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Sept.

24, 1957
Filed Dec. 23, 19:55

E. FREY
'row TARGET consmunon

2,807,287
2 Sheets-Sheet l

'IWI

IN .
IN VEN TOR.

~; w?

Edward Frey
BY ,

ATTORZVEYS

sept- 24, 1957


Filed Dec. 23, 1955

E. FREY
TOW TARGET CONSTRUCTION

2,807,287
2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ~

E3
Y

'Eziwwzd Frey
%W &
ATTORNEYS

JNVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 24, 1957

2,897,287

2,807,287 TOW TARGET coNsTRUcTIoN


Edward Frey, Akron, Ohio, assignor to The Massillon

Cleveland-Akron Sign corporation of Ohio

Company, Massiiion, Dhio, a


10

Application December 23, 1955, Serial No. 554,977 4 Claims. (Cl. 139-419)
The invention or discovery relates to tow target con
struction ' ' ' '

of radar re?ecting corners. The objects of the clude the provision of a tow target construction, by the

out exceeding desired weight A further object of the present invention or discovery
is the provision of such a target which may be made of

20

pursuit plane for convenience, but may actually be any

type 'of ?ghting aircraft, from a low-powered, low-speed, training plane, to a high-powered, high-speed bomber, or a high-powered, high-speed ?ghter escort plane. 25 discovery, the nature of which is set forth in the following Even at relatively low altitudes and low-speeds of tow general statement, and preferred embodiments of which,
example in the following description, and which are par ticularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the are otherwise satisfactor . 30 appended claims forming part hereof. Tow targets used prior to the present invention have The nature of the improvements of the present inven been made of various types of open mesh ?exible fabric tion may be described in general terms as constituting material, and may be upwards of nine (9) feet wide by forty-?ve (45) feet long. The forward end of the target may be termed the leading edge, and is connected by a 35
hitch to the rear end of the tow line. The rear end of
' use, are set forth by way of

target which has the desired weight limitations. The foregoing and other objects are attained by the tow target construction, parts, combinations, and sub combinations, which comprise the present invention or

the tow target may be termed the trailing edge.


In use, the forward portion of a tow target assumes a more or less ?at horizontal position which extends to as

much as one-third (%) of the total length of the target. 40 strands of two different one of the middle por The middle portion of the target, which may extend an tion ?lling strand diameters being as great. as the mini other one-third (1/3) of the total length of the target, mum diameter and the other of the middle portion ?lling

peaks and valleys of

direction of ?ight.
of the target, assumes a condition of whipping or ?apping, which is very damaging to the material of the target in
The dif?culties encountered in prior tow target con

strand diameters being greater than the minimum diam eter, and the ?lling strands in the other end portion of 45 the panel, all have a diameter greater than the minimum

this whipping portion of the target.

diameter, whereby each panel constitutes a di?ferential woven fabric panel including suc cessive panel portions, each having a woven fabric con
struction different than the woven fabric construction of
50 each of the other panel portions. Preferably the Warp strands are arranged in narrower side bands and a center

structions include the following:

operated control system latches on the target, and oper

First: For the purpose of minimizing the power re band and wider .bands between each side hand and the quired in the towing plane, it is desirable to minimize the center band, and the warp strands in the narrower bands total weight of the target. A target made of material including pairs adjacent each other and forming a smaller having a weight per square yard sui?cient to reduce rip 55 mesh weave than the weave of the wider bands. pling and whipping to a satisfactory degree, has a total weight which is prohibitive. Second: As the speed of the tow target is increased for vention or discovery are illustrated in the accompanying use in training marksmen operating from the higher speed drawings forming part hereof, in which aircraft, the greater the increase in target speed, the great 60 Fig. 1 is a reduced plan view, diagrammatic in part, er is the undesirable rippling and whipping of the target. showing a tow target including end portions and an in Third: A high speed ?ghting plane is manually con , termediate portion of the present invention or discovery. trolled until contact with the target is made, then a radar Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view showing
an are-a of a ?rst leading portion of the improved tow tar
65 get, the ?rst target portion having a ?rst woven fabric

ates the ?ghting plane, until the ?ghting plane has de

the ?ghting plane. Every airborne marksman must be

molished the target, or vice versa, 01' the target eludes

construction.

