STORE DELIVERY BY RETARDER

Abstract: A method and means for store delivery by retarder using a container (1) to house a retarder comprising a canopy (6) and shroud lines (7) in folded position with a loop (11) on the container (1) adapted to be attached to the arm of the person delivering the store, and the store (9) attached to the shroud lines (7) of the retarder so that it can be held in the hand of the thrower, the shroud lines (7) of the retarder and/or the store being tied (10) to the mouth (4) of the container to fracture the ties and open the mouth (4) of the container (1) when the store (9) is thrown to deploy the retarder, the retarder canopy (6) having a tie (5) to the loop (11) end of the container (1) which fractures as completion of deployment of the retarder (6) is reached.

Description: "STORE DELIVERY BY RETARDER" This invention relates to store delivery by retarder and in particular it relates to a store of the type which is launched from a height to the ground by means of a parachute which is deployed as the store is launched, the store being of the type which can best be hand launched such as a water container or other relatively fragile member. The invention can be used wherever there is a need to drop a store from an aircraft or helicopter or other airborne unit with the provision of a retarder to ensure that the landing velocity of the store is within proper limits. It is, of course, known to deliver articles by means of a parachute, and as an example reference may be had to the specification of United States Patent No. 2,396,126, John R. Quilter et al which shows a parachutist with a parachute pack on his back deployed by a static line attached to an aircraft, or the specification of United States Patent No. 2,760,741, Rene L. Tauty which has a parachute pack attached to a store and has a static line to open the pack to pull the parachute out but is arranged for optional systems of pack opening. In these the pack is part of the system and generally remains part of the parachute assembly. The present invention has as its object the provision of a system which can be readily launched and this is achieved by using a parachute,- preferably of a cruciform shape, which is packed into a container, which container can be formed of flexible material of tubular form closed at one end and having at the closed end a loop which can engage around the arm of a person launching the device or fixed to a suitable adjacent point, the retarder being packed inside of the container with the apex tied to the closed end of the container by means of a fracturable member. A loop on the shroud lines, which are also packed within the container, is tied to the mouth of the container by a mouth tie cord so arranged that normally the cord holds the container closed to retain its content, and to hold it to the store, but when the store is to be launched, the person launching it places the loop around his forearm or attaches it to a suitable reaction point and grips, not the container, but the store, such as a water bottle, and simply throws the store in the required direction, this having the effect of firstly breaking the cord tie allowing the shroud lines to be pulled out of the container until the parachute or retarder is itself pulled out of the container, and when fully extended the tie at the closed end of the container fractures and the store and retarder are launched, leaving the container attached to the thrower so that the maximum load can be carried by the retarder, and the store and parachute are clear of extraneous matter. An advantage of the device, the subject of this invention, is effective packaging of the retarder in the container which results, and the novel method of launching it by attaching the container to the forearm of the person effecting the launching or other reaction support and simply throwing the store, this initiating the opening of the container and the release of the retarder and store in a correct sequence without any subsequent involvement with the container. ' The cruciform parachute which it is preferred to use consists of a cruciform piece of material to which the shroud lines are sewn in two directions across the cruciform shape to form the retarder, the shroud lines being looped at the end, the shroud lines thus being continuous across, and extending from, the parachute to the loop on the store to provide an effective construction. The method consists in packing a retarder com¬ prising a canopy and shroud lines into a container having at one end an external attachment member to be engaged on the thrower and an internal tie member and having at its other end an openable mouth, attaching the centre of the said canopy to the said internal tie member, joining the said shroud lines to the store with the store positioned outside of the said container, closing the said mouth of the said container over the said shroud lines by tie means also connected to the said store, and delivering the said store by attaching the said external attachment member of the said container to the thrower and grasping in the hand of the thrower the said store and throwing it in the direction of the required launch, whereby the said tie means at the mouth of the said container are severed by store inertia and the said shroud lines and canopy are sequentially drawn out of the container and the canopy pull severs the said internal tie means whereby to launch the said store and retarder but retain the said container on the said thrower. To fully understand the invention an embodiment thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings In which: FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 show somewhat diagrammatically a launching action, showing the container in section, FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the junction of the retarder and store and the mouth of the container, and FIG. 5 is a plan view of the preferred form of retarder. The actual construction of the device can of course be varied, but according to the preferred arrangement the container 1 which is of a suitable pliable material is of cylindrical shape with the one end 2 closed but open at the other end 3, which end forms the mouth 4 of the container 1. Within the container 1, at the closed end 2, is a tie member 5 which is attached both to the container and to the centre of the canopy 6 of the parachute, and the canopy 6 is packed into the container 1 with the shroud lines 7 towards the mouth 4 of the container 1, the shroud lines 7 being attached to a loop 8 on the store 9 itself. The store 9 is held to the container 1 by mouth tie means 10 extending from the mouth 4 of the container 1 to the store 9 to hold the store 9 to the container 1 with the store 9 projecting from the end of the container 1, that is the mouth end. The closed end 2 of the container 1 has an external attachment member in the form of a hand loop .11 project- ing from the container 1. When effecting a launch, the loop 11 can simply be put around the wrist of the person launching the store, and the store is then grasped in the hand of the launcher with the container 1 positioned between the end of the store 9 and the hand loop 11. When the store 9 is thrown, the first action is for the mouth tie means 10 which can be simple tie cords, to break allowing the mouth 4 of the container 1 to open, continued movement of the store 9 then pulling the parachute out of the container progressively as the shroud lines 7 are pulled out of the container by the store 9, and when the canopy 6 has been pulled outwardly to its full extent the tie member 5 between the centre of the canopy 6 and the container 1 breaks to allow the parachute to be pulled fully out of the container whereupon it deploys and the store is safely carried by means of the parachute retarder. The above method allows a neat and effective retarder 6-7 to be formed with a container 1 simply projecting from the end of the store 9 in a position where the hand can readily be placed through the hand loop which forms the external attachment member 11 of the container 1 and the store 9 grasped to throw the store, this action separating the store 9 and retarder 6-7 from the container 1 which remains connected to the arm of the thrower by the hand loop. The external attachment member 11 can be other than a loop, such as tie cords which can be engaged on the arm or other convenient part of the thrower. The retarder comprises the canopy 6 and the shroud lines 7 as shown particularly in FIG. 6. It will be noted that in the form shown, which is preferred, the shroud lines 7 are continuous and are sewn to the edges of the canopy and are looped at the ends 12 to pass around the loop 8 on the store 9, the loop 8 itself being a tie, or the ends 12 of the shrouds can be clipped or otherwise attached to the loop 8.

