CA2003186A1 - Quick-change wheel landing gear - Google Patents
Quick-change wheel landing gearInfo
- Publication number
- CA2003186A1 CA2003186A1 CA002003186A CA2003186A CA2003186A1 CA 2003186 A1 CA2003186 A1 CA 2003186A1 CA 002003186 A CA002003186 A CA 002003186A CA 2003186 A CA2003186 A CA 2003186A CA 2003186 A1 CA2003186 A1 CA 2003186A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- aft
- fore
- gear
- tubes
- landing gear
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64C25/00—Alighting gear
- B64C25/02—Undercarriages
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- B64C—AEROPLANES; HELICOPTERS
- B64C25/00—Alighting gear
- B64C25/32—Alighting gear characterised by elements which contact the ground or similar surface
- B64C2025/325—Alighting gear characterised by elements which contact the ground or similar surface specially adapted for helicopters
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
- Vibration Prevention Devices (AREA)
- General Details Of Gearings (AREA)
- Tires In General (AREA)
- Arrangement Of Transmissions (AREA)
- Devices For Checking Fares Or Tickets At Control Points (AREA)
Abstract
QUICK CHANGE WHEEL LANDING GEAR
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A quick change wheel landing gear assembly (10) is provided as a replacement for a skid landing gear system on a vertical take-off and lending aircraft. The wheel landing gear assembly (10) includes a pair of spaced-apart fore and aft longitudinal tubes (16, 18) attached to a pair of short, spaced-apart cross tubes (20, 22) that are adapted to mount on the structural saddles (12, 14) used to mount the skid landing gear on the underside of the aircraft. The longitudinal tubes (16, 18) are connected together at the forward end for mounting a fully swiveling nose gear (26) thereto. Aft main gear wheels (30, 32) are mounted on cantilever landing gear legs (34, 36) that extend laterally from the longitudinal tubes (16, 18) adjacent the aft cross tube (22). Landing loads on the landing gear may be absorbed by resilient springs (25), deflection of the gear legs (34, 36) and the aft cross tube (22), torsion of the fore and aft longitudinal tubes (16, 18), or any combination of these actions. Resilient springs (25) are used in the landing gear assembly (10) to attenuate fatigue stresses in conjunction with the deflection of the longitudinal (16, 18) and cross tubes (20, 22) of the gear assembly (10). The wheel landing gear assembly (10) is designed to be mounted on existing aircraft structural saddles and to retain many of the desirable features of a said landing gear system, including low cost and easy maintenance.
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A quick change wheel landing gear assembly (10) is provided as a replacement for a skid landing gear system on a vertical take-off and lending aircraft. The wheel landing gear assembly (10) includes a pair of spaced-apart fore and aft longitudinal tubes (16, 18) attached to a pair of short, spaced-apart cross tubes (20, 22) that are adapted to mount on the structural saddles (12, 14) used to mount the skid landing gear on the underside of the aircraft. The longitudinal tubes (16, 18) are connected together at the forward end for mounting a fully swiveling nose gear (26) thereto. Aft main gear wheels (30, 32) are mounted on cantilever landing gear legs (34, 36) that extend laterally from the longitudinal tubes (16, 18) adjacent the aft cross tube (22). Landing loads on the landing gear may be absorbed by resilient springs (25), deflection of the gear legs (34, 36) and the aft cross tube (22), torsion of the fore and aft longitudinal tubes (16, 18), or any combination of these actions. Resilient springs (25) are used in the landing gear assembly (10) to attenuate fatigue stresses in conjunction with the deflection of the longitudinal (16, 18) and cross tubes (20, 22) of the gear assembly (10). The wheel landing gear assembly (10) is designed to be mounted on existing aircraft structural saddles and to retain many of the desirable features of a said landing gear system, including low cost and easy maintenance.
Description
- 2~3~
QUI~ C~NGE W~EL LANDING ~R
~ECHNICAL FIELD
This lnvention rslates to alrr~raft landing gear systems and, in partlcular, to a quick change wheel landing gear assembly provided as ~n ~lternate system for a helicopter havlng a skld la~ding gear ass0mbly~
.
