GB2047330A - Closable flap arrangement for an aircraft or a spacecraft - Google Patents
Closable flap arrangement for an aircraft or a spacecraft Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2047330A GB2047330A GB8009977A GB8009977A GB2047330A GB 2047330 A GB2047330 A GB 2047330A GB 8009977 A GB8009977 A GB 8009977A GB 8009977 A GB8009977 A GB 8009977A GB 2047330 A GB2047330 A GB 2047330A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- flap
- locking
- lever
- locking device
- aircraft
- 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.)
- Granted
Links
- 230000008878 coupling Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- 238000010168 coupling process Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- 238000005859 coupling reaction Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 26
- 230000007246 mechanism Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 15
- 238000007789 sealing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 239000007858 starting material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 4
- 230000009471 action Effects 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000002028 premature Effects 0.000 abstract description 2
- 101001017827 Mus musculus Leucine-rich repeat flightless-interacting protein 1 Proteins 0.000 description 3
- 238000002485 combustion reaction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000000007 visual effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000001133 acceleration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000002708 enhancing effect Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64D33/00—Arrangements in aircraft of power plant parts or auxiliaries not otherwise provided for
- B64D33/02—Arrangements in aircraft of power plant parts or auxiliaries not otherwise provided for of combustion air intakes
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05F—DEVICES FOR MOVING WINGS INTO OPEN OR CLOSED POSITION; CHECKS FOR WINGS; WING FITTINGS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, CONCERNED WITH THE FUNCTIONING OF THE WING
- E05F15/00—Power-operated mechanisms for wings
- E05F15/50—Power-operated mechanisms for wings using fluid-pressure actuators
- E05F15/53—Power-operated mechanisms for wings using fluid-pressure actuators for swinging wings
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B64—AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; COSMONAUTICS
- B64D—EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- B64D33/00—Arrangements in aircraft of power plant parts or auxiliaries not otherwise provided for
- B64D33/02—Arrangements in aircraft of power plant parts or auxiliaries not otherwise provided for of combustion air intakes
- B64D2033/0213—Arrangements in aircraft of power plant parts or auxiliaries not otherwise provided for of combustion air intakes specially adapted for auxiliary power units (APU's)
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E05—LOCKS; KEYS; WINDOW OR DOOR FITTINGS; SAFES
- E05Y—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES E05D AND E05F, RELATING TO CONSTRUCTION ELEMENTS, ELECTRIC CONTROL, POWER SUPPLY, POWER SIGNAL OR TRANSMISSION, USER INTERFACES, MOUNTING OR COUPLING, DETAILS, ACCESSORIES, AUXILIARY OPERATIONS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, APPLICATION THEREOF
- E05Y2900/00—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof
- E05Y2900/50—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof for vehicles
- E05Y2900/502—Application of doors, windows, wings or fittings thereof for vehicles for aircraft or spacecraft
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
- Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
- Lock And Its Accessories (AREA)
- Cooling, Air Intake And Gas Exhaust, And Fuel Tank Arrangements In Propulsion Units (AREA)
- Superstructure Of Vehicle (AREA)
Abstract
A driven flap arrangement for an aircraft or a spacecraft, in particular for sealing an air-intake aperture for a starter turbine of an aircraft engine wherein connected to the drive by way of a coupling mechanism 5, 7, 9, 10 is a flap locking device 6 which is biassed by a driving lever 5, forming part of the coupling mechanism, in its unlocking direction X against closing forces acting on the flap locking device 6 trying to bias it in its locking direction Y, the biassing of the locking device 6 in its unlocking direction being maintained until the flap 2 is brought into its closed position, thereby preventing premature locking of the locking device 6. <IMAGE>
Description
SPECIFICATION
Flap arrangement for an aircraft or spacecraft
This invention concerns a servo driven flap arrangement for an aircraft or a spacecraft, in particular for sealing an air intake aperture for a starter turbine for an aircraft engine.
In machinery and vehicle construction, various types of arrangements of doors and flaps on housings are known. In aircraft construction, flaps are used on the aircraft frame for various purposes, for example, for opening and closing an air-intake aperture through which a compressor of a small gas turbine engine sucks in air for combustion for starting the aircraft's engine. This flap is actuated by a servo motor which serves for fixing the flap in its open and closed positions.
