8/22/2019 Tow Target Cable Drag Mechanism (1941)

1/4

8/22/2019 Tow Target Cable Drag Mechanism (1941)

2/4

P a t e n t e d F e b . 9 , 1 9 4 3 2,310,249

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE2,310,249

AERODYNAMIC RELEASE DRAG FORTOWTARGETSJames . Maskey, D a y t o n , Ohio

A p p l i c a t i o n May 6 , 1 9 4 1 , S e r i a l l i l o . 3 9 5 , 2 5 11 C l a i m . ( C l . 273-1053)

(Granted under the a c t o f Ma rc h 3 , 1 8 8 3 , a s7 / amended A p r i l 3 0 , 1 9 2 8 ; 3 7 0 0 . G . 7 5 7 )T h e i n v e n t i o n d e s c r i b e d herein may be manufactured an d used by or f o r the G o ve r n m e n t f o rg o v e r n m e n t a l p u r p o s e s , ~ w i t h o u t t h e payment t ome f an y r o y a l t y t h e r e o n .This i n v e n t i o n r e l a t e s t o m e a ns f o r r e l e a s i n g

t a r g e t s towed by an a i r c r a f t f o r us e i n a n t ia i r c r a f t gunnery p r a c t i c e .I t has h e r e t o f o r e been common r a c t i c e i n thea r t t o employ a - r e l e a s i n g d e v i c e o n the en d o f thet a r g e t tow c a b l e i n c o r p o r a t i n g a a t c h an d t r i g g e rmechanism such as i l l u s t r a t e d in U. S . Patent No.1 , 9 7 1 , 3 4 0 g r a n t e d t o A l b e r t C . F o u l k , t h e l a t c hbeing p e r a t i v e t o s e r v e as a h o o k t o engage a i n ga t t a c h e d t o t h e t wo t a r g e t , b r i d l e t o t h e r e b y towt h e t a r g e t . In o r d e r t o r e p l a c e t h e t a r g e t b e i n gtowed with a new t a r g e t , the l a t t e r t a r g e t , t i e d

i n a pack by a c o r d , i s s e c u r e d t o a r i n g p l a c e d o nt h e t ow l i n e an d r e l e a s e d to s l i d e ' d o w n t h e t o wl i n e , the r i n g engaging the t r i g g e r o f the r e l e a s ed e v i c e t o r e l e a s e the l a t c h an d disconnect thet a r g e t b e i n g t o w e d and b e i n g r e s e t t o c o n n e c t t h eexchange t a r g e t , t h e t r i g g e r s e v e r i n g t h e packcord t o allow the exchange t a r g e t t o be i n f l a t e d .In order t o r e l e a s e the l a s t t a r g e t being t owed adrag weight secured t o a guide ring has been emp l o y e d t o s l i d e d o w n the tow c a b l e an d r e l e a s et h e l a s t t a r g e t and f u r n i s h i n g enough drag t omaintain t h e t ow c a b l e s u ? i c i e n t l y t a u t t o a l l o wr e w i n d i n g .Th e exchanging f t a r g e t s and r e l e a s i n g t h e l a s ttarget by a r e l e a s e drag, as above d e s c r i b e d , hasbeen s a t i s f a c t o r y where t h e l e n g t h o f t h e towl i n e i s between ?ve h u n d r e d an d o n e t h ousan dfeet, but i n o r d e r t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e ?ring a t t a r g e t sa t high a l t i t u d e s an d t o i n s u r e s a f e t y t o t h e towi n g a i r c r a f t , i t i s n e c e s s a r y t o tow t h e t a r g e t s a td i s t a n c e s as great a s ?fty-?ve hun d r ed f e e t f r o mt h e towing a i r c r a f t . With tow c a b l e l e n g t h s o ft h i s amount, t h e weight o f the c a b l e causes t h esame t o sa g i n the f o r m o f a catenary having as t e e p upward s l o p e a d j a c e n t t o t h e tow t a r g e tsuch t h a t t h e exchange t a r g e t an d r e l e a s e d r a g ,w h e n a r r i e d by r i n g s s l i d a b l e o n the tow a b l e , a sabove e x p l a i n e d , would n o t n e g o t i a t e t h e upwards l o p e o f t h e tow a b l e , n e c e s s i t a t i n g t h e h a u l i n g i no f the t o w c a b l e i n order t o exchange t a r g e t s , orto release t h e last target.T h e above-noted d i ? i c u l t i e s encountered withthe use o f long t o w c a b l e s have been overcome i naccordance with t h e p r i n c i p a l o b je c t o f t h e i nvention by the p r o v i s i o n i n combination with at a r g e t towing c a b l e an d t a r g e t r e l e a s e mechanism t h e r e f o r , o f a t r a v el e r s l i d a b l y m o u n t e d o nthe tow c a b l e adapted t o s l i d e o v e r the body o ft h e r e l e a s e d e v i c e t o a c t u a t e r e l e a s e mechanism