.. . .
~ACXGROUND O~ THE INVENTION
In helicopters and other vertlcal take-off and landing alrcraft, varlous surface engaging systems may be used depending upon the operatlonal requirements for landlng the alrcraft. For example, helicopter landing gear systems may comprlse skids, skls, wheels, or ~loats. ~n those systems, the energy of the shock and stress encountered ~y the landlng gear when lt engages the surfaca may be absorbed by restlient springs, bending rods, torsion bars, air-filled bodles, or various comblnatlons of these shock absorbing devices.
In some hellcopter operatlonal envlronments, lt is highly desirable to be able to selertlvely change the helicopter landlng gear conflguration. In particular, it is sometlmes necessary to modify a helicopter having a skld landlng gear assembly by providlng landing gear wheels to facilitate moving the aircraft on $he gr~und.
secause of the critlcal nature of weight added to helicopters, wheel landing gear systems provlded as add-ons to landing sklds are undeslrable. However, it is deslrable to provide a wheel landlng gear system that replaces landing skids quickly without requirlng any special structural provlsions. Th~s, thera is a need for an alternate wheel landlng gear assembly that raplaces a hellcopter's 5kld landlng gear and may be lnstalled quickly uslng the same structural saddles used for the skid landing gear assembly.
, 3 2~0~8~
SUMM~RY 0~ T~E INVENTION
The present lnventlon comprlses a wheel landing gear assembly deslgned as a qulck rhange replacement for a skld l~ndlng gear assembly on a hellcopter. The wheel S landing gear assembly attaches to the hellcopter ~t th~
same structural saddle used for th~ attaGhing skld landing gear to the alrcraft. Therefore, the present invention provides an alternate wheel landing gear assembly for a hallcopter wlthout addlng speclal landing gear support structure othsr than mlnor brace and brake fittlngs. Furthermor~, the ~ulck change wheel landlng gear assembly provldss a ready means for back-flttlng existlng skld gear helicopters wlth ~ wheel landing gear system. Thus, new helicopters can be bullt without costly and heavy addltional structures for mountlng an alternate landing gear system.
The present lnvention is designed to preserve many desirable features of a skld la~ding gear syst~m, including low cost and easy malntenance. A palr of fore and aft longltudlnal tubes are attached to ~ palr of short, spaced-apart cross tubes that are posltioned to be mounted on the helicopter structural saddles used to mount the skld landing g83r. The longitudinal tubes act as energy absorb2rs for vertlcal loads durlng landing 2~ and ~lso act to stabillze the landing gear ln the presence of wheel drag loads during fllght. The longltudlnal tubes are connected together at the forward end for mountlng ~ nose gear thereto. The nose gear is mounted so as to be fully swlvellng and lt m~y comprlse dual wheels to reduce shlmmy. The aft main gear ~heels are mounted on cantilever landlng gear legs extending laterally from the lon~itudinal tubes at posltlons near the aft cross tube. An alternate con~iguratlon includes shorter fore and aft tubes, not attached to the rear cross tube, ~ut anch~red at the back end to flttings on the maln hslicopter be~ms. ~ ~ull length a~t cross tube ls used and is stablllzed wl th drag braces rom the ends of the fore and aft tubes to near the rear wheels on the cross tube, During landlng, nose ~ear loads are absorbed by bendlng de~lectlon of the fore and aft longitudlnal tubes. In addltlon, ~ resill~n~ spring ln the nosæ gear may bs used to absorb ~nergy in con~unct10n with the deflectlon of the longltudlnal tubes. ~andlng loads on tne aft main gear may be absorbed by resllient sprlngs, bendlng deflection of the gear legs and the aft cross tube, torslon of the fore and aft longitudlnal tubes, or any combln~tioQ of these actlonsO Also, the aft maln gear sprlngs may be replaced by two aft cross tubes or one cross tube and a drag brace used as a ~omblned bendlng tube and truss conflguration ln some operatlonal applications of the landing gear system.
