U.S. patent number 3,787,013 [Application Number 05/288,744] was granted by the patent office on 1974-01-22 for foldable kite and rocket launching means therefor.
Invention is credited to James H. McKenzie, Sr..
United States Patent |
3,787,013 |
McKenzie, Sr. |
January 22, 1974 |
FOLDABLE KITE AND ROCKET LAUNCHING MEANS THEREFOR
Abstract
A foldable kite adapted to be compactly arranged in a manner to
have a small cross section for storage within the hollow interior
of a minature, toy-like rocket having a rocket engine in the
normally rearward end thereof and the opposite end of the rocket
body having a conical nose removably mounted therein. The folded
kite is positioned adjacent to rocket engine and the normally outer
end of the rocket body has a compactly folded parachute stored
therein and connected to the body of the rocket as well as to said
nose. The rocket engine has a delay charge therein which, when the
rocket has been projected to a predetermined height is fired
automatically to project the nose and the parachute which is
connected thereto, as well as the kite, and a tether cord extends
from the kite down to a compact arrangement of such cord adapted to
rapidly pay out as the rocket and kite ascend but permit a person
to control the flight of the kite by said cord, while the rocket is
recovered due to the parachute permitting its gradual decent
without injury.
Inventors: |
McKenzie, Sr.; James H. (York,
PA) |
Family
ID: |
23108464 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/288,744 |
Filed: |
September 13, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
244/155R;
102/351; 102/348; 446/52 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63H
27/14 (20130101); A63H 27/08 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A63H
27/14 (20060101); A63H 27/08 (20060101); A63H
27/00 (20060101); A63h 027/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;244/153A,153R,155
;46/74R,74A,74B,74C,86R,86A,86B,86C ;124/11R ;102/34.1,34.4 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Blix; Trygve M.
Assistant Examiner: Underwood; Donald W.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Just; C. Hercus
Claims
I claim:
1. A collapsible sheet type kite adapted to be folded transversely
to form a compact configuration in cross section and having
stiffening members extending longitudinally thereof, and a tether
cord connected at one end to said kite and the other end being
compactly mounted for ready longitudinal extension from a launching
site, in combination with a miniature toy-like rocket having an
elongated body having a hollow interior within which said kite is
contained in compactly folded but readily slidable condition, a
rocket engine mounted in the normally rearward end of said rocket
body, said engine having a main propellant charge to carry the
rocket body aloft when fired and a delay charge adapted to fire and
project the kite from the normally forward end of said rocket body
when aloft, a parachute folded and stored in said forward end of
said rocket body and having shroud means connected thereto, a nose
mounted in said forward end of said rocket body, a cord connected
between said body and nose, and means connecting said parachute
shroud to said connected nose and body, said tether cord on said
kite extending from said rocket body to the launching site for said
rocket.
2. The kite and rocket combination according to claim 1 in which
said kite tether cord extends longitudinally along the compactly
folded kite within said rocket body and extends outwardly therefrom
between said nose and forward end of said body and then to the
compactly mounted body of said cord adapted to be projected with
said kite when launched by said rocket.
3. The kite and rocket combination according to claim 1 in which
said rocket body has a projecting wad of soft material therein
between said delay charge of said rocket engine and the adjacent
end of said compactly folded kite within said body, whereby said
kite is protected from the blast of said delay charge when fired to
project said kite and parachute from said parachute body.
4. The kite and rocket combination according to claim 1 in which
said kite is formed from thin pliable sheet synthetic resin and
said stiffening members being fastened longitudinally to the sheet
of said kite and spaced transversely apart when said kite is
extended in flight.
5. The kite and rocket combination according to claim 4 in which
said stiffening members also are spaced inwardly from the opposite
side edges of said kite sheet and a pair of similar bridle cords
respectively connected at one end respectively to the opposite side
edges of said kite sheet and the opposite ends of said bridle cords
being connected together and to said one end of said tether cord.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Minature or toy-like rockets are very popular with many individuals
at present. As a result, quite a number of rocket structures
comprise the subject of issued patents covering the combination of
recovering parachutes connected to the bodies and nose members of
the rocket. Examples of such U.S. Pat. comprise No. 2,841,084, to
Carlisle, dated July 1, 1958, and No. 3,292,302, to Estes et al.,
dated Dec. 20, 1966. Foldable kites of various kinds also have been
developed and comprise the subject of issued U.S. Pat. such as No.
