Paraballoon

Abstract

A paraballoon for use as a recovery aid in finding missile carried instruts. The paraballoon will act as a radar reflective parachute for controlled descent, but converts to a balloon upon impact for aid in recovery. A canopy forms the upper portion of the parachute and is adapted to form a chamber therein. Upon impact an acceleration responsive actuator causes release of gas to inflate the chamber and convert the canopy into a balloon for use as a recovery aid.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of recovery aids. Present recovery aids include metalized parachutes for radar tracking, flashing lights for night recovery; radio beacons; and scent for dog tracking. However even with all of these aids incorporated in one body, recovery has still proven to be less than desireable. For example, the radar must discriminate between the actual body and miscellaneous hardware as the missile re-enters the atmosphere; the flashing lights could be covered by the parachute due to ground winds; the radio beacon must have an antenna that stands perpendicular to the ground after impact to be able to transmit for any distance, and the dogs must get within 400 yards of the object to pick-up the scent.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a less cumbersome recovery aid which could supplement or replace the available recovery aids. It consists of a paraballoon which acts as a radar reflective parachute for controlled descent but converts into a balloon upon impact of the instruments.

This invention may be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the paraballoon in flight showing one embodiment of balloon inflation means.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the paraballoon after impact showing a second embodiment of balloon inflation means and the paraballoon inflated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Reference numeral 10 identifies the canopy of a parachute and is connected by shroud lines 12 to an instrument container 14 by a swivel type connector 15. The canopy is adapted to form a chamber 16 consisting of upper and lower sections 18 and 20. These sections are made of polyester plastic material heat sealed around their inner edge 22 and outer edge 24. The sections are coated with a radar reflective colored fluorescent substance 26 for radar tracking and visual observation. Venting means 28 is provided for controlling the descent of the paraballoon while it is acting as a parachute. An acceleration responsive actuator 30 is carried in the instrument container and is set into operation upon impact of the container. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 a self-contained gas bottle 32 is disposed in chamber 16 for inflating the chamber to form a dough-nut shaped lighter-than-air balloon as shown in FIG. 2. The bottle is connected to a bottle opening squib 34 which is connected by an electric line 36 to the accelerator actuator 30.

After release from a missile the paraballoon would descend as a parachute shown in FIG. 1. When the instrument container 14 strikes the ground the actuator 30 will transmit an electric signal through line 36 to actuate squib 34 and thereby open gas bottle 32 for inflating canopy chamber 16.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the gas supply 38 is carried in the instrument container. When the instrument container strikes the ground the actuator will operate a squib 40 through line 42 to open gas supply 38 thereby allowing gas flow through conduit 44 for inflating canopy chamber 16.

A plurality of illuminating lights 46 are sealed in the canopy and connected by means 48 to a power source 50 in the instrument container.

Claims

I claim:

1. A paraballoon for use as a recovery aid in locating a missile instrument container after impact comprising: a canopy forming the upper portion of a parachute and adapted to form a chamber therein; shroud lines having one end connected to said canopy; a swivel connector secured to said container and having the other ends of said shroud lines connected thereto; means to supply gas in said chamber for inflation of said canopy and an acceleration responsive actuator, responsive to impact of said container for opening said gas supply to inflate said chamber.

2. A paraballoon as set forth in claim 1 wherein said chamber comprises upper and lower sections of polyester plastic material heat sealed around their inner and outer joining edges forming a donut-shaped balloon upon inflation thereof.

3. A paraballoon as set forth in claim 2 wherein said canopy is provided with lights, and a power source for illuminating the lights.

4. A paraballoon as set forth in claim 3 wherein said canopy is coated with a radar reflective colored fluorescent substance.

5. A paraballoon as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for supplying gas includes a self-contained gas bottle disposed in said chamber and connected to said acceleration responsive actuator for operation thereby.

6. A paraballoon as set forth in claim 4 wherein said means for supplying gas is disposed in the instrument container; a conduit connecting said gas supply to said chamber, said gas supply means being actuated by said acceleration responsive actuator.