Cargo lowering device

Claim 1

A CARGO LOWERING DEVICE COMPRISING A METAL TAPE HAVING AN END PORTION FORMED INTO A COIL, A STORAGE CONTAINER FOR THE COIL OF SAID METAL TAPE MOUNTED ON A BASE MEMBER, A METAL BENDER ENERGY ABSORBING MEANS, AND A VELOCITY SENSITIVE ENERGY ABSORBING DEVICE MOUNTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER HAVING A PULLEY-LIKE MEMBER ROTATABLY DRIVEN BY SAID TAPE DURING EXTRACTION OF THE TAPE FROM SAID COIL FOR RESISTING ACCELERATION OF THE PULLEY-LIKE MEMBER, SAID METAL BENDER ENERGY ABSORBING MEANS COMPRISING A PAIR OF SPACED ROD-LIKE MEMBERS HAVING PARALLEL AXES EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE PATH OF SAID TAPE AROUND BOTH OF WHICH SAID TAPE MAKES A SINGLE PASS BEFORE PASSING OVER SAID PULLEY-LIKE MEMBER TO SUPPORT A LOAD TO BE LOWERED, A LOAD SELECTIVE CONTROL MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID BASE MEMBER, ONE END OF SAID CONTROL MEMBER FORMED WITH AN EDGE HAVING A CYLINDRICAL FACE FORMED ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH THE AXES OF SAID ROD-LIKE MEMBERS, AND MEANS SUPPORTING SAID CONTROL MEMBER AT A POSITION DISPOSING SAID FACE IN BENDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE TAPE IN THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID ROD-LIKE MEMBERS FOR PROGRESSIVELY AND SUCCESSIVELY DEFORMING INCREMENTS OF THE TAPE BEYOND THE ELASTIC LIMIT OF THE METAL A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT DEPENDING UPON THE WEIGHT TO BE DROPPED AS THE TAPE IS EXTRACTED DURING THE DROP, TO PARTIALLY ABSORB THE ENERGY OF THE DROP.