Abstract:
Parachute signaling rockets in which the parachute ( 18 ) is connected to the effect charge ( 14 ) in the form a plug connection ( 16 ). This plug connection ( 16 ) can be made automatically, so that there is no longer any need for the previous manual connection of the parachute ( 18 ) to the pyrotechnic effect charge ( 14 ) for the parachute signaling rocket according to the invention.

Description:
STATEMENT OF RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This patent application is based on and claims convention priority under 35 USC Section 119 on German patent application no. 10 2007 015 248.7 having a filing date of 27 Mar. 2007, which is incorporated herein in its entirety. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The invention relates to a parachute rocket, in particular to a parachute signaling rocket and/or parachute flare rocket, having at least one pyrotechnic effect charge and having a parachute which is connected to the effect charge. The invention also relates to a method for producing a parachute rocket such as this, in which at least one effect charge is connected to a parachute. 
   2. Prior Art 
   Parachute rockets are normally used in order to indicate acute emergency situations, in particular for maritime and aviation purposes. They are then referred to as pyrotechnique signaling means. Furthermore, parachute rockets may also be used, for example for illumination purposes. 
   Parachute rockets have at least one parachute which results in the pyrotechnic signal being produced by an effect charge suspended on the parachute falling to earth slowly (braked). 
   Until now, parachute rockets have been assembled only manually since a permanent connection between the parachute, which is composed of soft, flexible material, together with the associated lines and the effect charge is made, for example with the aid of hooks, eyes or grommets, and this process cannot be mechanized. Manual connection of the parachute to the pyrotechnique effect charge is not an entirely safe process for the person who is carrying out the assembly process. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The object of the invention is therefore to provide a parachute rocket and a method for its production, which allow the assembly process to be very largely automated. 
   In order to solve this problem, a parachute rocket has a parachute which is connected to the effect charge, wherein a plug connection is provided for connection of the at least one parachute to the at least one effect charge. Accordingly, the connection between the parachute and the effect charge is in the form of a plug connection. The parts of this plug connection can therefore be connected to one another, simply by plugging them together, easily and at low cost, preferably by machine. This machine connection is possible without any danger to personnel. 
   At least one part of the plug connection is in each case preferably arranged on the parachute and on the effect charge. This allows connection just by handling of the parts of the plug connection. In contrast to the previous manual production, the parts of the plug connection can therefore be plugged together in an automated manner, since the parts of the plug connection are permanently connected to one another as soon as they have been plugged together, by automatically latching in and being clamped, and without any further external action. 
   One particularly advantageous refinement of that part of the plug connection which is associated with the parachute provides for this part to be in the form of a flat element which has at least one opening. This opening can be designed such that it is used to hold a fitting mating piece, which is formed by that part of the plug connection that is associated with the effect charge. 
   In the plug connection according to the invention, the opening has at least one associated spring element, which, in particular, is in the form of a spring tongue, hook, barb, clamping ring or the like. Spring elements such as these can be formed easily and are used as clamping components or as barb components for the plug connection, therefore ensuring that the parts of the plug connection are permanently and reliably held together. A plurality of such spring elements are in one advantageous embodiment associated with an opening in a flat element, with these spring elements preferably being located at the edge of the opening and in particular projecting into the opening, so that the corresponding part of the plug connection which is arranged on the effect charge is held firmly in the opening by the spring elements. In this case, it is particularly advantageous for the free ends of the spring tongues to be aligned in the direction of the center of the opening, which in particular is round, thus allowing virtually any desired relative arrangement of the parts of the plug connection with respect to one another. In order to allow a uniform force distribution of the spring tongues on the mating piece of the plug connection, they are also advantageously arranged at the same distance from one another. The plurality of spring elements, in particular spring tongues, allows an adequately reliable connection to be made between the parachute and the effect charge even if one spring element fails. 
   An integral form of the flat element, including the spring tongues associated with it, has been found to be particularly advantageous since they can therefore be produced easily. A round, and in particular flat and level disk is preferably used as the flat element since it normally corresponds to the round shape of the parachute rocket. 
   That part of the plug connection which is arranged on the effect charge is advantageously in the form of a mating piece, in particular a splint or bolt, which is matched to that part of the plug connection which is arranged on the parachute. A splint or bolt such as this has a head which can be inserted just by elastic deformation of the spring tongues, into the corresponding opening in the fall element according to the invention. This therefore results in a restraining force being exerted on the splint or bolt by flexing of the spring tongues in the elastic range while the plug connection elements are being joined together and by the spring tongues autonomously springing back now that they are stressed as a result of the hooking process, so that the splint or bolt is fixed in the opening by the spring tongues firmly gripping the head of the splint or bolt, in the form of a barb, on the effect charge, preventing it from becoming loose from the disk to which the spring tongues are fitted. 
