US3162001A

US3162001A - Drag chute packing device

Info

Publication number: US3162001A
Application number: US314970A
Authority: US
Inventors: Reynolds Jerry
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1963-10-09
Filing date: 1963-10-09
Publication date: 1964-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-22

Description

Dec. 22,

Filed Oct. 9, 1963 DRAG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 40\ u' -lzs 3o ...I ls\`\. if@ o I0 `i1 HG. 2 `H INVENTOR 54 il C JERRY REYNOLDS lad 4 56 Y ATTORNEY'.

Dec. 22, 1964 J. REYNOLDS 3,162,001

DRAG CHUTE PACKING DEVICE l Filed oct. 9, 196:5 2 Sheets-sheet 2 v E' l-L WH 1 PO u' E INVENTOR JERRY REYNOLDS ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent Otice 3,162,001 Patented Dec. 22, 1964 3,162,081 DRAG CHUTE PACKING DEVICE Jerry Reynoids, 1721 S. 16th St., Las `Vegas, Nev. Filed Oct. 9, 1963, Ser. No. 314,970 2 Claims. (Ci. 53-124) This invention relates to a packing device for drag chutes employed as speed reducing means during landing of certain types of aircraft.

After each deployment of an aircraft braking or drag chute, it is necessary to force the large canopy of the chute along with the rigging lines and webbing risers into a generally flexible pack or container which pack or container is then inserted in a compartment of the aircraft from which the drag chute is deployed by the aircraft operator upon landing.

Due to space requirement, it is necessary to force the canopy, rigging lines and webbing risers into a relatively small container and the coarse nature of the fabric of conventional nylon drag chutes has created substantial packing problems. Presently it requires two skilled men about forty minutes to pack each drag chute.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a relatively inexpensive drag chute packing device which materially reduces the packing time of a drag chute.

It is a further object to provide a packing device which materially reduces the amount of contact between a jet fuel contaminated chute and a packers hands.

Another object is to provide a drag chute packing device which insures uniform packages thereby substantially Y reducing chute failures due to bulkiness and jamming of the package in the aircraft container.

A further object is to provide such a device including means for holding the chute pack open while storing the canopy, rigging lines and the like.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are provided by a drag chute packing device comprising a rigid container adapted to snugly receive a exible drag chute pack, the container having an open top, and closed side wall and bottom Wall and conforming in configuration to the configuration of the flexible drag chute pack, an extended planar surface member surrounding the plane of the open top of the container, a lever arm, means mounting the lever arm to the planar surface member for pivotal movement over the open top of the container, a presser foot pivotally mounted to the lever arm at a posi-tion intermediate the length of the lever arm and at a position to be telescopically received within the container in one position of the lever arm, stop means cooperating with the lever arm and the presser foot, and means for releasably securing the closure flap of the drag chute pack in an extended open position to the extended surface member when the side walls and bottom o-f the pack are received within the container.

The invention will be more particularly described with v reference to the illustrated embodiment of the invention wherein:

FIG. l is a perspective view of a drag chute packing device constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary sectional view through the device illustrated in FIG. l showing the lever arm and presser foot in various positions;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view similar to that illustrated in FIG. l with a drag chute exible pack in chute packing position; and

FIG. 4 is a View similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3 with a portion of the canopy and webbing risers compressed into the flexible chute pack.

Referring to the drawings, generally designates the improved drag chute packing device. The device includes a container 12 having a side wall 14, a solid bottom Wall 16, and an open top 18. The container 12 which is constructed of rigid material such as sheet metal has a length and cross sectional configuration to snugly receive, when filled, a flexible `and generally cloth parachute pack generally designated 20 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings. Further, the container 12 is of such size and configuration that it resembles the recess in the aircraft into which the packed chute is to be received.

Extending about the open top of the container 12 is an extended surface planar member or counter top 22. The counter top 22 has its top plane surface substantially in the plane of the open top of the container 12. The assembly also includes a lever arm generally designated 24. One end 26 of the lever arm is pivotally mounted to a lever arm mounting device 28 on a pivot pin 30. The pivot pin mounting means includes a plate member 32 and a swivel pin element 34 having a locking pin 36 at the lower end thereof while at the upper end, the swivel pin is bifurcated to receive end 36 of the lever arm or member 24. The lever arm mounting member 28 is received and mounted on the top planar surface of the counter top 22 so that the pivotal arc of the lever arm 24 is in a plane passing through the center of the container 12. Furthermore, the lever arm 24 may also be pivoted about the axis of swivel pin 34 to swing the lever arm clear of the chute packing zone.

