Aug. 14, 1945.

A. E. BRICKMAN
AIRPLANE TOW TARGET_RELEASE DEVICE

2,382,854

Filed Jan. 22, 1944

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INVENTORI

VA

' Patented Aug. 14, 1945

2,382,854

UNITED STATES PATENT orrvicg

AIRPLANE TOW TARGET RELEASE DEVICE I

Alan E. Brickman, New Haven, Conn., assignor to The American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a corporation of New Jersey

Application January 22, 1944, Serial No.>519,385

11 Claims. (01. 2735-1054) '
} ,

This invention relates to airplane tow targets,

and particularly, to an improved means or device

target'release devicewhereby all of the above

mentioneddisadvantages are eliminated.

for releasing targets towed by aircraft for use in

gunnery practice.
(It is now common practice to employed a re lease device on the end of a target tow cable for replacing the used target beingtowed with a new

It is anotherobject of thisinvention to provide, an improved tow target release device which is relativelylight in its construction, and, substan tially foolproof in its use so as to insure-the re-
placement of a spent target with a new target... ,

target. In order to replace the target being towed'with a new target, the latter target which is folded and secured by a rip cord, is secured to

It vis a further object of this'invention to pro

vide-an improved tow target release device which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, and,~

at the same time, efficient andv effective in its use. a ring placed on the tow line and launched from Various other objects and-advantages of this the plane. The ring is threaded onto the tow invention will be more apparent in the course of cable and the forward motion of the plane draws the following speci?cation and will be particularly the tow cable and release device through the ring I .- , until the ring strikes a projecting portion usually 15 pointed out in the appended claims. In the-accompanying drawingthere is shown, carried by the release device. The resultant jerk for the purpose of, illustration, an-embodiment releases the rip cord and the target opens up due which my invention may assume in practice. to the wind velocity and is in tow. After a pre In thedrawing: i g , determined amount of target shooting, a new Figure 1 is aside elevational View of the outer target, in bundled form, is launched in the same end of an airplane tow target cable in tow, show manner. As the ring passes over the releasing

device, it depresses usually a trigger arrangement which in turn withdraws the projecting portion
to which the ring of the spent target is attached . and the ring passes off the release device and the '

ing' the improved release device of my-invention incorporated therewith together with a tow target
" I 1 l' ~ ,

connectedqthereto;

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of

target releases it from tow and it falls to the

earth for recovery and scoring. ' ' '

Various types of release devices have been here tofore suggested and used. One of the most common types used consists of a longitudinally

my improvedrelease device showing the parts thereof in theirreleasable position; Figure 3'is an enlarged side view of the outer
end of my improved release device; and , Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line IV-'IV
of Figure 3. ' ' r

' Referring more particularly to the drawing, having a trigger and hook release mechanism. there is :shown in Figure 1, a target tow'cable Such a release device has been found to be un 2'having the" inner end thereof attached to an satisfactory for several reasons. In the first, aircraft; On the outer end of the tow cable, place, the ring member of the replacement target there is arranged a connecting member 3 having oftentimes sheared the tow cable at a point im- an eye'portion, >4 vto which the improved release mediately next to the heavy body member due to device 5v of the present invention is pivotally the speed at which the ring passes over the tow connected in'a manner hereinafter to \be .de cable and the Weight of the release mechanism. 40 scribed. On the outer end of the release device Also, a heavy release device or assembly tends to 5, there is releasably connected thereto, a target whip about on the end of the tow cable and often lead cable 6 having a traveler ring 1 arranged times, the ring of the replacement target passes orithe inner end thereof by which it is attached over the trigger without releasing the spent tar to the release"device', and on the outer end of get and, at other times, both the new targetto 45 the lead cable, there is disposed a target 8. gether with the spent target would pass com ' The'improved release device 5 of the present pletely over and off the release device with the invention, as more clearly shown in Figures 2, result that there was a loss of a target and that v3 and 4, comprises a resilient metallic member,
no target was in tow. Thus, it will be seen that preferably made of round wire, which is bent the use of such a release device not only resulted v50 uponitself so'as toprovide a longitudinally ex

