Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 11/029,580, filed Jan. 5, 2005, which application is a divisional application of Ser. No. 10/671,845 filed Sep. 25, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,886,773, which is a standard patent application claiming the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/418,520, filed Oct. 15, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
   This application also relates to U.S. application Ser. No. 10/027,325 filed Dec. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,779,796; U.S. application Ser. No. 10/027,352 filed Dec. 20, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,543; and U.S. application Ser. No. 10/105,716 filed Mar. 25, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,683,555. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The present invention relates to aeronautics and more particularly to trailing devices used on aircraft. Even more particularly, the invention relates to a system and apparatus in which a decoy stored on the aircraft is rapidly deployed for protecting the aircraft and is subsequently retrievable back into the aircraft, ready for subsequent deployment. 
   2. Background Information 
   Aerial towed objects are used for a variety of purposes, including decoys, testing, and scientific investigations. In one embodiment, a towed decoy is used to draw various types of guided weapons, such as missiles, away from an aircraft that the weapons are intended to destroy. These towed targets and decoys contain various types of electronic circuits to create an apparent target to a weapon which attracts the weapon to the decoy rather than the aircraft. These types of decoys include devices which counter infrared guided and radar guided missiles that pose the primary threats to military aircraft engaged in a combat environment. It will be appreciated that these missiles use their radar guidance systems to get within striking distance of the aircraft, thereby substantially increasing their probability that the system on the missile will be able to lock onto the target. 
   Current military aircraft are vulnerable to attack from surface-to-air and air-to-air missiles. Statistical data on aircraft losses in hostile actions since 1980 show that almost 90 percent of these losses have been the result of missile attacks. As a result, the ability to deploy decoys that can counter guidance systems on these missiles is of great value to protect aircraft during combat situations. To do this, the missile is deflected away by generating a signal that causes the radar guidance system in the missile to think that the target is actually elsewhere than it actually is. 
   As the complexity and cost of bodies deployed and towed from various aircraft increases, it becomes increasingly desirable to be able to retrieve them for reuse, while not losing the fast deployment capability that currently exists with non-retrievable deployment systems. The current invention retains the existing fast deployment capability while enabling retrieval and reuse. 
   The growth of fast deploy/retrievable technology requires a change in the maintenance philosophy of the system. This change requires that any mechanism used for the deployment, tow and retraction of the body be completely recoverable, ensuring that the body resume it&#39;s original pre-deployed state within it&#39;s housing. The existing approach of pyrotechnic launch and sever is no longer appropriate. The existing approach of an ejecting aft weather shield is no longer appropriate. The existing approach of blind mating connectors to facilitate rapid stores replacement is no longer worth the cost and reduced reliability. 
   The slow speed capability of some craft creates the need for a means of severing the towed body with little or no tension on the towline. The existing pyrotechnic approach becomes less reliable as the tension on the cable is decreased. 
   There are also existing devices employing spring loaded booms to help control the separation phase of deployment. However, none are known that use spring loaded fins to accomplish a share of the energy storage. 
   In one prior art method to fast deploy, a towed body uses a solenoid braking system. This process is not recoverable and no retrieval mechanism is available. Another prior art fast deploy launch approach uses a pyrotechnic. The existing sever approach uses a pyrotechnic. The existing weather protection approach uses an ejecting aft weather shield. These approaches are not recoverable and require service to the assembly before subsequent deployments. The existing connection approach uses blind mating connectors to facilitate rapid stores replacement. This approach is costly and unreliable and is no longer required. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The system and apparatus of the present invention provides for the rapid deployment of a decoy from a moving object, such as an aircraft, which is connected to the aircraft by a towing cable preferably containing high voltage and fiber optic conductors to provide radar jamming signals to the decoy for disrupting the flight of a weapon, such as a missile, being guided to the aircraft by radar or other guidance signals. 
   Another aspect of the invention is to provide the system with an ejection device which rapidly deploys the decoy from its housing, which subsequently unwinds the cable from a spool containing a length of the towing cable by rotating an outer, generally cylindrical or cup-shaped bailer tube about the cable supply spool, and wherein the cable passes through a passage in the bailer tube and then through a cutter mechanism for severing the cable to detach the decoy from the aircraft should the need arise. 
   Another feature of the invention is to mount the cable supply spool in a non-rotational manner on a double helix rotatable shaft which reciprocates the spool along the shaft for removal of the cable from the spool, and wherein a DC motor is operatively connected to the rotatable shaft to control its rotational speed and consequently the payout speed of the cable from the spool reciprocally mounted on the shaft. 
