Abstract: A towed vehicle deployment apparatus comprising a rotatable spool defining a rotor portion. The spool is rotatably connected to a stationary brake drum in a manner wherein the cylindrical outer surface of the rotor portion is disposed in sliding contact with the cylindrical inner surface of the brake drum. Dispensably stored in windings about the spool is a tow line having a decoy connected thereto. Disposed within the rotor portion of the spool is a brake assembly comprising at least one brake element which is adapted to yield at a predetermined rotational speed of the spool and move radially outward upon yielding so as to contact the inner surface of the brake drum and apply a braking force to the spool.

Abstract: A towed vehicle deployment apparatus comprising a stationary housing having a spool rotatably connected thereto. Dispensably stored in windings about the spool is the tow line. Rigidly attached to the housing is a line guide and a standoff bar. The tow line is extended from the spool over the standoff bar and subsequently over the line guide for purposes of reducing the pull-off angle of the tow line from the spool.

Abstract: A towed vehicle deployment apparatus comprising a stationary housing having a spool rotatably connected thereto. Dispensably stored in windings about the spool is the tow line. Rigidly attached to the housing is a line guide and a standoff bar. The tow line is extended from the spool over the standoff bar and subsequently over the line guide for purposes of reducing the pull-off angle of the tow line from the spool.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a ram air turbine which is preferably used in conjunction with a refueling pod on an aircraft for purposes of operating a fuel pump and/or reeling mechanism for paying in and paying out a fuel line. The turbine generally comprises a rotatable housing having a main turbine output shaft disposed therein and rigidly connect thereto. A plurality of variable pitch turbine blades extend outwardly from and are cooperatively engaged to the housing such that rotation of the turbine blades causes simultaneous rotation of the housing and output shaft. Means are provided within the housing for establishing a preset reference rotational speed for the output shaft. Additionally, a control means cooperatively engaged between the turbine blades and the reference means is provided for adjusting the pitch of the turbine blades in response to a difference in the rotational speed of the output shaft and the preset reference rotational speed.

Abstract: This invention relates to an aerodynamically braked vehicle deployment device. The deployment device system generally comprises a spool member. A tow line is bifilar wound about the spool member in a manner wherein one end of the tow line is attached to an aircraft while the other end is attached to a towed vehicle. The towed vehicle and the deployment device are deployed simultaneously, and the spool, by nature of its bifilar winding, assumes a position between the aircraft and the towed vehicle. An aerodynamic braking means is interfaced to the spool in a manner operable to provide a braking force during payout of the towed vehicle to control the payout speed of the towed vehicle. At the end of the towed vehicle payout, the deployment device is adapted to disengage itself from the tow line and propel itself away from the tow line and clear of the towed vehicle.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mechanically braked vehicle deployment device. The deployment device comprises a spool member having a guide member rigidly connected thereto. A tow line is bifilar wound about the spool member in a manner wherein one end of the tow line extends through the guide member and is attached to an aircraft while the other end extends from the spool member and is attached to a towed vehicle. The towed vehicle and the deployment device are deployed simultaneously, and the spool, by nature of its bifilar winding, assumes a position between the aircraft and the towed vehicle. A braking assembly is interfaced to the spool member in a manner operable to provide a braking force during payout of the towed vehicle to control the rotational speed of the spool during tow line payout. At the end of the towed vehicle payout, the deployment device is adapted to disengage itself from the tow line and propel itself away from the tow line and clear of the towed vehicle.

Abstract: A decoy system is disclosed characterized by use of a rotating towline spool having an axial bore therethrough adapted to receive a pyrotechnic charge adjacent one end thereof and communicate gas pressure upon detonation of the charge to the decoy to deploy the decoy from an aircraft. Pyrotechnic charges for both decoy ejection and towline cutting may be externally loaded into the system without the need to disassemble the decoy system and the use of the axial bore through the spool results in desired space economies. The interior of the decoy cannister is provided with plural guide rails and contoured guide rollers which facilitate ejection of the decoy from the cannister in directions even or perpendicular to the airstream of the aircraft. Towline spool and decoy terminations and a method of fabricating the same are disclosed which yield sufficient strength to withstand peak tensile forces exerted during initial acceleration and subsequent maximum pay out of the decoy.

Abstract: A turbine/air vent reeling machine for use in aerial towed target applications and the like disclosed characterized by use of a novel turbine head/air vent design which extracts ram air energy from the wind stream impinging upon a moving aircraft for the purpose of driving and braking the reeling machine for pay-in and pay-out of a towed target. Control of the turbine rotational speed is achieved through plural variable opening vents located aft of the turbine head which are driven through an open and closed orientation by a servo-motor to throttle the air mass flow through the turbine head. Turbine speed is sensed by a tachometer which is coupled to a shaft driven by the turbine. The tachometer output voltage is introduced into a closed loop control circuit including processing electronics which compares the tachometer voltage to a pre-selected set point voltage corresponding to the desired rotational speed of the turbine.

Abstract: A towed decoy system is disclosed characterized by use of a rotating tow line spool having an axial bore therethrough adapted to receive a pyrotechnic charge adjacent one end thereof and communicate gas pressure upon detonation of the charge to the decoy to deploy the decoy from an aircraft. The pryotechnic charge may be externally loaded into the system without the need to disassemble the decoy system and the use of the axial bore through the spool results in desired space economies.

Abstract: A jet exhaust simulator provides a multichamber jet fuel burner in which the fuel supplies to the chambers may be remotely and independently controlled, and in which a pilot flame chamber with squib igniter provides a reliable source of combustion. Primary, secondary, and tertiary fuel nozzles are provided, with the tertiary nozzles using straight venturis to inject large fuel drops into a burning fuel/air mixture in order to produce an exhaust plume closely simulating the length and infrared light emissions characteristics of a jet aircraft engine. The exhaust simulator is particularly adapted for use in a towable aerial target for the testing of infrared seeker guided shells or missles.