Whilst the holding-open of the flap when the aircraft is on the ground, upon the start of the aircraft's engine, is unproblematical, the frictional fixing of this flap in its closed position only by servo drive, which, for example, is a servo motor which is connected to the flap, entails certain risks, since during extreme flying manoeuvres the closed flap is subjected to large acceleration loads and air flow forces in the direction in which it opens. In extreme cases these forces can cause the flap to tear off, which can have serious consequences with respect to flying safety.
An object of the invention is to obviate the aforesaid disadvantages and provide a flap arrangement, having anly slight constructional modifications, wherein the flap can be securely fixed in its closed position.
With this object in view the present invention provides a servo driven flap arrangement for an aircraft or spacecraft, in particular for sealing an air-intake aperture for a starter turbine of an aircraft engine, characterised in that connected to the servo drive by way of a coupling mechanism is a flap locking device, said flap locking device being biassed in its unlocking direction to open the flap and remaining so biassed while the flap is in its open position until the flap is brought into its closed position whereupon it is biassed in its locking direction.
The coupling mechanism comprises a driving lever which is mounted so as to be swingable on the flap and which is actuated by a servo motor, a coupling rod, a double-armed angle lever associated with the flap locking device, and a coupling member, in which respect the coupling rod is hinged on the one hand to the driving lever and on the other hand to one arm of the doublearmed angle lever, and the coupling member swingably connects a further arm of the doublearmed angle lever to a locking lever of the flap locking device, the coupling mechanism being loaded with a counter-force which is effective against the closing forces acting on the flap and which is of a magnitude which is greater than the magnitude of the closing forces.
In this respect, this counter-force can be applied by a spring and act on the driving lever, which is biassed in the unlocking direction of the flap locking device. The magnitude of this biassing force is greater than the sum of the magnitudes of
all the forces acting on the flap in order to close it.
The closing forces are composed of the weight force loading the flap, frictional forces resulting, for example, from the flap's hinges particularly in cold weather, and from the wind pressures acting on the open flap. The aforesaid biassing force ensures that the driving lever of the coupling
mechanism biases the flap locking device in the unlocking direction and maintains the locking device in this state up to the closing of the flap, in order not to prevent premature locking of said locking device.
Also friction discs in one or more hinges of the coupling mechanism could serve to produce the counterforce to the closing forces.
In a further aspect of the invention, the locking lever may advantageously be a dead-centre lever which both in its locking position and in its unlocking position is under the bias of a spring.
The locking lever is pivotal about its centre under the action of the spring from the one into the other of the two aforesaid positions.
In order to make possible a visual check from the outside of the aircraft or the spacecraft as to whether or not the flap is closed, there may be provided, on the second arm of the double-armed angle lever, an indicating plate which forms a small part of the flap and which in the unlocked state of the locking device protrudes beyond the exterior surface of the flap and in the locked state of the locking device extends flush with the flap surface, in which state the indicating plate may advantageously serve as a handle for the manual locking and unlocking of the locking device when the servo drive is disconnected. Thus, in other words, manual actuation of the flap is also possible in the event of failure of the servo motor.
It will be readilly appreciated from the foregoing that the advantage of the invention lies in that, by coupling a locking device to the already-existing flap actuating means i.e. the servo motor, without any great constructional modifications to the flap, a reliable and checkable flap arrangement is provided for ensuring that the flap is securely closed, thereby enhancing flying safety.
The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Fig. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the flap arrangement of the present invention, with an indication in dot-dash outline of the open position of the flap; and
Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of part of the embodiment of Fig. 1.
