7

w. A. LAMKEY

MarCh 24, 1931.

TARGET TOWING AND RELEASING mmcn

Original Filed March 21. L927

Re,.13,()07
2 Sheets-Sheet l

. w

,.

INVEN TOR.

FV/?/am Ala/why
A TTORNEYSJ

w. A. LAMKEVY

March
. , _

TARGET TOWING AND RELEASING DEVICE

Original Filed March 21. 1927

Re. 18,007
2 Sheets-Sheet 2

WW/[am Ala/17kg;
BY w d

IN VEN TOR.

M*

ATTORNEYS.

Reissued Mar. 24, 1931

Re. 18,007

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

WILLIAM A. LAMKEY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO
TARGET TOWING AND RELEASING DEVICE

priglnal No. 1,703,400, dated February 26, 1929, Serial No. 177,106, ?led March 21, 1927, and in France
January 18, 1927. Application for reissue ?led December 9, 1930. Serial No. 501,154.

My invention relates broadly to a means furled upon its reaching the end of the tow for unfurling and releasing a target and more ing cable. particularly to a target that is being towed by A still further object of the invention con
an aircraft.

sists in the use of a device towed by an air

Heretofore, when engaging in aircraft tar craft for the display and the exchanging of get practice with a towed target, it has been displays of advertising matter while the air customary to let out the target so that it craft is in ?ight. would open by unreeling a great many yards With the above andother objects in view,
aircraft. When the target had reached the be Hereinafter more fully described.
desired distance from the vessel or aircraft,

of cable, to which the target was attached the invention consists in the combination, cone . 10 and which was carried on a reel by the towing struction, and arrangement of parts as will 60
Reference is to be had to the accompanying
65

it became unfurled and ?ring began. After drawings for-min part of this speci?cation, ?ring had ceased, or the target had passed in which like reference characters indicate 15 beyond range, it was permitted to fall to corresponding parts throughout the several earth so that hits of any particular ?ring bat views, and in which: tery could be counted. To drop the target, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view
20 In permittin the equipment to fall to earth,
it was necessary to cut the cable and free the showing my invention attached to a towing target and cable from the vessel or aircraft. cable,

Figure 2 is an end view looking in the di

70

for protection to the aircraft could not be 33 of Figure 1, Figure 4 is a view of the target harness easily handled on land. After the equipment 25 had fallen it was necessary for boats to put showing in dot and dash line how the parts out, wind the cable on a reel, and can it to become disassembled to unfurl the target, shore to be rewound on another reel. 11 the Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the meantime, the aircraft had to return to its operation of my invention, and base, make a landing, take aboard another Figure 6 is a sectional view of the cone and 3 target, and again reach the desired altitude. supporting plate attached to the harness. In the following description of my inven_ All this required considerable time, labor, and expense, and very often resulted in the tion I shall ?rst describe the means for car rying the target on the tow cable, and its loss of valuable equipment.
as moving a target from a tow line after it had
Another and more recent method of re

care had to e exercised that it should fall rection of the arrows 22, Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line upon water, as cable of the length necessary

75

80

operation, and then explain the construction

and operation of the target unfurling mech

anism.

85

passed the range of a ?ring battery, has been

to reel in the tow cable and manually remove the target. This very often resulted in break 0 ing the tow cable, due to the added tension on the cable in reeling in the target. It is an object ofmy invention to overcome the above inconveniences by providing a tar

Referring more particularly to Figures 1,

2, and 3 of the drawings, 5 indicates a cable
that is wound on a reel carried by an aircraft or other object that has a target in tow. A

45 ment that may be automatically replaced at the end of the tow cable by another without the necessity of severing or reeling in the tow cable. Another object of my invention is to pro 50 vide a target that will be automatically un

get carrying, unfurling and releasing equip collar 9 is rigidly attached to the pin, While
collar 8 is free to rotate and slide therealong, it being held removed from collar 9 by an ex

pin 6 attached to the free end, of the cable is cylindrical in' form with a pointed nose 7 and is provided with collars 8 and 9. The

pansion spring 10 positioned between the col

lars. A suitable stop 11 prevents collar 8 from falling off the pin. The cable passes through the nose of the pin into the bore of

a
fastened by a knot 12, or in an

18,007
in the same manner as the ?rst one and re

the cylindrical portion where it is securely

other de

leased.