   A further aspect of the invention is to provide a cutting mechanism containing a pair of solenoid actuated blades, one of which grips the cable to maintain tension thereon, while a second blade cuts the tensioned cable. This avoids problems occurring in prior severing systems wherein there is insufficient tension on the cable when the severing blade is engaged thereby eliminating the requirement for tension to be provided on the payload end of the system in order to efficiently sever the cable should the need arise after deployment of the decoy from the aircraft. 
   A further feature of the invention is to utilize a decoy with spring loaded fins biased to a fully extended position, which fins are engaged with the housing to assist in ejecting or deploying the decoy from the housing to increase the speed of deployment, and wherein the fins are automatically retractable into their loaded state upon the decoy being retrieved and restored in its storage housing beneath the aircraft. 
   Still another aspect of the invention is to provide one or more spring biased closure doors mounted on the discharge end of the storage housing which automatically close after the decoy has been retrieved to assist in keeping the decoy and components free of contaminants and harsh weather conditions, and in which the spring biased doors automatically open upon ejection of the decoy and boom from the storage housing. 
   A further aspect of the invention is to provide a locking mechanism which secures the cable payout bailer in a locked position upon the decoy reaching its extended position, and in which the lock remains engaged even should electric power be lost to the locking solenoid. 
   In further accordance with the invention, the energy stored in the springs which bias an extension boom to a deployment position in combination with the energy stored in the springs of the decoy fins, replace the energy heretofore obtained from pyrotechnic to rapidly deploy the decoy. Likewise, the towed body equipped with spring loaded fins which extend upon deployment, is augmented by the use of spring loaded boom to further eject the decoy and control its position throughout the separation phase of the deployment. 
   Furthermore, a DC motor is used to augment and control an optional centrifugal brake for the deployment of the decoy. A feedback and control system controls the speed of the deploying body by allowing it to fall away from the craft and accelerates it to the craft speed by matching separation speed to a predetermined velocity profile. This allows a fast deployment of the body without requiring the use of a transmission to disconnect the retrieval system and a separate braking control mechanism. A cable spool is locked by means of a fail safe pawl mechanism to tow the body without requiring a powered holding mechanism. Retrieval is accomplished by powering the DC motor to rewind the cable onto the spool. The device is fail safe such that in an unpowered condition the body will continue to be towed, and in the event of a failure of the spool lock actuator the body may still be retrieved. 
   The foregoing advantages, construction and operation of the present invention will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     A preferred embodiment of the invention, illustrative of the best mode in which applicant contemplates applying the principles, is set forth in the following description and is shown in the drawings and is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims. 
       FIG. 1  is a diagrammatic view of an aircraft with a decoy being deployed therefrom; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the canister, which houses the decoy and deployment/retrieval mechanism therefor removed from the aircraft; 
       FIG. 3  is a diagrammatic sectional view of the decoy and deployment/retrieval mechanism therefor mounted within the canister, which is shown in section; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged diagrammatic view of the DC motor and cable bailer assembly removed from the canister of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a block diagram of three enlarged fragmentary sectional views of the system components shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5A  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the bailer assembly of the deployment/retrieval mechanism; 
       FIG. 5B  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the towing cable cutter mechanism and bailer locking mechanism of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5C  is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of a portion of the decoy and extendable boom of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a fragmentary diagrammatic perspective view of the decoy mounted within the extendable boom of the deployment/retrieval mechanism with the boom in a retracted position; 
       FIG. 7  is a diagrammatic perspective view showing a portion of the boom mechanism shown in  FIG. 6 , with the decoy being removed therefrom; 
       FIG. 8  is a fragmentary perspective view showing the discharge end of the canister with the decoy starting to be deployed from the open end thereof; 
       FIG. 9  is an enlarged diagrammatic exploded perspective view showing the bailer locking mechanism and cutter mechanism; 
       FIG. 10  is an enlarged perspective view of the bailer locking mechanism; 
       FIG. 11  is an enlarged diagrammatic perspective view of the cutter mechanism and adjacent towing cable removed from the deployment/retrieval mechanism; and 
       FIG. 12  is a schematic drawing of a feedback/control system used in a preferred embodiment of the method and apparatus of the present invention. 
