Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
109~0
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
: The only prior art known to applicant having any perti-
nency whatsoever to the present invention are the following issued
United States LRtters Patent:
1,621,654 3,883,097 2,~05,707
2,470~120 1,851,305 3,167,303
3,331~572 2,481,280 3,371,874
3,176,940 3,379,096 4,017,042
In general, such prior art patents do not disclose the
pickling up of a stationary parcel by an aircraft in flight by
means following the teaching of my inventionO
` SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION `
My invention provides for a parcel-pickup cord having
I a parcel-engaging hook at its outer end portionO This parcel-
pickup cord is reevable onto and off of first sheave means. The -
first sheave means is driven in a given direction by any suita- ~ -
:/ :
' 15 ble means and while so driven, pays out or parcel-pickup cord is
reeved off said fîrst sheave. A second sheave is connected with
said first sheave to turn therewith, as both are mounted on the
~-~ same cross shaft which is power driven in one directionO Afirst spring cord means has one end portion connected with said
20 second sheave and is wound thereon as both said sheaves turn in
said given directionO The first spring cord has its other end
m portion connected with frame parts of the aircraft and the first
spring cord is tensioned as it reeves onto said second sheave
and such tensioned first spring cord furnishes the power to drive
25 the two sheaves in the opposite direction while the said first
spring cord reeves off its sheave and the parcel-pickup cord
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109Z580
reeves onto its sheavea As the hook end portlon of the parcel-
pickup cord and the parcel carrled thereby nears the aircra~t,
~overnor means are engaged to limit the speed of travel of such
end portion of the parcel-pickup cord and such parcel. The
S moving parts of the governor are connected with a second spring
cord means which is tensioned by the travel of the parcel-pickup
: cord connected with the moving part of the governorO After a
parcel has been delivered to the aircraft and removed fro~ the -:
hook end portion of the parcel-pickup cord, the second spring
` 10 cord means furnishes the power to return the moving parts of the
; governor to the starting position for its next cycle of opera-tionO Manually controlled pawl and ratchet means are provided
~i. to prevent the first spring cord means from returning parcel- .
3 pickup cord at the time when a package is being engaged so a
:~ 15 pilot can maneuver the aircraft to engage a suspended hook,
relatively fixed as respects the aircraft, with a stationary
package on the ground. The pawl and ratchet means limit travel
of the parcel-pickup cord only in one direction of travel thereof
and thus resilient cord, which can pay out, engages a stationary
20 parcel and the give will allow for a cushion to take care of the .
sudden shock of contact and of the increase in speed until the
suspended package moves faster than the aircraft and is thereby !
j delivered to the aircraft. Also, the parcel'-pickup cord is so
constructed that it readily bends in a forward direction of the
~5 line of travel of the aircraft but resists bending in the oppo-
site directionO
The foregoing and other objects of my invention will
-¦ become implicit and explicit as the description of my invention
:~ proceeds in connection with the accompanying specification and
. ~,
.~ 30 drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like partsO
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a view of an aircraft, equipped with my
invention, approaching a parcel on the ground, and just prior
to the picking up of said parcel;
FIG. 2 is a similar view and ju8t after the picking
up of the parcel;
FIG~ 3 is a similar view showing the parcel pulled
: toward the aircraft and just prior to being engaged by a hoist
for the transfer of the parcel to the aircraft;
! FIG ~ 4 is a similar view and after the parcel is
:~ 10 engaged by a hoist to transfer the same to the-aircraft;
FIG o S is a view, on a larger scale, ~f an aircraft --
equipped with my invention;
`~ FIGo 6 is a fragmentary elevational view, on a still
$
ii~ larger scale, showing a portion of one of the parcel-pickup
;~ 15 cords and associated parts; ^:
~i~ FIGo 7 is a fragmentary plan view taken substantially
. on broken line 7~7 of FIGo 6;
FIGo 8 is a fragmentary elevational view, on a still
larger scale, taken substantially on broken line 8~8 of FIGo 7; `~
FIGo 9 ~sheet 2 of drawings) is a fragmentary eleva-
tional view, with parts in section, and taken substantialb on
~ broken line 9-9 of FIG~ 8;
`~ FIG~ 10 ~sheet 5 of drawings) is a fragmentary sectional
view of a lineal-travel-speed-limiting device, or governor~ and
parts of associated cords employed in arresting speed of the
~ parcel-pickup cord and package as they approach the aircraft;
`i FIGo 11 ~ sheet 5 of drawings) is a fragmentary eleva-
tional view of a lever and associated ball-carrying cord employed - -
,~ in connection with the mechanism of FIGo 10;
`
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lO9Z580
FIG. 12 (~heet 2 of drawings) i8 a fragmentary side
elevational view of the parcel hook, on a larger scale, and
taken substantially on broken line 12-12 of FIG~ 7;
FIGo 13 ~sheet 3 of the drawings) is a fragmentary ele-
vational view, on a still larger scale, of a parcel-pickup cord;
and
FIGo ^lA ~sheet 3 of drawings) is a fragmentary perspec-
tive view, on a still larger scale, of a fra~ment of the cord
.
