Aerial marker launcher

• US 4,316,554 A
• Filed: 02/22/1980
• Issued: 02/23/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Pacific Paper Products, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pacific Paper Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Lloyd, William R. J.
• Primary Examiner(s): YASICH, DANIEL
• Application Number:
  US06/123,897
• Time in Patent Office: 732 Days
• Field of Search: 116/209, 222/279, 244/136, 244/137 R, 221/226, 221/230
• US Class Current: 221/232
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/02 Dropping, ejecting, or releasing articles jettisonable fuel reservoirs B64D37/12

Abstract

An aerial marker launcher for dropping markers from an aircraft to the ground to form a readily visible indication of the path of the aircraft. The launcher includes a container mounted on the wing of an aircraft, the container configured to hold a stack of markers and having an ejection opening in one end. An ejection means is mounted at the ejection opening and is pilot controllable to eject the markers one at a time. A pusher plate at the end of the stack is operable to urge the markers toward the ejection opening. Attached to the pusher plate is a spring assembly having a resilient retractable extension member, under tension, extending therefrom and attached to the container adjacent the ejection opening for urging the pusher plate resiliently toward the ejection opening.

Claims

1. An aerial marker launcher for dropping a series of markers from an aircraft, while it is in flight, to the ground to indicate its line of flight, each marker including a stiff base member and a flexible, streamer-like strip attached to one face of the base member, the launcher comprising:

(a) an elongated container having means to attach it to an aircraft, the container being configured to hold a plurality of markers in a stack and having an opening in one end thereof to allow ejection of the markers,

(b) ejector means secured to the container and arranged to releasably engage the marker nearest the container opening and eject it from the container,

(c) a pusher plate abutting the end of the stack inside the container and movable therein toward the container opening to position the markers one at a time for ejection by the ejector means, and

(d) a spring assembly comprising a spool mounted rotatably on the pusher plate, a cable wound around the spool and extendable therefrom, the extended end of the cable being attached to the container adjacent said ejection opening, a spring operable to applied torque to the spool, and a housing attached to the pusher plate and covering the spool and having an opening therein adjacent the pusher plate to allow passage of the cable.

2. An aerial marker launcher for dropping a series of markers from an aircraft, while it is in flight, to the ground to indicate its line of flight, each marker including a stiff base member and flexible, streamer-like strip attached to one face of the base member, the launcher comprising:

(a) an elongated container having means to attach it to an aircraft, the container being configured to hold a plurality of markers in a stack and having an opening in one end thereof to allow ejection of the markers,

(b) ejector means secured to the container and arranged to releasably engage the marker nearest the container opening and eject it from the container,

(c) a pusher plate abutting the end of the stack inside the container and movable therein toward the container opening to position the markers one at a time for ejection by the ejector means, and

(d) a spring assembly comprising a spool mounted rotatably on the pusher plate, a cable wound around the spool and extendable therefrom, the extended end of the cable being attached to the container adjacent said ejection opening, a spring operable to applied torque to the spool for urging the cable resiliently to coil around the spool, and a spool-mounting bracket attached to the pusher plate opposite the side which faces the stack.

3. An aerial marker launcher for dropping a series of markers from an aircraft, while it is in flight, to the ground to indicate its line of flight, each marker including a stiff base member and a flexible, streamer-like strip attached to one face of the base member, the launcher comprising:

(a) an elongated container having means to attach it to an aircraft, the container being configured to hold a plurality of markers in a stack and having an opening in one end thereof to allow ejection of the markers,

(b) ejector means secured to the container and arranged to releasably engage the marker nearest the container opening and eject it from the container, the ejector means including a retractable plunger movable between a retracted position separated from the stiff base member of the marker and an extended position engaging said stiff base member and ejecting the marker from the container,

(c) a pusher plate abutting the end of the stack inside the container and movable therein toward the container opening to position the markers one at a time for ejection by the ejector means, the pusher plate having a notch therein to register with the plunger of the ejector means to prevent ejection of the pusher plate from the container, and

(d) drive means interengaging the container and pusher plate for moving the latter toward the container opening.

4. An aerial marker launcher for dropping a series of markers from an aircraft, while it is in flight, to the ground to indicate its line of flight, each marker including a stiff base member and a flexible, streamer-like strip attached to one face of the base member, the launcher comprising:

(a) an elongated container having means to attach it to an aircraft, the container being configured to hold a plurality of markers in a stack and having an opening in the rear end thereof to allow ejection of the markers.

(b) a pusher plate in the container for abutting the inner end of the stack of markers in the container and movable therein toward the container opening,

(c) drive means interengaging the container and pusher plate for moving the latter toward the container opening,

(d) side bracket means on the container extending inwardly at the ejection opening on opposite sides thereof for abutment by the sides of the base member of the rearmost marker,

(e) a resilient tab on the container arranged to intercept the upper side of the base member of the rearmost marker for resiliently resisting upward movement of the marker, and

(f) ejector means secured to the container and arranged to releasably engage the base member of the rearmost marker and move it upward against the resilient resistance of the resilient tab, the ejector means including a retractable plunger movable between a retracted position below the base member of the rearmost marker and an upwardly extended position engaging said base member and ejecting the marker from the container,

(g) the pusher plate having a notch therein arranged to register with the plunger of the ejector means to prevent ejection of the pusher plate from the container.