Patent Application
20070259726
FIG. ONE is a complete perspective view of the catapult.
FIG. TWO is a front view of the catapult including a partial front view of the safety landing apparatus. The passenger is shown in ghost.
FIG. THREE is a full perspective view of the safety landing apparatus in operation with a flying passenger in ghost. The catapult is shown in miniature (preventing the inclusion of numbered parts) so that its size in relation to the safety landing apparatus can be properly observed.
Referring to FIG. One, the catapult is shown in the rest position ready for boarding by a rider. The seat (1) for holding a rider is locked onto the top side at one end of the catapults throwing arm (2). The throwing arm (2) is held in place and rotatably attached to the top end of two upright support beams (3a, 3b) positioned along the two sides of the throwing arm (2). As observable in FIG. Two the throwing arm (2) and the support beams (3a, 3b) are rotatibly connected by a round pin rod (7) which is mounted transversally thru the throwing arm (2) and the support beams (3a, 3b) allowing the throwing arm (2) to rotate on a defined axis. The bottom end of the upright support beams (3a, 3b) are solidly joined to an elongate base platform (4). Two ground wings (5, 6) are fastened at 90-degree angles, on the bottom side and opposite ends of the base platform (4) to afford pitch and yaw stability to the catapult while in operation. Best seen in FIG. One, the throwing arm (2) is mechanically forced upward by two thrust legs (8a, 8b) which are rotatibly linked at their top end to the throwing arm (2) in separated positions fore and aft of the pin rod (7). Both bottom ends of the thrust legs (8a, 8ba) are rotatibly linked together with coupling means (9) located at the front rod end portion of the air cylinder (10). The back end portion of the air cylinder (10) is rotativly braced by first and second struts (11a, 11b) which are firmly attached to the top surface of the base platform (4).
An air tank (12) and an attached air gauge (12a) is observable in FIG. One the purpose of which is to supply a measured amount of gas to the air cylinder (10). In preparing the catapult for operation the air tank (12) is filled with a predetermined quantity of pressurized gas based upon and in relation to the measured weight of the passenger allowing the necessary repeatability of a defined flight path after the person is catapulted. First and second air hoses (13a, 13b) and a air release valve (13) supply and control the passage of air from the air tank (12) to the air cylinder (10). When the air release valve (13) is in the open position, pressurized air travels from the air tank (12) thru the first air hose (13a) to the air release valve (13) and thru the second air hose (13b) and into the air cylinder (10).
The air cylinder (10), upon receiving a throw-weight designated quantity of gas from the air tank (12), will rotate the thrust legs (8a, 8b) rearward toward the air cylinder (10) forcing the throwing arm (2) upward away from the base platform (4). In the present invention the thrust legs (8a, 8b) are of a preset length. Also the thrust legs (8a, 8b) are positioned at a preset distance at their top end adjacent to the pin rod (7) so that a full stroke of the air cylinder (10) will force the throwing arm (2) thru a start and stop cycle of, for example, 45 degrees and in conjunction with the appropriate gas pressure, provide a defined flight path for the rider that is repeatable.
Having both the gas pressure and the passengers flight path controllable allows safe deployment of the human catapult and the cooperating flight landing apparatus, which are shown in FIG. Three. The passenger is shown in ghost and the catapult is shown in reduced size to provide perspective in relation to the safety landing apparatus.
The flight landing apparatus provides first and second safety lines (14a, 14b) affixed at their ends near the respective right and left side of the passengers' shoulders (shown in ghost). The other end of the each safety line (14a, 14b) is attached to first and second annular rings (15a, 15b) that encircle first and second suspension wires (16a, 16b) for a slidable connection there between. When properly connected the first safety line (14a) will be connected to the first ring (15a) which will encircle the first suspension wire (16a). The second safety line (14b) will be connected to the second ring (15b) which will encircle the second suspension wire (16b). The first suspension wire (16a) is held elevated and taught by a first set of anchored, vertical posts (17a, 17b) stationed at both ends of the suspension wire (16a). A second set of anchored posts (18a, 18b) suspend the second suspension wire (16b). A left side wire-post arrangement (17a, 16a, 17b) and a right side wire-post arrangement (18a, 16b, 18b) are each positioned lengthwise along respective right and left sides of the passengers predetermined flight path. The rings (15a, 15b) slide along the wires (16a, 16b), being pulled by the passenger's safety lines (14a, 14b) as the riders flight progresses from beginning to end. The two posts (17a, 18a) positioned near the catapult are of lesser predetermined height than the posts (17b, 18b) positioned near the end of the flight path allowing the slope of the suspension wires (16a, a rate approximately equal to the maximum height achieved in the preset flight path affording the passenger tethered flight above the suspension wires (16a, 16b). The physical distance between the suspension wires (16a, 16b) and the length of the safety lines (14a, 14b) are of set footage so that the passenger is prevented from contact with the ground or either suspension wire (16a, 16b) during any part of the flight. As the flight terminates, the suspension wires (16a, 16b), rings (15a, 15b) safety lines 14a, 14b) and posts 17a, 17b, 18a, 18b), performing together, provide the passenger with safe, elevated protection from ground impact as well as dampened deceleration giving an experience similar to the parachute opening phase associated with sport skydiving but at much slower descending velocity.
