US Patent 7588087 Helicopter water bucket improvements

A collapsible wild fire fighting water bucket made from pliable material and suspended from an aircraft to be lowered into an open body of water for filling. A weighted Rim Opening Device holds the bucket top open for filling and facilitates a tipping over action during filling. The buckets open top being free of any centrally located supports. The bucket is equipped with a tubular extension which forms a discharge port for dumping water. The tubular extension being releasably supported under water inside the bucket under tension. Purse lines running through openings in the tubular extension and resilient sealing lips bring sealing lip bulbs into abutment sealing the discharge port of the tubular extension.