   

   Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIG. 1  illustrates one type of aircraft indicated at  1 , in which the improved payout and retrieval system and apparatus of the present invention can be utilized. The system includes a housing or canister  3 , which can have a rectangular shape as shown in  FIG. 2 , or other configurations without affecting the invention. Housing  3  preferably is attached to and beneath the body of the aircraft. A decoy or other type of towed device or body indicated generally at  5 , is connected to the deployment/retrieval apparatus by a cable  7 . Decoy  5  can have various constructions, and preferably contains various electronic circuitries and apparatus which sends out various jamming signals to confuse the control signals supplied to an incoming missile intended to strike the aircraft. In order to provide decoy  5  with the desired radar or other missile control jamming signals, cable  7  will contain a source of voltage as well as fiber optics to supply various signals thereto. One example of cable  7  can be of a type described in pending patent application Ser. No. 60/428,156, filed Nov. 21, 2002, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
   Housing  3  has top and bottom walls  9  and  10  and spaced side walls  11  and  12  which form a hollow interior  14 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , interior  14  is divided into a forward decoy storage compartment  15 , and an apparatus compartment or chamber  16 . 
   In accordance with one of the features of the invention, a bailer mechanism indicated generally at  18  ( FIGS. 4 and 5 ), is mounted within chamber  16 . Bailer mechanism  18  includes a spool  20  which contains a supply length of cable  7  and which is mounted for oscillation along a helix shaft  22 . Shaft  22  preferably is formed with a double helix, and is operatively connected to spool  20  by one or more pawls  23  which are engaged in helical grooves  24  of shaft  22 . A main control shaft  26  is telescopically mounted within and extends through a hollow interior  27  of helix shaft  22  and is connected by a coupler  28  to a DC drive motor  30 . Control shaft  26  is operatively connected to helix shaft  22  by a gear train indicated generally at  31  ( FIG. 5A ), so that rotation of shaft  26  by motor  30  will also rotate helix shaft  22 , but at a slower speed than that of control shaft  26 . Control shaft  26  is mounted by a rear bearing  33  in a fixed bulkhead  34 , which is securely mounted within the interior of housing  3 . The forward end of control shaft  26  ( FIG. 5B ) terminates in a squared end  36 , which secures shaft  26  to a forward hub  37  so that hub  37  rotates with shaft  26 . The forward end of helix shaft  22  is rotatably supported by a bearing  28  on forward hub  37 . 
   An outer bailer tub  40  is mounted about control shaft  26 , helix shaft  22 , and spool  20 , and is secured at its forward end to hub  37  by fasteners  41  ( FIG. 5B ) and at its rear end ( FIG. 5A ) by fasteners  42  to a collar  43 , which is rotatably mounted by a bearing ring  44  on bulkhead  34 . Thus, rotation of shaft  26  will rotate bailer tube  40 , as well as rotating helix shaft  22 , all of which in turn are connected directly to DC motor  30  through coupler  28 . A plurality of cable guide rollers  46 ,  47 , and  48  are mounted on bailer tube  40  or forward hub  37  to guide the cable from spool  20  through a solenoid locking mechanism and cutter mechanism described further below, for subsequent attachment to decoy  5 . 
   An anti-rotation tube  35  is rigidly mounted at one end to bulkhead  34  ( FIG. 5A ) and extends about spool  20  and is formed with a plurality of longitudinally extending slots  39  into which pins  45  extend to prevent rotation of spool  20  and assist in its oscillating movement along helix shaft  22 . Pins  45  are fixedly mounted in spool hub  49  and extend outwardly therefrom and into slots  39 . 
   Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , when decoy  5  is deployed from housing  3  as discussed further below, tension is applied to cable  7  and will begin to unwind from spool  22 , causing it to oscillate along helix shaft  22 , which in turn will rotate control shaft  26  through gear train  31 , which as shown in  FIG. 12 , will supply signals to the control circuitry which controls the speed of the deploying decoy. The control circuitry allows decoy  5  to fall away from the aircraft and accelerate to the aircraft&#39;s speed by matching separation speed to a predetermined velocity profile. This allows a fast deployment of the decoy without requiring the use of a transmission to disconnect the retrieval system in a separate braking control mechanism as described further below. U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,997 discloses one method of monitoring the velocity and total deployment distance of the ejected object for subsequent actuation of a braking mechanism upon the ejected body reaching the desired deployment speed and distance. The contents of U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,997 are incorporated herein by reference. 
