AIR DROPPED ANTENNA WITH DEPLOYMENT APPARATUS

• US 3,568,201 A
• Filed: 08/12/1969
• Issued: 03/02/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: David W. Spoonamore, Kenneth A. Renno, Paul E. Kite
• Original Assignee: David W. Spoonamore, Kenneth A. Renno, Paul E. Kite
• Inventors: Spoonamore, David W., Renno, Kenneth A., Kite, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US04/849,421
• Time in Patent Office: 567 Days
• US Class Current: 343/705
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/08 Means for collapsing antennas or parts thereof collapsible loop antennas H01Q7/02; means for collapsing H-antennas or Yagi antennas H01Q19/04
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/48 Earthing means; Earth screens; Counterpoises

Abstract

Antenna deployment apparatus for an air-launched electronic buoy having a self-erecting main antenna element and a plurality of self-erecting, radiating ground plane antenna elements which are retained during descent in undeployed, spirally wound conditions by a spring loaded housing assembly in turn maintained in deployment preventing position by a pivotally mounted latch which is pinned in interlocking engagement with a pair of locking posts. At some time after landing, a timer activates an explosive squib to force the latch to shear a pin and move to a releasing position causing assembly ejection which facilitates antenna deployment and parachute separation.

Claims

1. Antenna deployment apparatus for an air-launched electronic gear comprising:

an antenna mounting block;

a first antenna element connected to said mounting block and being self-erecting from an undeployed condition to a deployed condition;

a housing assembly for entrapping said antenna element in said undeployed condition when said assembly in interconnected with said mounting member;

latching means for releasably interconnecting said housing assembly to said mounting block, said latching means including a latch mounted for pivotal movement between locking and releasing positions in a plane normal to the direction of landing impact force loading and including actuating means having a plunger arranged for movement in said plane to force said latch from locking position to releasing position; and

spring means for ejecting said housing assembly from said mounting block upon movement of said latch from said locking position to permit said antenna element to erect itself in said deployed condition.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

said first antenna element being made of a flexible, spring material and being wound upon itself in said undeployed condition; and

said housing assembly includes formed in a side adjacent said antenna mounting block a cavity sized to receive said first antenna element in said undeployed condition.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a second antenna element connected to said mounting block and being self-erecting from an undeployed condition would upon itself to a deployed condition extending in a direction transversely of the direction of said deployed condition of said first element;

said antenna mounting block includes a cavity found in its lateral periphery for receiving said second element in said deployed condition; and

said housing assembly includes a projection for entrapping said second element in said cavity formed in said mounting block.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising:

said first antenna element being made of a flexible, spring material and being wound upon itself in said undeployed conditioN; and

said housing assembly includes formed in a side adjacent said antenna mounting block a cavity sized to receive said first antenna element in said undeployed condition.

5. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising:

a plurality of second antenna elements made of flexible, spring material, connected to said mounting block in spaced relation and being self-erecting from undeployed conditions wound upon themselves to deployed conditions extending transversely of the deployed condition of said first antenna element;

said mounting block has a cylindrical configuration and has a plurality of cavities formed in its lateral periphery in spaced relation and sized for receiving respective ones of said second antenna elements in said undeployed conditions; and

said housing assembly includes a tubular sleeve sized to receive said cavitied portion of said mounting block and entrap said plurality of said second elements in said cavities.

6. Apparatus according to claim 5 further comprising:

said first element being made of a flexible, spring material and being wound upon itself in said undeployed condition;

said housing assembly including a latch mounting member connected within said sleeve, said member having formed in one end adjacent said antenna mounting member a cavity sized to receive said first antenna element and having a pair of spaced apart, parallel bores formed to extend therethrough from said one end;

a pair of locking posts connected to said antenna mounting block and being slidably received through said bores and protruding from the other end of said latch mounting member; and

said latch being pivotally mounted intermediate its ends on said other end of said latch mounting member and being formed for interlocking engagement with said locking posts.

7. Apparatus according to claim 6 further comprising:

said latch member has a lateral periphery apaced inwardly of the inner periphery of said sleeve; and

said spring means includes a coil spring connected at one end to said housing assembly, positioned in the annular space between said sleeve and said latch mounting member and compressed between said housing assembly and said antenna mounting block.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 further comprising;

a shear pin extending through said latch and connected to said latch mounting member for retaining said latch in said locking position, said shear pin being shearable by said plunger forcing said latch from said locking position.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein said latch activating means comprises:

power supply means for supplying electrical power;

switch means connected to said power supply means and being actuatable prior to landing for providing power;

timer means electrically connected to receive power from said switch means and being responsive to the application of electrical power for providing a firing signal after a predetermined time longer than a predetermined descent time; and

explosive squib means including said plunger and being responsive to said firing signal for causing said plunger to force said latch from said locking position.

10. Apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising:

a transverse bulkhead connected within and dividing said sleeve into a parachute receiving compartment and a latch mounting member receiving compartment;

said other end of said latch mounting member abutting and being connected to said bulkhead and having a groove formed therein within which is mounted said latch in recessed relation;

a parachute having a bridle connected thereto; and

lug means connected to said latch mounting member for interconnecting said bridle to said bulkhead.