Aircraft launcher

• US 4,238,093 A
• Filed: 12/21/1978
• Issued: 12/09/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/1978
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Hammond, Joseph, Dunning, David, Cahall, Everett, Siegel, Moses
• Primary Examiner(s): Frankfort, Charles E.
• Application Number:
  US05/972,133
• Time in Patent Office: 719 Days
• Field of Search: 244/63, 46/81, 124/56, 124/60, 124/61, 124/65
• US Class Current: 244/63
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/06 using catapults

Abstract

A launching system for lightweight aircraft includes a shuttle adapted to rry the aircraft and slidingly mounted to a launching frame along a track that guides launch direction. A piston rod is concentrically mounted within a launch tube parallel to the track and is adapted to receive pneumatic pressure at the inward end thereof for driving the rod longitudinally outward of the tube during the launch stroke of the system. A crosshead having a pair of rotatable sheaves mounted thereon is rigidly connected to the outward end of the piston rod and slidingly connected to the track so that the crosshead moves along the track in conjunction with the longitudinal movement of the rod. A length of energy-absorbing tape is fixed at its ends to the frame, reeved around the sheaves, and passed through the shuttle between a pair of opposed arcuate members centrally mounted thereto so that during the launch stroke, the shuttle is accelerated along the track from a battery position by a towing force applied by the tape and symmetrically distributed about the forward arcuate member to prevent jamming of the shuttle along the track. At the end of the launch stroke, the tape, acting upon the rearward arcuate member, serves as an energy absorber to brake the shuttle, piston rod, and crosshead for a return to battery position.

Claims

1. A system for launching an aircraft, comprising:

a track extended longitudinally between a forward and a rearward end;

a shuttle adapted to advance along said track from the rearward to the forward end thereof;

a crosshead positioned intermediate the ends of said track forward of said shuttle and adapted to be driven longitudinally along said track to a position intermediate the ends thereof rearward of said shuttle; and

a strip of energy-absorbing tape fixed at its ends to said track rearward of said crosshead and reeved through said crosshead and said shuttle for advancing and shuttle along said track with forward movement of said crosshead and for braking said shuttle forward of said crosshead at the forward end of said track.

2. A launching system according to claim 1 wherein:

said shuttle is provided with a pair of opposed arcuate surfaces aligned longitudinally with said track;

said crosshead is provided with a pair of rotating sheaves aligned transversely with said track; and

said tape is routed from its fixed ends around forward surfaces of said sheaves, when said crosshead is forward of said shuttle, and between the arcuate surfaces for continuously interconnecting said shuttle and said crosshead with said tape.

3. A launching system according to claim 2, further comprising:

an elasticized cord operatively connected to said shuttle for drawing said shuttle rearward from the forward end of said track.

4. A system for launching an aircraft, comprising:

a track to guide launch direction;

shuttle means adapted to carry the aircraft and slidingly connected to said track;

piston means operatively connected to move along said track for driving said shuttle means forwardly therealong; and

a strip of energy-absorbing tape fixed at its ends to said track and reevingly connected between said piston means and said shuttle means for accelerating said shuttle means concomitantly with acceleration of said piston means and for braking said shuttle means forward of said piston means, said strip of tape having a taut length for positioning said piston means and said shuttle means forward and aftward, respectively, of the ends of said tape in a battery position of the launching system, and an extended length for positioning said shuttle means forward of said piston means near the forward end of said track.