Universal store suspension apparatus

Claim 1

A UNIVERSAL SUSPENSION APPARATUS FOR HOISTING, SECURING AND RELEASING A HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BOMB OF ANY SIZE FROM ANY ONE OF SEVERAL TYPES OF AIRCRAFT HAVING A BOMB BAY AND A HOISTING SHACKLE FOR THE BOMB, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION: A SUSPENSION LUG HAVING THREE LOADCARRYING LINKS FOR BEING MOUNTED ON THE TOP OF THE BOMB, TWO PARALLEL TRUSS-TYPE SPREADERS CONNECTED TO SAID LINKS FOR MAINTAINING SAID LINKS PARALLEL IN ONE PLANE AND IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP, ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID SPREADERS EXTENDING BEYOND SAID LINKS AND BEING TAPERED FOR RESILIENTLY BEARING AGAINST THE SURFACE OF THE BOMB, ONE OF SAID THREE LOAD-CARRYING LINKS BEING A CENTER LINK ADAPTED TO BE SECURED BY THE HOISTING SHACKLE OF THE AIRCRAFT, ADJACENT ENDS OF SAID LINKS EXTENDING BEYOND SAID SPREADERS AND FORMING TWO PARALLEL ROWS OF THREE ALIGNED HOLES, A SUPENSION LUG PIN REMOVABLY INSERTED THROUGH EACH ROW OF SAID ALIGNED HOLES IN THE ENDS OF EACH OF SAID LINKS, ADJUSTING MEANS INCLUDING A BAND PIN SECURED TO ONE OF THE SUSPENSION LUG PINS FOR COMPENSATING FOR VARIOUS BOMB SIZES, FOUR SUSPENSION BANDS HAVING THEIR ENDS TURNED BACK TO FORM LOOPS AND ARRANGED IN TWO PAIRS FOR BEING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY MOUNTED AROUND THE PERIPHERY OF THE BOMB, SAID LOOPS AT ONE END OF ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF SAID FOUR SUSPENSION BANDS DISPOSED ABOUT SAID BAND PIN AND SAID LOOPS AT ONE END OF THE OTHER OF SAID PAIRS OF SAID FOUR SUSPENSION BANDS DISPOSED ABOUT THE OTHER OF SAID SUSPENSION LUG PINS, A RELEASE MECHANISM FOR BEING MOUNTED AT THE BOTTOM OF THE BOMB, SAID RELEASE MECHANISM HAVING A RELEASE SHACKLE HAVING A PLURALITY OF COAXIAL HOLES FORMED THEREIN AND A TUNNEL LUG, SAID RELEASE SHACKLE HAVING A SHACKLE PIN INSERTED THROUGH SAID PLURALITY OF COAXIAL HOLES IN SAID RELEASE SHACKLE, SAID LOOPS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID ONE OF SAID PAIRS OF SAID FOUR SUSPENSION BANDS DISPOSED ABOUT SAID SHACKLE PIN, SAID TUNNEL LUG HAVING A TUNNEL LUG PIN AND A PLURALITY OF COAXIAL HOLES FORMED THEREIN, SAID TUNNEL LUG PIN BEING INSERTED THROUGH SAID COAXIAL HOLES FORMED IN SAID TUNNEL LUG, SAID LOOPS AT THE OTHER END OF SAID OTHER OF SAID PAIRS OF SAID FOUR SUSPENSION BANDS DISPOSED ABOUT SAID TUNNEL LUG PIN, SAID RELEASE SHACKLE AND TUNNEL LUG ACCORDINGLY BEING CONNECTED TO FORM SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS BANDS AROUND THE BOMB, SAID RELEASE SHACKLE INCLUDING MEANS FOR QUICKLY DISCONNECTING AND CAUSING THE SEPARATION OF SAID RELEASE SHACKLE AND SAID TUNNEL LUG FOR RELEASING THE BOMB, AND SAID BANDS BEING PRE-CURVED SO THAT THE ENDS THEREOF ARE RESILIENTLY BIASED INWARDLY TOWARD THE CENTER OF THE BOMB IN SUCH A MANNER THAT SAID RELEASE SHACKLE AND SAID TUNNEL LUG TEND TO BE RETRACTED UPWARDLY TOWARD SAID SUSPENSION LUG WHEN THE BOMB IS RELEASED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.