10

1 5

20

2 5

30

40

50

65

t o t h e r e b y r e l e a s e a t a r g e t s e c u r e d t h e r e b y , t h ev t r a v e l e r being provided with a surface acted o nby t h e a i r s t r e a m t o p r o p e l t h e t r a v e l e r a l o n g t h etow c a b l e , t h e s a i d s u r f a c e b e i n g a c t e d upon byl i f t i n g f o r c e s when t r a v e r s i n g upwardly i n c l i n e dp o r t i o n s of t h e tow a b l e .A u r t h e r o b j e c t o f t h e i n v e n t i o n i s the pro

v i s i o n i n combination wit h a t a r g e t t ow a b l e an dt a r g e t r e l e a s e mechanism t h e r e f o r o f a t r a v e l e rs l i d a b l y m o u n t e d thereon an d adapted t o t r a n sport an exchange t a r g e t t o s a i d t a r g e t r e l e a s emechanism, s a i d t r a v e l e r b e i n g p r o v i d e d with r opolling means acted on b y ae r o d y n a m ic f o r c e s .O t her o b j e c t s o f the i n v e n t i o n w i l l become apparent t o t h o s e s k i l l e d i n the a r t by r e f e r e n c e t ot h e d e t a i l e d d e s c r i p t i o n h e r e i n a f t e r g i v e n whentaken i n c o n j u n c t i o n w i t h t h e appended drawingin which: a

F i g . 1 i l l u s t r a t e s an aerodynamically p r o p e l l e dr e l e a s e drag o r t r a v e l e r i n accordan ce with thei n v e n t i o n advancing a l o n g a t a r g e t t ow c a b l e t orelease a target towed thereby, and

F i g . 2 i s a s i d e e l e v a t i o n s e c t i o n a l view o f ther e l e a s e drag o r t r a v e l e r i l l u s t r a t e d i n F i g . l , and_ F i g . 3 i s a f r o n t e l e v a t i o n o f the r e l e a s e dragi l l u s t r a t e d i n F i g . 2 , an dF i g . 4 i s a view i l l u s t r a t i n g the use o f a n aerodynamically p r o p e l l e d r e l e a s e drag o r t r a v el e r f o rt r a n s p o r t i n g an exchange t a r g e t a l o n g t h e t a r g e ttow c a b l e .R e f e r r i n g n o w t o F i g . l , t h e r e f e r e n c e numeral