shown in FIGo 130
DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODrMENT
In FIGSo 1-5~ an aircraft 20 is shown as equipped with
the parcel-ejector means 22 of my prior Canadian Patent No. ~.
- 1,040,610 shown in place~ My said prior patent dealt with theejection or delivery of a parcelfrom an aircraft in flight to
the ground, whereas, the present invention generally relates to
15 the picking up from the ground of a parcel by an aircraft ln
-~ flighto
.: A hook 24 and parcel-pickup cord 26, the details of
which will be later described, engage a parcel 28 resting on the
ground 30 in FIGo 1 and move such parcel toward the aircraft 20
. 20 as shown in FIGSo 2 and 3. When the p æ cel reaches the position
shoMn in FIGo 3, a power-driven hoist 32, connector 34, and sec-
. ,
ond hook 36 Csee FIG. 5) engage the parcel 28, release the hook
'~ T~ ~rom the parcel 28, and deliver the parcel 28 into the air-
craft 20.
There are two parcel-pickup cords 26, see FIGS. 6 and
7, one on each side of the aircraft 20 and they are reeved onto
and off of spaced apart sheaves 38 as will be later explained.
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Each sheave 38 is ~i~ed to a cross shaft 40, which is journalecl
in appropriate bearings carried by the aircraft frame parts 42a
Thus, as shaft 40 turns in one direction, as clockwise as viewed
from the botto~ of FIGo 7, parcel-pickup cord 26 is paid out
rom each sheave 38, and when said shaft 40 is turned in the
opposite direction, parcel-pickup cord 26 is reeved onto each
sheave 38.
A helical sheave ~4 is also fixed on cross shat 40. -
This illustrates a manner of providing travel of sheaves 44 and -~
38 at the same timeO Cord 46 has one end portion thereof con-
: nected to sheave 44 and is thence reeved onto sheave 44 in the
opposite direction to the reeving on of parcel-pickup belts 26
- onto sheaves 38 Cclockwise as viewed from the bottom of FIGo 7)~
Thus, turning of shaft 40 in one direction reeves cord 46 onto
sheave 44 and turning in the opposite directioh reeves cord 46
off sheave 44O With such directions of reeving, parcel-pickup
cord 26 is reeved off as cord 46 is reeved on and vice versaO
Cord 46 has its other end connected with one end of spring cord
~; 48 and the other end of spring cord 48 is connected with a sec-
ond cord 50 which, in turn, connects with the power-driven sheave
means S~O Cord 46, spring cord 48, and second cord 50 form
a spring cord meansO The purpose of nonspring cord parts 46
and 50 is to utilize space on sheaves as such cord parts are
reeved thereon. Spring cord 48 is reeved over a plurality of ~ 25 idle pulleys 54 and 56 to give it the desired lengthO The spring
cord 48 is used as power means to reeve in the parcel-pickup
cords 26 on~o sheave 38 and hence, the plurality of id;le pulleys
54 and 56 and the reeving of spring cord 48 back and forth over
the same, provides sufficient length of spring cord 48 so that
-: 30 during its retraction after being appropriately stretched, it is
:;~ 6
lO9ZS80
:`;
long enough and provides the desired power and for a sufficient
tîme dnration to bring the hook 24 and parcel 28 to the aircraft
. 20~ The spring cord 48 is initially pre~ensloned by power-driven sheave means 52~ Thereafter, when parcel-pickup cords 26 are
5 fed out, the spring cord 48 is sufficiently tensioned to return :
the parcel-pickup cords 26 to their position shown in FIGo 7 of
the drawing and in which position the spring cord 48 is at its
pretensioned position urging a parcel-pickup cord 26 to the
position shown in FIGo 7 of the drawings.