extending rather heavy cylindrical body member

in damaging the tow cable but also resulted in loss of the target at times, and delay or incom pletion of gunnery practice. Accordingly, it is the general object of the present invention to provide an improved tow 55

tending body member having a substantially U

shaped portion 9 arranged on one end thereof

with the free ends l0 and I2 of the same being normally spaced from each other due to the re siliencyv thereof. On the outer side of the outer

2,382,854
su?icient amount of gunnery practice has been had with a target in tow, and it is desired to replace this spent target with a new target, the traveler ring 1 of a new target in bundled form
target 8 attached thereto passes back over the tow cable and over theconnection 3 onto the release device 5, as shown in the broken lines of Figure 2, due to the velocity of the aircraft and

end of the free end IIJ, there is disposed an enlarged portion I3 which is preferably formed
by bending the end of the free end into the form

of a hook and inserting an irregular-shaped mem ber or slug I 4 in the hook portion, as more clearly Cl is threaded at the aircraft onto the tow cable 2, shown in Figure 3 of the drawing. The insert and the traveler ring 1 together with the new

member I4 is preferably welded in position in the hook portion so as to be securely held therein and constructed so as to entirely ?ll the same. Intermediate the length of the free end I0, there 10
is arranged an outwardly extending 0r cam por- '

the wind. Upon reaching the release device 5,

the traveler ring I will continue in its sliding movement thereover and strike the cam portion I5 of the free end Ill thereby depressing the same and moving it toward the free end I2, as shown in the full lines of Figure 2. In order to obtain this depressing action, it will be understood that the distance normally between the outer side of the cam portion I5 of the free end In and the outer side of the, free end I2 is greater than the inner diameter of the traveler ring I. When the free end I0 is depressed or forced toward the opposed free end I2, it will be seen that the en larged portion I3 carried thereby is moved in wardly or below the outer surface of the U

tion I5.

In other words, the free end I0 is pref

erably bent so as to form a cam portion on the

outer side thereof intermediate the length of

the same. I . _ I g

The outer end of the opposed free end I2 is bent inwardly and outwardly so as to provide an

angular or, preferably an arcuate-shaped portion I6 adjacent the end thereof. On the extreme outer end of the free end I2 beyond the arcuate shaped portion I 6, there is arranged a longi tudinally extending ?nger-like portion I! which is disposed beyond the enlarged portion I 3 of the
free end I0. ' '

There is attached to the free end I 2 at a point

adjacent the arcuate-shaped portion I6 thereof, preferably aninwardly extending metallic U

shaped member I8, asshown in Figure 2, thus permitting the traveler ring I of the spent target