As the conical nose of the second

sired manner. The free end of t a cable ex_ traveler engages between the nose of the pin

10

tends beyond the pin a short distance to pro vide a means for retrieving the cable when it is desired to remove the pin.v The pin serves as a wei ht as the cable is being unreeled to receive t e target carrying device. The target carrier, or traveler, consists of a core-shaped body member 13 having 8 C811

and the arcuate edge of the trigger it forces the trigger outward against the tension of its 78 retaining spring, disengaging the sear from
the collar on the pin. The impact of the re placing traveler knocks the ?rst traveler from

15

tralbore lltherethrough, into which the pin 6 The target 30 is attached to the bridle 29 b fits when the traveler is in operative osition. a clew ring 31 secured to the target clews 3 , A slot 15 extending lengthwise of t e body see Figure 5. The target harness is secured member communicates with the central bore to ring 31 by a snap-hook 33. The harnessv permitting insertion of the cable into the consists of an elastic cable having a grom 80 bore so that the body member will ride along met 34 intermediate its ends. The elastic the cable. One end of the slot within the nose cable is connected to the Snap-hook by a ring portion 0i the body member is broadened to 35, and its other terminal is provided with a receive cars 16 attached to the sides of a trig ring 36. A trip plate 37 having a cone mem ger 17 providing a sliding fulcrum. for the ber 38 swivelled thereon, see Figure 6, is trigger that operates in the slot to serve the connected to the ring 36. The cone is prQ- two-fold service of preventing the cable from vided with an opening 39 therethrough to re accidently coming through the slot, and of ceive a slip wire 40 that is, attached to the Securing the. body member to. the pin 6.. The snap-hook.

the pin, the second one taking its place there on by virtue of itssear engaging the collar. 75

trigger isprovided with a searor pin 18 rock The target is fur-led, and. secured'in the 90 ing y attached. thereto, and which passes bight of the elastic cable between the tri through a suitable opening 19 in the body plate and grommet-,the cone; being placed member to engage with the sliding collar 8 through the grommet and held in position by to prevent the. traveler from riding off the the slip wire passed through the opening in pin, Spring 10: cushions the impact _of the the cone. The target clews are wrapped sear against the collar. The trigger ispro about the target and made fast to they bridle
vided with. an arcuete edge 20, the purpose by the clew ring, and the she _.-h_ook_ attached of which will he. later described, and a re to the clew ring. The trave er carrying the cess 21 that aligns with a circumferential target down the tow cable engages either the EOQVQ 22 about the body member. A, spring tow pin, or a traveler already in place, and $3, that is seated in the recess and groove, due to the retardation of the traveler, the holds the trigger so thatv the sear will be in elastic cable stretches beyond, the length of engagement wlt'h the collar when in its nor the slip wire pulling it out of the opening in mal position. Screw threaded studs 24, are the cone, freeing the grommet, and thereby

1.00

mounted in the sides of the body member, releasing the target permitting it to unfurl
and into one 0.1: these is screwed an eye-bolt and ?ow. The length of the'sli .wire is such

1.06

25,, and out!) the, other a slip-e e 26 is se that it will be easily withdrawn $110111 the cone cured by a fastening element 2 extending by the expansion of the cable.
' into the stud. One and, of the Spring 23 is p

eye.

bridle 29 is secured to the eye-bolt and slip purposes. vIn thislatter use, a sign adver t_ising the wares of one merchant may be dis vThe operation of, the release-mechanism is played towed in the air and without bring
as follows:

My invention may be used not only as a attached to the slip-eye and the other to a target towing means for aircraft, gunnery 1110 washer 28, held in place by the eye-bolt. A practice, but may be also used, for advertising

the sear on the trigger engages with the bodiment of my invention and that various I25 loose collar on the pm. When the traveler minor changes in details of construction, pro

therethrough, and the trigger replaced se the same merchant. It will be understood that the above de curing the cable in the central bore of scription and accompanying drawings com the traveler. The traveler is then re leased and slides along the cable until prehend only the general and preferred em

ing the aircraft to a landing and within sight The cable 5 is unwound from the reel and of the populace below, the sign ma be allowed to hang over the side, the pin. serv dropped and another substituted, as a ove ing'as a weight toprevent the ?apping about described, to display an advertisement of an vthe cable end. he trigger of the traveler is removed from the slot, the cable passed other m'ercha'nt or to advertise other wares of

. 115

reaches the cable and, the target is opened portion and arrangement of parts may be as will be hereinafter described. When it made within the scope of the appended claims is, desired to release the traveler held by the and without sacri?cing any of. the advan
pin, a second traveler is attached to the cable tages of my invention. 7

18,007 claim is:

Having described my invention what I mally holding the sear in enga ement with
the collar, a bridle, and means or attaching 1. In combination a cable having one end the target to .the bridle. 7. In combination a cable having one end attached to a moving body, a target support
70

comprising a body portion, a fulcrumed attached to a moving body, a pin attached to member for securing the body portion to the the cable end, a ?xed and a slidable collar on cable, a bridle attached to the body portion, the pin, means for separating the collars, a
10

and a resilient means for attaching the target target support comprising a cylindrical body portion having a central bore and conical to the bridle. 2. In combination a cable having one end nose, a slot communicating with the bore, a 75 attached to a moving body, a pin attached to slidably fulcrumed member having an arc the free end of the cable, a target support uate edge operable within the slot, a scar car

15

comprising a body portion having a central ried by the member for engagement with the bore to receive said pin, a fulcrumed mem slidable collar, means for normally holding ber for securing the body portion to the pin, the sear and collar in engagement, but ex a bridle attached to the body portion, and pandible to permit disengagement of the said means for attaching the target to the bridle. members upon a body entering between the

20

25

30

35

end attached to a moving body, a pin attached body portion, and means for securing the tar to the free end-of the cable, collars carried get to the bridle. 8. In a target unfurling and releasing de b the pin, one of said collars being movable along the pin, resilient means separating the vice, a body member attachable to a tow line collars, a target support comprising a body and controllably-detachable therefrom, a re portion, means engaging one of the collars silient target harness connected to the body for maintaining the body portion in position member, a ring intermediate its ends, a cone on the pin,-a bridle attached to the body por attached to the harness end for engagement tion, and means for securing the target to with the ring for forming a bight in the har ness, means for securing the cone within the the bridle. 4. In combination a cable having one end ring, and a target secured in the bight. 9. In a target unfurling and releasing attached to a moving body, a pin attached to the free end of the cable, a ?xed collar and a mechanism, a body member detachably car collar slidable thereon, resilient means sep ried by a tow cable, means for disengaging arating the collars, a target support com the member from the cable, a target carried prising a body portion having a central bore by the said member, and means attached to to receive the pin, a fulcrum member extend said member for unfurling the target, last

3. In combination with a cable having one nose and arcuate edge, a bridle attached to the

85

90

95

100

ing into the bore and engaginor the slidable said means comprising a resilient cable, a

collar for maintaining the body portion in grommet, a cone member insertable through

osition on the pin, a bridle attached to the the grommet, and a member engaging the cone
105

ody portion, and means for securing the to secure it in the grommet, last said member being automatically disengageable upon ex target to the bridle. 5. In combination a cable having one end pansion of the elastic cable.
to the free end of the cable, a ?xed and a slid an object towed by'said aircraft, a second ob able collar on the pin, means for separating ject to replace the ?rst said object, means for
45

attached to a moving body, a pin attached

10. In combination, an aircraft, a tow-line,

50

the collars, a target support comprising a body portion having a central bore to receive the pin, a longitudinal slot having communi cation with the bore, a member slidably ful crumed within the slot,a rocking sear attached to the fulcrumed member for engagement with the slidable collar to maintain the body portion in position on the pin, a bridle at tached to the body portion, and means for attaching the target to the bridle. 6. In combination a cable having-one end

slidably engaging said second object with the

110

tow-line at said aircraft and permitting said second object to slide along the tow-line to engage the ?rst object, and means for auto

matically accomplishing the replacement of

the ?rst object by the second object while both
said aircraft.
11. In combination, an aircraft, a tow-line
116

are at that end of the tow-line remote from _

mounted thereon, a pin at the free end of the

tow-line, an object slidably along the tow-line

assuming the place of the ?rst object while

.120

attached to a moving body, a pin attached to and engageable on the pin, and a second object the free end of the ca le, a ?xed and a slidable slidable along the tow-line, the second object collar on the pin, means separatin the col freeing the ?rst object from the pin and itself

60

65

tion having a central bore to receive the pin, the aircraft is in ?ight. 12. In combination, an aircraft, a tow-line, a slot communication with the bore, a mem ber slidably fulcrumed within the slot, a sear an object detachably carried at the free end attached to the said member for engagement of the tow-line, and a second object replacing with the slidable collar to maintain the body the ?rst object while the aircraft is in ?ight. WILLIAM A. LAMKEY. portion in position on the pin, means for nor

lars, a target support comprising a ody por

125

130