GLIDER LAUNCHER FOR KITES

• US 3,684,219 A
• Filed: 12/18/1970
• Issued: 08/15/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert W. King
• Original Assignee: Robert W. King
• Inventors: King, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schacher, Richard A.
• Application Number:
  US05/099,615
• Time in Patent Office: 606 Days
• Field of Search: 244/153,154,155
• US Class Current: 244/155.00R
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/08 Kites kite-sails or kite-wings specially adapted for water sports boards B63H8/10; kite-sails for wind propelled vessels B63H9/069
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 27/087 Means for launching objects along the kite string, e.g. with parachutes

Abstract

A simple, lightweight, easily constructed and easily operated, spring-loaded glider launching attachment for a kite is disclosed which is formed primarily from flexible plastic tubing, paper clips or the like and rubber bands. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Claims

1. A kite capable of carrying and launching an article aloft including:

a kite frame having a frame strut member with a resilient launching band affixed to one end thereof;

trigger means to hold said resilient launching band in a stretched position with said article releasably engaged by said band;

a bridle attached to said kite frame including a resilient takeup band attached to the main control string of said kite; and

a normally slack trip string attached to said control string at one end and to said trigger means at the other end, the resiliency of said take-up band allowing a sudden jerk on said control string to take up the slack in said trip string whereby to release said trigger means.

2. A kite in accordance with claim 1 in which:

said block member includes a pivotally mounted finger adapted to engage said resilient launching member and rotate to a locked position;

a catch member slidably carried by said launching strut and having a bore hole to receive said finger in the locked position; and

said one end of said trip string being attached to said catch member whereby the tautening of said trip string slides said catch member from the latched position.

3. A kite adapted to carry and launch an article from aloft comprising:

frame means including a frame strut member having a top end and a bottom end;

a main kite control string and a bridle string attached to said frame means with a resilient take-up band between said bridle string and said main control string;

mounting means at the top and bottom ends of said frame strut member, including a guide channel at the top end thereof;

a launching strut carried at its end by said mounting means;

a resilient launching band affixed at one end to said launching strut and have a resilient trigger band at the other end;

means on said launching strut to detachably hold a rear portion of the article to be launched;

releasable trigger means mounted on said launching strut and including a slidable member adapted to releasably engage said trigger band;

a trip string attached to said control string and extending through said guide channel to said slidable member whereby a sharp pull on said control string lengthens said take-up band and pulls said trip string to release said trigger means.

4. A kite in accordance with claim 3 in which:

said trip string is normally slack in the flying position of said kite and the remaining stretch in said take-up band is sufficient to overcome said slack and tauten said trip string sufficiently to release said trigger.

5. A kite in accordance with claim 3 in which:

said trigger means comprises a block member affixed to said launching strut and having a sloping surface over which a portion of said resilient launching band engages in stretched relationship;

a catch member encompassing and slidably carried by said launching strut and having a tongue engageable over the engaged portion of said launching band;

said catch member being thereby canted upon said strut in a latched position; and

said one end of said trip string being attached to said catch member whereby the tautening of said trip string slides said caTch member from the latched position.

6. A kite adapted to carry a glider aloft and launch same comprising:

a kite frame having an elongated frame strut member extending from the tail end to the top end of said kite;

a launching strut carried by said frame strut and having a plurality of sections of plastic tubing encompassing said launching strut;

one of said tubing sections encompassing said frame strut near the tail end to form a mounting;

another of said tubing sections having a guide loop and spaced fingers adapted to engage the tail portion of a glider;

one of said tubing sections being slidably mounted on said launching strut with a portion of its longitudinal bore hole open to form a trigger catch;

one of said tubing sections having a pivotal trigger member engageable in said trigger catch in a locked position;

still another of said tubing sections being elongated and arched approximately 180* whereby the extended end encompasses said extended top end of said frame strut and supports said launching strut at an angle to said frame strut;

spaced bore holes in the side of said last mentioned tubing section;

a main kite control string affixed to a shock-absorber band and a bridle attached between said band and said kite frame;

a resilient launching band held at one end between said arcuate tubing section and said launching strut and having a glider engaging loop and a trigger engaging loop; and

a trip string engaged at one end by said control string and extending in slack condition through the spaced bore holes of said arcuate tubing section through said guide loop and being affixed at its other end to said trigger means;

whereby a glider is positionable therein with its tail section between said fingers;

its frame hooked in said glider engaging loop, with the launching band stretched sufficiently to throw said glider free of said kite and with the trigger engaging loop engaged under said trigger member in the locked position and the remaining stretch of said shock-absorber band is sufficient to overcome the slack condition of said trip string and release said trigger member from said trigger catch.

7. A kite in accordance with claim 6 in which:

said trip string engages said control string by means of a loop therearound; and

said control string is provided with a washer member between said loop and the end of said shock-absorber band.

8. A kite in accordance with claim 6 in which:

said spaced fingers extending from said one tubing section comprise the open end hook of a wire member including a shank and a base loop encompassed by said tubing section upon said launching strut; and

said base loop is upturned from the surface of said launching strut to form said guide loop for said trip string.

9. A kite in accordance with claim 6 in which:

said pivotal trigger member is pivotally mounted in a wall section of said tubing spaced inwardly from the end of said tubing and said end is formed with a sloping surface.