shaped member I8 with the extreme ends of the to pass off vthe end of the release device 5 and free ends of the U-shaped members disposed to the spent target then falls to the earth. After either side of the free end I2 and secured thereto 30 the traveler ring I of the replacement or new preferably by a ball and peen connection as target has passed over'the cam portion I5 of the at I9. The U-shaped member I8 straddles the free end II), this free end will move outwardly opposed free end I0 and is positioned between and away from the free end I2 due to the resil~ the cam portion I5 and the enlarged portion iency thereof and again assume its normal posi I3 carried thereby. By providing such a con ' tion against the inner side of the U-shaped mem struction, it will be seen that the free end I0 is ber I8 with the enlarged portion I3 projecting movable relative to the opposed free end I2 to therebeyond, as shown in the broken lines of gether with the U'-shaped member I8 carried Figures 2. The traveler ring I of the new target thereby. The free end I2 preferably has a cam will continue to slide over the release device and portion 20 arranged therein at a point imme pass over the U-shaped vmember I8 until the diately' forwardly of the U-shaped member I8 inner or upper side of the traveler ring I strikes for a purpose later to be described. The sides the enlarged portion I3 of the free end II]. The of both free ends I8 and I2 at a point opposite opposite or lower side of the traveler ring I will the U-shaped member I8 are preferably ?attened continue to move up over the arcuate-shaped as at 2| so as to provide an area of greater bear 45 portion IIi of thefr'ee end I2 until the outer side ing surface for the U-shaped member I8. thereof strikes the ?nger-like portion I! carried The improved release device of my invention thereby during which time the target 8 will open functions in the following manner. It will be as up from its original bundled form to the ex sumed that a target isin tow and under such con panded form as indicated at the extreme right ditions, the tow cable, the release device and the at 8 in Figure 1 of the drawing. It will be seen tow target will assume the position, as shown in that the cooperation of the enlarged portion I3 Figure 1 of the drawing. It willbe seen that and the ?nger-like portion IT with the traveler the U-shaped portion 9 of the release device 5 is ring! prevents any further movement of the positioned in the eye- 4 of the connection 3 on same over the release device 5 and it is releasably the end of the tow line so as to be pivotally 55 held thereon until it is desired to replace this attached thereto. When the target'is- inxtow, it target with another new target. It is the purpose will beseen that the traveler ring I' of the target of the cam portion 28 on the free end I2 to direct is disposed on the outer end of the" release device the side of the traveler ring to the outer side of so that one side thereof rests upon the outer or the 'U-shaped portion I8. It will be understood upper side of the U-shaped member I8 and abuts that the impact of the traveler ring, when it against the enlarged portion I3' of the free end reaches its position on the end of the release In of the body member and the opposite side device, is absorbedby the combination of the of the traveler ring abuts against the ?nger-like longitudinal'resiliency of the arm I0 and the portion II of the free end I2. In other words, the enlarged portion I3 and the ?nger-like por 65 cantilever resiliency of the finger-like portion II of the free end I2. tion I! are disposed diametrically opposite each As a result of my invention, it will be'seen that other within the traveler-ring 'I and rest against there is provided a release device which willtend the inner periphery of the ring. It. will be toneither rotate norwhip when in use due pri understood that in order to maintain: thetraveler marily to the greatly reduced weight of the body ring on the end of the release device in such member. In other words, the tow cable, the re a manner, that the distance between the inner lease device and the target will always be in align side of the enlarged portion I3 and the outer ment with each other so as to provide 'a straight end of the ?nger-like portion I1 is greater than line tow, so that all the forces exerted on the the inner diameter of the vtraveler ring 11. As shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, after a 75 release device are longitudinal and absorbed by

2,382,854
the release device itself. In my improved vrelease
device, it will be seen that the release-of the

ment'target over 'suchintermediate portion of

the arms causes release of the used target and coupling of the replacement target to the tow
line. ~ -' ' I

spentor used target is positive due to the depres sion of the free member ID together with the
enlarged portion 13 carried thereby, as caused by

_ " t 4; In apparatusfor exchanging an aerial target

towed by'an aircraft tow line fora replacement the traveler ring pressure on theicam s'urface'li target with each-targethaving a traveler ring thereof and the under drag on the lead cable, 6 arranged therewith; a target release device se- of the new target, as caused by tow resistance. curedito the end of the tow line comprisinga re While I have shown and described one speci?c embodiment of my invention, it will be under 10 silient metallic member bent upon itself was to provide a longitudinally extending body meme" stood that this embodiment is merely for the ber of generally U-shape, the tow linev being at purpose'of illustration and description and that tachedlto the closed end of the U-shaped body various other forms may be devised within the membergvthe opposed arms of said body member scope of my invention, as de?ned in the appended
claims.v ' '

15 being normally spaced from each other; the trav

' ~

I claim:

'

eler ring of each replacement target being adapted

to slide over said body member longitudinally

1. In apparatus for exchanging an aerial-tar get towed by an aircraft tow line for a replace

thereof, means arranged on' the ends of the op

ment target with each target having a traveler

ring arranged therewith, a target release device . secured to the end of the tow line comprising a resilient metallic member bent upon itself so as

posed arms which cooperate with the traveler ring of fav target for holding the samereleasably thereon, the opposed arms of the body vmember being so spaced from each other from the closed

to provide a longitudinally extending body mem ber'of generally U-shape, the tow line being at tached to the closed end of the U-shaped body member, the opposed arms'of said body member being normally spaced from each other, the trav eler ring of each replacement target being adapted to slide over said body member 'lorigie

end'of' the U-shaped body for a substantial por tioni'oflth'e total length of the body that the
, traveler ring slips over such body freely when the arms are in their normal spaced position; at least

one of the arms having such shape at a vportion intermediate its length that the outer surface thereof diverges from the longitudinal axis of the tudinally thereof; means arranged on the ends 30 U-shaped body and then converges toward the axis, in a direction away from the closed end of. of said opposed arms which cooperate with the the body, the distance between lines drawnpar traveler ring of a target for holding the same allel to the longitudinal axis of'the U-shaped releasably thereon, intermediate portions of the body-member and tangent to the'outer surfaces of two arms of the body member being so shaped the twoarms at such intermediate portionbeing that the traveler ring of a replacement target normally greater than the distance between two must force the ends of the arms of the body mem lines parallel to the axis of the-body member and ber together from their normal spaced relation ship as such ring travels thereover carrying .a tangent to the inner'arm contacting surfaces of replacement target but allows separation of the thetraveler ring in the position it assumes when ends of the arms after it has passed oversuch 40 sliding; over- the body portion when carrying a replacement target, whereby travel of'a vtraveler intermediate portions of the arms, whereby the ring ofv a replacement target over the interme target being towed is released and the replace diate portions of the arms of the body releases ment target is coupled to the tow line. the use'd't'arget and'effects coupling of the .re 2. The combination as de?ned in , claim 1, " ' 4 wherein the resilient metallic member is made of 4. placement targetwith the tow line.
w1re. ' i '

I ' 5.~ In apparatus for exchanging an- aeri'alt'ar

3. In apparatus for exchanging an aerial target

towed by an aircraft tow line for a replacement target with each target having a traveler ring ar ranged therewith, a target release device secured to the end of the tow line comprising a resilient metallic member bent upon itself so as to provide a longitudinally extending body member of gen

'get towed by an aircraft tow line jforia replace ment target with each target having a traveler ring arranged therewith, a target release device secured to the end of the tow line comprising a
resilient metallic member bent upon itself so as

erally U-shape, the tow line being attached to the closed end of the U-shaped body member, the opposed arms of said body member being normally spaced from each other, the traveler ring of each replacement target being adapted to slide over said body member longitudinally thereof, means
arranged on the ends of the opposed arms which cooperate with the traveler ring of a target for

to provide a longitudinally extending body mem ber of generally U-shape, the tow line being at tached to the closed end of the U-shaped body member, the opposed arms of said body member being normally spaced from each other, the trav eler ring of each replacement target being adapt ed to slide over said body member longitudinally thereof, a hook-like member extending out 60 wardly from the longitudinal axis of the body
member arranged on the end of one of the arms of the body member and an end on the other arm

holding the same releasably thereon, portions of said opposed arms intermediate the length there
of being so shaped that when the arms are in

cooperating therewith to hold a traveler ring re leasably thereon when the arms are in their nor
mal spaced relationship, portions of the two arms

their normal spaced relation the distance between lines drawn parallel to the longitudinal axis of the U-shaped body member and tangent to the outer surfaces of the two arms at such interme diate portion is greater than the distance between two lines parallel to the axis of the body member and tangent to the inner arm contacting surfaces of the traveler ring in the position it assumes when sliding over the body portion of the U

intermediate their length being so shaped that the traveler ring of a replacement target must force the arms of the body member together as it slides thereover carrying a new target but allows separation of the arms after it has passed over

such intermediate portions thereof, whereby the

target being towed is released from the hook-like member and the replacement target is coupled
to the tow line. .