trained in such operations. Tow targets of prior construc tion have frequently been made of nylon or similar ma terial having no radar re?ecting properties. To overcome 70

this, radar re?ecting corners have been attached to the

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary plan View showing an area of a third trailing portion of the improved tow

2,807,287

r '

.diameter greater than the strands 28 .and 29, and which Y


target, the third target portion having a third woven fabric
construction.

of apa'nel length ofth improved fabric for-'theimproved towtarget showing thertran'sverse continuous_ junction be;
tween the" ?rst and second targetv portions, and other
details.

' Fig. 5 is a reduced fragmentary diagrammatic plan view

may have the same diameter as, ora greater diameter than, the strand 30. A fragment of one of the panels of the target 10, such 7 i in Fig. 5, at as the panel 21, is shown diagrammatically ?rst the transverse continuous junction 17 between the 18. In

target portion 16 and the second target portion

i Fig. 6'is a reduced fragmentary diagrammatic plan-view

this diagrammatic view, where the '?llingstra'nds 28, 29, and .30, are shown, thewarp strands are removed, to more.

of a panel length of the'improved fabric for the improved 10 clearly illustrate the continuity 'of'the ?lling strands. At opposite ends of Fig. 5'; the ?lling strands :arel're tow target showing the transverse continuous junction between the second and third target portions, and other moved, and each set ofwarp strands 27a and2'7b is indi cated by a single line. Warp reinforcing is provided in side bands 32 and 33 and center .band 34, byjproviding Similar. numerals refer to similar :parts throughout the
details. . -. ' . H

severalviewsof the drawings.

~ The tow target shown .in Fig. .l is indicatedgenerally

15 pairs of sets of warp strands 27a

and 27b at the side of v 7

by 10, and constitutes a preferred embodiment of the


present invention or discovery. ' ' r . .

each of the fabric openings, instead of single sets of warp ' strands in the wide band 35 betweenthe reinforced bands w

32 and 34, and in the wide band 36 betWeenltheJre


inforced bands 34and 33.' ' r ' r ' ~

The tow target 10'is made of a single ply of improved ?exible open 'rnesh differential weave fabric hereinafter 20

In Fig. 6, there'is shown in a manner similar toFig. .5, V

described'in detail, and is'an elongated rectangle of such fabric which may be nine. (9,) feet wide and forty=?ve (1451)
feet long, for example. , I ,i ' . "I . ..

the details of construction of thepanel 21at the'transverse

continuous junction 19 between'the second target portion


" 18 and they third target portion 20. .

The elongated rectangular tow target lo/includes azlerad ing edge 11, a trailing edge 12, and transversely. spaced
side edges 13 and 14. A hitch 15 connects therleading edge 11 in a usual mannerwith the trailing end of .a'tow line, not shown, which extends for a mile, more-or less,
from a usual towing aircraft, not shown. , r

. The improved tow target 10 may befurthermore de.


scribed as a banner style or type tow target. In general

each of the target portions 16,18, and 20, may be termed


_' an open mesh' woven yarn fabric of the marquisette type; ' Yarn may be furthermor'erde?ned as being either mono
?lament or Vmulti-?lament, multi-?lament yarn being spun. . .

The tow target 10 is constituted, from the over-allstand point, by a ?rst leading target portion 16 having atrans verse junction indicated by the dot-dash line 17 with a

Any desired ?laments or ?bres orco'rnbination's of ?bres


may be used,,preferably'the ?laments or ?bres are con

stituted by syntheticjmatenals such as nylon, Orlon, and


i the like.

second intermediate target portion 18, which in turn has a transverse junction indicated by the dot-dash line19
with athird trailing target portion 20. . a

. The yarn forlthe, warp' strands'of the improved con? .

