Abstract: At least one gas operated cylinder is mounted on the female connector member of the canopy release body, the piston in the cylinder is restrained in a retracted position by a shear pin protruding in the track ahead of the piston; a roll bar transversely extended in the female member has a cutaway portion to permit the insertion of a prong of a male connector member into an intersecting pocket in the female member so that when the roll bar is turned into a corresponding recess in the prong it interlocks the connector members; the free end of the piston engages a shoulder formed in the periphery of the roll bar; the roll bar may be turned manually away from the piston into position to withdraw it from the recess in the prong, but when gas under pressure moves the piston it shears the shear pin and turns the roll bar into the disengaging position wherein the roll bar is withdrawn from said prong recess.

Abstract: The Canopy Release is for the purpose of connecting the webbings from a canopy or parachute to a harness worn by a person. The device includes a male connector member insertable in a female connector member and a releasable locking device for locking the male member in the female member.

Abstract: In the legs of a clevis of a webbing connector are opposite aligned passages in which is journalled a pin for harness webbing. The pin is formed of a release body the hub of which fits between the legs. Parts of a pair of lock pins project the hub into the respective passages to hold the pin in place. The lock pins are fixed in the body by shear pins. Inside of the hub are a pair of plungers. A slot in each plunger riding on a set screw limits the outward movement of each plunger respectively to the adjacent end of the hub, whereby the adjacent lock pin is pushed totally into the leg passage and the release body is freed. The force for outward movement of the plungers is imparted through a thruster which includes a suitable expandable device which when expanded axially pushes the plungers apart for pushing the lock pins out of the hub of the release body.