3,074,672, to Hanrahan, issued Jan. 22, 1963, and No. 3,279,726, to
Mindiola, issued Oct. 18, 1966. Also, U.S. Pat. No. 2,386,762, to
Wheelwright, issued. Oct. 16, 1945, discloses a foldable kite
adapted to be compactly packaged separately from a rocket gun but
connected to the projectable rocket so that when the latter is
fired, the kite is carried aloft and expands, said kite also being
provided with an extendable tether connected to means accessible to
the operator. No recovery means for the rocket are provided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the primiary object of the present invention to provide the
combination of a foldable kite having a compactly arranged tether
cord connected at one end to the kite and the other end being
disposed compactly adjacent the launching site, the compactly
arranged kite being disposed within the hollow interior of a
minature toy-like rocket provided with a rocket engine at one end
and a folded parachute positioned in the opposite, normally forward
end thereof and connected to a projectable nose disposed in said
forward end when the rocket is launched, whereby the rocket
launches the kite and discharges it from the forward end of the
rocket at an elevated height, while the parachute expands and
permits the nose and rocket to descend safely from being elevated
by the engine thereof and leaves the kite flying at its elevated
positioned.
It is another object of the invention to arrange the compactly
folded kite between the rocket engine and the folded parachute in
the forward end of the rocket body, whereby a delay charge in the
rocket engine ultimately fires and projects the kite against the
parachute which in turn is projected against the nose and shoots
these items from the body of the rocket in a manner to separate the
inter-connected nose, parachute and rocket body from the kite which
is then free to unfold and be held aloft by the wind while the
rocket body, nose and parachute descend to the earth.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a soft wad
within the parachute body adjacent the rocket engine and between
said engine and the compactly folded kite, whereby the delay charge
of the engine exhausts against the soft wad which then abuts the
kite and the other elements ahead of the same in the rocket body to
eject the same from the rocket body without injury thereto.
It is still another object of the invention to form the kite from
thin, relatively tough synthetic resin sheet material which is very
light in weight and adapted to be compactly folded into a very
small cross sectional configuration, said kite also having a
plurality of stiffening members connected to the sheet of the kite
and extending longitudinally thereof but spaced transversely apart
to distribute the stiffening effect thereof while employing a
minimum number of stiffening members, and bridle cord means
respectively being connected to the opposite sides of the kite
sheet and also to the tether cord to facilitate flying the
kite.
Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as
other objects thereof, are set forth in the following application
and illustrated in the drawing accompanying the same and comprising
a part thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a longitudinally sectioned vertical elevation of a
exemplary minature rocket combining the principles of the present
invention and illustrating components of the rocket including the
engine and cone, between which a compactly folded kite and also a
compactly folded parachute are contained for ejection from the
forward end thereof when the delay charge in the rocket motor is
fired, said figure also illustrating an exemplary tether cord
connected at one end to the compactly folded kite and extending
from the forward end of the rocket body down to an exemplary reel
upon which the tether cord is compactly stored and from which it
readily can be paid out.
FIG. 2 is an exemplary, exploded view, showing the inter-connected
rocket body, nose and parachute in process of descending to the
ground while an enlarged illustration of an exemplary kite is shown
in flying arrangement after being launched from the rocket
body.
FIG. 3 is a vertical, longitudinally sectioned view showing an
exemplary interior of the rocket engine mounted in the normally
lower end of the rocket body.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged plan view of an exemplary kite of the type
shown in FIG. 2 but illustrated on a larger scale then employed in
said figure in order to illustrate further details of stiffening
means and a control bridle cord arrangement which is fragmentarily
shown in said figure.
FIG. 5 is an exemplary side elevation of the kite shown in FIG. 4
disposed in compactly folded condition for purposes of inserting
the same in the rocket body for storage therein until launched.
FIG. 6 is an exemplary cross sectional view of the folded kite
shown in FIG. 5 as seen on the line 6-6 thereof, the illustration
in FIG. 6 showing the various portions of the kite in somewhat
partially expanded manner in order to facilitate illustration of
one preferred manner of folding the kite.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIG. 1, the exemplary minature, toy-like rocket 10
comprises a tubular, preferably cylindrical body 12 which is formed
from suitable light weight material such as certain types of sheet
paper material, synthetic resin and the like. Light weight metal
also may be employed if desired. The normally lower end 14 shown on
the body 12 is provided with an exemplary rocket engine 16 of
commerical type, details of which are shown in longitudinal cross
section in FIG. 3. A plurality of suitable directing vanes 18 also
are connected to the rocket body 12 in circumferentially spaced
relationship, more than two such vanes preferably being
provided.