The position of the sheaves 38 and 44 (shawn in FIGo 7)
. :,
; is the rest position after a parcel has been drawn to the air-
s.: craft 200 Thereafter, if cross shaft 40 is driven Cclockwise as .~:viewed from the bottom of FIG. 7), a parcel-pickup cord 46 is .
-~ fed out from each sheave 38 and at the same t:ime cord 46 is
; 15 reeved onto helical sheave 440 A~ this time, the total diameter ~:
of each sheave 38 with parcel-pickup cord 26 thereon is its
greatest diameter and at the same time cord 46 is being fed from
; helical sheave 44 and with the largest diameter of helical sheave
: 44. Thus, feed off and onto sheaves 38 match the feed onto and
~: 20 of of helical sheave 440
The shaft 40 is turned in one direction Ccounterclock-
. wise as viewed from the bottom of FIG. 7.-) by spring cord 48 re-
turning to normal after being stretched and this causes parcel-
: :q,
.~` : pickup cords 26 to be reeved onto sheaves 38 and hook 24 and par-
25. cel ~8sto m~ve to the aircraft 20~ Movement in the opposite di-
~ rection or clockwise of cross shaft 40 is caused by motor 58.
;~ Movement of the cross shaft 40 in this clockwise direction pays
out parcel-pickup cords 26 and hook 24 to the position indicated
in FI~. 1 of the drawings.
Meshing gears 60 and 62 ~FIG. 7) are carried, respec-
- tively, by the rotor of motor 58 and cross shaft 40 transmitting
.,
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109Z580
power from nlotor 58 to cause cross shaft ~0 to turn and in said
clockwise direction. Shaft 40 operates as a continuous shaft
and coupling 64 sh~n is employed only as a mechanical expedientO
As parcel 28 is being moved toward aircraft 20 by
parcel-pickup cords 26 being reeved onto sheaves 38, cord 46 is
:i being paid off of helical sheave 44 and cord 46 moves toward theleft as viewed in FIGo 80 When ball 66, carried by cord 46,
engages levera~e 68, a lineal-travel-speed-limiting device num-
bered generally 67 Chereinafter termed a speed governor) connec-
ted with leverage 68, operates to counteract the thrust provided
:, by the resiliency of spring cord 48 ~which is reeved about sheaves
38 and returning the parcel-pickup cords 26) and thus the gover-
I nor 67 cushions the delivery of the parcel 28 as the same nears
-' the aircraft 20.
: 15 Leverage numbered generally 68 CFIGS. 8 and 9~ com- -~
! prises a crankshaft mechanism with main shaft 7~, lever means 72
¦ at right angles to shaft 70 and disposed on one end portion of
:~ main shaft 70, link 74 disposed on the other end portion of main
shaft 70 and disposed at right angles to said main shaft 70 and `~
20 parallel to the lever means 72, and shaft 76 disposed at right . :
~! angles to link 74 and parallel to shaft 76~ Thus, if the ball 66
.1l engages with lever means 72 ~the details of which will be later ~-~
-~ described), it will move lever means 72 from the full line to the
¦ dotted line position shown in FIGO 8 of the drawings and will also
-~ 25 move the shaft 76 from the fullline to the dotted line position
shown ih FIG~ 8~ Shaft 76 will engage with the upper extension
¦~ of generally H-shaped linkage ~see FIGS. 8 and 9) comprising
' parallel legs 78 having extensions 80 Cangularly disposed to
~:~ legs 78 as shawn in FIGO 8~. Each of the legs 78 has a lug or
right angle portion 82 which are spaced apart and pivotally
.
