1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to webbing clamps and, more particularly, to a novel webbing clamp and resilient hoop apparatus and method for releasably mounting an airspeed indicator to webbing of a paraglider harness, the resilient hoop being secured to the webbing clamp by a unique ball joint.
2. The Prior Art
Within the past decade or so there has been a significant growth in the sport of paragliding. The name itself is a combination of two words parachute (para) and hang gliding (gliding) and, as the name implies, constitutes the unique sport of manned flight in reliance on the principles of flight embodied in these two sports. Instead of a conventional parachute canopy having a generally hemispherical profile, the paraglider is configured with a wing-like structure from which the pilot is suspended by the shroud lines and webbing support system of the harness. The paraglider wing is configured as an airfoil having individual cells extending transversely across the wing. Each cell includes an opening in the front to allow ram air resulting from the forward motion of the flight to inflate each cell and thereby create the airfoil profile of the paraglider wing.
The pilot in his/her harness is suspended below the paraglider wing by the shroud lines so that there is no rigid structural framework in the paraglider. This means that any airspeed indicator (such as disclosed in my copending patent application Ser. No. 08/065,989 filed May 24, 1993 for AIRSPEED INDICATOR APPARATUS AND METHOD) will be difficult to affix to the paraglider. This is particularly relevant since the webbing of the paraglider harness does not extend from the pilot along normal horizontal and vertical axes. Specifically, the webbing radiates outwardly and upwardly from the pilot at various angles so that even the plane of the webbing itself will be at an angular offset from the foregoing axes. Further, since it is essential that my airspeed indicator is oriented in the proper direction in order to provide an accurate indication of airspeed, it is equally essential that the airspeed indicator is adjustably mountable to the webbing of the paraglider harness. Not only must the airspeed indicator be adjustably secured to the webbing of the paraglider harness, it must also be releasable in the event a shroud line inadvertently becomes snagged across the airspeed indicator. This requirement places a fairly rigorous set of preconditions on any system used to secure an airspeed indicator to the webbing of a paraglider harness.
In view of the foregoing, it would be an advancement in the art to provide a webbing clamp for use in removably, adjustably, and releasably securing an airspeed indicator to the webbing of a paraglider harness. It would also be an advancement in the art to provide an engagement mechanism for releasably engaging the barrel of an airspeed indicator, the engagement mechanism being formed as a hoop of resilient plastic to accommodate the hoop resiliently encircling the barrel of the airspeed indicator. Another advancement in the art would be to provide a ball and socket engagement mechanism between the resilient hoop and the webbing clamp. Such a novel apparatus and method is disclosed and claimed herein.