U.S. patent application number 09/776508 was filed with the patent office on 2001-12-27 for safety method for pyrotechnic launch devices.
Invention is credited to Foster, William Lee, Hutchins, Charles Roger.
Application Number | 20010054366 09/776508 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 26877673 |
Filed Date | 2001-12-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010054366 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Hutchins, Charles Roger ; et
al. |
December 27, 2001 |
Safety method for pyrotechnic launch devices
Abstract
A method of providing safety for pyrotechnic launch devices of
the type having a least one tilt detection device 10 & 20.
Having a means of attaching said tilt detection device(s) 10 &
20 to the launch device(s). Having a means of disabling launches
from launch device(s) when at least one of said tilt detection
device(s) 10 & 20 detects that the launch device it is attached
to is tilted beyond tolerances.
Inventors: |
Hutchins, Charles Roger;
(Hayfork, CA) ; Foster, William Lee; (Hayfork,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Charles R. Hutchins
1276 Barker Valley Rd.
Hayfork
CA
96041
US
|
Family ID: |
26877673 |
Appl. No.: |
09/776508 |
Filed: |
February 2, 2001 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60181961 |
Feb 10, 2000 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
102/335 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 17/08 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
102/335 |
International
Class: |
F42B 004/00 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A method of providing safety for pyrotechnics launch devices
comprising the steps of: (a) providing at least one tilt sensing
device per launch device, (b) providing a means of attaching said
tilt sensing device(s) to pyrotechnic launch devices, (c) providing
a means of disabling launch devices when one or more of said tilt
sensing devices detects a tilt in the launch device beyond its
tolerance, (d) disabling launches from launch devices when one or
more of said tilt sensing devices detects a tilt in the launch
device beyond its tolerance.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said tilt sensing device is a
contact switch.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said tilt sensing device is a
mercury switch.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said tilt sensing device is a
portion of a conductor with less tensile strength than the rest of
the conductor.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein said tilt sensing device is a
male/female slip connector pair.
Description
BACKGROUND-CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent
Application Ser. No. 60/181,961, filled Feb. 10, 2000.
BACKGROUND-FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to pyrotechnic launching devices. Its
purpose is to provide a method of halting launches of pyrotechnic
devices, when the launch mechanism becomes oriented in a direction
that may not be safe.
BACKGROUND-DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
[0003] Currently the launch operator governs launch safety of
electronically launched pyrotechnic devices. Launch units are
placed in such a manner that the launch operator can see them. If
the operator notices that a launching unit has moved to an
inappropriate attitude the operator discontinues subsequent
launches from that unit. While this method generally works, there
is a chance that the operator may not notice that a launch unit has
become oriented in an improper position. This may be due to smoke,
negligence, or other circumstance. Additionally, if an electronic
sequencing device is in use there may not be sufficient time to
disable launches from miss-oriented launch units before the
sequencer commands the next launch.
OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES
[0004] Accordingly several objects and advantages of our invention
are:
[0005] (a) to provide a means of automatically disabling launch
units that become oriented in such a manor that safety may be
compromised;
[0006] (b) to provide said disabling in a timely manor so that
rapid launch sequences can be safely halted.
DRAWING FIGURES
[0007] FIG. 1 shows a schematic drawing of a typical implementation
of a launch group having one launch unit with two tilt sensors.
[0008] FIG. 2 shows a schematic drawing of a typical implementation
of a launch group having two launch units with two tilt sensors for
each unit.
REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS
[0009]
1 10 Tilt Switches 20 Tilt Switches 12 Ground Input 22 Ground Input
14 Launch Signal Inputs 24 Launch Signal Inputs 16 Ignition Device
26 Ignition Device 28 Unit 1 29 Unit 2
SUMMARY
[0010] In accordance with the invention the method of providing
safety for pyrotechnic launches comprises:
[0011] (a) At least one tilt sensing device.
[0012] (b) A means of attaching tilt sensing devices to pyrotechnic
launch units.
[0013] (c) A means of interrupting electronically controlled launch
circuits when one or more tilt sensing devices are detected as
being out of the proper orientation.
[0014] Description--FIGS. 1-2
[0015] For the sake of this description several terms will be
defined:
[0016] Launch unit--A set of electronically controlled mortars in
which all the mortar tubes are fixed in relationship to each other.