   In one advantageous embodiment of the parachute rocket, the disk which is associated with the plug connection has at least one further opening to which the parachute can be attached. The holding and/or connecting lines of the parachute are preferably used for this purpose, with these lines in particular being passed through at least one opening for this purpose and, for example, being knotted or else adhesively bonded. In preparation for the rest of the automatic assembly process, the parachute can therefore be directly connected in one process to the disk which forms a part of the plug connection. This can be done safely manually, because the pyrotechnic effect charge has not yet been connected to the parachute at this time. 
   The holding and connecting lines and/or the parachute material are/is preferably produced using heat-resistant or fire-resistant materials, since the parachute and its holding and connecting lines are subject to severe heating as a result of the burning effect charge located underneath them. In particular, silicate fibers, or else other heat-resistant synthetic fibers may be used for production. 
   The method according to the invention for solving the problem as stated above is a method for production of a parachute rocket, in which at least one effect charge is connected to a parachute, wherein one part of a plug connection is in each case associated with the effect charge and with the parachute, the parachute is arranged with that part of the plug connection which is associated with it in an assembly aid, and the effect charge is connected with the assistance of the assembly aid to that part of the plug connection which is arranged on the parachute, by means of that part of the plug connection which is associated with the effect charge and corresponds to that part of the plug connection which is associated with the parachute. Accordingly, one part of the plug connection is in each case associated with the parachute and the effect charge. The parachute and the first part of the plug connection which is associated with it are associated with an assembly aid in particular being arranged in it, such that the second part of the plug connection, which is arranged on the effect charge, can be connected easily, to be in precise in particular by machine, to that part of the plug connection which is arranged on the parachute, by means of the assembly aid. 
   The folded-up parachute together with the holding and/or connecting lines and that part of the plug connection which is associated with them or it are advantageously and preferably arranged in the assembly aid such that the first part of the plug connection is freely accessible for connection to the second part of the plug connection, preferably being located at the top, on the parachute, in the assembly aid. The connection between the parachute and the effect charge can therefore be made in a very simple and cost-effective manner just in one process, which can even be carried out by machine. 
   One preferred development of the method provides for the assembly aid to be in the form of an adapter sleeve which is reusable. 
   That part of the plug connection which is arranged on the effect charge, in particular a splint and/or bolt, is preferably connected to that part of the plug connection which is arranged on the parachute, in particular to the disk which is provided with spring tongues, by inserting it together with the effect charge into the adapter sleeve and pushing them together. The spring tongues, which are sprung in the elastic range, therefore ensure permanent connection of the parts of the plug connection by clamping and hooking, and therefore that the connection between the parachute and the effect charge is made. The parachute rocket can be produced automatically just by pushing the parts of the plug connection together, without any further process steps. 
   The adapter sleeve can introduced into a magazine before the plug connection is mated. The effect charge is also advantageously introduced into a magazine, so that in one preferred embodiment of the method, an adapter sleeve which is fitted with the folded parachute, the associated lines and the first part of the plug connection and an effect charge with the associated second part of the plug connection are removed from the respective magazines in each case. The folded parachute together with the first part of the plug connection in the adapter sleeve and the effect charge together with the second part of the plug connection are joined together only when the plug connection is mated. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     On preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention will be explained in the following text with reference to the drawing, in which: 
       FIG. 1  shows a section through a parachute signaling rocket according to the invention. 
       FIG. 2  shows an enlarged detail from  FIG. 1 , in the area of the parachute connected to the effect charge by the plug connection. 
       FIG. 3  shows a section through a rotated effect charge of the parachute signaling rocket from  FIG. 1 , with a part of the plug connection. 
       FIG. 4  shows a section through an assembly aid, in which a parachute together with the part of the plug connection attached to it are arranged. 
       FIG. 5  shows a plan view of a part of the plug connection intended for attachment to the parachute. 
       FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the mated plug connection between the effect charge and that part of the plug connection which is associated with the parachute. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1  shows a section through an entire parachute signaling rocket  10 . The parachute signaling rocket  10  has a lower propellant charge  12 , a pyrotechnic effect charge  14  arranged above it in the firing direction  13 , and a parachute  18  above the effect charge  14 . The effect charge  14  is provided with a pyrotechnique charge in order to produce the pyrotechnique signal, for example flare stars. The propellant charge  12 , the effect charge  14  and the parachute  18  are arranged together in a rocket casing  20 . The rocket casing  20  is surrounded by a longer outer casing  24 , which, in particular, projects downwards with respect to the rocket casing  20  in order to hold an initiator  22 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, this is a manual initiator. 
   The effect charge  14  and the parachute  18  are connected by a plug connection  16  in a particular manner according to the invention. The plug connection  16  comprises two parts, to be precise a first part which is connected to the parachute  18 . This first part of the plug connection  16  is in the form of a circular disk  28  in the illustrated exemplary embodiment. The external diameter of the circular disk  28  is somewhat smaller than the internal diameter of the rocket casing  20  for holding the parachute  18 , effect charge  14  as well as the plug connection  16 . A second part of the plug connection  16  is associated with the effect charge  14 . This part of the plug connection  16  in the illustrated exemplary embodiment is formed from a splint  26  whose head  27  projects upwards out of the effect charge  14 . 
   In an edge area, the disk  28  has two attachment openings  60  and  62  which are used for attachment of the parachute  18  to the disk  28 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, a holding line  30 , which is passed through the attachment openings  60  and  62 , of the parachute  18  is knotted to the disk  28 . The holding line  30  is in turn connected to the lines of the parachute  18 , which are not illustrated in any more detail. At least the holding line  30 , but preferably also the other lines of the parachute  18 , are formed from a heat-resistant material, for example a silicate yarn. The silicate yarn is a filament yarn composed of silicon fibers. A holding line  30  such as this is resistant to the heat produced by the burning effect charge  14  as it floats to the ground, hanging underneath the parachute  18 . 
   An opening  64 , which is cylindrical in the illustrated exemplary, is located in the center of the disk  28 . A plurality of spring elements are arranged in a particular manner at the cylindrical edge with the opening  64  and, in the illustrated exemplary embodiment, are in the form of spring tongues  66 . In the present case, the opening  64  has six identical associated spring tongues  66 . The elongated spring tongues  66  extend radially to the center of the disk  28  or opening  64 . The opening  64  is constricted by the free ends  65  of the spring tongues  66  which point towards the center, in the area of these free ends  65 . The spring tongues  66  are integrally connected to the disk  28 . The disk  28  is preferably formed from an elastically deformable material, in particular from spring steel. This allows the spring tongues  66  to be moved out of the plane of the disk  28 , by elastic deformation, after which they spring back elastically, entirely or at least partially to return back into the plane of the disk  28 . The free ends  65  of all the spring tongues  66  preferably lie on an imaginary circle or circle element whose center point is coincident with the center point of the opening  64 , with the circle element having a diameter which is smaller by the length of two opposite spring tongues  66  than that of the opening  64 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the spring tongues  66  have an approximately rectangular footprint. It is also feasible for the spring tongues  66  to be entirely or partially rounded in the area of the free ends  65 . Alternatively or additionally, it is also possible for the spring tongues  66  to taper towards the free ends  65 . 
   The head  27  of the splint  26  of the effect charge  14  is designed such that it corresponds to the opening  64  with the spring tongues  66  of the disk  28  under the parachute  18 . Accordingly, when the head  27  of the splint  26  is pushed through the opening  64  in the disk  28 , the spring tongues  66  are deformed elastically by being moved out of the plane of the disk  28  in the direction of the end of the head  27 . Once the head  27  of the splint  26  has been passed through the opening  64 , the free ends  65  of the spring tongues  66  enter the area of a relatively narrow constriction  29  under the head  27  of the splint  26 . The head  27  of the splint  26  is thinner in the area of the constriction  29 , so that the spring tongues  66 , which have been bent up elastically by the head  27 , move back again, entirely or at least partially, in the direction of the plane of the disk  28  ( FIG. 6 ). This results in the disk  28  being held with an interlock in the area of the constriction  29 , under the head  27  of the splint  26 . The spring tongues  66 , which may still be bent up slightly in the direction of the end of the head  27 , therefore effectively form barbs, resulting in the disk  28  being hooked or clamped firmly under the head  27  of the splint  26 , specifically in the constriction  29 . This results in the disk  28  being connected to the splint  26  permanently, by latching means, and with an interlock. The plug connection  16 , which is mated in the manner described above, leads to the parachute  18  being connected to the effect charge  14  in a manner which is permanent and virtually impossible to release. 
   The method according to the invention for production of the connection of the parachute  18  and effect charge  14  of the parachute signaling rocket  10  will be described in the following text: 
   During the production of the effect charge  14 , it is provided with the splint  26  which forms the second part of the plug connection  16 . Before the casing  63  of the effect charge  14  is closed, the splint  26  is passed through a central hole  61  in its cover  59 , and end areas  31  of its limbs  32  are bent out ( FIG. 3 ). During this process, the head  27  of the splint  26 , which has not been passed through the hole  61  in the cover  59 , remains outside the casing  63  of the effect charge  14 , so that the head  27  of the splint  26 , and the constriction  29  located underneath it, project upwards out of the effect charge  14 , specifically projecting beyond the cover  59 . 
   In  FIG. 3 , the effect charge  14  with the splint  26  attached to it is shown in reverse, that is to say upside down. In this upside down position, the effect charge  14  is connected to the parachute  18  by mating the plug connection between the effect charge  14  and the parachute  18 . 
   The parachute  18  is connected to the second part of the plug connection  16 , that is to say to the disk  28 . For this purpose, an end area of the holding line  30  which connects the lines of the parachute  18  is connected to the disk  28 , to be precise preferably by knotting, through the attachment openings  60  and  62  in the edge area of the disk  28 . 
   The parachute  18  is therefore arranged in an assembly aid  50 , in the same way that it will later be folded up or collapsed in the rocket casing  20 , together with the disk  28  connected to the holding line  30 . In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the assembly aid  50  is in the form of an adapter sleeve which is completely open at the upper end face and is at least partially closed at the bottom. The parachute  18  together with the disk  28  attached to it are pushed into the adapter sleeve from above, to be precise such that the disk  28  is freely accessible at the top on the parachute  18  in the adapter sleeve which forms the assembly aid  50  ( FIG. 4 ). 
   The effect charge  14  with the head  27  of the splint  26  protruding downwards is now pushed into the assembly aid  50 , in the upside down position shown in  FIG. 3 , from above, with the assembly aid  50  being in the form of an adapter sleeve which is open at the top, and with the head  27  of the splint  26  automatically being aligned with the center of the disk  28  so that as the effect charge  14  is pushed into the assembly aid  50 , the larger head  27  of the splint  26  elastically deforms the spring tongues  66 , starting from their free ends  65  which point towards the center of the disk  28 , specifically bending them downwards, in comparison to the illustration shown in  FIG. 4 . This allows the larger head  27  of the splint  26  to pass through the opening  64  in the disk  28  and between the spring tongues  66  which are distributed around the circumference of the opening  64 , in order to enter the central opening  64  in the disk  28 . Once the head  27  has passed through the opening  64  in the disk  28 , the area of the constriction  29 , which is narrower than the head  27 , reaches the area between the free ends  65  of the spring tongues  66 , as a result of which the spring tongues  66  spring back again, to be precise preferably to such an extent that they once again lie virtually, but not entirely, on the plane of the disk  28 . In consequence, the spring tongues  66  firmly clamp the splint  26  in the area of the constriction  29  under the head  27 , with the spring tongues  66 , which are still slightly bent up, acting as barbs making it virtually impossible to detach the plug connection  16 , that is to say to separate the parachute  18  from the effect charge  14 . This therefore results in the effect charge  14  and the parachute  18  being connected in a manner which is permanent in all circumstances. 
   Once the plug connection  16  between the effect charge  14  and the parachute  18  has been mated as described above, the two together are pulled out of the adapter sleeve, which is used as the assembly aid  50  and is open at the top, and are plugged as a unit into the rocket casing  20 . The other components of the parachute signaling rocket  10  are then installed, with this being done in a manner that is known per se. 
   A parachute flare rocket or any other rocket or signaling means with a parachute can also be designed and produced in the manner described above in conjunction with the parachute signaling rocket  10 . 
   LIST OF REFERENCES 
     10  Parachute signaling rocket 
     12  Propellant charge 
     13  Firing direction 
     14  Effect charge 
     16  Plug connection 
     18  Parachute 
     20  Rocket casing 
     22  Initiator 
     24  Outer casing 
     26  Splint 
     27  Head 
     28  Disk 
     29  Constriction 
     30  Holding line 
     31  End area 
     32  Limb 
     50  Assembly aid 
     52  Assembly aid opening 
     59  Cover 
     60  Attachment opening 
     61  Hole 
     62  Attachment opening 
     63  Casing 
     64  Opening 
     65  Free end 
     66  Spring tongue