I i n d i c a t e s a p o r t i o n o f t h e tow c a b l e f o r towingt a r g e t s , one end o f which passes t h r ough a guidet u b e a s s o c i a t e d with a W i n d l a s s ( n o t shown)mounted i n t h e t o w i n g a i r c r a f t , and t h e o t h e ren d o f which i s secured i n a t a r g e t ' r e l e a s e memb e r g e ne r a l l y i n d i c a t ed by t h e r e f e r e n c e numeral2 an d s i m i l a r i n - d e s i g n t o that i l l u s t r a t e d an dd e sc r i b e d i n t h e a f o r e m e n t i o n e d U . S . P a t e n t N o .1 , 9 7 1 , 3 4 0 g r a n t e d t o A l b e r t C . F o u l k , t h e s p e c i ? cs t r u c t u r e o f which forms no part o f the p r e s e n ti n v e n t i o n . T h e r e l e a s e d e v i c e 2 comprises a gene r a l l y s t r e a m l i n e d body p o r t i o n 3 h a v i n g a t r i g g e rl e v e r 4 ?xedly mounted t h e r e i n an d a d a p t e d ,w h e n d e p r e s s e d , to t i l t a p i v o t a l l e v e r 5 t o lowera h o o k portion 6 thereof s o as t o r e l e a s e a guider i n g I t o which i s attached a c a b l e 8 secured a ti ts o u t e r end t o t h e b r i d l e o f a t a r g e t ( n o t shown).A s s e e n i n F i g . 1 , a r e l e a s e d r a g , g e n e r a l l y i n d ic a t e d by t h e r e f e r e n c e numeral I 0 , i s shown a sapproaching t h e ' r e l e a s e d e v i c e 2 under t h e in?uence o f aerodynamic f o r c e s c r e a t e d by the movi n g a i r stream a c t i n g t h e r e on , an d a s s e e n i n F i g s .2 an d 3 , _ t h e r e l e a s e drag c o m p r i s e s an annulars l e e v e or f e r r u l e l l provided with a curved cen

8/22/2019 Tow Target Cable Drag Mechanism (1941)

3/4

2t r a l l y d i s p o s e d a p e r t u r e 1 2 t h e r e i n , which i sa d a p t e d t o s u r r o u n d t h e tow c a b l e I o f F i g . l .Th e s l e e v e I I i s p r o v i d e d with a s u i t a b l e s h o u ld e r which a b u t s a g a i n s t an annular d i s c l l whichi s s e c u r e d i n clamped r e l a t i o n with the s h o u l d e rof t h e sleeve I I by means f a u t l 5 t h r e a d e d ont o / t h e threaded p o r t i o n I of h e s l e e v e I I . T h e

. d i s c I 4 i s made of an outside diameter such thatwhen r e l e a s e d from t h e t o w i n g a i r c r a f t i n t o t h ea i r stream a t a v e l o c i t y o f n i n e t y t o one hun d redm i l e s an h o u r , t h e r e l e a s e drag I I I w i l l be prop e l l e d a l o n g r e l a t i v e t o t h e tow a b l e I w i t h sum1 0

cient force so tha t i t may climb the upwar d l yi n c l i n e d p o r t i o n o f the c a b l e which o c c u r s w h e nthe tow l i n e i s , f o r example, the order o f ?vethousand f e e t a r e v i o u s l y n o t e d . I t w i l l ben o t e d , a s s e e n i n F i g . 1 , t h e r e l e a s e drag w i l l bei n c l i n e d a t an a n g l e t o t h e r e l a t i v e wind s o t h a t .i n a d d i t i o n t o t h e d r a g f o r c e s e x e r t e d by t h e a i rstream t h e r e o n , the drag w i l l a l s o be s u b j e c t e d t oa l i f t i n g f o r c e , which thus e n a b l e s the drag t oc l i m b t h e i n c l i n e d c a b l e an d s l i p o v e r the bodyp o r t i o n 3 o f t h e t a r g e t r e l e a s e mechanism t o t r i pt h e t r i g g e r 4 and r e l e a s e t h e g u i d e r i n g 1 an d a r