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~O9Z580
mounted on cross s~a~t 84. ~llafts 70 and 84 are suitably sup-
ported by bearings carried by aircraft frame parts 42.
Lever means 72 has its sleeve 85 slidably mounted on
shaft 70 so it may move lengthwise of shaft 70 but said sleeve
85 angularly moves with said shaft 70 to impart its angular
movement to said shaft 700 The lengthwise sliding movement of
: lever means 72 permits lever means 72 to follow cord 46 as the
same moves sideways in reeving onto and off of helical sheave
440 Spring means 75 connectslink 74 with an aircraft frame
10 part 420 Thistends to turn link 74 counterclockwise cin FIGo 8)
about shaft 70 and lever means 72 in the same direction or
; toward its full line position--thus tending to maintain contact
between lever means 72 and cord 46 even though lever means 72
may be in the dotted line position shown in FIG. 80
`.: .
~` 15 Lever means 72 CFIG~ 8) preferably comprises links 86
- pivotally connected together and spring loaded by springs ~8 so
the parts ~ill assume the positions shown in FIGo 8 but the parts
can give in moving from the dotted line to the full line posi-
tion of FlGo 11 in response to being moved by ball 66 carried by
cord 46. Also, the member, comprising legs 78, extension parts
80, and legs 82, mounted on cross shaft 84, is provided with off-
center spring 90, connected between it and an aircraft frame
part 42, so that such member is maintained either in the position
; with the legs 78 in the full or the dotted line position shown
25 in FIG~ 8~ -
The legs 78 support a sheave-gearlike assembly num-
bered generally 92 comprising gearlike members 94 carrying
sheave 960 Nonelastic cord 98 is reeved off and onto sheave 96,
which turns with gearlike members 940 When lever means 72 is `
moved Cto the left in FIGo 8) from the full line to the dotted
_
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1092580
dotted line posi.tion, shaft 76 en~ages with extension ~0 and moves
legs 78 Cabout shaft 84 as a f-llcr~tm) and moves gearlike members
: 94 into engagement with gearlike member 100 ~FIG. 8). Gearlike
: members 94 and 100 may be formed of a rubberlike material with
cogs thereon--this to prevent relative slippage therebetween when
the same are~engaged and a~o to eliminate gear-engaging and -
-releasing problems inherent in metal gear usage. Also, the
off-center spring 90 maintains the gearlike members 94 either in
engagement or disengagement with gearlike member lOOo
Shaft 40 also carries ratchet gear 106 ~FIGo 8)o Lever
108 is pivoted on a frame part 42 intermediate its length by
pivot 110~ An off-center spring 112 with its pawl 114, either
'~' in engaging position with ratchet gear 106 or out of the path of '
said ratchet gear 106, will maintain lever 108 in either posi-
~, 15 tion. When pawl 114 engages ratchet gear 106, shaft 40 is free .`
to turn counterclockwis~ Cas viewed in FIG. 8) but such shaft 40 '~
is locked against clockwise movementO Counterclockwise movement
of shaft 40 as viewed in FIG. 8 is the same direction of move-
. ment as clockwise movement of shaft 40 as viewed in FIG. 7 and ~. :
thus when the shaft 40 is locked, sheaves 38 are prevented by
: pawl 114 from reeving in parcel-pickup cord 26 when the pawl 114 '-.
is in its full line or locking position as shown in FIGo 8O The
lever 108 is placed in full line position just prior to the pick-
up of a parcel 0FIG. 1) to maintain the parcel-pickup cords 26 in
25. any extended lengths thereofO Once a parcel 28 is engaged, the
impact of engaging a stationary parcel 28 by a moving hook 24
will cause reeving off of parcel-pickup cord 26, reeving on of
cord 4k, turni.ng of g~ar~ke member 100., and finally ratchet gear
106 will turn relative to pawl 114. This will cuase lever 108
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lO9Z580
to move from the IIIll line to the dot line position o~ FIG. 8
and the ratchet ~ear 106 and cross sh~ft 40 are free to turn.
