hooks. The device according to 
the present invention is also designed to permit the suspension of loads 
equipped either with so-called, "saddles" or with standard rings, so that 
this adjustment device will preserve the advantageous feature of utilizing 
as required both types of suspension means with a release or ejector 
device of the type disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,520 issued to the 
same Applicants.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In the FIGS. 1 to 4 of the drawing, the reference numeral 1 designates 
diagrammatically the housing or frame structure of the release or 
launching device. The double hook corresponding to the so-called "saddle" 
member likely to equip the load is visible at 2 in FIGS. 1 to 3, the 
reference numeral 3 designating the effort scaling-down knee-action 
usually associated with the hook. 
In the FIG. 1, the reference numeral 4 designates a supporting block 
comprising at 5 the pivot pin of hook 2 and at 6 the pivot pin of 
knee-action 3. This knee-action 3 is connected to the other component 
elements of the release and wedging mechanism. The supporting block 4 also 
comprises a bore 7 in which a member 8 is adapted to rotate while being 
held against any axial movement by a set screw 9. The lower cylindrical 
portion 10 of member 8 constitutes the male centering stud usually 
employed in conjunction with the aforesaid saddle members. The upper and 
likewise cylindrical portion 11 of member 8 is eccentric in relation to 
the lower portion 10 and comprises a hexagonal-sectioned drivable upper 
extension 12 (or any other equivalent element adapted to be conveniently 
rotated) under which a screw-threaded portion 13 of said member 8 is 
adapted to be engaged by a lock nut 14. The eccentric cylindrical portion 
11 of member 8 is adapted to rotate in the corresponding bore formed in a 
socket 15 movable in a longitudinal slot of the frame or housing 1 of the 
release device. 
With this arrangement, a controlled rotation of member 8, after releasing 
the lock nut 14, will permit a properly guided movement of block 4 on 
either side of the longitudinal median plane of the release structure 1 
due to the member 8 having its lower portion journalled in the block 4, 
and its upper portion 11 journalled in socket 15 for rotation about an 
axis which is eccentric of but parallel to the axis of rotation of the 
lower portion. This eccentricity also requires socket 15 to be movable 
longitudinally in slot 16. The socket 15 can only move longitudinally in 
the slot 16. This movement of block 4 may be a straight sliding movement 
guided by a packing strip 17 secured to the block 4 and disposed 
transversely at right angles to the longitudinal median plane of the 
ejector and adapted to slide with minimal clearance in a corresponding 
slideway or groove 18 formed in the release structure 1. The adjustment 
movement of this block 4 may also be a circular movement about a vertical 
axis lying in the median plane of the ejector and in this case this 
movement is guided by an arcuate packing strip secured to the block 4 and 
in a matching arcuate groove, both the strip and the groove being centered 
on the vertical axis of rotation of this adjustment movement. The 
adjustment rotation of member 8 is obtained by using a spanner engaging 
the hexagonal upper extension 12 of member 8. 
Thus, the adjustment movement accomplished by this block 4 will produce a 
simultaneous shifting of the lower cylindrical portion 10 of member 8, of 
hook 2 and of knee-action 3 in relation to the corresponding elements 
disposed at the opposite end of the release, and it is clear that the 
amplitude of this shifting movement and therefore the desired 
harmonization are subordinate to the angle through which the upper 
hexagonal extension 12 of member 8 is rotated. When this rotational 
adjustment is completed, the assembly is locked in the selected position 
while taking up any play by simply tightening the nut 14. 
FIG. 2 illustrates the same release structure but equipped with a member 20 
substituted for the member of FIG. 1; this member 20 is centered in bore 7 
of supporting block 4 and comprises on the one hand a pair of symmetrical 
lateral bearing arms 21 and on the other hand a hook 22 corresponding to 
the standard ring provided on a load suspended from a pair of rings 
adjacent its opposite longitudinal ends. This member 20 will thus 
correspond to the similar member disclosed with reference to FIG. 2 of the 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,102,520 issued to the same Applicants, mentioned in the 
preamble of the present application, but comprises an internally 
screw-threaded portion 23 adapted to be engaged by the lower 
screw-threaded cylindrical portion 24 of eccentric member 25 of which the 
upper portion designated by the reference numeral 11 as in the case of 
member 8 in FIG. 1 is rotatably mounted in the bore of socket 15. The 
eccentric member 25 is also provided at its upper end with a hexagonal 
drivable extension 12 underlying which is a threaded portion 13 receiving 
a lock nut 14, so that by properly releasing this nut 14 the portion 11 of 
the eccentric member can be rotated together with the screw-threaded 
portion 24 in the matching tapped hole 23 of member 20. 
Of course, the mode of operation of this device during an adjustment is the 
same as the one described hereinabove in connection with member 8 with 
reference to FIG. 1, i.e. when the operator rotates the drivable hexagonal 
extension 12, the supporting block 4 and therefore the elements solid 
therewith are shifted transversely because whilst the upper portion 11 is 
constrained, by the slot 16, to move only linearly, the eccentricity of 
the lower portion 24 causes the member 20 to be moved transversely. The 
assembly is also locked by tightening the nut 14 when the desired 
harmonization is obtained. 