The opposite end 38 of the lever arm 24 comprises a hand-gripping portion of the arm while intermediate the two

ends

26 and 38 of the lever arm is pivotally mounted a presser foot element generally designated 40. The presser foot element 40 includes a flat base portion 42 having an extended surface less than the area of the open top 18 of the container 12 whereby the presser foot Will freely telescope within the container and provide room for unpacked portions of the drag chute, its shrouds and rigging lines as illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings.

The presser foot assembly 40 also includes a pair of upstanding arms 44 which receive and are pivotally mounted to the lever arm on a pivot pin 46. The length of the arms 44 is such that the presser foot assembly is generally freely pivotable on the lever arm. However, pivoting of the presser foot member 40 is restricted by a stop pin 48 secured to the lever arm 24. The position of the stop pin 4S is such that with the lever arm 24 substantially in the position illustrated in full lines in FIG. 2, the presser foot is in a vertical position with the fiat base 42 lying in a plane parallel to the plane of the extended surface counter top 22.

The assembly also includes means generally designated 50 adjacent the forward end of the extended surface counter member 22 and means generally designated 52 adjacent the rearward edge of the counter member for releasably securing the front and rear closure flaps of the chute pack 20. The front releasable securing means consists of a pair of straps 54 and 54', each of which is provided With a separable fastener pair S6, 58 and 56', 58. The extended ends of the straps 54 and 54' pass through openings 60 and 60 in the front flap 62 of the pack 20 and maintain the flap open and prevent the pack from being forced into the container 12 upon packing of the drag chuteand its rigging lines and webbing risers.

Similarly, loops 64 and 64' are releasably secured about the rear releasable securing means 52 which consists, in the illustrated form of the invention, of

pins

68 and 68 secured in the plate member 32 of the pivotal mounting member 28 for the lever arm 24, whereby the back iiap 70 is likewise prevented from being folded into the container 12 upon actuation of the device.

In operation of the invention, the chute pack 20 is positioned within the container 12 and the front 62 and the rear 70 flaps of the pack are releasably secured to their respective. releasabley securing means. riggingA lines and webbing risers are then arranged in position upon the counter top 22 and sections thereof are folded upon themselves Within the pack and compressed tightly Within the. pack by reciprocating action of the lever arm 24 which forces the presser foot 42 into the container as. each of the required folds are made in the canopy and itsvconnected lines.

I claim: f

1'. A, drag chute packing device comprising a rigid container adapted to snugly receive a flexible drag chute pack, said container having an open top and closed side and bottom Walls and conforming in configuration to the desired configuration of the ilexible drag chute pack, an extended planar surface member surrounding the plane of the open top of said container, a lever arm, means mounting said lever arm to the planar surface member for pivotal-` movement over the open top of the container, a presser foot pivotally mounted tosaid lever arm at a position intermediate the length of the arm and at a posi- The chute, its f tion to be telescopically received within the container at one position of the lever arm, stop means cooperating with the lever arm and the presser foot, and means for releasably securing the closure aps of the drag chute pack in an extended open position to the extended surface member when the side walls and the bottom of the pack are received Wit-hin the container.

2. The invention defined in claim l wherein said lever arm is alsopivotaliy mounted for rotation in a plane normal to the plane of pivotal movement of the presser foot whereby tire lever arm and presser foot may be rotated to a position remote from the said container.

' References @ted in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,3315 89 Fremeau Nov. 30, 1943 2,357,828 Hurt Sept. 12, 1944 2,452,664 Selsrneyer Nov. 2, 1948

Claims

1. A DRAG CHUTE PACKING DEVICE COMPRISING A RIGID CONTAINER ADAPTED TO SNUGLY RECEIVE A FLEXIBLE DRAG CHUTE PACK, SAID CONTAINER HAVING AN OPEN TOP AND CLOSED SIDE AND BOTTOM WALLS AND CONFORMING IN CONFIGURATION TO THE DESIRED CONFIGURATION OF THE FLEXIBLE DRAG CHUTE PACK, AN EXTENDED PLANAR SURFACE MEMBER SURROUNDING THE PLANE OF THE OPEN TOP OF SAID CONTAINER, A LEVER ARM, MEANS MOUNTING SAID LEVER ARM TO THE PLANAR SURFACE MEMBER FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OVER THE OPEN TOP OF THE CONTAINER, A PRESSER FOOT PIVOTALLY MOUNTED TO SAID LEVER ARM AT A POSITION INTERMEDIATE THE LENGTH OF THE ARM AND AT A POSITION TO BE TELESCOPICALLY RECEIVED WITHIN THE CONTAINER AT ONE POSITION OF THE LEVER ARM, STOP MEANS COOPERATING WITH THE LEVER ARM AND THE PRESSER FOOT, AND MEANS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING THE CLOSURE FLAPS OF THE DRAG CHUTE PACK IN AN