Lever 108 also has an o~f~center spring 112 and thus it will
remain either in its full line or c3ottecl line position shown in
FIG. 8 until its position is change~l by the aircraft operator or
by enga~emen~ of the hook 24 with a parcel 28 as previous ly
described.
A second spring corcl 118 is provided. This cord 118
and the spring cord 48 are like the spring and elastic cords 52
and 66 described in my said previous patentO This spring cord
118 is employed to return the moving parts of the governor
device 67 ~next described) after it has cushioned the delivery
of a parcel 28 by cushioning the action of spring cord 48. One
end of the spring cord 118 ~FIGo 10) is connected with a cord
120, which, in turn, is connected with and then reeved onto a
sheave 122, which is supported by an aircraft frame part 42.
Sheave 122 is provided with a pawl and ratchet mechanism 124 so
~ that second spring cord 118 can be pretensioned. Spring cord -
-1 118 is reeved over pulley 126 CFIGS. 7 and 10) carried by a
cylinder ~[ember 128. Within cylinder member 128, a piston mem-
ber 130 is slidably mountedO Adjustable valves or port 132
allow air to escape at regulated amounts and thus regulate the
speed of travel of the piston 130 in the cylinder member 128. A
- second nonflexible cord 98 connects with the other end of pistonmember 130 and cord 98 passes over guide pulley 136 ~see to the
extreme right of FIG~ 10 and toward the left of FIGo 7)o Thence,
second cord 98 is guided by idle pulleys 138, 140, and 142 to and
is then reeved about sheave 96 (FIGSo 7 and 9).
~ .
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~09~580
- Ti~e s~cnn~l spri.rlg cord mearls preferably comprises non-
el~lsti.c cord 120, second ~pri~lg cord :Ll$, and nonelastic cord 98.
The first sprinO cord means preferably comprises nonelastic cord
; 4S, first spring cord 48, and nonelastic S~ond cor~ 50. The
S reason for providing said spring cord means with nonelastic and
elastic parts is that the nonelastic parts facilitate winding of
the cord ontO drtlms. The elastic parts of the first and second
cord means are employed to provide the desired length of elastic
tension. Thus, a plurality of pulleys are shown and the cords :
are woven back and forth and if it is desired to increase the
amount of elasticity and minimize the space involved, each of the
spring cords may comprise a plurality of elastic members rather :
than the single elastic members shown.
Ball 66 (connected with cord 46) moves lever means 72 ~- 15 and causes gearlike members 94 to engage with gearlike member
100. This is at a time when it is desired to limit the speed of
travel of the parcel-pickup cords 26 moving toward the aircraft
20. The travel of cross shaft 40 (which is being impelled by
reason of the tensioned spring cord 48) causes sheave 96 to
~ ~ .
reeve in cord 98. Cord 98 is connected with second spring cord
- 118 and to piston-cylinder means 128, 1309 Thus, the speed of
travel of the spring cord 48 is governed ~)y the second spring
cord 118 while the latter is being tensioned and by the regula-
tion of the air flow out adjustable ports 132. At the same time,
~ 25 the stretching of the second spring cord 118 (plus the pretension-
-.~ ing thereof by pawl and ratchet means 124) provides the power
- to return the governor means 67 to its initial starting position
- after it completes its speed-limiting action in connection with
~- the reeving cf parcel-pickup cords 26 onto sheaves 38. In order
to return the moving parts of the governor 67 to tneir starting
~.
~O9Z~80
position after a parcel 2~ has been delivered to aircraft 20,
it is only necess~ry to disengage gearlike members 94 and 100
from each other by suitable lever means ~ot shown).
