Ian Johnston wrote:
On Fri, 2 Sep 2005 10:15:14 UTC, Chris Nicholas
wrote:

: For reverse pulley, I would look at the Cotswold type but incorporate a
: flat part of the "pulley" with an anvil in line with the pivot, like the
: Essex set up. The spring loaded chisel would go through the hollow pivot
: shaft.

Who operates the guillotine in these systems? Do you need someone
stationed by the pulley, or is there some sort of remote actuation?

Personally, I think it's time we stopped messing about with spring
loaded cutters and went to explosive ones, but that's incidental here!

Ian
The Cotswold Reverse Pulley had no guillotine and the reasoning was
that none was needed. The design was such that the tow vehicle end
would release if there was a release failure and the glider would pull
wire and tackle back through the pulley, as needed. IIRC, there were
two release failures in the 30 years of operation and that both
recovered okay.

Frank Whiteley