Water-armed/air-safed release apparatus
Patent 4395951 Issued on August 2, 1983. Estimated Expiration Date: 
February 2, 2001. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.
February 2, 2001. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesInventorsApplicationNo. 06/230577 filed on 02/02/1981US Classes:102/223, Fluid pressure operated102/229, Rotor or slide102/414, Hydrostatic pressure102/416, Igniting means294/82.28, Plurality of balls294/82.29, Explosive release89/27.12SafetyExaminersPrimary: Brown, David H.Attorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassesF42B 3/00 (20060101)B63B 21/56 (20060101) B63B 21/60 (20060101) F42C 14/04 (20060101) F42C 14/00 (20060101) AbstractAn improved release apparatus, including an actuator device, a release dee and a firing device, releases the firing device in a water environment and not in an air environment when the actuator device is remotely actuated. When in a water environment, a predetermined gas pressure from the actuator device drives forward a pusher piston and valve sleeve arrangement, disposed in a water chamber of the release device, initially to close off lower entry/exit orifices in the water chamber by action of the valve sleeve, and then to compress an entrapped column of water to a predetermined water pressure sufficiently to cause shearing off of an annular lip of a ball lock piston thereby separating the firing device from the release device. When in an air environment, the pressure from a compressed entrapped air column is not sufficient to cause shearing off or folding down of the annular lip of the ball lock piston, and, accordingly, the release apparatus is safed. | |