Due to the construction of ~he hook 24, the same re-
leases itself from a parcel 2~ after parcel-pickup cords 26 and
hook 24 deliver the parcel 28 to the aircraft 20. Hook 24 Csee
FIGS. 7 and 12) has two bars 144 which connect between parcel-
pickup cords 26 and support a rod 146 on which is hinged U-
shaped hook member 148. Thus, after a hooked parcel 28 has
10 been engaged by second hook member 36 and is lifted toward air- ~ -
craft 20, the U-shaped hook 148 may pivot about rod 146 and be
released from a parcel 28 being moved toward the aircraft by
`~ parcel-delivery means 22 and the hook 24. - -
To cause the parcel-pickup cords 26 to tend to lie in
a substantially straight downward pa~h, they are constructed
~see FIGS. 13 and 14) of individual blocks 150, each of which is
secured to a belt 152 at one face of each block. The opposite
~ face of each blocLc is slidably connected by a staple 154 to a
;~ cord 156. Thus, a parcel-pickup cord 26 may bend by blocks 150
separating at their rearward edges (rearward in the direction of
travel of the aircraft 20) but not at their forward or opposite
edges. This is illustrated in FIGo 13 of the drawings. Also, a
` weighted pulley 158 ~IGS~ 5 and 6~ depends from a pivoted arm
160 which has a force component urging the depending parcel-
;~ 25 pickup cords 26 forwardly as is best illustrated in FIG~ 6 of the
drawingsO
In picking up a parcel 28, the pilot of the aircraft
20 first pretensions spring cords. 48 and 118 or checks to deter-
mine that such spring cords have been pretensioned. Spring cord
. .
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1092580
4~ is l~ret~nsiQned i~y vperating power-driven sheave means 52.
Spring cord 4~ rnishes tlle i~ower to bring a parcel 2~ to the
aircraft 20. Second spring cord means 118 is pretensioned by
operating pawl and rat~het means 124. Se-ond spring cord 118
provides the power to return the moving parts of the governor 67
to their star.ting position or to return piston ~,ember 130 to its
starting position. Then the pilot causes motor 58 to turn and
drive cross shaft 40. This causes parcel-pickup cord 26 to be
paid out and the hook member 24 to be lowered to the position
shown in FIG. 1. By proper positioning of the aircraft 20 and
the hook 24 relative to a parcel 28 on the ground 30, the hook 24
will engage a parcel 28 as is illustrated in FIG. 2. At this
time, the lever 108 is in its full line position shown in FIG. 8
preventing the parcel-pickup cord 26 from being reeved onto ~.
- 15 sheaves 38. The impact resulting from engaging a moving hook 36
with a stationary parcel 28 will stretch spring cord 48 and also
cause the same to travel, as ratchet gear 106 can turn relative
to the pawl 114 in the appropriate direction. When lever 108 is
in its full line p~sition CFIG. 8), a parcel 28, engaged ~y hook
- 20 36, cannot move toward the aircraft 20 but the ho~k 36 can go out
~urther in response to the additional pressure obtained in ini-
tially engaging the parcel 28 by hook 24. Also, first spring
cord 48 is under the tension which it obtained as parcel-pickup
cords 26 were paid out while cord 46 was reeved onto helical -
25 sheave 44. At the same time, second spring cord 118 was under
initial pretension as pawl and ratchet means 124 were operated.
Once the package is engaged, the ratchet 106 turns c~unterclock-
wise cin FIG. 8) and moves pawl 114 and lever 108 from the full
line position to the dotted line positiQn shown in FIG. 8 and the
lever 108 remains in such position due to the off-center spring
. . .