If the access to the upper portion of the eccentric member is difficult or 
impossible, this invention provides a different arrangement for 
controlling the transverse movement of translation of block 4, for example 
by means of a horizontal transverse screw to which access can be had from 
one side of the release, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. In these Figures, the 
release frame structure or housing is also shown at 1 but as formed 
through one side wall a tapped hole 33 along a transverse horizontal axis 
31 which is engaged by a screw 32 retained in the adjustable supporting 
block 30 by means of a pair of stop members 34. It will be readily 
understood that rotating the screw 32 through any suitable means, for 
example a spanner, will produce a transverse movement of supporting block 
30 corresponding to the block 4 of FIGS. 1 and 2, this block also carrying 
the pivot pins of hook 2 and knee-action 3, respectively. In this case, 
the adjustable supporting block 30 is locked by tightening the screw 35 
consisting for example of a standard recessed or socketed hexagonal head 
36. This screw 35 has a vertical axis and engages the nut 37 solid with 
the frame structure or housing 1 of the release device and its operation 
does not require any access to the upper portion of the device. When the 
screw 35 is tightened, it pulls the nut 37 downwardly, and the block 30 
and housing 1 are thereby clamped together to immobilise the block 30. 
In the case of loads equipped with a pair of saddle type members which are 
spaced by a determined distance in the longitudinal direction, each saddle 
comprises a cylindrical cavity for receiving a centering stud of the 
release or load supporting device. When, according to the present 
invention, one of the centering studs is offset from the median 
longitudinal plane of the load supporting device by a linear translation 
which is perpendicular to such plane as indicated in reference to FIG. 1, 
the distance between the axes of the two centering studs increases and 
does no longer correspond with the distance between the axes of the 
cavities of the load saddles. This is because, viewed in plan, the 
distance between the axes of the cavities is the hypotenuse of a triangle 
of which the other two sides are respectively (i) the spacing of the 
saddle cavity axes along the median longitudinal plane, and (ii) the 
spacing of one of the cavity axes from the median longitudinal plane. 
Between the studs and the cavities, it is possible to provide a clearance 
allowing to accept the difference between the distance of the stud axes 
and the distance of the cavity axes but such clearance goes against the 
desired precision for the position of the load. Therefore, the present 
invention comprises a particular arrangement of one of the two studs such 
as 10 allowing such stud to have its lower end received into the 
corresponding cavity with a minimal clearance while the advantage of the 
load adjustment in azimuth is maintained. 
For the above result, it is provided, according to the present invention, 
that one of the centering studs 10 comprises an additional cylindrical 
member adapted to slide longitudinally in the median longitudinal plane, 
but not transversely thereof, in order to come straight above the 
corresponding cavity and to be received therein with a minimal clearance. 
It will be appreciated that one of the centering studs remain in one piece 
and maintains the load longitudinally as well as transversely whereas the 
other stud, provided with the additional sliding member, maintains the 
load only in the transverse direction owing to the possibility of the 
longitudinal sliding, but however the longitudinal transverse movements of 
the load as well as its rotational movement about a vertical axis are both 
made impossible by the combined locating effect of the two studs. The 
centering stud equipped with the sliding member according to the above 
complementary arrangement will be preferably that stud which is not 
transversely offset according to the main feature of the invention. 
According to a particular feature of the above arrangement, the insertion 
of the stud with a sliding cylindrical member into the corresponding 
cavity and its removal without any jamming are made easier by an axially 
curved anter face of the sliding member, see member 54 in FIG. 5. 
The above additional arrangement is also advantageous for maintaining the 
load without any excessive clearance by accepting the differences between 
the spacing of the cavity axes and the spacing of the studs which are due 
either to the manufacturing tolerances of the load and load supporting 
device or to important changes of temperature applied to aircrafts and 
having different effects upon the load and the load supporting device. 
An example of the above arrangement is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. 
In FIG. 5, the centering stud 10 may be the lower portion of a member 58 
which is similar to the member 8 of FIG. 1 but is not eccentric with 
respect to the upper part 11 with a screw-threaded portion 13 for securing 
the stud in the load supporting device. The lower part of the stud 10 
comprises a prismatic reduced portion 50 of rectangular cross section with 
lateral sides 51 which are parallel to the longitudinal load axis and its 
low end 52 is screw-threaded for receiving a nut 53 which is adapted to 
retain the sliding toroidal member 54 according to the present 
arrangement. The member 54 is adapted for being inserted into a cavity 55 
of the load to be fixed in the desired position. The member 54 has an 
elongated diametral aperture 57 in the longitudinal direction having 
parallel sides 59 between which the part 50 extends. 
It will be appreciated that the centering stud shown on FIG. 5 is 
preferably that stud which is not offset transversely, in such a manner 
that the upper part 11 is shown without being eccentric relatively to the 
lower part of the stud 10. The stud is locked in such a direction that the 
sides 51 be parallel to the longitudinal axis of the complete device. 
The simplicity of the device allows to understand its operation 
immediately. The toroidal member 54 enters into the cavity 55 with a 
minimal clearance and has peripheral contact therewith, while taking its 
required position with respect to the stud 10 since it can slide along the 
lateral parallel sides of the reduced part 50 of the stud. The contact 
between the stud part 50 and the sliding member 54 is ensured by the plane 
surfaces 51-59 which are relatively large. In brief, the member 54 can 
move, within limits, relative to the stud 10 in the longitudinal direction 
of the aircraft, by reason of the elongation of aperture 57, but there is 
no possibility of relative transverse movement. 
It will be readily understood that the various forms of embodiment 
described hereinabove should not be construed as limiting the scope of the 
present invention since various modifications and changes may be brought 
thereto without departing from the basic principles of the invention as 
set forth in the appended claims.