   In accordance with another feature of the invention, the system of the present invention includes a unique deployment mechanism, shown particularly in  FIGS. 5C-8 . Decoy  5 , when stored in housing  3  rests upon an extendable boom, which is indicated generally at  50 . Boom  50  is moveably mounted in decoy storage compartment  15  ( FIG. 3 ) and includes a plurality of guide rollers  51  ( FIG. 6 ) which moveably suspend boom  50  on a pair of guide rails  53  which are attached to housing top wall  9 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , boom  50  includes a pair of spaced side walls  55  and front and rear decoy rests  56  and  57  extending therebetween. An intermediate decoy capstan  59  is slidably mounted between front and rear decoy rests  56  and  57  by a pair of spaced slide rods  60 . A pair of constant force coil springs  61  are mounted on a bottom wall  62  of boom  50  and a pair of deployment spring strips  63  extend along boom  50  and connect to a pair of posts  64  which are secured to the housing side walls  11  and  12  so that springs  61  bias boom  50  in an outward forward decoy deployment direction as shown by arrow A in  FIG. 7 . Thus, springs  61  bias boom  50  in the deployment direction of arrow A which supports decoy  5  in an at-rest retracted stored position within housing  3 , ready for deployment upon a deployment signal being transmitted to the bailer locking solenoid as described further below. 
   In further accordance with another feature of the invention, when decoy  5  is supported on extendable boom  50  and stored within housing  3 , a plurality of decoy stabilizing fins  66  are in a retracted position as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 . Fins  66  are spring biased toward an outward extended position as shown by arrows B in  FIG. 8 , and when in the stored position, will engage ejection angled blocks  68 , which are mounted on housing  3  adjacent an open discharge end  69 . This relationship between spring biased fins  66  and blocks  68  further bias decoy  5  in the eject direction of arrow C, as shown in  FIG. 8 , in addition to the biasing force exerted thereon by springs  61 . 
   In accordance with another feature of the invention, discharge end  69  of housing  3  is closed by a pair of closure doors  71  which are spring biased by springs  72  toward a closed position as shown in  FIG. 3 . Doors  71  protect decoy  5 , including the associated components and electronic connections, etc. from exposure to the harsh surrounding atmosphere and weather which will be encountered when mounted beneath aircraft  1 . Two such closure doors  71  are shown in  FIG. 8 , which when in the closed position, form a complete closure for end opening  69 . Doors  71  are opened automatically to a position as shown in  FIG. 8 , upon boom  50  moving outwardly from housing  3  by the action of ejection springs  61  and spring biased fins  66 . 
   In accordance with still another feature of the invention, a cutter mechanism indicated generally at  75 , is mounted within housing  3 , between decoy storage compartment  15  and bailer compartment  16 , for severing cable  7  should the need arise after the decoy has been deployed. Although the present invention contemplates the retrieval of decoy  5  back into housing  3 , certain situations can arise after it has been deployed, where it becomes necessary to detach the decoy from the towing aircraft by severing cable  7 . Heretofore, pyrotechnics was utilized to sever the cable, which has various drawbacks. 
   Cutter mechanism  75  includes an electric actuated rotary solenoid  77  which is mounted between a front solenoid mounting plate  78  and a rear solenoid lock plate  79 . Lock plate  79  is rigidly mounted within housing  3  and is connected to bulkhead  34  by a plurality of stabilizing rods  80  ( FIG. 5 ) extending therebetween. Solenoid  77  ( FIG. 11 ) includes a pair of rotatable disks, including a front grabber disk  81  and a spaced rear cutter disk  82 . Solenoid  77  is located adjacent a cable guide bracket  84  which is formed with a pair of slots  85  and  86 . Cable  7  moves through a passage  88  formed in bracket  84  and through slots  85  and  86 . A grabber blade  90 , having a saw tooth edge  91 , is mounted by a fastener  92  on disk  81  and extends outwardly therefrom, and is adapted to move into slot  85  of bracket  84  to grip cable  7  therein. A cutter blade  94  is attached to and extends outwardly from cutter disk  82  and moves into guide bracket slot  86  upon solenoid  77  being actuated. Should the necessity arise for severing cable  7 , solenoid  77  is actuated which rotates disks  81  and  82  in a clockwise direction as shown in FIG.  11 , bringing saw tooth edge  91  into gripping engagement with cable  7  which will maintain tension on cable  7  until blade  94  moves into slot  86  to sever the cable. 