As shown, the tow target 10,;divided over-all'into the

35 tinuouspanels, such as panel~21, may be nylon yarn, or

?rst, second, and thirdjportions 16, 18, and 20, is made


including a side'panel 21Vv having the outer side edge 13,

may be Orlon yarn, or yarn combining different ?laments or ?bres such as Orlon andnylon. The yarn for the warp
also the yarn for the ?lling strands. ,7 V

of three continuous longitudinally extending fabric panels I > strands is required to withstand low temperatures, as 18

The yarn for the ?lling or woof strandsrmay be nylon, andgat its other edge an inside connecting seam 8-1 with 40 or a combined ?lament or ?bre yarn adapted for provid one edge of a centerpanel 22. The other edge of the center panel'22 has an inside connecting seam 8-2 with _ ing the desired dimensional stability. and ?exing capacity in operation under temper-aturelextremes of from 6,5 F. a side panel 23, whichhas the outer side edge 14.

Firstly, each of the three panels 21', 22, andiB, in the ?rst leading target portion 16, is constituted throughout 45
the major portion of its area, by a ?rst woven fabric con

The improved tow target 10 furthermore may have its

struction indicated generally by 24, and shown enlarged


inFigQZ. ' . ' l '.

second portion 18 and third portion 20'metallized to pro vide a radar re?ecting trailing portion, and a non-radar re?ecting leading portion, Such improved construction _
reduces'the over-all weightof the, target, and prevents ' damage of thetow hitch which may occur if the leading

Secondly, each of the three panels 21, '22, .and 23, in the second intermediate target portion 18 .is'const'ituted
throughout the major portion of its area, by a second

50

portion of a banner typet-ow target is provided with radar


re?ecting means. 7 I .

woven fabric construction indicated generally vby'2.'f5,.and


shown enlarged in Fig. 3. ' . . . a

, Whether the. tow target 10 is partially metallized, or

, Thirdly, each of the three panels '21, '22, and '23, inthe . third trailing target portion, is constituted throughout the major portion of its area, by a third woven fabric con

not, it is desirable to'lubricatethe target. with a silicone

preparation to provide maximum flexing and increasedrip


and tear strength. 7

struction indicated generally by '26, and shownenlarged


inFig.'4.' , _ i V ' .

Prior tow target constructions

In .order to show by comparison, the advantagesv of tow :targets including the improvements of the present and'third woven fabric constructions 24, 2'5, and 26, has 60 invention or discovery, the nature and performance of a different weave structure than each of the others, con; ' prior tow target constructions .is indicated by the fol ' stituted by common warp yarn strands 27a and 27b, and

_ In .each panel 21, 22, or. 2.3, each of the ?rst, second,

lowing:

'

>

'

by different ?lling yarns.

" The ?rst woven fabric construction 24 in any panc'lsuch of cotton covered steel wire woven into a screen fabric as v21,. includes a continuous ?lling yarn strand '28 having 65 similar to door and window screen. 'Such a target was

I. An early form of'banner type :tow target was made

a diameter which-is the least'diameter of any ?lling yar'n

strand'in the entire panel. _ ._ The second woven fabric construction in the panel ZTincludes a continuous ?lling 'yarn st'r'and29 and Ya con:

satisfactory for speed and training-purposes on gunnery : programs ?own at 4000 feet,altitudejand at speeds of
100 to- 150 miles per hour. 'This construction, however is totally inadequate at an altitude of 10,000 feet and

7 tinuous?lling yarn strand 30. The diameter ofi'thezyar'n 70 speeds of 200 to 250 miles per hour. \ ' strand 29'.is. less thanthe diameter of the yarn strand 30, .111. Various tow target constructions made of plastic and the diameter of the yarn strand 29 maybe the same _, coated. fabric material were similarly inadequate.

as the diameter of the yarn strand :28, and the strand 29'. preferably is'continuous with the strand 28. I 1 a The third woven fabric construction 26 .in the panel 21 includes a continuous ?lling yarn strand 31 which has a