Regular landlng and taxilng load~ and vlbratlons are absorbed by the sprlngs and the deflection of ~he longitudinal and cross ~ubes of the landing gear. ~any different types of springs may be used in th~ landing gear assembly, as i5 well known ln the ~rt. ~owever, reslllent sprlngs are used ln the present invention to attenuate fatlgue stresses ln con~unctlon with the deflectlon of the longitudinal and cro~s tubas o~ the landing gear assembly.
s ~ L8~
BRIE~ DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~WINGS
For a more complete understandlng of the present invention and ~or ~urther adYantages thereof, reference ls made to the followlng Descrlption of tha Preferred S Embodiment taken ln con~unctlon ~lth th~ ~ccompanying Drawlngs, in whlch:
FIGURE 1 illu~rates the gui~k change wheel landlng gaar ass~mbly of the pxe5ent inven~ion lnstalled on a hellcopter;
FIGURE 2 ls a p~rspectlve v~ew of the qulck change wheel l~ndlng gear assembly removed from the hellcopt~r;
and FIGURE 3 is ~ perspectlve view of ~ portlon of the present ~nventlon showing the elastomerlc bearlng ~nd support assembly for the ~ft mai~ landlng gear.
~3~
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ~MBODIME~TS
Referring to FIGURE 1, quick change tricycle landing gear assembly lO ls shown mounted on a hellcopter llo Landing gear assembly 10 ls designed to replace a skid landlng gear ~sse~bly by mountlng directly to the structural saddles 12 a~d 14 used to mount the skld landlng ge~r assembly to the under~ide of helicopter ll~
Referring to FIGURE 2, landlng gear ass~mbly lO 1~
shown removed from hellcopter 11. Landing gear assembly 10 comprises a pair of spaced-apart for~ and aft tubes 16 and 18 that extend gener~lly parallel to each other and the longitudlnal axis of hellcoptex 11~ Fore and aft tubes 16 ~nd 18 ~re attached to a palr o~ short, spaced-apart ~ross tubes 20 and 22. Fore ~nd aft tubes 16 and 18 and cross tubes 20 and 22 are rigldly connected by means of standard flttinys that are well known in the art~ At the forward end of landing gear assembly 10, fore and aft tubes 16 and 18 converge downward ~ogether ~nd are rigldly connected to ~ plvot bearlng assembly 24 having a generally vertical axls for nose gear 26 to swlvel about. Nose gear 2S may be mounted on a tralling arm connected to ~ sprlng assembly ~5 mounted for rotatlon about the axl~ of plvot bearing 2~ 24. Sprlng assembly 25 ~bsorbs vibrations and small defleetions of nose gear 26 during taxllng to reduce fatigue loads in ~he fore ~nd aft tubes 16 and 18. In additlon, nose gear 26 may comprise dual nose wheels to reduce shimmy of nose gear 26.
The aft portion of landing gear assembly 10 comprlses main gear wheels 30 and 32 mounted on cantilever landlng gear legs 34 and 36. Ma1n gear legs 34 and 36 are mounted on for and aft tubes 1~ and 13, respectlvely, so as to extend laterally therefrom 3s ad~acent the aft cross tube 22. Landlng loads on the 7 ~3~ ~
maln gear wheels 30 and 32 may be absorbed hy deflectlon of th~ gear legs 34 and 36, reslllence of sprlngs connecting the gear l~gs 34 and ~6 to the longltudlnal tubes 16 and 18, de~lectlon of the aft cross tube 22, torsion of the fore and aft 1OQg1tUd1na1 tube~ 16 and 18, or ~ny comblnatlo~ of these actlonsO
Referring to FIGURE 3, ~ connectlon brackPt 38 ls shown conne~tlng fore and aft tube 18 to aft cross tub~
22. ~n elastomerlc bearing 40 1~ mounted on tube 1~ aft of cross tube 22 and bracket 38. ~ cylindrlcal elastomeric spring 42 may be bonded to the lnslde surface of bearing 40 and to the outslde surface of longitudlnal tube 18 inserted into bearlng 40. Bearing 40 may include a palr of lugs 46 for mounting ~ft gear leg 3~ thereto. Longitudinal tube 16 includes a similar connection bracket ~nd an elastomeric bearing wlth lugs for mounting aft gear leg 34 thereto.