7 ge t attached t h e r e t o . After the r e l e a s e drag I 0p a s s e s o v e r t h e t r i g g e r l , r e s e t t i n g s p r i n g s w i t h i n~thebody ofthereleasemechanism 2wilicausethe t r i g g e r 4 t o return t o the p o s i t i o n shown an da l l o w l e v e r 5 t o r e t u r n t o i t s i n i t i a l p o s i t i o n witht h e hook o r t i o n 6 t h e r e of i n the o s i t i o n a s i l l u st r a t e d i n F i g . 1 t o t h e r e b y r e t a i n t h e r e l e a s e dragon the r e l e a s e mechanism 2 i n the same p o s i t i o nas the g u i d e r i n g I i s now n d i c a t e d . When husr e t a i n e d on the end o f the r e l e a s e d e v i c e 2 , thedrag member I I w i l l e x e r t sumcient drag o n thec a b l e t o maintain the same taut so that i t maybe r e e l e d i n by the w i n d l a s s on the towing a i rc r a f t , an d f u r t h e r , because o f the d i s c or vanep o r t i o n l 4 , s u f f i c i e n t l i f t w i l l be e x e r t e d on theo u t e r end o f the c a b l e t o p r e v e n t - t h e same f r omd r o p p i n g an d o s c i l l a t i n g d u r i n g t h e r e w i n d i n gthereof. -Referring now o F i g . 4 , i t i s seen that a n aerod y n a m i c a l l y p r o p e l l e d t r a v e l e r may b e e m p l o y e df o r t h e purpose o f t r a n s p o r t i n g t h e exchanget a r g e t along an upwardly i n c l i n e d t ow c a b l e t or e l e a s e a t a r g e t then being towed an d r e p l a c i n gthe same by the exchange t a r g e t . A s seen i nF i g . 4 , the g u i d e r i n g 1 i s ma d e n a f o r m adaptedt o s l i d e over the b od y p o r t i o n o f t he t a r g e t r el e a s e mechanism an d s adapted by mean s o f thec a b l e 8 t o t o w a t a r g e t 9 . A guide r i n g 20 o f ac o n s t r u c t i o n i d e n t i c a l with t h a t o f the p r e v io u s l y mentioned g u i d e r i n g I , a s shown, o m p r i s e sa c e n t r a l h u b portion or f e r r u l e provided w i th ane n l a r g e d c e n t r a l a p e r t u r e 2 2 , which s u r r o u n d s t h et ow c a b l e I an d s provided with a d i s c 23 i d e n t ic a l i n shape with t h e d i s c l l o f the drag membe rI n a s i l l u s t r a t e d i n F i g s . 2 an d 3 , the only d i ff e r e n c e therefrom being t h a t the h u b o r t i o n an dd i s c ar e formed in a s i n g l e p i e c e a n d t h e d i s c i sprovided near i t s o u t e r edge with an aperture2 4 through which the ey e o f a connecting c a b l e25 may be secured, th e cable 25 being t i e d to theb r i d l e 2 6 o f t h e exchange t a r g e t 2 1 , the l a t t e rbeing maintained i n a f o l d e d bundle by m e a nso f a l i n e n thread 2 8 which s ruptured by impacto f t h e g u i d e r i n g 2 0 with t h e t r i g g e r l o f t h et a r g e t r e l e a s e d e v i c e 2 .T h e o p e r a t i o n o f the t a r g e t exchange meansi l l u s t r a t e d i n F i g . 4 i s as f o l l o w s : A n umber o fg u i d e r i n g s , such a s I an d 2 0 , a r e i n i t i a l l y s l i p p e don t h e c a b l e g u i d e a s s o c i a t e d with t h e w i n d l a s so n t h e a i r c r a f t b e f o r e the ? r s t t a r g e t i s secured t ot h e drag member an d r e l e a s e d . A f t e r t h e ? r s t

