Could you use this catch?
 

I've often been frustrated trying to find a good, small simple catch to use on jets which has the release device concealed, those sliding spring catches are OK, but the pins which exit the fuselage are not pretty to look at, and other than a few variations on the same theme very little else.
I wanted a catch for a large canopy (PC21) and a large turbine cover, so here is the result..

Its only a prototype, but the general format is going to be the same. Made from 2mm glass board the catch has a simple sprung pin, which locates on a latch with a slot cut into it. Closure is simply a push to click closed, opening is a pull via the 2mm piano wire exiting the catch body. I anticipate using a clevis soldered onto the piano wire and hooked up to a concealed pull wire exiting in one of the planes ducts etc. It would be posible to add a thread to the pin if needed. The catch can be mounted onto a piece of ply glued into the fuselage in the correct position via the four holes which pass through the corners. The catch is reversable, and can be dismantled by undoing the four screws.

It measures 4mm wide, the latch is 2m wide and the opening in the catch body is 3mm allowing a small amount of play for closures which sweep in an arc like canopies. The main catch measures 35mm x 15mm (1.7" x 0.6")

A friend has kindly done all the cnc stuff on this and potentially if there are some of you out there who want this sort of thing, we could knock a few spare up when we finally do the production run. If you like the idea let me know - look forward to your comments.

marc

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

marc
Have to admit I can't figure out how it functions!

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

pull the plunger, and it releases ;)

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Loudbydesign, if you mount the catch body say under the fuselage lip where the cockpit sits on, cut a slot in the fuselage lip to match the hole in the catch, then glue the black latch to the canopy whilst is is locked into the latch body you have a secure 'snap to close' fixing - a pull on the wire by whatever means you prefer releases the latch and hence canopy.

Hope this helps.

marc.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Looks like a great idea Marc, and I'd certainly be interested in some if you decide to make them. I think a 1-56 or 4-40 threaded pin would be the most useful. Next most useful would probably be something like an eye-hook end for attaching a cable.

Gordon

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Gordon,

A threaded end would be fine, but probably have to be metric ;) With regards to an eye, I'd supply the rod long enough for folks to 'dress' the end however they wished. You could also hook the 'plunger' up to a hex bolt via a clevis and have a release as a small hole in the fuselage where a hex drive can be fitted to mate with the bolt to pull the plunger........

marc.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Can you take that thing apart and show all the parts? I'd like to make a couple myself ;)

Good Job!

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Great idea,
I think it will sell if you make them available.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Seanreit, HURRY up , I need some of them.


Hector

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Very nice idea. I think it would be in high demand.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

WOW ... and right in Marc's thread too!

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Yeh, thought it was a bit cheeky, if you want some let ME know, I'm happy to ship some out at cost to start with..

marc.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

A metric thread could well make them a tad less attractive over this side of the pond, due to most other hardware being Imperial.

If the thread were e.g. 2-56 then a simple threaded connector (basically a 'long nut') would make it easy to hook up a regular clevis, or a Sulivan eye-bolt http://www.shopatron.com/product/part_number=S548/102.0 , etc.

If you decide to do these commercially, then a couple of different length of the male connecting part might also be advantageous, to allow for different mounting scenarios.

Gordon

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Gordon, should have the first run in a few days, will look at threads if viable - need to get your fellow jet flyers interested, then its worth doing ;)

I have looked at making the latch in a slightly different way, if the current 'tab' with the two holes in it were to be elongated, the user could trim it to suit the installation requirements, make it long and thin, short and fat or somewhere in between.

I'll post some pics later.

marc

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Yup – that would work too.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Sorry, I did not mean that I would make them for sale, I have been looking for another method of canopy latch on the megabar. I'll be happy to pay for a couple, but since I can make the item here myself, I won't require the shipping.

What I don't understand or can't tell from the picture is what is keeping the steel pin from slididing completely out of the housing. Is there something soldered on to the end to keep it from sliding through the spring? I see a lip of some sort in the third picture, but can't make it out.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Marc, nice. Knew people would like them! Now, get that. Webshop up and running!!

Sean, why won't you require shipping if you buy some??

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

I can just make it, I'm happy to pay a royalty for a design, but I'd rather know how to make it so I can customize to my application.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Sorry; but metric wont help me, since as GordonMc says, ours is not metric.
I would be glad to order some of them, if there's the possibility of changing
the metric to ours as in the states.


Hector

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Hector, I'm sure we can sort this out if there are takers, maybe Seanreit can make up some for the US customers and alike?

marcs

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

I'd be happy to do that, someone needs to explain the pin to me in great detail as I still don't get what's keeping it inside the hasp. Care to send me one I can take apart? I'm ready at the paypal.com I have a use for this immediately.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Sean it looks like the end of the pin indexes with the notch in the carbon latch. That's the only way it can work. You pull the pin back and it disengages from the latch allowing it to move. Pretty simple devise.

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

That's not what Sean is asking. He's asking what keeps the pin in the housing. e.g. is there a washer soldered onto the pin ?

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Sean, and those interested, should have some samples in a day or so to test as I need to check they are fit for purpose, after that I'll try to sort out the best way for those who want them to get hold of some.

Hope thats OK.

marcs

RE: Could you use this catch?
 

Hello Marc,

Nice design. I'll be interested in taking a couple of them for my stock.
Will surely be useful on the Me262.