Ammunition and explosives – Having reaction motor – Having separation means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-18
2001-08-07
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3641)
Ammunition and explosives
Having reaction motor
Having separation means
C102S377000, C102S378000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06269748
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to non-explosive release devices.
2. Description of Related Art and Other Considerations
Prior art release devices utilized actuators which restrained all of the load to be released. Obviously, such devices were subjected to enormous stress forces. This required expensive and cumbersome heavy-duty actuators. Additionally, most non-explosive actuators typically required high watt-hours of electrical current for actuation, requiring a larger power source, particularly disadvantageous in weight sensitive applications, such as aerospace.
Additionally, such prior art devices were particularly cumbersome and difficult to install on a V-band or Marmon clamp, as applying the full force of the restrained load directly to the actuator meant that the trigger mechanism had to be set at the same time that tension or load was placed on the system (i.e., as the V-band is tightened securely around the object to be released). What is needed is a release device in which the triggering mechanism must resist only a minimal amount of force, is adapted for use in a V-band clamp, and may be set for actuation independently of the load placed on the system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a device for restraining and then releasing loads in which the triggering mechanism must resist a minimal amount of force.
In a first embodiment, the present invention provides a release mechanism for releasing objects, actuator means for resisting movement of a transmission means until actuation, securing means for releaseably securing said object to the release mechanism, and linkage means for transmitting movement of said transmission means to said securing means wherein the securing means releases said object upon transmission of said movement of said transmission means by the linkage means to said securing means.
In a second embodiment, the present invention provides a release mechanism having a base portion (e.g., a left or a right release mechanism) and a release portion (e.g., a separation member), for restraining and releasing objects, a release pin having a first end located in the release portion and interconnected with the object, and a second end comprising a circumferential locking groove capable of being releaseably engaged with said base portion, a sectored or multi-part annular retainer movably located in the base portion and having a restraining position and bearing against and restraining the locking groove and release pin relative to the base in said restraining position, for preventing movement of the release pin while the annular retainer is in its restraining position, a collar or rim portion located in the base portion, movable between a first and second position, for restraining movement of the sectored annular retainer when the collar is in said first position and allowing movement of the sectored annular retainer when in said second position, and an actuator located in said base portion and having a latched and unlatched condition, resisting movement of the collar from the first position to the second when the actuator is in said latched condition, wherein activation of the actuator causes the actuator to assume said unlatched condition, allowing the collar to move from said first position to said second position, releasing the annular retainer and releasing the release pin.
In other embodiments, the sectored, multi-part annular retainer has at least three sectors and is toroidal in shape, and in a particular embodiment, has four sectors, a release pin aperture defined by the base portion, which also comprises: a debris plug or cover near and bearing upon the second end of the release pin, said debris cover having a larger cross-sectional surface area than said release pin aperture; a debris compression spring, connected at one end to the debris cover and at the other end to the base portion, whereby release of the release pin enables the debris cover and debris compression spring to urge the release pin through the release pin aperture and to block the release pin aperture, a compression spring for urging the collar from said first position to said second position, a V-band clamp having two ends, a first end and a second end, a second release mechanism interconnected in series with the first release mechanism between the first end and the second end of said V-clamp, whereby release of either release mechanism releases the V-band clamp, and the second release mechanism is adjustably connected (e.g., by a turnbuckle) to the first release mechanism and further comprises a second base portion and a second release portion, and said V-band clamp further comprises: a first V-band collar attached to the first end of the V-band and defining a first V-band aperture, the first release mechanism being inserted through the first V-band collar, with the base portion substantially on the band side and the release portion substantially on the connection side; and a second V-band collar attached to said second end of the V-band and defining a second V-band aperture, said second release mechanism being inserted into the second V-band collar, with the second base portion substantially on the band side and the second release portion substantially on the connection side, wherein adjustment of the connection between the two release mechanisms will alter the circumference of a loop formed by the V-band and the two release mechanisms, and activation of either of the release mechanisms will release said loop.
In a third embodiment the present invention provides a release pin having two ends, a first end located in the release portion and interconnected with the restrained object, and a second end comprising at least one locking indentation capable of being releaseably engaged with the base portion, at least one retainer or locking pin movably located in said base portion and having a restraining position and bearing against and restraining said locking indentation and release pin relative to said base in said restraining position, for preventing movement of the release pin while said at least one retainer pin is in its restraining position, a collar located in said base portion, movable between a first and a second position, for restraining movement of said at least one retainer pin when the collar is in said first position and allowing movement of said at least one retainer pin when in said second position; and an actuator located in said base portion and having a latched and unlatched condition, resisting movement of the collar from the first position to the second when the actuator is in said latched condition; wherein activation of the actuator causes the actuator to assume said unlatched condition, allowing the collar to move from said first position to said second position, releasing said at least one retainer pin and releasing the release pin.
These and other features and advantages of this invention will become further apparent from the detailed description and accompanying figures that follow. In the figures and description, numerals indicate the various features of the invention, like numerals referring to like features throughout both the drawings and the description.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3817179 (1974-06-01), Ludtke et al.
patent: 3863570 (1975-02-01), Bixby
patent: 3992999 (1976-11-01), Chevrier et al.
patent: 4163535 (1979-08-01), Austin
patent: 4171663 (1979-10-01), Day et al.
patent: 4230040 (1980-10-01), Bjork et al.
patent: 5067386 (1991-11-01), Shiovitz et al.
patent: 5115708 (1992-05-01), Spariat et al.
patent: 5218165 (1993-06-01), Cornelius et al.
Specification Sheet—Used for more than 1 year before filing data. G&H Technology, Inc. -Nonexplosive Actuator (NEA) Model 8014Tension Link.
Courtney Craig W.
McCormick Larry Leroy
Rudoy Edward
Vega Edwin E.
Jordan Charles T.
NEA Electronics, Inc.
Semunegus Lulit
Sternfels Lewis B.
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