Patent GB-1046589-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to multiple ejection seat installations
IPC: B64D25/10
Filed: 1964-09-11
Abstract: 1,046,589. Multiple ejection seats. J. MARTIN. Nov. 27, 1964 [Sept. 11, 1964], No. 48232/64. Divided out of 1,046,588. Heading B7G. An aircraft ejection seat installation comprises two or more ejection seats, each having an ejection initiating mechanism, these mechanisms being so connected that operation of one of them, referred to as the captain's, causes operation of the others, but operation of any of the other mechanisms causes ejection only of the seat with which it is associated. Fig. 1 shows an installation for two seats, each seat being associated with a coupling 5 or 47 having a part 4 or 70 fixed to the ejection seat and a part 6 or 46 fixed to the aircraft, and a mechanism 26 or 79 for unlocking the cockpit canopies and actuating rams 32, 33, 82, 83 for jettisoning the canopies. The couplings 5, 47, which form the subjectmatter of Specification 1,046,588, have inlets 7, 71, 45 for fluid pressure which acts on pistons which detonate an explosive cartridge in each of the parts of the couplings. The outlets of the ejection seat parts of the couplings are connected by conduits 9, 76 to the ejection gun initiating mechanism and to devices for correctly positioning the airmen in their seats before ejection, such as the head restraining mechanism of Specification 980,658, and the harness retracting mechanism of Specification 1,012,353. The outlets of the aircraft parts 6, 46 of the couplings are connected by conduits 10, 12, 14, 24, and 51, 78 to the mechanisms 26, 79. The conduit 24 contains a booster unit 17 (Fig. 5, not shown), in which upstream fluid pressure (from the part 6) detonates a cartridge to produce a further charge of gas. The canopy unlocking mechanisms 26 (Figs. 6 and 7, not shown), and 79 each have an inlet 25 through which gas flows to depress a piston 146 to detonate a charge 144. The charge depresses a plunger 148 connected to a linkage (not shown) for unlocking the canopy, and the gas generated then passes through passages 153, 154 to actuate a piston 152 to detonate a further cartridge 150 which supplies gas through conduits 30, 31 and 80, 81 to the jettisoning rams 32, 33 and 82, 83. The outlet conduit 10 of the captain's coupling 5 is also connected, through a booster unit 36 similar to the unit 17, to the inlet 45 of the crew's coupling 47, and to a crash recorder time delay mechanism 42 (Fig. 11, not shown). Thus the captain, by pulling a handle 1 to fire a cartridge 2, can eject both seats, and the crew, by pulling handle 74 to fire a cartridge 73, can only eject his seat. The captain and crew can unlock and jettison their own canopies without ejecting by pulling handles 22, 56 to fire cartridges 21, 55. The gases they generate are isolated from the other airman's equipment by non-return valves 13, 65, 60. The canopies may also be unlocked and jettisoned from outside the aircraft by pulling on one of the lines 69, 87 to remove a sear, thus allowing a cartridge 68 or 86 to be fired. The gas so formed is conveyed to further inlets 27 in the mechanisms 26, 79 and isolated from the inlets 25 by non-return valves 156, 157 (Fig. 7, not shown). The burning times of the various cartridges are arranged so that the equipment operates in the desired sequence; where all seats are ejected they may be ejected together or sequentially.