   Heretofore, if a blade, whether actuated by pyrotechnics or other type of force, engages cable  7 , the cable may not have sufficient tension thereon to enable the blade to completely sever the cable, depending upon the particular position of the decoy at the time the blade is moved into severing engagement with the cable. However, by first gripping cable  7  with blade  90 , it maintains the cable under tension regardless of the position of the decoy, enabling blade  94 , which follows immediately after blade  90  grips cable  7 , to completely sever the cable. A torsional spring (not shown) is located between disks  81  and  82  to bias disk  81  and blade  90  in the clockwise direction so that blade  90  maintains a gripping engagement with cable  7  as cutter blade  82  rotates into cutting engagement with the cable. A plurality of arcuate slots  95  preferably are formed in grabber disk  81  and have stop pins  96  extending therethrough. This maintains grabber disk  81  in its forward-most gripping position after solenoid  77  is energized and the torsional spring continues to bias disk  81  in this grabbing direction. 
   In accordance with still another feature of the invention, a bailer lockout mechanism indicated generally at  100 , is provided to lock bailer mechanism  18  in a fixed non-rotatable condition after the decoy has been deployed to its desired length. Bailer lockout mechanism  100  is best shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , and includes a rotary solenoid  101 , which is mounted in an offset relationship between plates  78  and  79 . Solenoid  101  includes a rotatable disk  106  which drivingly engages a rotatably mounted cam or gear  111 , which in turn rotates a shaft  102  which is rotatably mounted in and extends through plate  79 . Shaft  102  which is provided with gear teeth  103  ( FIG. 5B ), which matingly engage complementary gear teeth  104  formed on the inner end of a plurality of cams  105 . Cams  105  extend radially outwardly with respect to shaft  102 , and are located within an annular recess  107  formed in the rear of plate  79 . The outer ends of cams  105  are formed with a tooth  108  which is adapted to matingly engage gear teeth  109  formed in a control ring  110  ( FIG. 9 ) which extends into recess  107  and is fixedly connected to forward hub  37  of bailer mechanism  18  as shown in  FIG. 5B . The extended ends of cams  105  are formed with holes  112  through which pins  113  extend to pivotally mount cams  105  on plate  79 . Thus, as best shown in  FIG. 10 , upon actuation of solenoid  101 , rotation of shaft  102  will pivot cams  105 , moving teeth  108  into engagement with gear teeth  109  of control ring  110 , coupling the solenoid and in particular, cams  105 , with bailer mechanism  18 . Thus, when teeth  108  are engaged with teeth  109  of control ring  110 , it will prevent the rotation of bailer tube  40  which is attached to ring  110 , and correspondingly prevent the further deployment of cable  7  from spool  20 . Thus, upon the control circuitry of  FIG. 12  and as discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,014,997, detecting that the decoy has reached the desired extended position, lock solenoid  101  is actuated by de-energizing the solenoid, which will rotate lock teeth  108  into engagement with control ring  110  to prevent any further rotation of bailer tube  40 . 
   Solenoid shaft  102  is formed with a central hole  115  through which cable  7  extends for connecting the cable to decoy  5  as shown in  FIGS. 5B and 5C . A plurality of posts  116  extend between spaced plates  78  and  79  to provide the desired spacing and stability thereto. Front plate  78  is formed with a central hole  118 , which aligns with hole  115  formed in solenoid shaft  102 , to permit the passage of cable  7  therethrough. When decoy  5  is at rest within housing  3  and supported on extendable boom  50 , cable  7  is under sufficient tension to maintain the decoy in housing  3 , in which position outer doors  71  will be closed. In this position, bailer locking mechanism  100  is engaged, preventing the rotation of bailer tube  40 , and thus maintaining the desired tension on cable  7 . 
