Aug. 28, 1934.

A. c. FOULK
TOW TARGET RELEASING DEVICE

1,971,340

Filed Aug. 5, 1953

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Patented Aug. 428, 1934

'UNITED STATES> PATENT OFFICE

1,971,340
TOW TARGET RELEASING DEVICE
Albert G. Foulk, Riverside, Calif. ,

Application August 5, 1933, Serial No. 683,758

3 Claims. (Cl. 124--16)

(Granted under the act o! March .3, 1883, as

amended April 30, 1928; 370 O. G. '157)

The -invention described herein may be manu pin 5. Anvopening 6 is provided in the chan factured and used by or 'for the Government for nel 1 immediately adjacent the closed end 3. A governmental purposes, without the payment to lever 7 is pivotally attached between ends to the channel 1 by means of a clevis pin 8 and a me of any royalty thereon. This invention relates to means for releasing cotter pin 9. The lever 7 is provided at one of 00 a plurality of aerial tow-targets with the tow its extremities with an engaging hook 10 adapt ed to register with the opening 6 in the channel cable fully extended. ' Two methods of procedure have been adhered 1 and at its other extremity with a tapered end to, during anti-aircraft practice, following a pre 11. A leaf spring 12 is flxedly attached at one of its ends to a key-hole 13 provided in the 10 determined course of re upon an extended tow target. One method consists of releasing the base of the engaging hook 10. The lever 7 is nor extended tow-cable and attached target and of mally disposed in the position shown in Fig. 1. permitting-'the same to fall in> the vicinity of The base of a lever 14 is pivotally attached to the battery firing, whereupon -the aircraft re the channel 1 by means of a clevis pin 15 and turns to its >airdrome for replacements. The sec a cotter pin 16 and is provided with a lobed pro v ond method consists of reeling in the exposed jection 17 adapted to limit clockwise rotation tow-target, of attaching a fresh tow-target to of_ the lever 14. The mid-portion of the lever the tow-cable, and of unreeling the same; follow 14 is provided with a cammed surface 18 for

ing which procedure the former target is retained engaging the outer extremity of the tapered end' 20 in the aircraft or dropped to the battery below, as 11 of the lever 7. The outer endof the lever 14 75 desired. Both of the foregoing methods con comprises a lever portion 19 adapted to be de sume a considerable periodv of time. 'Ifhe latter pressed entirely within the channel 1, as shown
in Fig. 2. The foregoing parts complete the en It is an object of my invention to attach a plu gaging and releasing portion of my invention. 25 rality of tow-targets tothe inner portion of an A plurality of rings 20 are iixedly attached to extended tow-cable by means _of slidable rings a like plurality of tow-targets by means of hinged and to` successively release these rings and at brackets 21 and target cables 22. As has been tached targets for rearward travel toward the previously stated, the rings 20 are slidably secured
method often results in a broken tow-cable. 30

outer extremity of `the tow-cable. Each newly to the tow-cable 4 at its point of attachment ' released tow-target automatically _displaces its to the aircraft proper. Any suitable device may
predecessor, which thereupon falls to the battery be employed to retain the rings 20 within the
below. y

,aircraft during extension or retraction of the tow

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, my invention consists of certain new and novel improvements yin tow-target releasing devices, which will beV hereinafter more fully villustrated
40
Claims. I ` l i ' . rvg. ~ .

cable 4, including selective release of the rings 20

to the rear of the aircraft. It is obvious that

employment of split rings would facilitate at tachment to the tow-cable 4. In Fig. 1, the ring
20a has been manually positioned at the aft por

and described in the` accompanying drawing, and tion of the channel 1 in the position which it more vparticularly pointed- out in the appended would normally assume during tow-target opera
tion.
.

95

Referring to the drawing in which numerals of

like character designate similar parts throughout

the - several claims:

Fig. 2 illustrates the manner in which automatic ' release of one tow-target is accomplished through arrival of a new tow-target at the engaging and fr

Fig. 1 isa side elevation of my invention, with releasing portion of my invention. The on-com- ' ing rings 20h, hinged bracket 2lb and tow-cable 100 a tow-target ring attached thereto. Fig-2 shows my invention in the process of 22h have traveled past the tapered end 2 and com releasing an -old and receiving a new tow-target ing into engagement with the trigger portion 19 of the lever 14, have forced the latter into the enclosure formed by the channel 1. Correspond- 105 50 Referring to Fig. 1, the body portion of my ing upward movement of the cammed surface 18 invention consists of an elongated U-shaped rotates the end 11 upward and the engaging hook channel 1> provided at one extremity with a 10 downward. The foregoing rotation of the lever tapered`> e'ncl"..,2>` and> atthe other` extremity with '7 is accompanied by release of the outgoing ring a closed end'f. VA tow-cable 4 is pivotally' at 20a, hinged bracket 21a and tow target cable 22a 110 55 tached to the ,tapered` end 2 by means of a xed from further connection with the aircraft. As
ring. ' . ` - .