Landing gear assembly 10, as shown ln ~I~URES 1 and 2, ,s designed as a sIuick charlge replacement f or a skid landlng gear system on helicopter 11. The cross tubes ~o and 22 of ge~r assembly 10 are adapted to attach to the same structural saddles 12 and 14 used for attachiny the skld landlng gear to the underside of hel~copter 11.
Alternatlvely, landlng gear assembly 10 may lnclude fore and aft longi~udinal tubes 16 and 18 belng connected at the aft end to the bac~ end fittings on the main helicopter baan ln which c~se, a ~ull length aft cross tube is ~sed and ls ~tabl~lzed wlth drag braces from the ends of fore and aft tubes 16 ~nd 18.
Landing gear assembly 10 is a low co~t syst~ that incorporates many of the maintenance free features of a skid landing gear system. The only additional sccessory that may be required is a~ hydraulic brake system for the main gear wheels. ~ecausa landing gear assembly 10 3~ provides a quick means for back-flttlng exlstlny skid ~o~
g~ar helicopters wlth ~ wheel landlng gear system wlthout requlring ma~or costly and heavy addltlonal mountlng structures, l~dlng ge~r assembly 10 ellmln~tes the previous ~eight and cost penalties lncurred ~hen provlding wheels ~or helicopters equlpped with skid landlng systems.
Although the present lnventlon has b~en descrlbed with respect to a specific embod~ment thereof, v~rlous changes and modifications to the descrlbed embodlment may be suggested to one skilled in the ~rt~ ThereforP, it is lntended that the present in~ention encompass su~h rhanges and modiflcations as fall wlthin the scope of the appendad claims~
QUI~ C~NGE W~EL LANDING ~R
~ECHNICAL FIELD
This lnvention rslates to alrr~raft landing gear systems and, in partlcular, to a quick change wheel landing gear assembly provided as ~n ~lternate system for a helicopter havlng a skld la~ding gear ass0mbly~
.
.. . .
~ACXGROUND O~ THE INVENTION
In helicopters and other vertlcal take-off and landing alrcraft, varlous surface engaging systems may be used depending upon the operatlonal requirements for landlng the alrcraft. For example, helicopter landing gear systems may comprlse skids, skls, wheels, or ~loats. ~n those systems, the energy of the shock and stress encountered ~y the landlng gear when lt engages the surfaca may be absorbed by restlient springs, bending rods, torsion bars, air-filled bodles, or various comblnatlons of these shock absorbing devices.
In some hellcopter operatlonal envlronments, lt is highly desirable to be able to selertlvely change the helicopter landlng gear conflguration. In particular, it is sometlmes necessary to modify a helicopter having a skld landlng gear assembly by providlng landing gear wheels to facilitate moving the aircraft on $he gr~und.
secause of the critlcal nature of weight added to helicopters, wheel landing gear systems provlded as add-ons to landing sklds are undeslrable. However, it is deslrable to provide a wheel landlng gear system that replaces landing skids quickly without requirlng any special structural provlsions. Th~s, thera is a need for an alternate wheel landlng gear assembly that raplaces a hellcopter's 5kld landlng gear and may be lnstalled quickly uslng the same structural saddles used for the skid landing gear assembly.
, 3 2~0~8~
SUMM~RY 0~ T~E INVENTION
The present lnventlon comprlses a wheel landing gear assembly deslgned as a qulck rhange replacement for a skld l~ndlng gear assembly on a hellcopter. The wheel S landing gear assembly attaches to the hellcopter ~t th~
same structural saddle used for th~ attaGhing skld landing gear to the alrcraft. Therefore, the present invention provides an alternate wheel landing gear assembly for a hallcopter wlthout addlng speclal landing gear support structure othsr than mlnor brace and brake fittlngs. Furthermor~, the ~ulck change wheel landlng gear assembly provldss a ready means for back-flttlng existlng skld gear helicopters wlth ~ wheel landing gear system. Thus, new helicopters can be bullt without costly and heavy addltional structures for mountlng an alternate landing gear system.