   When in an at rest position, decoy  5  is retained within storage compartment  15  by cable  7  which is wrapped about spool  20  and which is in a locked position by bailer lockout mechanism  100  as discussed above. Upon the appropriate signal being supplied to lockout mechanism  100 , solenoid  101  is energized which rotates shaft  102  in a counterclockwise direction ( FIG. 10 ) to disengage teeth  108  from control ring teeth  109 . Torsional springs  61  and spring biased fins  66  will immediately move boom  50  and supported decoy  5  forwardly in the direction of arrow C ( FIG. 8 ) to eject decoy  5  from housing  3 . The unique combination of coil springs  61  and spring biased fins  66  increases the ejection speed of the decoy from the housing without the use of pyrotechnics. Cable  7  will continue to unwind from spool  20  by oscillating along helix shaft  22  as bailer tube  40  rotates, with cable  7  moving along and in between rollers  46 ,  47 , and  48  and through rotary solenoid shaft hole  102  of the bailer lockout mechanism, and through cable passage  88  formed in guide bracket  84 . Decoy  5  continues to be deployed until the desired speed and length of cable  7  has been reached, as discussed above, whereupon appropriate signals are forwarded to DC motor  30 . Motor  30  is energized and provides a reverse or braking effect to the motor shaft and correspondingly, to main drive shaft  26  ( FIG. 5A ). Shaft  26  in turn, slows the rotation of helix shaft  22  through gear train  31 , and correspondingly slows the reciprocal movement of spool  20  therealong. After DC motor  30  has stopped the rotation of shafts  26  and  22  and the movement of the spool  20  preventing further payout of cable  7  therefrom, bailer lockout mechanism  100  is actuated and in particular, rotary solenoid  101 , which moves pawl teeth  108  into locking engagement with teeth  109  of control ring  110  which is fixed to bailer tube  40 , preventing any further rotation of the bailer assembly. As discussed above, should the need arise, cutter mechanism  75  can be actuated to sever the cable to release decoy  5  from being towed by aircraft  1 . 
   However, in most situations, it is desired to retrieve decoy  5  back into housing  3  ready for redeployment. This is accomplished easily by energizing rotary solenoid  101  of bailer lockout mechanism  100 , and energizing DC motor  30  to rotate control shaft  26  in an opposite direction from that of the deployment direction, which in turn will rotate helix shaft  22  and oscillate spool  20  therealong to wind cable  7  about the spool, bringing decoy  5  back into position on decoy rests  56  and  57  and decoy capstan  59  of extended boom  50 . After decoy  5  has come to rest on extendable boom  50 , continued tension on cable  7  will move the extended boom back into housing  3  by decoy  5  being drawn further into the housing. Retraction of boom  50  will rewind spring strips  63  within torsional springs  61  so that the springs are ready again to extend boom  50  should the need arise. After boom  50  is retracted, closure doors  71  are automatically pivoted to a closed position by springs  72 , sealing the end of housing  3  from contaminants. Fins  66  will fold in automatically upon entering housing  3 , and will engage angled blocks  68  so that they are also in a biasing position, attempting to eject decoy  5  from housing  3 . Thus, decoy  5  is in position for subsequent deployment should the need arise without requiring any further maintenance or reloading as in prior deployment systems. As shown in  FIG. 5A , the retraction force which is exerted by control shaft  26  is coupled directly to the motor, which provides both the retraction force for retrieving decoy  5 , as well as the dynamic braking as the decoy is being deployed from housing  3 . 
   There are existing devices employing spring loaded booms to help control the separation phase of deployment. However, none of these devices are known to use spring loaded fins to provide a share of the energy storage. Also, there is no known apparatus which provides for the fast deploy, towed body assembly that uses spring loaded weather doors, zero tension cutter functionality as that of the present invention. The present invention also provides a cutter assembly that uses a holding mechanism to insert zero tension cutter functionality, and provides for severing a towed body with zero tension on the towline. 
   Also, as best shown in  FIG. 3 , the present invention provides a deployment/retrieval system and apparatus wherein the deployment and retrieval apparatus are in alignment with the decoy instead of being in a stacked relationship as in prior systems. This provides for a more streamlined and compact housing, as shown in  FIG. 2 , for mounting on an aircraft. 
   The method of the present invention also provides for a controlled fast deployment, tow and retrieval of a towed body behind a craft without the use of a transmission to disengage the retrieval mechanism or separate brake mechanism. The device is fail safe such that in an unpowered condition the body will continue to be towed, and in the event of a failure of the spool lock actuator the body may still be retrieved. 
   The method of the present invention also provides all the required functionality in completely recoverable form. Each function operates on deployment in one direction and reverses on retraction such that the initial conditions for subsequent launches is the same as for the initial launch. 
   While the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments of the various figures, it is to be understood that other similar embodiments may be used or modifications and additions may be made to the described embodiment for performing the same function of the present invention without deviating therefrom. Therefore, the present invention should not be limited to any single embodiment, but rather construed in breadth and scope in accordance with the recitation of the appended claims. 
   In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
   Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.

Technology Category: 4