Referring to Fig. 1, a minor flap 2 is swingably arranged, by means of hinges 3, on part of the inside of a mounting flap 1 which is installed on an aircraft fuselage for the purpose of permitting access to a starting mechanism for the aircraft's engine. The flap 2 opens and closes an air intake aperture through which a compressor of a small gas-turbine engine sucks in air for combustion for starting the aircraft's engine. The flap 2 is actuated by a servo motor 4. The servo motor 4 has a piston rod 4a which is hinged approximately in the centre of a driving lever 5, which in turn is swingably mounted on the flap 2. The driving lever 5 forms part of a coupling mechanism, which for its part movably connects the servo motor 4 to a flap locking device 6.The coupling mechanism further comprises a coupling rod 7, which is hinged on the one hand to the driving lever 5 and on the other hand to one arm 9a of a doublearmed angle lever 9, a portion 8 of which is swingably mounted on the flap 2. Rotatably connected to another arm 9b of the lever 9 is a coupling member 10 which member 10 is swingably connected to a locking lever 11 of the locking device 6. The locking lever 11 is movable mounted by a portion 12 thereof on the flap 2 and has a bolt 1 a which is engagable with a bolt latch 13 on the flap 1 to fix the flap 2 in its closed position securely with the flap 1. The locking lever 11 is designed to function as a dead-centre lever and stands both in the locked and in the unlocked position under the bias of a spring 14.The locking lever 11 is pivoted about its centre under the action of the spring 14 from the one to the other of the two aforesaid positions.
Provided on the arm 9b of the double-armed lever 9 is an indicating plate 9c. This indicating plate 9c in the unlocked position of the locking lever 6 protrudes beyond the exterior surface of the flap 2 and in the locked position of the locking lever 6 lies flush with the exterior surface of the flap 2. When the indicating plate 9c is flush with the surface of the flap 2 this provides a visual indication that flap 2 is securely locked in its closed position. The indicating plate 9c is at the same time a handle for the manual actuation of the locking device 6, should the servo drive fail at any time. If this happens, then the coupling rod 7 has to be removed from the rest of the coupling mechanism i.e. by removal from its hinges, whereupon the manual actuation of the locking device 6 can be effected.
A spring 1 5 biasses the driving lever 5 in the unlocking direction of the locking device 6, as indicated by arrow X. This biassing of the driving lever 5 ensures that, when the flap 2 has been unlocked, the locking device 6 remains in its unlocking direction while the flap 2 is actuated by the servo motor 4 and is brought from its open position into its closed position. The biassing force of the spring 1 5 is of a magnitude which is greater than the sum of magnitudes of all of the closing forces acting on the locking device 6 trying to move it in the locking direction, as indicated by arrow Y. The position of the coupling mechanism and the locking device as shown in dot-dash outline in Fig. 1, which is the opened position of the flap 2, is maintained until the flap 2 is moved
into its closed position, as shown in full-line in Fig.
1. Only then is the locking accomplished, i.e. the driving lever 5 and the locking device 6 are swung
in the locking direction, as indicated by arrow Y.
Claims (6)
1. A servo driven flap arrangement for an aircraft or a spacecraft, in particular for sealing an air-intake aperture for a starter turbine of an aircraft engine, characterised in that connected to the servo drive by way of a coupling mechanism is a flap locking device, said flap locking device being biassed in its unlocking direction to open the flap and remaining so biassed while the flap is in its open position until the flap is brought into its closed position where-upon it is biassed in its locking direction.
2. A flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling mechanism comprises a driving lever which is mounted so as to be swingable on the flap and which is actuated by a servo motor, a coupling rod, a double-armed angle lever associated with the flap locking device, and a coupling member, in which respect the coupling rod is hinged on the one hand to the driving lever and on the other hand to one arm of the doublearmed angle lever, and the coupling member swingably connects a second arm of the doublearmed angle lever to a locking lever of the locking device, the coupling mechanism being loaded with a counter-force which is effective against the occurring closing forces acting on the flap and which of a magnitude which is greater than the magnitude of the closing forces.
3. A flap arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein acting on the driving lever is a spring which biasses said driving lever in the unlocking direction of the flap locking lever.
4. A flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 to 3, wherein the locking lever is a dead-centre lever and, both in the locking position and in the unlocking position, is under the bias of a spring, said locking lever being pivotal about its centre under the action of the spring from the one to the other of the aforesaid positions.
