Ordnance – Bomb – flare and signal dropping – Bomb displaced from exterior of plane
Reexamination Certificate
1998-12-18
2001-04-10
Johnson, Stephen M. (Department: 3641)
Ordnance
Bomb, flare and signal dropping
Bomb displaced from exterior of plane
Reexamination Certificate
active
06212987
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to adaptors for releasably attaching a store to an aircraft, and more particularly, to an adaptor having a faired outer surface.
BACKGROUND ART
Modern aircraft are designed to carry, release, and deliver on target a wide variety of weapons including bombs, missiles, rockets and other stores which are hung on the underside of the aircraft and must be quickly released in flight. Various types of suspension and release equipment are used to carry the stores and safely separate the stores from the aircraft.
Currently available suspension and release equipment interfaces with lugs (generally referred to as bail lugs) which have screw threaded shanks received in tapped cavities formed in the stores, and integrally formed suspension rings for receiving hooks extending from the aircraft or bomb rack for carrying the store. Since these rings are aligned longitudinally relative to the store and aircraft, the lugs restrain the store longitudinally but provide little lateral support, thus the store tends to oscillate laterally under the influence of lateral accelerations or other aerodynamic effects. The store therefore requires supports such as sway braces to prevent lateral movement of the lug and store. Typically, the sway braces add aerodynamic drag to the aircraft and increase the radar cross-section of the aircraft. After release of the store from the aircraft, the bail lugs impose a significant drag penalty on the store during its flight. Other types of lugs eliminate the need for sway braces but still project outward from the store surface and have a large frontal area which adds aerodynamic drag to the store and increases the radar cross-section of the store.
These lugs were designed when aerodynamic drag of the lug on the store and the impact of the lug on the radar cross-section of the store were not important factors. Today the drag effect of the lug on the store and the impact to radar cross-section are more important with the higher launching speeds of present day high-performance aircraft and sophisticated bomb and radar systems. Various retractable lug devices are available, however these devices are complex, expensive to manufacture and add significant weight to the stores.
Moreover, the screw threaded shank design of the bail lug adds weight to the store by requiring a cavity for receiving the shank, with sufficient material formed around the cavity to retain the threaded shank. The threaded shank also adds weight to the lug along with machining costs. Furthermore, the cavity may compromise the functionality of certain stores and reduce their effectiveness.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The aircraft store adaptor of the present invention overcomes the deficiencies of the prior art by providing an adaptor which provides a lightweight, low volume design for releasably attaching a store to an aircraft and allows for minimum spacing between the store and the aircraft. Among the features of the present invention may be noted the provision of an aircraft store adaptor which positively and firmly retains the store, yet permits for rapid release of the store. The present invention overcomes the limitations of the prior art designs and provides a lightweight, non-complex adaptor which minimizes aerodynamic drag and radar cross-section of the aircraft and store, and which is reliable, economical to manufacture, and easy to install.
Generally, an adaptor of the present invention is for releasably attaching a store to a rack on the underside of an aircraft. The rack has at least one hook connected thereto pivotable between a closed position for retaining the store on the rack and an open position for installation of the store on the rack and for release of the store from the aircraft. The adaptor comprises a body having a generally continuous lower surface shaped to conform to the outer surface of the store, an upper surface, and a surrounding wall connecting the upper and lower surfaces. The upper surface has an opening formed therein for receiving a post extending downwardly from the rack for stabilizing the store against longitudinal and lateral movement of the store relative to the rack due to air loads during flight. The surrounding wall has at least one recess formed therein for receiving the hook. The adaptor is shaped so that upon release of the store, aerodynamic drag resulting from the presence of the adaptor on the store is minimized.
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Foster John K.
Jakubowski, Jr. Thaddeus
Alston & Bird LLP
Johnson Stephen M.
The Boeing Company
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