The present lnvention is designed to preserve many desirable features of a skld la~ding gear syst~m, including low cost and easy malntenance. A palr of fore and aft longltudlnal tubes are attached to ~ palr of short, spaced-apart cross tubes that are posltioned to be mounted on the helicopter structural saddles used to mount the skld landing g83r. The longitudinal tubes act as energy absorb2rs for vertlcal loads durlng landing 2~ and ~lso act to stabillze the landing gear ln the presence of wheel drag loads during fllght. The longltudlnal tubes are connected together at the forward end for mountlng ~ nose gear thereto. The nose gear is mounted so as to be fully swlvellng and lt m~y comprlse dual wheels to reduce shlmmy. The aft main gear ~heels are mounted on cantilever landlng gear legs extending laterally from the lon~itudinal tubes at posltlons near the aft cross tube. An alternate con~iguratlon includes shorter fore and aft tubes, not attached to the rear cross tube, ~ut anch~red at the back end to flttings on the maln hslicopter be~ms. ~ ~ull length a~t cross tube ls used and is stablllzed wl th drag braces rom the ends of the fore and aft tubes to near the rear wheels on the cross tube, During landlng, nose ~ear loads are absorbed by bendlng de~lectlon of the fore and aft longitudlnal tubes. In addltlon, ~ resill~n~ spring ln the nosæ gear may bs used to absorb ~nergy in con~unct10n with the deflectlon of the longltudlnal tubes. ~andlng loads on tne aft main gear may be absorbed by resllient sprlngs, bendlng deflection of the gear legs and the aft cross tube, torslon of the fore and aft longitudlnal tubes, or any combln~tioQ of these actlonsO Also, the aft maln gear sprlngs may be replaced by two aft cross tubes or one cross tube and a drag brace used as a ~omblned bendlng tube and truss conflguration ln some operatlonal applications of the landing gear system.
Regular landlng and taxilng load~ and vlbratlons are absorbed by the sprlngs and the deflection of ~he longitudinal and cross ~ubes of the landing gear. ~any different types of springs may be used in th~ landing gear assembly, as i5 well known ln the ~rt. ~owever, reslllent sprlngs are used ln the present invention to attenuate fatlgue stresses ln con~unctlon with the deflectlon of the longitudinal and cro~s tubas o~ the landing gear assembly.
s ~ L8~
BRIE~ DESCRIPTION OF THE DR~WINGS
For a more complete understandlng of the present invention and ~or ~urther adYantages thereof, reference ls made to the followlng Descrlption of tha Preferred S Embodiment taken ln con~unctlon ~lth th~ ~ccompanying Drawlngs, in whlch:
FIGURE 1 illu~rates the gui~k change wheel landlng gaar ass~mbly of the pxe5ent inven~ion lnstalled on a hellcopter;
FIGURE 2 ls a p~rspectlve v~ew of the qulck change wheel l~ndlng gear assembly removed from the hellcopt~r;
and FIGURE 3 is ~ perspectlve view of ~ portlon of the present ~nventlon showing the elastomerlc bearlng ~nd support assembly for the ~ft mai~ landlng gear.
~3~
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED ~MBODIME~TS
Referring to FIGURE 1, quick change tricycle landing gear assembly lO ls shown mounted on a hellcopter llo Landing gear assembly 10 ls designed to replace a skid landlng gear ~sse~bly by mountlng directly to the structural saddles 12 a~d 14 used to mount the skld landlng ge~r assembly to the under~ide of helicopter ll~
Referring to FIGURE 2, landlng gear ass~mbly lO 1~
shown removed from hellcopter 11. Landing gear assembly 10 comprises a pair of spaced-apart for~ and aft tubes 16 and 18 that extend gener~lly parallel to each other and the longitudlnal axis of hellcoptex 11~ Fore and aft tubes 16 ~nd 18 ~re attached to a palr o~ short, spaced-apart ~ross tubes 20 and 22. Fore ~nd aft tubes 16 and 18 and cross tubes 20 and 22 are rigldly connected by means of standard flttinys that are well known in the art~ At the forward end of landing gear assembly 10, fore and aft tubes 16 and 18 converge downward ~ogether ~nd are rigldly connected to ~ plvot bearlng assembly 24 having a generally vertical axls for nose gear 26 to swlvel about. Nose gear 2S may be mounted on a tralling arm connected to ~ sprlng assembly ~5 mounted for rotatlon about the axl~ of plvot bearing 2~ 24. Sprlng assembly 25 ~bsorbs vibrations and small defleetions of nose gear 26 during taxllng to reduce fatigue loads in ~he fore ~nd aft tubes 16 and 18. In additlon, nose gear 26 may comprise dual nose wheels to reduce shimmy of nose gear 26.
