Disconnect unit

Claim 2

In a disconnect unit the improvement comprising: A. an elongated coupling member; B. an extensible collet of a cylindrical configuration including a plurality of resilient fingers extended from and connected to a common base and supported in an operative position thereby telescopically receiving said elongated coupling member in locking engagement; C. a collet retainer of a tubular configuration mounted on said collet and supported thereby, in a concentric relationship therewith, including an annular array of radially extended openings arranged in a circumscribing relationship with the distal end portions of said fingers, and a plurality of radially displaceable support pins seated in said openings and radially extended into depressing engagement with said fingers; D. means including an axially reciprocable piston of a substantially cylindrical configuration concentrically related to said collet member and supported for axial displacement into confining engagement with said plurality of pins for supporting the pins against radial displacement within said opening; E. an axially compressible spring continuously urging the piston into said confining engagement with said array of pins; F. means integral with said piston defining an annular pressure face circumscribing said piston for providing an axially displaceable wall of a concentric, axially expansible and hermetically sealed chamber; G. means for supporting a pyrotechnic device in operative communication with said chamber for delivering heated gas under pressure to the chamber for driving the piston into an axially displaced relationship with said array of pins; and H. a shock absorber concentrically related to said collet and axially spaced from said plurality of pins for receiving and arresting axial displacement of the piston as it is driven into said axially displaced relationship with said array of pins.

Claim 3

The improvement of claim 1 further comprising: A. an annular array of locking-lugs including a locking-lug inwardly projected from the distal end of each of said fingers; B. means defining a protuberance integral with said coupling member extended into lockIng engagement with said array of locking-lugs; C. a housing confining the collet and the collet retainer; D. means defining within said housing an opening coaxially related to the array of opposed locking-lugs; and E. means including a spring-biased ejector concentrically supported within said collet for ejecting the protuberance from said housing.

Claim 4

A releasable squib-actuated disconnect unit for releasably coupling a pair of coaxially related tension members, comprising: A. means including a protuberance coaxially extended from a first tension member; B. means coaxially extended from a second tension member including an expandable collet of a cylindrical configuration formed of a plurality of flexible fingers integrally related through an annular base and terminating at their distal ends in an annular array of opposed locking-lugs for receiving said protuberance in locking engagement; C. a pin-holder of a tubular configuration mounted on said collet and supported thereby including means defining therein an annular array of radial openings circumscribing said fingers in concentric relation with said annular array of locking-lugs; D. means including a reciprocable piston having an internal annular surface concentrically related to said pin-holder and supported for axial displacement from a first position wherein said surface circumscribes said array of openings to a second position wherein said surface is axially displaced from said array of openings; E. a plurality of radially extended, displaceable pins, each seated in one opening of said annular array of openings and extended into supporting engagement with one finger of said plurality of fingers and having a head engaging said annular surface of the piston when said piston is in said first position for supporting said array of pins against radial displacement, whereby said locking-lugs are supported against radial displacement; F. means including a compression spring operatively associated with said piston for urging said piston toward said first position; G. means integral with the piston defining an annular wall of an expansible chamber circumscribing said piston; H. means for delivering gas under pressure to said chamber for advancing said piston from said first position into said second position, whereby the pins are released for radial displacement relative to said collet; and I. means including a shock absorber for arresting axial displacement of the piston as it is advanced into said second position.

Claim 5

A releasable squib-actuated disconnect unit for releasably coupling a pair of coaxially related tension members, comprising: A. means including a protuberance coaxially extended from a first tension member; B. means coaxially extended from a second tension member including an expandable collet of a cylindrical configuration formed of a plurality of flexible fingers integrally related through an annular base and terminating at their distal ends in an annular array of opposed locking-lugs for receiving said protuberance in locking engagement; C. a pin-holder of a tubular configuration mounted on said collet and supported thereby including means defining therein an annular array of radial openings circumscribing said fingers in concentric relation with said annular array of locking-lugs; D. means including a reciprocable piston having an internal annular surface concentrically related to said pin-holder and supported for axial displacement from a first position wherein said surface circumscribes said array of openings to a second position wherein said surface is axially displaced from said array of openings; E. a plurality of radially extended, displaceable pins, each seated in one opening of said annular array of openings and extended into supporting engagement with one finger of said plurality of fingers and having a head engaging said annular surface of the piston when said piston is in said first position for supporting said array of pins against radial displacement, whereby said locking-lugs are supported against radial displacement; F. means including a compression spring operatively associated with said piston for urging said piston toward said first position; G. means integral with the piston defining an annular wall of an expansible chamber circumscribing said piston; H. means for delivering gas under pressure to said chamber for advancing said piston from said first position into said second position, whereby the pins are released for radial displacement relative to said collet; and I. means including a shock absorber for arresting axial displacement of the piston as it is advanced into said second position.

Claim 6

A disconnect unit of claim 3 wherein the chamber is hermetically sealed and said gas is developed in response to a firing of a squib associated therewith and said shock absorber is a deformable cylinder coaxially related to said piston and supported in an intercepting relationship with the piston as it is advanced into said second position.

Claim 7

The disconnect unit of claim 4 further comprising an ejector including a spring-loaded plate concentrically related to said collet and coaxially related to said protuberance continuously urging said protuberance in axial displacement from said collet.