Parachute release mechanism

Claim 1

IN APPARATUS FOR RELEASABLY SECURING A TRAILING PARACHUTE TO AN AIRCRAFT DROPPED STORE, OF THE TYPE HAVING A MECHANICAL RELEASE DEVICE ADAPTED TO NORMALLY RELEASE THE PARACHUTE FROM THE STORE SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE TERMINATION OF DESCENT OF THE STORE AND TRAILING PARACHUTE, THE IMPROVEMENTS, IN COMBINATION, COMPRISING; (A) SEPARABLE MEMBERS FORMING PARTS OF SAID RELEASE APPARATUS, (B) SAID SEPARABLE MEMBERS BEING SECURED TOGETHER WITH A SAFETY MEMBER, (C) SAID SAFETY MEMBER BEING SO CONSTRUCTED TO PERMIT SAID SEPARABLE MEMBERS TO SEPARATE IN EVENT OF ABNORMAL OPENING OF THE PARACHUTE WHILE THE STORE REMAINS AFFIXED TO THE AIRCRAFT, TO THEREBY PERMIT RELEASE OF THE PARACHUTE, WHILE RETAINING THE STORE AFFIXED TO THE AIRCRAFT, (D) A LOCKING MEMBER FOR RENDERING SAID SAFETY MEMBER INEFFECTIVE TO PERMIT SEPARATION OF SAID SEPARABLE MEMBERS WHEN THE STORE AND AFFIXED PARACHUTE ARE NORMALLY RELEASED TOGETHER FROM THE AIRCRAFT, (E) AN ELECTRICALLY INITIATED PYROTECHNIC DEVICE FOR ACTUATING SAID MECHANICAL RELEASE DEVICE, (F) AN ELECTRIC THERMAL TYPE BATTERY FORMING A PART OF THE APPARATUS FOR SUPPLYING ELECTRICAL ENERGY TO THE PYROTECHNIC DEVICE, (G) A SEPARATION SWITCH FOR ELECTRICALLY CONNECTING THE BATTERY AND PYROTECHNIC DEVICE, OPERABLE SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE TERMINATION OF DESCENT, (H) A PYROTECHNIC SOURCE OF HEAT FOR SAID BATTERY, AND (I) MEANS OPERABLE IN RESPONSE TO OPENING OF THE PARACHUTE FOR INITIATING OPERATING OF THE PYROTECNIC SOURCE OF HEAT.