Automatic parachute harness release assembly

Claim 2

An automatic releasing system for parachute harnesses comprising a housing means, a water actuatable cell contained within said housing and adapted to generate an electrical current upon contact with water, an endless high-resistance wire connected at both extremities with said water actuatable cell and adapted to be sewn into a parachute harness strap, normally closed valve means adapted to admit water to said wateractuatable cell at a predetermined liquid pressure and means adapted to secure said housing means to a harness strap whereby upon contact with water, the cell generates sufficient heat in said wires to cause them to burn and sever said harness strap.

Claim 3

A system as in claim 1 wherein said wires are microchromate wires.

Claim 4

A system as in claim 1 wherein said water-actuatable cell is a magnesium-silver chloride cell.

Claim 5

A system as in claim 1 wherein said valve means includes sealing means to prevent moisture from reaching the water-actuatable cell.

Claim 6

A system as in claim 1 wherein said valve means includes a passage means communicating between said water actuatable cell and the atmosphere, a biased valving member in a portion of said passage means and normally closing said passage means from communication with the atmosphere.

Claim 7

A system as in claim 5 wherein said valving member includes a cylindrical piston with an annular groove therein, a sealing ring in said groove adapted to cooperate with the sides of said passage means to seal said passage.

Claim 8

A system as in claim 5 including a ventilated cover member between said Passage means and to atmosphere adapted to prevent accidental displacement of said biased valve member.

Claim 9

A combination automatic and manual buckle opening mechanism for a parachute harness comprising, at least one buckle having male and female components, a manually operable locking means on one of said components adapted to lock and unlock said components together, pneumatically operated means on said buckle adapted to unlock said components separate from said manually operable locking means, a housing containing pneumatic activating means including conduit means connecting it with said pneumatically operated means on said buckle, a gas release means, a water-actuatable cell adapted to automatically actuate said gas release means to pneumatically unlock said buckle components and a manually operable lever adapted to manually activate said gas release means to pneumatically unlock said buckle components.

Claim 10

A combination automatic and manual buckle opening mechanism for a parachute harness comprising, at least one buckle having male and female components, a manually operable locking means on one of said components adapted to lock and unlock said components together, pneumatically operated means on said buckle adapted to unlock said components separate from said manually operable locking means, a housing containing pneumatic activating means including conduit means connecting it with said pneumatically operated means on said buckle, a gas release means, a water-actuatable cell adapted to automatically actuate said gas release means to pneumatically unlock said buckle components and a manually operable lever adapted to manually activate said gas release means to pneumatically unlock said buckle components.

Claim 11

A mechanism as in claim 8 wherein said male buckle component has a parallelogram-shaped projection extending therefrom, said female buckle component having an opening corresponding to the shape of the projection on the male component, one wall of said opening having a rotatable member adjacent thereto, said rotatable member having a semicircular shaped portion, the flat surface of which aligns with said wall in an unlocking position to admit said male component projection, said projection having a cutout portion on one side thereof which allows said rotatable member to rotate into a locking position to lock said components together, said manually operable locking means adapted to be swung to rotate said rotatable member and said pneumatically operated means adapted to rotate said rotatable member without moving said manually operable locking means, whereby upon immersion in water the water-activable cell operates said gas release means to automatically unlock said male and female components.

Claim 12

A mechanism as in claim 9 wherein said rotatable member has a radially extending lever thereon and said pneumatically operated means is positioned within said manually operable unlocking means adjacent said lever, whereby, upon manual operation, rotating of said rotatable locking member is accomplished by swinging of said manually operable means so that the pneumatically operated means engages said lever and rotates said rotatable member to unlock said components and, upon automatic operation, said pneumatically operated means is activated to swing said lever internally and independent of said manually operated means to rotate said rotatable member and unlock said components. 1.. A mechanism as in claim 10 wherein said pneumatically activating means comprises a container of compressed gas with a frangible seal thereon and said gas release means includes a spring-biased plunger adapted to puncture said seal and allow said gas to escape through said conduit means and cause said pneumatically operated means to unlock said components.

Claim 13

A mechanism as in claim 11 wherein said gas release means further includes a slide member engagedly said manually operable lever to normally hold said plunger in retracted position, a solenoid adapted to move said slide member to release said plunger upon energization by the water-actuatable cell, and a pivot on which said manually operable lever causes said slide to move to release said plunger or said solenoid moves said slide to move also releasing said plunger.

Claim 14

A mechanism as in claim 12 wherein said housing contains a passage, said plunger positioned in said passage and having a hollow-puncturing tip, said conduit means being in open communication with said passage.