The aft portion of landing gear assembly 10 comprlses main gear wheels 30 and 32 mounted on cantilever landlng gear legs 34 and 36. Ma1n gear legs 34 and 36 are mounted on for and aft tubes 1~ and 13, respectlvely, so as to extend laterally therefrom 3s ad~acent the aft cross tube 22. Landlng loads on the 7 ~3~ ~
maln gear wheels 30 and 32 may be absorbed hy deflectlon of th~ gear legs 34 and 36, reslllence of sprlngs connecting the gear l~gs 34 and ~6 to the longltudlnal tubes 16 and 18, de~lectlon of the aft cross tube 22, torsion of the fore and aft 1OQg1tUd1na1 tube~ 16 and 18, or ~ny comblnatlo~ of these actlonsO
Referring to FIGURE 3, ~ connectlon brackPt 38 ls shown conne~tlng fore and aft tube 18 to aft cross tub~
22. ~n elastomerlc bearing 40 1~ mounted on tube 1~ aft of cross tube 22 and bracket 38. ~ cylindrlcal elastomeric spring 42 may be bonded to the lnslde surface of bearing 40 and to the outslde surface of longitudlnal tube 18 inserted into bearlng 40. Bearing 40 may include a palr of lugs 46 for mounting ~ft gear leg 3~ thereto. Longitudinal tube 16 includes a similar connection bracket ~nd an elastomeric bearing wlth lugs for mounting aft gear leg 34 thereto.
Landing gear assembly 10, as shown ln ~I~URES 1 and 2, ,s designed as a sIuick charlge replacement f or a skid landlng gear system on helicopter 11. The cross tubes ~o and 22 of ge~r assembly 10 are adapted to attach to the same structural saddles 12 and 14 used for attachiny the skld landlng gear to the underside of hel~copter 11.
Alternatlvely, landlng gear assembly 10 may lnclude fore and aft longi~udinal tubes 16 and 18 belng connected at the aft end to the bac~ end fittings on the main helicopter baan ln which c~se, a ~ull length aft cross tube is ~sed and ls ~tabl~lzed wlth drag braces from the ends of fore and aft tubes 16 ~nd 18.
Landing gear assembly 10 is a low co~t syst~ that incorporates many of the maintenance free features of a skid landing gear system. The only additional sccessory that may be required is a~ hydraulic brake system for the main gear wheels. ~ecausa landing gear assembly 10 3~ provides a quick means for back-flttlng exlstlny skid ~o~
g~ar helicopters wlth ~ wheel landlng gear system wlthout requlring ma~or costly and heavy addltlonal mountlng structures, l~dlng ge~r assembly 10 ellmln~tes the previous ~eight and cost penalties lncurred ~hen provlding wheels ~or helicopters equlpped with skid landlng systems.