There may be from one to as many as practical mortar tubes in a
launch unit.
[0017] Launch group--A group of launch units, which are placed in
close proximity to each other. Close enough so that a problem with
any launch unit in the group is deemed to be reason enough to halt
all launches from all launch units in the group. A launch group
contains one or more launch units.
[0018] Launch surface--The surface on which launch units are
placed. Usually the earth, but may be other surface such as the
surface of a barge.
[0019] The currently preferred sensor is a contact switch, which is
normally electrically closed while the switch actuator is in
contact with the launch surface. The preferred switch would become
electrically open when the switch actuator looses contact with the
launch surface. In a typical embodiment with one launch unit in a
launch group (FIG. 1) a tilt switch 10 would be placed at each of
two diagonal corners of the launch unit. The ground input 12 of the
igniter circuit(s) for the launch group would pass through both of
said switches 10 in series. Switch positions would be adjusted and
locked in so that the ground would be completed while the launch
unit is in the "proper attitude". If at any time after initial
setup the launch unit looses proper orientation, one or more of the
tilt switches 10 would disable the ground side of the igniter
circuit(s) so that no further launches could be triggered from that
launch unit. As can be seen from the drawings when any of said
switches 10 become electrically open the launch signal inputs 14
have no means of completing the circuit to ground input 12;
thereby, disabling the ignition devices 16.
[0020] In a typical embodiment of a group with two or more launch
units (FIG. 2) 28 & 29, tilt switches 20 would be attached to
each launch unit as described above. The ground input 22 of the
igniter circuits for the entire group would be wired through all
tilt switches 20 in the group in series so that if any one of the
launch units became miss-oriented further launches from the entire
group would be disabled. As with the first description when any of
said switches 20 become electrically open the launch signal inputs
24 have no means of completing the circuit to ground input 22;
thereby, disabling the ignition devices 26.
[0021] Operation
[0022] With launch groups setup as described (in description
section), if any launch unit became tilted, at least one of the two
diagonal corners of the rectangular shaped launch unit would move
away from the launch surface. When this happens the corresponding
tilt detection switch 10 & 20 would loose contact with the
launch surface, becoming electrically open. With any switch in the
open position the entire launch groups ground would be open,
preventing further launches from the group until the situation was
rectified.
[0023] Conclusion, Ramifications, and Scope
[0024] Accordingly the reader will see that the safety method of
this invention can be used to provide robust launch safety without
operator intervention. Additionally this safety method provides
nearly instantaneous protection, which can greatly enhance safety
during rapid firing sequences controlled from electronic
sequencers.
[0025] Although the description above contains many specifics,
these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the
invention but as merely providing illustrations of the presently
preferred embodiment of this invention. For example, tilt detection
devices may be attached to launch units at other "appropriate"
places; this option may be necessary for non-rectangular shaped
launch units. Mercury tilt or tip over switches can be used instead
of the contact switches described. Other types of tilt sensing
devices could be used. The launch circuit can control electrical
igniters, fiber optic ignition devices, pneumatic launch devices or
any other electronically controlled launch device. Although the
schematic drawings (FIG. 1 and FIG. 2) imply use of a negative
ground system, a positive ground may be used with this method by
changing the appropriate components.
[0026] A "tension fuse" could be used. For the purpose of this
discussion, a "tension fuse" is defined as portion of a conductor
that can easily be pulled apart, thereby, interrupting electrical
continuity. A tension fuse can be a section of wire that has less
tensile strength than a normal section of wire. It can be a section
of wire that is replaced with a male/female slip connector pair. A
tension fuse can be used as a tilt detection device. This can be
accomplished by fastening the conductor on one side of the "tension
fuse" to the launch surface and fastening the other side of the
conductor, on the other side of the "tension fuse", to a part of a
launch unit. If the part of the unit moves or tilts away from the
fixed location on the launch surface, the "tension fuse" would be
broken. This could be used to break continuity of the ground loop
for the launch group.
[0027] As can be seen, this method, if properly used, can provide
significant safety improvement for launching pyrotechnic
devices.
[0028] Thus the scope of invention should be determined by the
appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the
examples given.
* * * * *