Gas operated automatic canopy release

Claim 1

In a releasable strap connector having a female member having a pair of spaced pockets therein and a male member having a pair of prongs fitting into said pockets, each prong having a recess therein, a rockable roll bar journalled in said female member intersecting said pockets, means to position said prongs so that said recesses face said roll bar at the intersection thereof, a portion of said roll bar at the intersection being cutaway so as to leave said pockets and said recesses unobstructed in one position of said roll bar thereby to permit insertion and withdrawal of said prongs from said pockets and in another position to project into said recesses thereby to interlock with said prongs, and manipulatable means for turning said roll bar from interlocking position to unobstructing position at will, the improvement of pressure medium operated means for turning said roll bar from interlocking position to unobstructing position, comprising a pair of tracks adjacent the respective pockets in the female member, a pair of abutments on said roll bar, a cylinder aligned with each track, and a piston in each cylinder, releasable restraining means in the path of each piston, one of said abutments on each roll bar projecting into each track, the piston in each cylinder being engagable with the adjacent abutment in the interlocking position of said roll bar for turning said roll bar into unobstructing position, and means to convey a pressure medium simultaneously into both cylinders for forcing said pistons to release said restraining means and roll said roll bar from interlocking to unobstructing position.