Impact absorbing devices

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION WITH AN AIRCRAFT SEAT EJECTION GUN HAVING A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT INNER TUBE WHICH ADAPTED TO REMAIN CONNECTED TO AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE AND AN OUTER TUBE TO WHICH A SEAT PAN IS SECURED AND WHICH IS ADAPTED TO BE PROPELLED AXIALLY OUT OF NORMALLY TELESCOPED RELATION TO THE INNER TUBE BY PRESSURE GAS: (A) AXIALLY OPPOSING ABUTMENT MEANS ON THE INNER AND OUTER TUBES BY WHICH DOWNWARD LOAD FORCES ON THE OUTER TUBE ARE IMPOSED UPON THE INNER TUBE; (B) AN IMPACT ABSORBER COMPRISING RELATIVELY FIXED AND MOVABLE MEMBERS, (1) ONE OF SAID MEMBERS COMPRISING A FRANGIBLE ELEMENT, AND (2) THE OTHER OF SAID MEMBERS COMPRISING A RESHAPING ELEMENT COOPERABLE WITH THE FRANGIBLE ELEMENT TO EXPEND ENERGY IN RESHAPING THE SAME DURING RELATIVE MOTION BETWEEN THE MEMBERS; (C) A SUBSTANTIALLY UPRIGHT TUBULAR SUPPORT TO WHICH THE RELATIVELY FIXED MEMBER OF THE IMPACT ABSORBER IS FIXED AND WHICH HOUSES THE RELATIVELY MOVABLE MEMBER OF THE IMPACT ABSORBER, SAID TUBULAR SUPPORT BEING NORMALLY PARTWAY TELESCOPED INTO THE LOWER PORTION OF THE INNER TUBE AND BEING ADAPTED TO AFFORD SLIDING GUIDANCE TO THE INNER TUBE FOR DOWNWARD MOTION THEREOF THROUGH A LIMITED DISTANCE; ND) MEANS FIXED ON SAID TUBULAR SUPPORT DEFINING AN ANNULAR WALL FOR SEALINGLY CLOSING THE BOTTOM OF THE INNER TUBE AND WHICH RECEIVES THE REACTION OF PRESSURE GAS DURING SEAT EJECTION; (E) A SPIDER ANCHORED IN THE INNER TUBE AND NORMALLY SPACED AT LEAST SAID DISTANCE ABOVE THE ANNULAR WALL, SAID SPIDER BEING SHAPED TO PERMIT AXIAL FLOW OF GASES THEREPAST; AND (F) A PUSH ROD CONNECTED BETWEEN THE SPIDER AND THE MOVABLE MEMBER OF THE IMPACT ABSORBER AND EXTENDING THROUGH SAID ANNULAR WALL IN AXIALLY SLIDEABLE SEALING RELATION THERETO, FOR TRANSFERRING DOWNWARD LOAD FORCES FROM THE INNER TUBE TO THE MOVABLE MEMBER OF THE IMPACT ABSORBER.