Showing papers on "Landing gear published in 1992"

Lightweight flatbed trailer

Abstract: A lightweight structure for a flatbed trailer having a cellular stiffening structure formed from a plurality of vertically arranged partitions which form a multiplicity of polygonal cells is disclosed. The cellular structure has the advantage of providing a strong lightweight structure which efficiently transmits load forces from the floor structure to the base upon which the wheels, suspension system, kingpin and landing gear are mounted. The resulting trailer has about a 4000 pound weight advantage over conventional steel frame trailers and about a 2500 pound weight advantage over conventional aluminum frame trailers, which translates directly into increased payload capacity as the trailer of the invention is capable of carrying loads up to the maximum legal weight limits in most states.

Pneumatic system for the automatic operation of semi-trailer landing gear

Abstract: A pneumatic system for automatically extending or retracting a semi-trailer's landing gear to support, raise or lower the trailer, such system utilizing a pneumatic gear motor attached to the gear reduction box assembly's inboard shaft through a coupling, allowing axial movement of the inboard shaft, such pneumatic gear motor interconnected to dual air lines selectively activated by a landing gear control valve receiving air from a valve disposed on the semi-trailer's air brake line.

Aircraft towing vehicle

Abstract: The invention relates to an aircraft towing vehicle, comprising a lifting and a locking device (5) for the nose landing gear of the aircraft being towed, which device has two support elements (9) which reach behind the nose wheels and can be displaced along straight-line guiding rails (15) by means of a linear drive (11) so as to pull the nose wheels of the aircraft onto a lifting platform (7) and to lock it into place thereon. At the end of each guiding rail (15), the invention provides for a guiding pin (29) which, in cooperation with a guiding track (31, 31') embodied in the support element, controls the rotation of said support elements into a release position in which the nose landing gear is able to pass through or, by a reverse movement, the rotation of the support elements into the operating position in which said support elements reach behind the nose landing gear.

Rotating aircraft tire/landing gear apparatus

Abstract: An aircraft tire and an associated landing gear apparatus which rotate a wheel of a landing aircraft prior to contact between the wheel and a runway. The tire possesses an array of projections which have a forward face for catching air and which are molded into the tire in at least one channel circling the tire tread on at least one sidewall of the tire. The tire preferably possesses one or more belts underneath those projections situated in channels to protect the integrity of the tire's shape. A landing gear apparatus which may be used in conjunction with the aircraft tire comprises a duct mounted adjacent to the tire which receives air, reroutes it, and releases it into at least some of the forward faces of the projections so as to effect a further forward rotational force on the tire and wheel.

Retractable landing gear of an aircraft, especially for a helicopter

Abstract: The invention relates to a retractable landing gear, especially for a helicopter, including an elastic leg consisting of a damping chamber and of a sliding rod equipped with a stub axle, as well as an operating jack. In accordance with the invention, an additional energy-absorption device (150), with force threshold, is built into the operating jack (108), in such a way that the said jack applies a predetermined torque tending to keep the leg of the gear in a substantially vertical position, while allowing the retraction of the said gear with a controlled force in the event of an emergency landing; moreover, the stub axle (106) is offset with respect to the axis of the elastic leg in such a way that a vertical force exerted on the gear leg (101) generates a torque tending to retract the said gear, the latter torque, however, remaining less than the said predetermined holding torque in the normal landing situation.

Multipurpose aircraft for different mission tasks - has selected rear part containing appropriate specific task devices connected to front part containing aircraft drive controls

Abstract: The aircraft (1) is separable behind the cockpit (2a) in a plane (x-x) perpendicular to the central axis of the tail. The front part (2) contains the parts needed to drive the aircraft. The back part (3) contains the devices (7) necessary to the specific mission tasks. A number of back parts for different tasks are available to be selectively connected to the front part. The front part preferably contains the wings (4) and the landing gear (5,6). The back part can be picked up and separated from the front by a trolley etc.. ADVANTAGE - Different devices for required task can be attached to aircraft and exchanged quickly and easily, without great expense, while keeping aircraft as light as possible.

