US1103233A - Safety appliance for air-craft. - Google Patents

Description

E. L. WAIGHT.

SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR AIR CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1911.

i l/VVENTUI? w W 5 Y I 1 m ATTORNEY E. L.. WAIGHT. SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR AIR CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17, 1911.

Patented July 14, 1914,

ATTORNEY E. L. WAIGHT. SAFETY APPLIANCE FOR AIR CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 17 1911.

Patented July 14, 1914.

4 SHEETS'SHEET 3.

0" T mi W WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY B. L. WAIGHT. SAFETY APPLIANCE FOE AIR CRAFT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.17, 1911.

Patented July 14, 1914,

4 SHEETS-BHBET '4.

8M3 S 1 A i l/VVE/VTUR WA. 34 %&5 A 7 TOR/VEY WITNESSES- UNITED STATES PATENT iznwann L. 'WAIGHT, or'san snancisco, camro mm.

sarn'rx APPLIANCE non AIR-CRAFT.

I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 14,1914. Application n 5 1111.17, 1911. Serial no. 621,727- 1 To all whom it may concern: Be it knownthat I, EDWARD L. WAIGHT, a citizen of the United States, and resident of San Francisco, California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Appliances for AirCraft, whereof the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the art of aerial navigation, and especially to devices in that art for insuring a slow and safe descent, and a restoratmn to equilibrium, of air crafts, including aeroplanes, which from one cause or another, may have their buoy-v ancy endangered. g

The object of m invention is to provide in devices of the c aracter described," novel means forautomatically releasin and putting into operation the safety evices referred to, such as may be gas, compressed air or, other means 'wherewith quick action can be obtained, but for the purpose of this application I" shall hereafter. refer to explosive means, and with this object in mind my invention consistsin combining with a parachute case carried on and, secured to an a1rsh1p, explosive means for discharging the parachute therefrom into operative po sition.

It also consists in combining with a parachute case carried on and secured to an airship, explosive means for discharging the parachute therefrom into operative position, and means for automatically producing the explosion at the required instant.

It also consists in combiningwith a parachute case carried on and secured to an airship, explosive means for discharging the parachute therefrom into operative position and electrical means for automatically producing the explosion at the required instant.

It also further consists in the novel parts, combinations and arrangements described in the followin description, shown in the accompanying our sheets of drawings, and particularly pointed out in the claims at the end hereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1, is a View in elevation of a parachute as it appears in practice and a vertical section of the para ber at the require moment.

enormous quantities of matically explodin a charge'in "said cham- Fig. 3, is a central vertical section enlarged of the lower portion of the case and the parachute therein, the explosion chamber with its electric exploders and the Windlass for winding in the parachute rope, being shown in elevation. Fig. 4, is a central longitudinal section of the electricexploder. Figs. 5, 6 andf7 are detail views in section of the electric explodr. Fig. 8, is an elevation partly in section of the pendulum automatic switch for closing the exploder circuit.

The same numeral of reference denotes the same part in whichever view it may appear. I

In the drawings 1, is a case of suitable size for incasing a parachute 2 when the latter is folded after the manner of an umbrella, and said case is preferably of cylindrical shape. It isattached to an airship by suitable means, as the rods 3, and is provided with a Windlass 4 for drawing in the parachute rope 5.

On the bottom of the parachuteat the point where the suspension cords 6 approximate one another is a piston 7, which fits the cylindrical case Land is drawn to a position near, the bottom of said case, by the Windlass 4. Below said piston in its normal position is an explosion chamber 8; and in said explosion chamber is locateda cartridge, or a plurality thereof as Qand 10 as maybe desired. The cartridges c0Ii-yv tain explosive substances which evolve gas under high pressure when exploded. Within said ourtridges are arranged electric exploders -11, details of which are shown in Fi s. 5, 6, and 7; 12 being the he'ad carryin t e leading wires 13, 14; 15 being the e ectric fuse portion and 16 being the detonating portion. From the leads 13 and 14 extends an electric circuit including the wires 17 and 18, and the'battery 19. Included also .in said circuit are the means for automatically closing the same at the required instant, for

dischargin the cartridge aforesaid, which comprise. the contact pendulum 20, electri- .cally connected with wire 18 and the contact ring 21, electrically connected with wire 17. Pendulum 20, is suspended by'ball and socket joints 22 from the airship; and the ring 21 is rigidly suspended asby the rods 23 and 24, w ich are firmly fixed'to the airship at the points 25 and 26.