:109Z580
11~. The sprirl~ cord ~8 stretches .10til the parcel 28 gains the
s~)eed momenturn of the aircraft 20, then spring cord 48 contracts
an~ cnrd 48 reeves off and turns llelical sheave 44 (counterclock-
wise ~s respects ~he showing at the bottom of FIG. 7). This
turns cross shaft 40 and, in turn, sheave 3~ and this reeves
parcel-pickup cord 26 onto each of the sheaves 38. The power
em~byed in turninO the cross shaft 40 ~counterclockwise as re-
spects the showing at the bottom of FIG, 7) comes from the con-
traction of spring cord 4$ which was tensioned by driven cross
shaft 40 in the opposite direction by the motor 58 paying out
parcel-pickup cord 26 and f~rther tensioned by the impact of the
parcel 28 in being picked up.
~s a parcel 28 nears aircraft 20, the portion of the
cord 46 carrying ball 66 also nears the aircraft 20. When ball
66 moves lever 72, this results in gearlike members 94 and 100
C~IG. 8) moving into engagement and sheave 96 is caused to turn.
Cord 98 is reeved onto sheave 96 and this causes operation of
governor means 67 and piston member 130 is moved from its full
line to its dotted line position in FIG. 10. The speed of travel
of the piston member 130 in cylinder 128 is regulated by adjusta-
ble valves or ports 132. Thus, the parcel 28 is delivered at a
suitably slow speed to adjacent the aircraft 20. The power urg-
ing the parcel 28 toward the aircraft 20 is resilient because it
is furnished by a spring cord 48. Thus, the bar parts 14~ of the
hook 36 functions as a stop to limit travel of the hook 36 toward
the aircraft 20. While the piston member 130 was moving in cylin-
der member 128 to provide the desired speed-limiting action,
second spring cord 118 was being tensioned to provide the power
to return the piston member 130 to the full line position shown
in FIG. lO of the drawings~ When the parcel 28 is suitably
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109~5~0
positic)ne(~ rel3tive tl~e aircraft 20, the operator operates parcel-
delivery means 32 clncl hook 36 eng~ges a parcel 28 and moves the
parcel 28 into the aircraft 20 as ill~lstrated in FIG, 4~, Then
the gearlike members 94 and 100 are disengaged from each other
5 ~by lever means not shown) and secvnd spring cord 118 moves the
governor means 67 ~o its initial starting positionO
STATEMENT OF. THE INVENTION
It will now be obvious that I have provided an aircraft
parcel-pickup mechanism comprising a drive shaft ca~ried by the
aircraft frame means, such as drive shaft 40O ~ first sheave
10 means 28 is fixed on drive shaft 40 and receives thereon parcel-
pickup cord means 26, which cord means 26 has one end portion
thereof connected with sheave means 38 and is reeved onto said
sheave means 38 when said sheave means 38 and the shaft 49 are
turnirlg in a given direction and said parcel-p,ickup cord means is ;
15 being reeved off said sheave means 38 when said shaft 40 and sheave ~-
.... .
means 38 are turning in the opposite direction~, A second sheave 44
is fixed on drive shaft 40O ~ first spring cord means preferably ~ ~
comprises cord 46, spring cord 48, and a second cord 50O Such -:
: spring cord means has one end portion thereof, such as cord 50,
20 ~onnected with the frame of the aircraft and at a location remote
from said second sheave 44 and the other end portion of said spring
;~ cord means, such as cord 46, is connected with second sheave 44 andis reeved onto said second sheave 44 when said second sh~ve 44 ar~l shaft 40
are turning in the opposite direction and said spring cord means
25 are being reeved off said second sheave means 44 when said shaft 40
-16 -
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109~580
and said second sheave are being turned in said given direction,
the said spring corc3 means unctioning to turn said second sheave
44 and the shaft 40 in said given directionO
Wllen the drive shaft 40 is turning in a given direction
parcel-pickup cord 26 is reeved onto sheave 38 while cord part
50 is reeved~off second sheave 44 and vice versaO The second
sheave 44 is preferably a helical sheaveO The function of the
spring cord 46, 48, 50 is to dr.ive the drive or cross shaft 40
in one directionO Drive means, such as a motor 58, are provided
to drive the drive or cross shaft 40 in a direction to pay out
parcel-pickup cord 26.
