GB1572004A - Aircraft wings - Google Patents

Description

(54) AIR CRAFT WINGS (71) W@. HAWKER SIDDELEY AVIATION LIMITED, a British Com pany, of Richmond Road, Kingston upon Thames, Surrey KT2 5QS., do hereby de- clare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention relates to aircraft wings of the type including movably lift increasing members.

According to the present invention an aircraft wing includes a fixed region, a movable lift increasing member, an arm member carrying the lift increasing member, guide means for locating the arm member with reference to the fixed region but allowing mivement from an inoperative position in which the lift increasing member lies closely adjacent the wing fixed region to an operative position in which a slot is formed between the lift increasing member and the fixed region, and jack means for effecting such movement, the arm member having an exposed region when the lift increasing member is operative of generally streamline shape in transverse cross-section so orientated that the streamline shape is generally aligned with the direction of its surrounding airflow.

One preferred embodiment of the invention is now described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a vertical chordwise crosssection through an aircraft wing.

Figure 2 is an enlarged transverse crosssection through line II-II of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse crosssection through line III-III of Figure 1.

In the Figures, an aircraft wing has a fixed region 1 and a movable lift increasing member. The lift increasing member is in the form of a leading edge slat 2 of known form having a convex leading surface 3 and a concave trailing surface 4 which converge at spaced spanwise extending lips 5 and 6 respectively.

The fixed region 1 has a convex leading surface 7 which matches the concave trailing surface 4 so that in an inoperative position, shown at 2' in Figure 1 in broken outline, the surface 4 and 7 lie closely adjacent. The convex leading surface 3 is shaped so that when the slat is in the inoperative position it conforms to a desired wing contour suitable for cruising flight.

The slat 2 can be moved to an operative position, also shown in Figure 1 but in solid outline, to provide a spanwise extending slot 8 between it and the fixed region 1 so that the lift of the wing is enhanced. To anchor the slat 2 to the fixed region 1 and to allow this translational movement, the slat 2 is carried by one or more spanwise spaced units each of which has an arcuate arm 9 and, to locate the arm, guide means housed within the interior of the fixed region. The arm 9 passes through the leading surface 7 into the interior of the fixed region 1. The guide means includes a trackway comprising spaced arcuate tracks 10 between which the arm passes, and three sets of rollers 11, 12, 13 carried by the arm. Those sets referenced 11 and 13 engage opposite regions of the tracks 10 to those regions engaged by the set 12.That region og the arm 9 which protrudes from the fixed wing region 1 when the slat 2 is operative and is thus exposed to air flowing through the slot 8 is formed of a streamlined shape in transverse crosssection so orientated to be aligned with the direction of its surrounding airflow which.

especially if the wing has a swept leading edge, may not be truly chordwise. In Figure 2, the cross-sectional shape is shown as elliptical with the major axis 14 of the ellipse canted at about 35 from an axis 15 lying normal to the plane of the wing, but this angle may vary depending upon, for exam ple, the spanwise station of arm 9.

Where the arm 9 passes through the leading surface 7 air can leak into the interior of the wing. Accordingly an annular seal 16 of resilient material is provided to pürevent this: the seal 16 being carred by the fixed region to bear against the exposed region of the arm 9. To ensure adequate sealing throughout the range og movement of the arm, that exposed region of the arm 9 has the same cross-section throughout its length.

Depending from that end of the arm 9 remite from the slat 2 is a trunnion mounting 17 in which is carried a screw jack 18 for effecting movement of the arm 9 along the trackway. The jack is anchored to the fixed region at 19. The positions of the sets of rollers when the member 2 is in the position 2' are shown respectively at 11', 12', and 13' in nbroken outline.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. An aircraft wing including a fixed region, a movable lift increasing member, an arm member carrying the lift increasing member, guide means for locating the arm with reference to the fixed region but allowing movement from an inoperative position in which the lift increasing member lies closely adjacent the fixed region to an operative position in which a slot is formed between the lift increasing member and the fixed region, and jack means for effecting such movement, the arm member having an exposed region when the lift increasing member is operative of generally streamline shape in transverse cross section so orientated that the streamline shape is generally aligned with the direction of its surrounding airflow.

2. An aircraft wing according to claim 1 wherein the streamline shape is substantially elliptical and the major axis of the ellipse is aligned with the direction of the surronunding airflow.

3. An aircraft wing according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the guide means comprise rollers carried by the arm member and a trackway carried by the wing fixed region with which the rollers engage.

4. An aircraft wing according to anv one of the preceding claims wherein the arm member protrudes from the interior of the fixed region and is slidably engaged by sealing means carried by the fixed region.

5. An aircraft according to claim 4 wherein that region of the arm member slidably engaged by the sealing means is of a constant cross-section.

6. An aircraft wing according to any of claims 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the arm member and the trackway are of arcuate form.

7. An aircraft wing substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. ple, the spanwise station of arm 9. Where the arm 9 passes through the leading surface 7 air can leak into the interior of the wing. Accordingly an annular seal 16 of resilient material is provided to pürevent this: the seal 16 being carred by the fixed region to bear against the exposed region of the arm 9. To ensure adequate sealing throughout the range og movement of the arm, that exposed region of the arm 9 has the same cross-section throughout its length. Depending from that end of the arm 9 remite from the slat 2 is a trunnion mounting 17 in which is carried a screw jack 18 for effecting movement of the arm 9 along the trackway. The jack is anchored to the fixed region at 19. The positions of the sets of rollers when the member 2 is in the position 2' are shown respectively at 11', 12', and 13' in nbroken outline. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. An aircraft wing including a fixed region, a movable lift increasing member, an arm member carrying the lift increasing member, guide means for locating the arm with reference to the fixed region but allowing movement from an inoperative position in which the lift increasing member lies closely adjacent the fixed region to an operative position in which a slot is formed between the lift increasing member and the fixed region, and jack means for effecting such movement, the arm member having an exposed region when the lift increasing member is operative of generally streamline shape in transverse cross section so orientated that the streamline shape is generally aligned with the direction of its surrounding airflow.

2. An aircraft wing according to claim 1 wherein the streamline shape is substantially elliptical and the major axis of the ellipse is aligned with the direction of the surronunding airflow.

3. An aircraft wing according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the guide means comprise rollers carried by the arm member and a trackway carried by the wing fixed region with which the rollers engage.

4. An aircraft wing according to anv one of the preceding claims wherein the arm member protrudes from the interior of the fixed region and is slidably engaged by sealing means carried by the fixed region.

5. An aircraft according to claim 4 wherein that region of the arm member slidably engaged by the sealing means is of a constant cross-section.

6. An aircraft wing according to any of claims 2, 3, 4 or 5 wherein the arm member and the trackway are of arcuate form.

7. An aircraft wing substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings.