Patent GB-604815-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to shock absorbing or buffer means
IPC: B64C25/62
Filed: 1945-12-10
Abstract: 604,815. Shock-absorbers. MORLEY, H. Dec. 10, 1945, No. 33380. [Class 4] [Also in Groups XXX, XXXII and XXXIV] Shock-absorbers, which depend on the deformation of a member by hardened balls or rollers on relative movement in one of two directions, between the member and a second member which houses the balls and causes them to have wedging action (see Group XXXII), are applied to landing gear for parachutes, gliders and otherwise airborne objects, and to arresting aircraft launching apparatus. In the construction shown in Fig. 2, the shockabsorber 10 is of a telescopic form and is retracted in the inoperative position (as shown), and is pivotally connected between a member 23 of the underside of a parachute-borne freight container, and lugs 26 on a member 27 secured to the door or fairing means 28 for one-half of the container aperture. A further shockabsorber, not shown, co-operates in a similar manner with a second door or fairing means for the other half of the aperture. On release of detent means, not shown, securing the doors in the closed position they drop open by gravity assisted by internal springs in the shockabsorbers to take up a position shown in dot and dash lines. When the bottom of the member 27 strikes the ground, the shockabsorber is retracted and shock-absorbing action takes place. The lower position of the member 27 is designed to absorb impact produced by side drift as distinct from purely vertical movement. In the construction shown in Fig. 3, similar shock-absorbers 34-37 are universally connected between brackets on the base of a parachute container 31 and the ends of landing rails 32, and shock-absorbers 38-41 are similarly connected between each side of the base and the rails 32. In the operative position shown, the rails lie outwards from, and parallel to, each long side of the container and in the inoperative position before the shockabsorbers are extended, they lie against the base of the container, the shock-absorbers then lying in troughs formed in the rails. In the construction shown in Fig. 7, the shockabsorbers 57-62 are each in the form of a sleeve 51 containing the hardened balls which are slidable on a rod or tube 48 constituting the deformable member. Four shock-absorbers 57-60 are arranged down each side of the container base and are connected in pairs by toggle links 66-69 to landing rails 65. Pairs of shock-absorbers 61, 62 placed in the middle of the width of the base are connected by single links 63, 64 to the rails 65. On impact, each sleeve 51 is driven along its respective rod 48. Since each rod 48 is stressed in tension when deformation occurs, it is anchored at one end 49 only and supported at the other end 50. The sleeves 51 of adjacent shock-absorbers such as 57, 58 may be mounted on a common deformable member which then need only be supported, as distinct from anchored at each end. In a further construction, Fig. 5 (not shown), shock-absorbers of the kind shown in Fig. 2, are mounted vertically downwards at corners of the container and carry a landing tray which folds up against the base of the container during flight. Radius rods are provided to resist lateral loads.