Method and apparatus for neutralizing the effect of accelerating and decelerating forces

Claim 1

In a flight or space travel vehicle developing extreme forces of acceleration, a first means to orient one or more occupants of said vehicle in form-fitting restraints effective in all axes such that an imaginary Z-axis parallel to the spinal column and through the center of mass of cross-section of the body and the head perpendicular to the Z-axis is oriented normal to the resultant of said forces of acceleration at any time that a predetermined level of said forces is exceeded, with second means to rotate said occupants about said Z-axis, said first means comprising a rigid axle transverse to the longitudinal axis of said vehicle, a first swivel joint with a rigid extension angularly movable through 360° in a first plane normal of said axle being mounted on said axle, on said rigid extension a second pin swivel joint angularly movable through 180° in a second plane coincident with and in the plane of said axle, a personnel carrier with said form-fitting restraint dependent from said second pin swivel joint, a means for rotating said personnel carrier about said Z-axis, the whole having freedom of movement such that said Z-axis is automatically positioned normal to the resultant of said forces of acceleration, and said personnel carrier is rotated about said Z-axis at any time that a predetermined level of said resultant of forces of acceleration is attained.