1 5

20

25

30

2 , 3 1 0 , 2 4 9t a r g e t i s p i e r c e d by a n t i - a i r c r a f t ? r e , an d s r eq u i r e d t o b e d r o p p e d t o t h e b a t t e r y b e l o w , t h ec a b l e 2 5 s e c u r e d t o one o f t h e g u i d e r i n g s , suchas I or 2 ! , i s t i e d - t o an exchange t a r g e t i n theman n er d e s c r i b e d an d t h e exchange t a r g e td r o ppe d t h ro u g h a u i t a b l e opening in the b ot t omo f t he a i r c r a f t to s l i d e along the c a b l e . Upone j e c t i o n f r o m the a i r c r a f t , t h e g u i d e r i n g o rt r a v e l e r 2 | i s s u b j e c t e d t o a e r o d y n a m i c f o r c e s i nthe same man n er a s p r e v i o u s l y d e s c r i b e d withr e f e r e n c e t o t h e r e l e a s e drag member I D o f F i g . l ,an d t h e c o m b i n a t i o n o f l i f t i n g an d d r a g f o r c e s ,due t o the a i r stream a c t i n g o n the d i s c p o r t i o n2 3 , w i l l p r o p e l t h e g u i d e r i n g 2 0 an d exchanget a r g e t 2 1 a l o n g t h e c a b l e an d p r o v i d e s u f f i c i e n tf o r c e t o c a u s e t h e g u i d e r i n g a n d . exchange t a r g e tt o c l i m b the i n c l i n e d p o r t i o n o f t h e t ow c a b l ew h e n t h e l a t t e r i s l o n g , such a s from one t h o usand t o ? f t y - ? v e hundred f e e t i n l e n g t h . U p o na r r i v a l o f the t a r g e t r e l e a s e d e v i c e 3 , the g u i d er i n g 2 0 s l i d e s t h e r e a l o n g t o t r i p t h e t r i g g e r I a n d .t o r e l e a s e t h e g u i d e r i n g 1 , which s s e c u r e d bymeans f the hook o r t i o n 6 o f the e v e r 5 , t h e r e b yr e l e a s i n g t h e t a r g e t 9 an d a l l o w i n g t h e hook 6t o return t o i ts i n i t i a l p o s i t i o n t o s ec u r e theguide r i n g 2 0 i n towing r e l a t i o n i n the samem a n n e r as a t present i n d i c a t e d f o r the g u i d er i n g 1 . T h e impact t r a n s m i t t e d t o t h e g u i d er i n g 2 0 by t h e t r i g g e r I , whe n a s s i n g t h e r e o v e r ,causes a su?icient force o n the b r i d l e 28 of theexchange t a r g e t t o r u p t u r e t h e t h r e a d s 2 8 whichm a i n ta i n t h e target i n a bu n d le and thus allow

35

40

45

50

55

60

6 5

70

7 5

t h e t a r g e t t o u n f o l d an d become i n ? a t e d . A n yd e s i r e d number o f t a r g e t s may hus be exchangeds u c c e s s i v e l y i n a s i m i l a r m a n n e r an d a f t e r t h e l a s t t a r g e t has been exchanged an d remains onthe en d o f t he t o w c a b l e , t he same may be r el e a s e d by means of a r e l e a s e d r a g , such a s i l l u stratedat I I I i n F i g . ' 1 , t o p r o v i d e s u ? i c i e n t d r a go n t he c a b l e to allow the same to be d r a w n i n t othe a i r c r a f t by means o f the W i n d l a s s .In p r a c t i c e , a d i s c o n e i t h e r the r e l e a s e drag