Claims: AMENDED CLAIMS (received by the International Bureau on 9 December 1982 (09.12.82)) 1. The method of hand delivery of a store by retarder comprising packing a retarder comprising a canopy and shroud lines into a container having at one end an external attachment member adapted to be engaged by a thrower and an internal tie member, and having at its other end an openable mouth, attaching the centre of the said canopy to the said internal tie member, joining the said shroud lines to the store with the store positioned outside of the said container, closing the said mouth of the said container over the said shroud lines by tie means also connected to the said store, and delivering the said store by attaching the said external attachment member of the said container to the thrower and grasping the said store in the hand of the thrower and throwing it in the direction of the required launch, whereby the said tie means at the mouth of the said container are severed by store inertia and the said shroud lines and canopy are sequentially drawn out of the container and the pull of the said canopy severs the said internal tie means whereby to launch the said store under control of the said retarder but retain the said container on the said thrower. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the throwing arm of the thrower is placed through a loop on the said container which forms the said external attachment member. 3. A hand launched pack for launching a store fitted with a retarder wherein the said retarder comprises a canopy and shrouds attaching the 'BUREA said canopy to the said store, characterised by a tubular container having a closed end and an openable end, the said closed end having an external attachment member and internal tie means, the other openable end forming a mouth and having tie means to close the said mouth, said canopy having its centre engaged by the said internal tie means and its shrouds engaged by the said mouth, said mouth tie means engaging the said store outside of the said container mouth, whereby a hand launched pack is adapted to have its external attachment member secured to the thrower and the said store is held in the hand of the thrower with the said container suspended therebetween and retained by the thrower when the store is launched by hand throwing it to draw the retarder out of the said container. 4. A hand launched pack according to claim 3 wherein the said external* attachment means are a loop arranged to encircle the arm of the thrower. (amended) 5. A hand launched pack for delivering a store by retarder, in combination a container housing a retarder, characterised in that the said container is tubular and has a closed end and an openable end, an external attachment member and an internal tie member at the closed end, and mouth tie means at the said openable end, said retarder comprising a canopy centrally attached to the said internal tie member and shrouds projecting through the said mouth of the container and • 3 adapted to engage a store, said mouth tie means being engaged on said shrouds to fracture the said mouth tie means when the said shrouds are pulled outwardly through the mouth of the said container. OMPI 6. For delivering a store by retarder, the combination of claim 5 further characterised in that the said canopy Is of cruciform shape and has continuous shroud lines attached to extend across the canopy and to engage the store. 7. A hand launched pack constructed and operating substantially as described and illustrated.

Inventors: BAILEY EDWIN HAROLD, BAILEY, EDWIN, HAROLD
Applicants: COMMW OF AUSTRALIA, COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA CARE OF THE SECRETARY, D
Application year: 1982
Main classification: B64D1
IPC codes: B64D1, B64D17