The normally forward end 20 of the rocket body 12 has a pointed,
somewhat conical nose member 22 frictionaly fitted therein in a
manner to permit ready projection of the nose from the rocket body
on the conditions described hereinafter. Also disposed within the
forward end 20 of the rocket body is a compactly folded parachute
24 having shroud lines 26 connected to the periphery of the
parachute in conventional manner, said shroud lines also being
gathered together at one end and are inter-connected, such as by an
eyelet or ring 28 to the inner end of the nose 22 as clearly shown
in FIG. 1.
The lower end 14 of the body 12, immediately adjacent the inner end
of the engine 16 is provided with a soft wad 30 which is readily
slideable within the interior of the body 12. Positioned between
the wad 30 and the inner end of the compactly folded parachute 24
is a kite 32 which is rolled and or folded transversely so as to
form a compact configuration having a small cross sectional area
but such folded arrangement permitting ready expansion of the sheet
of the kite into extended position, such as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4
when the kite has been projected from the forward end of the rocket
body 12 in a manner to be described herinafter.
A shock cord 34 which preferably is of an elastic nature, is
respectively connected at its opposite ends to the inner end of
nose 22 and the inner surface of the forward end 20 of the rocket
body 12. Accordingly, the forward end 20 serves as connecting means
between the body 12 and parachute 24 when said connected elements
are descending as illustrated in exemplary manner in FIG. 2.
In FIG. 3, an exemplary interior arrangement of a conventional
rocket engine is shown. In said view, the engine 16 comprises a
cylindrical casing 36 which is formed from suitable material such
as metal or otherwise. The lower end has a ceramic nozzle 38
therein having a conical central opening 40 formed in the same to
permit the insertion of an igniter element, not shown. A charge of
solid propellant 42 is disposed in the casing adjacent the inner
end of nozzle 38 and adjacent the forward end of the charge 42 is a
delay charge 44 which is adapted to be fired only after the rocket
has been propelled to a substanial height in the atomsphere.
Forward of the delay charge 44 is an ejection charge 46 which
reacts against a retainer cap 48 which is frictionally fitted into
the normally upper end of casing 36.
The kite 32 comprises a configurated sheet of preferably light
weight, strong, flexible material, such as suitable synthetic resin
cut or stamped to have the desired configuration which may be of a
fanciful nature, for example, such as shown in exemplary manner in
FIGS. 2 and 4. To enable the kite to be disposed in flying
condition with wind projected against the same, the sheet of the
kite 32 is rendered stiff at least in a longitudinal, vertical
direction, by a plurality of light weight, stiffening members 50,
such as thin strips of bamboo or other appropriate material, which
are attached to one face of the sheet of the kite by appropriate
adhesive or the like. From FIGS. 2 and 4, it will be seen that the
stiffening members are spaced transversely apart and also
preferably are spaced inwardly from the opposite side extremeties
52 of the kite sheet to which one end of each of a pair of bridle
cords 54 are connected. The bridle cords 54 are of a predetermined
length and the opposite ends thereof are connected together at 56
for additional connection to the light weight tether cord 58. For
example, the tether cord 58 may comprise synthetic resin fish line
of light gauge.
Referring to FIG. 1, it will be seen that a substanial supply of
the tether cord 58 is disposed in compact fashion such as upon a
rotatable spool 60, upon which two or three hundred feet of said
cord, for example, may be wound. The spool is surported by an
appropriate base 62 which may be mounted adjacent the launch site
for the rocket 10. The end of the tether cord 58 which is connected
to the kite extends from the spool 60 to the forward end 20 of the
rocket body 12 and is squeezed between the frictionally engaged
portion of the nose 22 and the inner surface of the forward end 20
of the rocket tube 12, and a limited amount thereof extends past
the compactly folded parachute 24 and it otherwise is disposed
adjacent the bridle cords 54 arranged longitudinally along the
folded kite 32 as shown in auxiliary manner in FIGS. 1 and 5, so as
not to be entangled with the kite when the same is expelled from
the forward end of the rocket body, such as when the ejection
charge 46 is fired by the delay charge 44 after the rocket has been
projected a substanial distance in the atomsphere by the charge 42
of solid propellant.