III. Tow targets madeof \Leno Weave material'woven


inadequate. ' " r '

from an extruded .mono?larnent ofpolye'thylene were


similarly

2,807,287
IV. Tow targets made of specially woven nylon mar quisette gave fairly good results at 20,000 to 30,000
feet altitudes, and true ground speeds of over 300 miles per hour. In order to make it possible for such a nylon

including at least one longitudinally extending panel, each panel being substantially longer than it is Wide and

including end-to-end arranged end and intermediate

marquisette banner tow target to give such performance results, it was necessary to substantially reinforce the target. This was done by binding the edges of the target

with nylon webbing, and by adding nylon webbing rein


forcing -strips lengthwise on both sides of the banner

desirable degree.

target at intervals across the width of the target. This 10 reinforcing increased the drag of the target to an un

Arizona, with the following results. A. Test ?ights including Dry Runs and Firing Mis

groups of at least two strands per group, the strands in Tests of present improved banner type tow targets one group having a diameter of at least the diameter A number of improved banner type tow targets of the of the strands in said one end portion and the strands in present invention or discovery have been made and tested 15 the other group having a larger diameter, the ?lling in the presence of the inventor at the 4750th Air Train strands in the other end panel portion of the banner ing Command of the United States Air Force, at Yuma, being of a maximum diameter as large as the larger

diameter ?lling strands in said intermediate panel por


20

sions were run during the week of November 15, 1954,

factory.

with results which were considered to be very satis

adjacent panel portions.


3. Banner construction for a tow target and the like

polyethylene target.
I claim:

in excellent condition after having been ?own at a true air speed of 385 miles per hour at altitudes as high as 30,000 feet. Drag measurements showed a decrease in drag of better than 40% from the drag of a comparable
1. Banner construction for a tow target and the like,

B. Drag Tests were made during the week of Decem including at least one longitudinally extending panel, ber 6, 1954. In each test the improved target returned 25> each panel being substantially longer than it is wide and

including end-to-end arranged end and intermediate panel

30

including a plurality of longitudinally extending rectan gular panels substantially longer than they are wide,

each panel having longitudinally extending laterally


spaced side edges with at least one side edge adjacent
a side edge of an adjacent panel, each set of adjacent

35

at one end of the banner being of a minimum diameter, some of the ?lling strands in the intermediate panel

panel side edges having a longitudinally extending seam connection, each panel including end-to~end arranged end and intermediate rectangular panel portions, each panel constituting a single open weave fabric having laterally spaced warp strands extending continuously throughout the entire length of the panel and having longitudinally spaced ?lling strands extending the entire width of the panel, the ?lling strands in the rectangular panel portions 45

group, all of the ?lling strands in the other end panel portion being of said maximum diameter, and the con tinuous warp strands providing a seamless continuous

connection between the ?lling strands in adjacent panel portions.


4. The banner construction as set forth in claim 3 in which some of the ?lling strands include metallized strands in at least the said other end pontion.

References Cited in the ?le of this patent

UNITED STATES PATENTS


365,147 1,575,428 2,122,766 Moschcowitz _______ __ June 21, 1887 Laury _____________ _._ Mar. 2, 1926 Weimer _____________ __ July 5, 1938
Kelso _____ _; ________ __ July 4, 1939

portions.

portions having at least the diameter of the minimum diameter ?lling strands in said one end panel portions and the other ?lling strands in the intermediate portions 50 2,164,925 having a larger diameter, the ?lling strands in the other 2,238,875 end panel portions of the banner being of amaximum 2,298,071 diameter at least as large the larger diameter ?lling 2,419,549 stl'ands in said intermediate panel portions, and the con tinuous warp strands providing a seamless continuous 55 2,511,644 2,580,202 connection between the ?lling strands in adjacent panel
2. Banner construction for a tow target and the like
132,183

Manson ____________ .._ Apr. 15, Smith ______________ __ 'Oct. 6, Greisinger _________ __ Apr. 29, Li'ss _______________ __ June 13, Talalay ____________ __ Dec. 25,

1941 1942 1947 1950 1951

FOREIGN PATENTS
Germany __________ __ July 14, 1902

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