I I I o f F i g . 1 or guide r i n g 2 0 o f F i g . 4 , o f a d i ameter o f a p p r o x i m a t e l y ?ve i n c h e s has beenfound t o p r o v i d e a l l o f the necessary f o r c e t oeither serve as a release d r a g or as a travelerf o r exchanging t a r g e t s o n t o w l i n e s u p t o f i f t y?ve hundred f e e t i n l e n g t h , an d o b v i o u s l y , anyd e s i r e d amount o f f o r c e may e r e a t e d by s i m p l ye n l a r g i n g the d i s c M f the drag membe r I n o fF i g . 1 or the d i s c 2 3 o f the t r a v e l e r 2 0 o f F i g . 4 .when a drag or t r a v e l e r o f the character des c r i b e d an d having a diameter o f ?ve i n c h e s i sr e l e a s e d i n t o a r e l a t i v e l y moving a i r stream o fninety miles or m o r e per hour, the drag f o r c eexerted o n the r e l e a s e drag or t r a v e l e r i s s u ? lc i e n t t o a c c e l e r a t e , the r e l e a s e drag or t r a v e l e reven w h e n t r a n s p o r t i n g the t a r g e t s s o that thesame has a high v e l o c i t y r e l a t i v e t o the t ow c a b l eby t h e t i m e i t approaches t h e upwardly i n c l i n e dp o r t i o n o f t h e t ow c a b l e an d t h i s v el o c i t y c o u p l e dwith the aerodynamic l i f t e x e r t e d on the d i s cp o r t i o n o f t h e t r a v e l e r o r r e l e a s e drag s s u ? i c i e n tt o e l e v a t e the same u p the i n c l i n e d p o r t i o n o f thecable an d cause the same t o pass over the r e l e a s emechanism 2 an d by impact t o t r i p t h e t r i g g e r Ii n t h e manner reviously described. 7T h e aerodynamically p r o p e l l e d t r a v e l e r o rguide r i n g such as i n d i c a t e d at I or 2 2 i n F i g . 4may a l s o be employed as a r e l e a s e drag i n thesame manner as the r e l e a s e drag l l of F i g . 1an d r e a d i l y made o f an y s u i t a b l e m a t e r i a l , as u i t a b l e hard f a c e d metal i n s e r t b e i n g employedi n the a p e r t u r e 2 2 t o r e s i s t the a b r a s i o n causedby f r i c t i o n with a l o n g tow c a b l e .

8/22/2019 Tow Target Cable Drag Mechanism (1941)

4/4

2 , 8 1 0 , 2 4 9While t h e p r e f e r r e d form o f t h e i n v e n t i o n hasbeen i l l u s t r a t e d and d e s c r i b e d , i t i s t o be unders t o o d t h a t o t h e r v a r i a t i o n s an d m o d i f i c a t i o n s

may be made therein f a l l i n g within the scope oft h e i n v e n t i o n a s de?ned by the appen ded c l a i m .I claim:I n apparatus f o r exchanging an a e r i a l t a r g e ttowed by an a i r c r a f t t o w l i n e with a replacement

t a r g e t c o m p r i s i n g , i n combination with s a i d towl i n e , a t a r g e t - r e l e a s e device secured t o the t o wi n g end o f s a i d l i n e i n c l u d i n g a t r i g g e r - a c t u a t e dt a r g e t - r e l e a s e mechanism o p e r a t i v e upon a c t u at i o n o f s a i d t r i g g e r t o r e l e a s e a t a r g e t being towedan d t o automtically r e s e t to couple an exchanget a r g e t i n towing r e l a t i o n with s a i d tow l i n e uponr e l e a s e o f s a i d t r i g g e r , a t r a v e l e r i n t h e f orm o f

10

1 5

3a d i s k having a c e n t r a l l y d i s p o s e d annular g u i d ep r o v i d i n g an e n l a r g e d c e n t r a l a p e r t u r e p r o v i d i n gf o r movement o f t h e t r a v e l e r a l o n g t h e t ow l i n e ,an d mea n s f o r securing an exchange t a r g e t t o thet r a v e l e r , t h e s a i d d i s c forming t h e t r a v e l e r h avi n g a diameter such t h a t aerodynamic l i f t an ddrag f o r c e s a c t i n g thereon a r e s u f ? c i e n t t o p r o p e lthe t a r g e t along the t o w l i n e an d l i f t the samea l o n g t h e u p w a r d l y i n c l i n ed p o r t i o ns t h e r e o f , ands a i d t r a v e l e r , by means o f t h e a p e r t u r e t h e r e i n ,b e i n g adapted t o s l i d e o v e r t h e body o f t h e t a r g e tr e l e a s e mechanism t o a c t u a t e t h e t a r g e t t r i g g e r t or e l e a s e t h e t a r g e t b e i n g towed and t o c o u p l e t h eexchange t a r g e t t o t h e tow i n e .

JAMES . MASKEY.