shaped member carrying a replacement target, whereby travel of the traveler ring of a replace

6. The combination as de?ned in claim 5,

2,38 2,8 54
being normally spaced from each other, the end
of one arm being provided with an enlarged por
- tion arranged on the outer side thereof, and the

wherein the hook-like member on the end of one ofthe arms: consists of an enlarged portion ar ranged on the outer side of the end-of such arm, and thecooperating end on the other arm con; sistso? aportion of such arm bentinwardly and
outwardly .and having a, longitudinally extend

outer end of the other arm being bent inwardly

and outwardly and having a longitudinally ex
tending ?nger-like portion arranged on the ex

ing' ?nger-like portion arranged on the extreme treme outer end thereof beyond said enlarged portion on the end of the opposed arm, the trav outer end thereof beyond said hook-like member eler ring of each replacement target being adapt ontheend of the other arm, the traveler ring of a target held by such device ?tting over the hook 10 ed to slide over said body member longitudinally thereof, the arms being so spaced from each other like member on the ?rst mentioned arm and the from'the closed end of the U-shaped body toa ?nger-like portion on the second mentioned arm. point intermediate the length thereof that the ' '7. The combination as de?ned in claim 1, in traveler ring slips over the arms freely when they cluding means for limiting the outward move are in normal open position, at least one arm ment of one of said arms of the body member being so shaped in a portion intermediate its relative to the opposed arm of the body member, length that its outer surface diverges from the said means being adapted to guide said arms in axis of the U-shaped body member and then con their movement relative to each other; verges toward the axis of the body, the distance, " 8.'The combination as de?ned in claim 4,
wherein the means arranged, on the end of one 20 between lines drawn parallel to the longitudinal

of the arms which cooperate with the traveler ring of. a target for holding the same releasably thereon consists of an outwardly extending hook like member on the end of such arm to hold. the
traveler ring of a target when the arms are in
their normal spaced position. '

axis of the U-shaped body member and tangent

to the outer surfaces of the two arms at each

intermediate portion being greater, when the

arms are in their normal spaced relation, than the distance between two lines parallel to the axis of the body and tangent to the inner arm contacting surfaces of the traveler ring of a re placement target in the position it assumes when sliding over the body portion carrying a replace,
ment target, and means attached to that arm

9. The combination as defined in claim 4, wherein the arm opposite that whose intermedi ate'portiondiverges- from the axis of the body and then converges toward the axis, has apor tion which diverges from the axis at a point sub stantially opposed to the point on the ?rst arm where the second arm begins to converge-where by a traveler ring of a replacement target in
traveling over the U-shaped body cooperates with -'

of the body which has a ?nger-like portion at the end thereof close to and cooperating with the en larged outwardly directed portion on the other arm to support the traveler ring of a target in
use, travel of a traveler ring of a replacement

the diverging portions of the two arms to move

the two arms together. ~ 10. Inv apparatus for exchanging an aerial tar

target past the intermediate portions of the arms of the body causing the arm provided with the

enlarged outwardly directed portion to be pressed

toward the longitudinal axis of the body member get towed by an aircraft tow line for a replace ment target with each target having a traveler 40 and consequent retraction of the enlarged out wardly directed portion thereof with respect to ring arranged therewith, a target release device the cooperating traveler ring supporting means, secured to the end of the tow line comprising a whereby the used target is released. resilient metallic member bent upon itself so as i 11. The combination as de?ned in claim 10, to provide a longitudinally extending-body mem ber of generally U-shape, the tow line being at wherein the resilient metallic member is made of wire. tached to the closed end of the U-shaped body member, the opposed arms of said body member ' ALAN E. BRICKMAN.