System to induce wheel rotation in aircraft.

Abstract: Described is a device for obtaining the rotation of the wheels (2) mounted on the landing gear (4) of aircraft with the object of limiting the transient stage during the phase of first contact with the ground, constituted by a radial blading (1) applied on the external side surface of the wheel hub.

Improvement to ultralight or microlight aircraft in terms of the cockpit and the propulsion

Abstract: The invention relates to the improvement of the piloting position allowing taking off and landing on foot and cruising flight in stretched-out position; as well as that of the power plant in terms of noise, safety and energy efficiency. The saddle seat (1) allows for the standing position or the stretched-out position. The latter, according to the type of aircraft, may be on the back or face down. A turbine (10) directly engaged with the engine (9) functions within a convergent nozzle (11). In the case of the motorised parapent, the control surfaces are controlled by the rudder bar (8) or by a control column (14). The delta wing can be used in two ways, either in stretched-out configuration on the back with or without a landing gear, or in face-down position suspended from a mast (16) which carries the power plant (17), the saddle seat (18) and a rear footrest (19). This improvement according to the invention is intended particularly for ultralight aircraft with a fixed, flexible or rotary wing. Moreover, it can be extended, especially as far as the propulsion is concerned, to any aircraft, land or marine vehicle.

Electrical operating device for landing gear

Abstract: The device comprises at least one electric motor (7) combined with a substantially parallel motor shaft (8), a shaft (6) for actuating the landing gear, a crank (12) fixed to the motor shaft, and an operating rod (13) having a first end articulated to the crank (12) at a point (14) spaced away from the motor shaft and a second extremity articulated to the landing gear at a point (15) of the latter, configured so that forces are transmitted by the operating rod (13) along a force direction which is offset with respect to the actuating shaft (6). Application to aircraft landing gear.

Cross wind take-off and landing gear for aircraft

Abstract: PURPOSE:To secure such aircraft that is capable of taking off and landing even under a strong cross wind and simple in flight control as well as excellent in riding quality by detecting its motion, inputting the signal into a steering controller, and controlling the steerage of main wheels and a front wheel CONSTITUTION:A signal out of an air-to-ground motion sensor unit 4 detecting any air-to-ground motion of an airframe 20 is inputted into a steering controller 3 for steering and controlling a pair of steerable main wheels 1 and a steerable front wheel 2, and there is provided a flight control 5 capable of flight controlling the airframe and also capable of steering and controlling these main wheels 1 and the front wheel 2 at need The airframe 20, leaving its optimum attitude maintained intact against a wind direction, is able to be shifted to a landing in making the main wheels 1 and the front wheel 2 accord with the motion direction, namely, the direction of a runway 04 by the steering controller 3 and the air-to-ground motion sensor unit 4 After the landing, the main wheels 1 and the front wheel 2 are steered and glided by the flight control 5 Accordingly, since the airframe 20 can be landed with its own thrust force in keeping the cross wind force offset intact, it can be landed (or taken off) even under the strong cross wind

The Effect of Runway Surface and Braking on Shuttle Orbiter Main Gear Tire Wear

Abstract: In 1988, a 1067 m long touchdown zone on each end of the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) was modified from its original heavy-broom finish with transverse grooves configuration to a longitudinal corduroy surface texture with no transverse grooves. The intent of this modification was to reduce the spin-up wear on the Orbiter main gear tires and provide for somewhat higher crosswind capabilities at that site. The modification worked well, so it was proposed that the remainder of the runway be modified as well to permit even higher crosswind landing capability. Tests were conducted at the NASA Langley Aircraft Landing Dynamics Facility (ALDF) to evaluate the merit of such a modification. This paper discusses the results of these tests, and explains why the proposed modification did not provide the expected improvement and thus was not implemented. Also, in an ongoing program to evaluate the origin of various tire wear phenomenon, a series of tests was conducted to evaluate the effect of braking on tire wear. Finally, a modified tire is discussed in terms of its wear performance under rollout and braking operations.