Although the present lnventlon has b~en descrlbed with respect to a specific embod~ment thereof, v~rlous changes and modifications to the descrlbed embodlment may be suggested to one skilled in the ~rt~ ThereforP, it is lntended that the present in~ention encompass su~h rhanges and modiflcations as fall wlthin the scope of the appendad claims~
Claims (11)
1. A wheel landing gear assembly for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, comprising:
a cross tube adapted for mounting the gear assembly on the underside of the aircraft;
a pair of fore and aft tubes attached to said cross tube, said fore and aft tubes extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft when the gear assembly is mounted on the aircraft;
a pivotable nose gear mounted at the forward ends of said fore and aft tubes;
a cantilever main gear leg mounted to and extending laterally outward from the aft end of each of said fore and aft tubes; and a main gear wheel mounted on the laterally extending end of each of said main gear legs.
a cross tube adapted for mounting the gear assembly on the underside of the aircraft;
a pair of fore and aft tubes attached to said cross tube, said fore and aft tubes extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft when the gear assembly is mounted on the aircraft;
a pivotable nose gear mounted at the forward ends of said fore and aft tubes;
a cantilever main gear leg mounted to and extending laterally outward from the aft end of each of said fore and aft tubes; and a main gear wheel mounted on the laterally extending end of each of said main gear legs.
2. The landing gear assembly of Claim 1, wherein:
said fore and aft tubes converge together forward of said cross tube and attach to a pivot bearing; and a spring assembly connects said pivotable nose gear to said pivot bearing.
said fore and aft tubes converge together forward of said cross tube and attach to a pivot bearing; and a spring assembly connects said pivotable nose gear to said pivot bearing.
3. The lending gear assembly of Claim 1, wherein an elastomeric bearing connects each of said cantilever main gear legs to its respective fore and aft tube adjacent said cross tube.
4. The landing gear assembly of Claim 3, wherein aircraft landing stresses are absorbed by deflection of said main gear legs, resilience of said elastomeric bearings, and torsion of said fore and aft tubes.
5. A quick change tricycle landing gear assembly for a vertical take-off and landing aircraft, comprising:
a pair of fore and aft tubes adapted for extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft;
a forward cross tube and an aft cross tube attached to said pair of fore and aft tubes, said cross tubes adapted for mounting of the underside of the aircraft;
a pivotable nose gear attached to a forward end of said fore and aft tubes;
a cantilever main gear leg mounted to and extending laterally outward from each of said fore and aft tubes adjacent said aft cross tube; and a main gear wheel mounted on the laterally extending end of each of said main gear legs.
a pair of fore and aft tubes adapted for extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the aircraft;
a forward cross tube and an aft cross tube attached to said pair of fore and aft tubes, said cross tubes adapted for mounting of the underside of the aircraft;
a pivotable nose gear attached to a forward end of said fore and aft tubes;
a cantilever main gear leg mounted to and extending laterally outward from each of said fore and aft tubes adjacent said aft cross tube; and a main gear wheel mounted on the laterally extending end of each of said main gear legs.
6. The landing gear assembly of Claim 5, further comprising an elastomeric bearing mounted between each of said main gear legs and said fore and aft tubes.
7. The landing gear assembly of Claim 6, wherein said fore and aft tubes converge together forward of said forward cross tube and terminate at a pivot bearing attached thereto for mounting said nose gear.
8. The landing gear assembly of Claim 7, wherein said nose gear comprises dual wheels mounted on said pivot bearing by means of a spring assembly.
9. The landing gear assembly of Claim 8, wherein aircraft landing stresses are absorbed by resilience of said nose and main wheels, resilience of said spring assembly mounting said nose gear to said pivot bearing, deflection of said fore and aft tubes and said cross tubes, deflection of said main gear legs, resilience of said elastomeric bearings, and torsion of said fore and aft tubes.
10. A quick change tricycle landing gear assembly adapted for replacing a skid landing gear system on a helicopter, the assembly comprising:
a pair of fore and aft tubes adapted for extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the helicopter;
a forward cross tube and an aft cross tube attached to said pair of fore and aft tubes, said cross tubes adapted for mounting on the skid gear structural saddles on the underside of the helicopter;
said fore and aft tubes converging together downward and forward of said forward cross tube and terminating at a pivot bearing attached thereto;
a pivotable nose gear comprising dual wheels mounted to said pivot bearing by means of a spring assembly;
a cantilever main gear leg mounted to and extending laterally outward from each of said fore and aft tubes adjacent said aft cross tube;
an elastomeric bearing mounted between each of said fore and aft tubes and said corresponding main gear leg;
and a main gear wheel mounted on the laterally extending end of each of said main gear legs.