1,971,340
and its body portion extending substantially for
ward of the engaging lever bearing pin such that the outwardly projecting hook of said engaging lever is normally_retained in engaging position,

and a releasing lever secured just aft of the ta 80 pered leading end of said channel by a bearing of the ring 20h to the rear. The foregoing opera pin and having a cammed surface for engaging tion is repeated as each successive ring is released the tapered forward portion of said engaging lev er, said releasing lever further having a portion from the aircraft. 10 Fig. 3 shows a cross-section -through the chan projecting without said channel and a lobed pro nel 1, just forward of the outgoing ring 20a and jection forward of said bearing pin for engaging engaging hook 10. Attachment of the former ring the bottom oi' said channel such that said cammed to the tow-cable 22a, by means of the hinged surface continuously contactsthe forward portion bracket 21a, is also clearly shown as are cross- - oi.' said engaging lever. 3. A tow-target releasing device comprising, 15 sections of the lever 'I -and leaf spring 12. _ an elongated. U-shaped channel having a tapered 90 I claim: 1. A tow-target releasing device comprising, an leading end terminating in a xed _pinand a elongatedv U-shaped channel having a tapered closed trailing end provided with an elongated leading end and a trailing end provided with an opening at its outer extremity through the bot elongated opening at its outer extremity through tom of said channel, an engaging lever having 95 the bottom of said channel, an engaging lever the mid-portion secured- to said channel by a having the mid-portion pivotally secured to said bearing pin and having a forward portion tapered side profile and an aft portion terminating ln channel and having a forward portion tapered in an outwardly turned hook adapted to project in side profile and an aft portion terminating in` through said Pelongated Vopening and- having a an outwardly turned hook adapted to project retaining recess at the base of said hook, 100 through said elongated opening, spring means for spring a leaf 'spring> having one end fixed within said normally retaining said lever in engaging position, spring retaining recess and its body portion ex
_ and a releasing lever pivotally secured just aft

the ring 20h clears the trigger portion 18, in its aft passage along the channel 1, the leaf spring 12 automatically returns the engaging hook 10 of the lever 'I to the position shown in Fig. 1. Pro jection of the engaging hook 10 through the open ing 6 of the channel 1 prevents further passage

forward portion of said engaging lever, said re retained in engaging position, within said chan leasing lever further having a portion projecting nel, and a releasing lever secured just aft of the without said channel and a lobed projection for tapered leading end of said channel by a bear ward of its point of pivotation for engaging the ing pin and having a cammed surface for en 35 bottom of said channel such that said cammed gaging the tapered portion of said engaging lever surface continuously contacts the forward portion and depressing the same against the bent portion of said engaging lever. of said channel, said retaining lever further hav 2. A tow-target releasing device comprising, an ing a portion normally projecting without but 40 elongated U-shaped channel having a tapered adapted to be rotated entirely within said chanleading end terminating in a fixed pin and a trail nel such that the hooked portion of the engaging ing end provided with an elongated opening at lever is withdrawn from the elongated opening in the outer extremity through the bottom of said said channel and a lobed projection forward of channel, an engaging lever having the mid-por said bearing pin acting as a stop against the bot 45 tion secured to said channel by a bearing pin and tom of said channel for limiting outward projec having a forward portion tapered in side prole tion of the lever portion of said releasing lever and an aft portion terminating in an outwardly with reference to said channel and maintain turned hook adapted to project through said elon ing the cammed surface of said releasing lever gated opening and having a spring retaining re in continuous contact with the forward portion 50 cess at the base of said hook, a leaf spring having of said engaging lever. one end fixed within said spring retaining recess ALBERT C. FOULK.

of the tapered leading end of said channel hav' 30 ing a cammed surface for engaging the tapered lever Abearing pin such that the outwardly pro 105 jecting hook of said engaging lever is normally

tending substantially forward of the engaging

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