Referring to FIG. 6, a cross sectional, exemplary illustration is
shown of one satisfactory manner of compactly folding or arranging
the kite 32. To dispose the kite in such compacted form, it is
preferred that the kite be folded upon itself along a central
longitudinal line which will dispose the stiffening members 50
adjacent to each other and also superimpose the side extremeties 52
adjacent to each other. The folded edge 64 of the kite sheet 32,
such as shown in exemplary manner in FIG. 6, then is coiled
inwardly until the stiffening members 50 are caused to encircle the
coiled core of the arrangement, following which the outer edge
portions of the kite sheet which terminate in the side extremeties
52, then are arranged somewhat sinuously as also illustrated in
exemplary manner in FIG. 6 and said sinuous arrangement then is
compactly pressed against the coiled central portion of the kite
sheet so as to form a compact cross section which is much more
closely and tightly arranged than illustrated in the exemplary
showing in FIG. 6. In said figure, the illustration is somewhat
expanded in order that the various lines representing portions of
the sheet may be visualized. Upon such compact arrangement being
formed, as shown in FIG. 5 for example, the bridle cords 54 than
are arranged along the compact configuration of the kite and are
inserted with the kite longitudinally into the interior of rocket
body 12 until the inner end thereof engages the soft wad 30 within
the body, the tether cord 58 than extending toward and outwardly
from the forward end 20 of the rocket body and downwardly to the
storage spool 60.
Following the mounting of the kite 32 within the rocket body 10, if
desired, a short separating wad 66 is disposed against the upper
end of the compactly folded kite 32, following which the compactly
folded parachute 24 is inserted into the forward end 20 of the
rocket body, the shock cord 34 also being carefully inserted within
the forward end of the rocket body incident to the inner end of the
nose 22 being frictionally disposed in closed relationship with the
forward end 20 of the rocket body 10. The rocket and its contents
then is in condition to be launched and may be stored in this
condition until launching is desired.
The wads 30 and 66 may be formed from similar material, such as
certain forms of cotton which preferably are nonignitable. Said
wads primarily function to prevent damage to the somewhat fragile,
compactly formed kite 32, especially during the ejection of the
kite from the rocket body 12 after pushing the parachute 24 and
nose 22 ahead of it when the delay charge 44 and ejection charge 46
have been fired.
In accordange with conventional practice, the assembled rocket 10
usually is disposed in a vertical position at the time of
launching. The igniting mechansim then is placed in engagement with
the solid propellant 42 of the rocket engine 16 and the burning
thereof generates rapidly expanding gas which is discharged through
the ceramic nozzle of a commercial type of rocket engine available
in various sizes adapted to launch specified rockets to various
heights. After such height has been attained, the delay charge and
the ejection charge then are fired to eject the kite, parachute and
the nose through the forward end of the rocket body. Following
this, the parachute 24 opens and permits the rocket body 12 to
descend gently to the ground and such descent effectively separates
said connected, descending elements from the kite 32 which, being
connected to the tether cord 58 which has been rapidly paid out
from the spool 60, renders the kite controllable by the operator
located either upon the ground or other type of launching site. The
kite may be brought to the launching site by coiling the tether
cord 58 upon the spool 60 in conventional manner.
From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention
provides a novel and entertaining combination of a minature rocket
within which a kite may be contained for projection into the
atomsphere to a desired, substanial height before the kite is
ejected from the rocket and thereby launched at said substanial
height which places it at that height much more rapidly than could
be achieved by normal methods of launching kites such as by
depending entirely upon the wind to launch the kite from the ground
for example. The parachute which is connected to the rocket body
permits retrieval of the rocket, including all parts thereof. By
restoring all of the elements, including the kite, to the stored
positioned within the rocket body in the manner described above,
and replacing the rocket engine 16 with a new one, which is
accomplished quickly, a second launching of the rocket and kite may
be undertaken immediately.
While the invention has been described and illustrated in its
several preferred embodiments, it should be understood that the
invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein
illustrated and described since the same may be carried out in
other ways falling within the scope of the invention as illustrated
and described.
* * * * *