The first spring cord means preferably has a middle
~` spring 48 or elastic portionl,with nonelastic end portions suchas cord portions 46 and 50. The nonelastic end portions 48 and
~are more suitable for wrapping around sheave meansO Also, the
,', central spring portion 48 may comprise one or a plurality of
~pring cords to provide ma~imum spring action with a minimum of
length. Also, the elastic central portions 50 are weaved back
and forth over a plurality of third sheaves such as sheaves 54
~, 20 and 56 to provide sufficient length so that the spring cord means
will bring a parcel to the aircraft 20 and with enough length to
the parcel-pickup cord 26 to provide for desired maneuverability
in picking up a parcel 28.
~ Preferably~ the parcel-pickup cords 26 are provided by
.,. 25 two cords~ one on each side of the aircraft 20, and with parcel-
,.~ engaging means such as a hook 24 having bar parts 144, rod 146,
and U-sha.p~ kook 148 for better engaging and better releasing
'~ from a p-arcel 28~,
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1092580
Pre~erably, the first spring cord means 46, 48, and
50 used to rotate sheaves 38 and bring a parcel 28 to the air-
craft 20 is pr~vided ~Jitha governor means or lineal-travel-speed-
limiting means so that as a parcel 28 approaches the aircraft,
speed-limiting devices are provided to control the force pro-
vided by the elastic ~eans. More specifically, the governor
means preferably includes first and second gearlike means 94 and
100 which are mounted to move into and out of engagement with
each otherO Such gearlike means are connected with the lineal-
travel-speed-limiting means and with the spring cord means to
govern the speed of the same and lever means are provided to
: engage and disengage said gearlike meansO ~ -
In order to time the operation of the-governor means
or the lineal-travel-speed-limiting means, a portion of the :
~spring cord means 46, 4~, 40, such as 46, carries trigger means s
in the nature of ball 66 to time the operation of the governor
means and the spring cord means~ More specifically, the ball
means 66 is carried by cord 46 and a leverage 68 is placed in
the path of travel of the ball means 660 The gearlike means 100
is carried by the cross shaft 40 and the other gearlike means 94
is movable into and out of meshing relation with the gearlike
means lOOo The sheave 96 is carried by gearlike means 94 and
the cord 98 is-reeved onto and off of said sheave 960 The cord 98 ~` ~
is a part of a second spring cord mechanism comprising cord 96, ~ ~.
: 25 central spring cord part 118, and cord 1200 This second spring - .
:-- cord 98, 118, 120 connects the governor device 67 with first
spring cord member 46 through gearlike members g4 and lOOo Spe-
cifically, the governor device 67 is illustrated as comprising
cylinder meember 128 and piston member 130 mounted for travel
therein and adjustable ports 132 venting air from cylinder 1280
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1092580
The lever means 68 which is operated by ball 66 carried
by cord 46 comprises t~o lever parts as links 86, with one there-
of movable out of alignmen~ with a spring 88 connecting the two
lever parts or links and mGVing them into alignmentO The parcel-
pickup cord comprises a 1exible belt 152 and a plurality ofblocks 150 with each block having one face connected with the
belt 152 and with the opposite faces reiliently connected with
each other as through cord 156, and staples 1540 The blocks 150
are provided with gDooves in which the cord 156 may travel and
thus each parcel-pickup cord 26 can readily bend in one direction
as shown in FIGo 13 and is relatively stiff against bending in
the opposite direction.
Also, the parcel-pickup cords 26 extend generally
~ downwardly from the aircraft as illustrated in FIGo 6 and a
`' 15 depending arm 160 is provided with a pulley 158 and the depend-
:,
ing arm and the weight thereof provides for tending to urge the
depending parcel-pickup cords forwardly as is best illustrated
in FIG. 6 of the drawingsO -
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Obviously, changes may be made in the forms,.~arrange--~ 20 ments, and dimensions of the parts of my inve~-;tion without depart-
ing from the princlple thereof, the above setting forth only a
preferred form of embodiment of my inventionO
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