a pair of fore and aft tubes adapted for extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis of the helicopter;
a forward cross tube and an aft cross tube attached to said pair of fore and aft tubes, said cross tubes adapted for mounting on the skid gear structural saddles on the underside of the helicopter;
said fore and aft tubes converging together downward and forward of said forward cross tube and terminating at a pivot bearing attached thereto;
a pivotable nose gear comprising dual wheels mounted to said pivot bearing by means of a spring assembly;
a cantilever main gear leg mounted to and extending laterally outward from each of said fore and aft tubes adjacent said aft cross tube;
an elastomeric bearing mounted between each of said fore and aft tubes and said corresponding main gear leg;
and a main gear wheel mounted on the laterally extending end of each of said main gear legs.
11. The landing gear assembly of Claim 10, wherein helicopter landing stresses on said landing gear assembly are absorbed by said spring assembly and said elastomeric bearings, deflection of said main gear legs, and torsion of said fore and aft tubes.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| USPCT/US88/04319 | 1988-12-08 | ||
| PCT/US1988/004319 WO1990006257A1 (en) | 1988-12-08 | 1988-12-08 | Quick change wheel landing gear |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2003186A1 true CA2003186A1 (en) | 1990-06-08 |
Family
ID=22209028
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002003186A Abandoned CA2003186A1 (en) | 1988-12-08 | 1989-11-17 | Quick-change wheel landing gear |
Country Status (9)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0403501A4 (en) |
| JP (1) | JP2767305B2 (en) |
| KR (1) | KR0163950B1 (en) |
| AR (1) | AR245664A1 (en) |
| BR (1) | BR8807883A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA2003186A1 (en) |
| IL (1) | IL92594A (en) |
| MX (1) | MX174284B (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1990006257A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE19701404C1 (en) * | 1997-01-17 | 1998-02-26 | Eurocopter Deutschland | Wheel landing gear for light helicopter |
Family Cites Families (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2108747A (en) * | 1935-05-31 | 1938-02-15 | Glover William Gordon | Launching and beaching of aircraft |
| US2396189A (en) * | 1943-05-03 | 1946-03-05 | William N Millar | Aircraft float |
| US2909342A (en) * | 1954-06-04 | 1959-10-20 | Menasco Mfg Company | Landing gear for helicopters |
| US3144223A (en) * | 1962-04-11 | 1964-08-11 | Hiller Aircraft Company Inc | Aircraft landing gear |
| US3520497A (en) * | 1968-06-05 | 1970-07-14 | Rotorway Inc | Framework for a helicopter |
-
1988
- 1988-12-08 BR BR888807883A patent/BR8807883A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1988-12-08 MX MX018652A patent/MX174284B/en unknown
- 1988-12-08 WO PCT/US1988/004319 patent/WO1990006257A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1988-12-08 EP EP19890902486 patent/EP0403501A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1988-12-08 JP JP1502367A patent/JP2767305B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
-
1989
- 1989-11-17 CA CA002003186A patent/CA2003186A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1989-12-05 AR AR89315609A patent/AR245664A1/en active
- 1989-12-07 KR KR1019890018071A patent/KR0163950B1/en not_active IP Right Cessation
- 1989-12-07 IL IL92594A patent/IL92594A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| IL92594A (en) | 1992-08-18 |
| EP0403501A1 (en) | 1990-12-27 |
| JP2767305B2 (en) | 1998-06-18 |
| IL92594A0 (en) | 1990-08-31 |
| JPH03503148A (en) | 1991-07-18 |
| AR245664A1 (en) | 1994-02-28 |
| KR0163950B1 (en) | 1998-12-01 |
| BR8807883A (en) | 1990-11-27 |
| KR900009392A (en) | 1990-07-04 |
| MX174284B (en) | 1994-05-03 |
| EP0403501A4 (en) | 1991-05-08 |
| WO1990006257A1 (en) | 1990-06-14 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| FZDE | Discontinued |