Parachute Launcher

[panic]

.

[saltfever]

Agree. Reliable and simple. That is within my comfort level unless a pure mechanical contrivance is available. Usually, I would want a backup to have a different failure mode.

[Dean Los Angeles]

It appears that the valve has nothing to do with it.

5. Close the pack as per Figure 27 & 28 (without the
pilot chute)
6. Activate the launcher, either spring or air, prior to
using it. For the spring launcher, remove the long
safety rod; for the air launcher, activate the air
switch to let air into the air cylinder.
7. To use the system, simply pull the ripcord handle
by the driver. This opens the pack and lets the
chutes deploy.

I would think that both the spring and the cylinder together would be the best way. If the cylinder leaks then the spring takes over. If the cylinder is working then both would eject the chute.

[panic]

I'd explain, but then I'd be wrong.

[saltfever]

I'd explain, but then I'd be wrong.

Try me. The subject is too valuable to not consider all ideas. 

[wilcox garage]

I have a Shroud air launcher that has been flawless . We charge it before every run and have had no pressure loss, on a drag car I work on there is two parachutes that are charged by a small co2 bottle that is regulated to150 psi . This car also has experienced no failures and has been run for several years.

[saltfever]

Thank for the update, Mark. I was looking at your roadster pics on your website but didn't see the chute mounting. How is yours mounted? Inside a can or tube or?

[landracing]

Our car has three parachutes.

The high speed and medium speed parachutes work off our nitrogen tank in the car. I will get to the parachute operation in a minute. First, the nitrogen tank feeds all air systems on the car, transmission and parachutes for example. When we are looking at the system last year the big what if came across - We added a strorage tank in the back of the car which is fed by the nitrogen bottle. It goes thru a one way valve - so if we had a catastrophic trans failure that cut the air lines we still have a charged cylinder in the back of the car. It was enough air at 120 psi to fire the chutes 10 + times.

Now the high speed and medium parachutes have a seperate hole for the pilot which is ejected by the air cylinder which pull out the main parachute. The last chute which we named the "Oh Sh*T" chute, is manual release only with no pilot but is ejected by a spring.

I can provide pictures of our setup if you like.

JonAmo

[wilcox garage]

85888993]
Thank for the update, Mark. I was looking at your roadster pics on your website but didn't see the chute mounting. How is yours mounted? Inside a can or tube or?
[/quote] It is mounted just like a normal chute but I have a hole cut in the decklid that the air cylinder goes in . It is a Stroud unit that is about a 1 1/2" diameter. I will try and post some pics tomorrow.

[saltfever]

Nice description, Jon but a pic would be nice also. One-way valve? Is that a check-valve "T'd" into the main line from the N2 tank?

[saltfever]

It is mounted just like a normal chute but I have a hole cut in the decklid that the air cylinder goes in . It is a Stroud unit that is about a 1 1/2" diameter. I will try and post some pics tomorrow.

Mark, do you think the Stroud set-up could have the chute inside of a can (for aero) instead of a package on the outside of the deck lid? I was going to bury a chute tube inside of the body for aero.

[Speed Limit 1000]

Nice description, Jon but a pic would be nice also. One-way valve? Is that a check-valve "T'd" into the main line from the N2 tank?

Yes it is a check-valve with  a "T" in the main line and a 2.5 lb CO2 tank was used in the back.

[wilcox garage]

Yes easily