Considering now the operation of my device as far as described. The pendulum naturally hangs in a vertical direction, and so long as the airship remains in or near a state of normal equilibrium,'is out of contact with the contact ri 21. But supposingthe airship shouldti t; then s'ome portion of'the ring will come into contact with said pendulum thereby closing the circuit and exploding the cartridge which generates gas into the chamber 8 and shoots the piston outwardly in the cylinder and consequently forces the parachute out in an ex- I further expandsthe parachute and causes panded form where it is held in an operative position by the end of the rope 5, which is secured to the Windlass. Any force on the rope 5, as that produced by a falling airship the airship to fall slowly, at the same time tending to right it.

The righting 'tendency may be produced by securing the parachute to the top-of the airship; or when several parachutes are used, to selected points along the sides.

I provide also means for adjusting my automatic contact device for any desired degree of tilting which consists inthe sleeves 27 and 28 fixed to ring 21', and slidable over the sustaining rods 23 and 24, being fixed thereto-in any desired position by the set screws 29 and 30, and for accurately adjusting the position of the ring, so that contact maybe made at the instant when the airship instance, a degree-mark at,33, 33, which has tilted any selected number of degrees, I

provide the scales 31 and 32, fixed near and parallel to rods 23 and 24:. The scales may 0 calibrated any suitable manner, as for would mean that if the ring were set on the rods at the point, the pendulum would make contact with the ring whenever the airship tilted 45 degrees; Correspondingmarks are placed at proper'distances above and below,

and the position of the ring may thus be adjusted with accuracy to anydegree'oftilting, which may beregardedas dangerousln casethat for any reason the automatic pendulum switch shouldiail'in. its opera tion,'I provide a handswitch 34=-which con nects with wires 17 t- kandgl8ithrough wires 35 and 36 and which the exploders at any C i 1 a While I have indicated only a single parachute and case in the drawingait is to be.

understoodthat my invention is not. to be considered-as limited toonealone, but that I contemplate the use of one or any number thereof, attached to the airship in suitable positions, all, however, being'arranged and operated substantially as shown.

My invention is especially adapted for use on aeroplanes wherein the danger from tiltin is very eat.

aving Patent of the United States, modifications within the scope of the claims being expressly reserved, is

1. In a safety device for airships, a parachute case having an explosion chamber, e losive cartridges in said chamber, elec tric exploders in said cartridges, a ring: adjacent to-said cartridges andan electricjcircuit connected to said ring-and said exploders.

2. In a safety devicefor airships, a paraescribed my invention, what I claim as new and deslre to secure by Letters chute case having an explosion chamber, ex-

plosive cartridges in said chamber, electric exploders in said cartridges, an electrical,

contact pendulum, fixed electrical contact ring, a circuit between said electric exploders, said pendulum and said ring,

4.1m a safety device for airships, means closable by contact between saidpendulum andwith any for-automatically closing anelectrical parachute discharging explosion: circuit, comprising an electrical contact ring connected iii-said circuit, fixed to saidairship and tilt able therewith, and an electrical contact pendulum connected in said circuit and suspended inside; said ring. In testimony that I claim-the foregoing I have hereto set my hand this 31st day of Mar. 1911, in the presenceofwitnessesi I EDWARD L. WAIGHT.

Witnesses: I BLANcnn 0. Cinema, D. B. Riormnns.

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