Claim 15

A mechanism as in claim 8 wherein said water-actuatable cell includes a body portion, said body portion having a normally closed valve means adapted to admit water to said cell at a predetermined liquid pressure.

Claim 16

A mechanism as in claim 14 wherein said cell is a magnesium-silver chloride cell.

Claim 17

A mechanism as in claim 14 wherein said valve Means includes sealing means to prevent moisture from reaching said cell.

Claim 18

A mechanism as in claim 14 including a ventilated cover member on said body portion covering said valve means and adapted to prevent accidental opening of said valve means.

Claim 19

In combination with a parachute harness, an automatic harness-releasing system comprising at least one housing, means securing said housing to a web of said harness, a water-actuatable cell contained within said housing and adapted to generate an electrical current upon contact with water, normally closed valve means in said housing adapted to admit water to said cell at a predetermined pressure, and at least one harness-releasing means affixed to said harness and adapted, upon energization by said cell to automatically cause said harness to release when the parachutist is immersed after a water landing.

Claim 20

In combination with a parachute harness, an automatic harness-releasing system comprising at least one housing, means securing said housing to a web of said harness, a water-actuatable cell contained within said housing and adapted to generate an electrical current upon contact with water, normally closed valve means in said housing adapted to admit water to said cell at a predetermined pressure, and at least one harness-releasing means affixed to said harness and adapted, upon energization by said cell to automatically cause said harness to release when the parachutist is immersed after a water landing.

Claim 21

A system as in claim 18 wherein said harness-releasing means comprises at least one high-resistance endless wire, the ends of which are connected to said cell, said wire being sewn into a web on said harness whereby upon contact with water, said cell generates sufficient energy to cause said wires to heat and sever said web by burning therethrough.

Claim 22

A system as in claim 19 wherein said wire is a microchromate wire.

Claim 23

A system as in claim 19 wherein said valve means includes a sealing means to prevent moisture from reaching said cell.

Claim 24

A system as in claim 20 wherein said cell is a magnesium-silver chloride cell.

Claim 25

A system as in claim 18 wherein said harness releasing means comprises at least one buckle having male and female components a manually operable locking means on one of said components adapted to lock and unlock said components, pneumatically operated means on said buckle separate from said manually operated means adapted to unlock said components, said housing additionally containing pneumatic activating means including conduit means connecting it with said pneumatically operated means on said buckle, a gas release means, said water-actuatable cell adapted to automatically actuate said gas release means to pneumatically unlock said buckle components, said housing also containing a manually operable lever adapted to activate said gas release means to pneumatically unlock said components.

Claim 26

A system as in claim 23 wherein said pneumatically operated means comprises a no-return piston housed within a cylinder on said female component.

Claim 27

A system as in claim 23 wherein said male buckle component has a parallellogram-shaped projection extending therefrom, said female buckle component having an opening corresponding to the shape of the projection on the male component, one wall of said opening having a rotatable member adjacent thereto, said rotatable member having a semicircular shaped portion, the flat surface of which aligns with said wall in the unlocking position to admit said male component projection, said projection having a cutout portion on one side thereof which allows said rotatable member to rotate into a locking position to lock said components together, said manually operable locking means adapted to be swung to rotate said rotatable member and said pneumatically operated means adapted to rotate said rotatable member without moving said manually operable locking means, whereby upon immersion in water to a predetermined depth said water-actuatable cell operates said gas release means to automatically unlock said male and female components.

Claim 28

A system as in claim 25 wherein said rotatable member has a radially extending lever thereon, and said pneumatically operated means is positioned within said manually operated unlocking means adjacent said lever whereby upon manual operation, rotating of said rotatable unlocking member is accomplished by swinging of said manually operable means so that the pneumatically operated means engages said lever and rotates said rotatable member to unlock said components and, upon automatic operation, said pneumatically oPerated means is activated to swing said lever internally and independent of said manually operable means to rotate said rotatable member and unlock said components.

Claim 29

A system as in claim 26 wherein said pneumatic activating means comprises a container of compressed gas with a frangible seal thereon and said gas release means includes a spring biased plunger adapted to puncture said seal and allow gas to escape through said conduit means and cause said pneumatically operated means to unlock said components.

Claim 30

A system as in claim 27 wherein said gas release means further includes a slide member engaged by said manually operable lever to normally hold said plunger in retracted position, a solenoid adapted to move said slide member to release said plunger upon energization by the water-actuatable cell.

Claim 31

A system as in claim 28 wherein said housing contains a passage, said plunger positioned within said passage and having a hollow puncturing tip, said conduit means being in open communication with said passage.

Claim 32

A system as in claim 29 wherein said pneumatically operated unlocking means comprises a cylinder located within said manually operated unlocking means and a no-return piston plug situated therein.