5. A flap arrangement as claimed in claim 1 to 4, wherein provided on the second arm of the double-armed angle lever is an indicating plate which forms a small part of the surface of the flap and which in the unlocked state of the locking device projects beyond the external surface of the flap and in the locked state of the locking device extends flush with the surface of the flap in which state the indicating plate serves as a handle for the manual locking and unlocking of the locking device when the servo drive is disconnected.
6. A flap arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| DE2914469A DE2914469C2 (en) | 1979-04-10 | 1979-04-10 | Actuating device for a flap, which is arranged pivotably in particular on an aircraft cell, a spacecraft or the like and in particular serves to close an air intake opening for the starter turbine of an aircraft engine |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB2047330A true GB2047330A (en) | 1980-11-26 |
| GB2047330B GB2047330B (en) | 1983-06-15 |
Family
ID=6067973
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB8009977A Expired GB2047330B (en) | 1979-04-10 | 1980-03-25 | Closable flap arrangement for an aircraft or a spacecraft |
Country Status (4)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| DE (1) | DE2914469C2 (en) |
| FR (1) | FR2453778B1 (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2047330B (en) |
| IT (1) | IT1141542B (en) |
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2129485A (en) * | 1982-10-22 | 1984-05-16 | Ortner Freight Car Co | Actuating and locking means for the hopper doors of a railroad hopper car |
| FR2831590A1 (en) * | 2001-10-26 | 2003-05-02 | Madicob | Device for evacuation of smoke and heat comprises frame and window pivoted on frame by handle and actuator and connecting rods |
| CN106672198A (en) * | 2016-12-06 | 2017-05-17 | 中国航空工业集团公司成都飞机设计研究所 | Sliding-lifting type cabin door |
| CN109779437A (en) * | 2019-02-19 | 2019-05-21 | 贵州航天天马机电科技有限公司 | A kind of car door drive |
| CN110356538A (en) * | 2018-10-17 | 2019-10-22 | 江西洪都航空工业集团有限责任公司 | A kind of linkage adjustment mechanism for canopy latch mechanism and leak-tight system |
| US11598138B2 (en) * | 2018-11-10 | 2023-03-07 | Bakalyar Enterprises, LLC | Barge lid grain door opening apparatus |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DE3407137A1 (en) * | 1984-02-28 | 1985-08-29 | Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm GmbH, 8012 Ottobrunn | DEVICE FOR IMPROVING THE FLOW RATIO AT THE AIR INLET FOR GAS TURBINE ENGINES BUILT IN PLANES |
| ES2281227B1 (en) * | 2004-12-31 | 2008-09-16 | Airbus España, S.L. | A TRAFFIC MECHANISM FOR A TRAP, PARTICULARLY FOR A LANDING TRAIN OF AN AIRPLANE. |
| CN106761123B (en) * | 2017-01-06 | 2018-02-02 | 江苏美龙振华科技有限公司 | A kind of gas spring assembly with auto-lock function |
| CN109229338B (en) * | 2018-08-30 | 2022-03-15 | 哈尔滨飞机工业集团有限责任公司 | Self-limiting mechanism for helicopter tail fairing |
| CN110702415B (en) * | 2019-11-08 | 2021-04-06 | 北京动力机械研究所 | Testing device for verifying motion law of adjustable flow passage of air-breathing engine |
Family Cites Families (10)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US2452251A (en) * | 1942-03-19 | 1948-10-26 | North American Aviation Inc | Retractable landing gear fairing |
| NL63747C (en) * | 1943-07-02 | |||
| US2484900A (en) * | 1946-10-11 | 1949-10-18 | Curtiss Wright Corp | Wheel fairing lock and release |
| US2538980A (en) * | 1947-05-23 | 1951-01-23 | North American Aviation Inc | Closure operator and lock |
| GB641987A (en) * | 1947-11-27 | 1950-08-23 | Blackburn Aircraft Ltd | Improvements in or relating to operating mechanisms for hinged members such as bomb-doors and the like of aircraft |
| GB708591A (en) * | 1951-05-28 | 1954-05-05 | Keller & Knappich Gmbh | Improvements in locking mechanism |
| GB776013A (en) * | 1954-11-26 | 1957-05-29 | English Electric Co Ltd | Improvements in and relating to door locks, for example for undercarriage doors |
| GB1347690A (en) * | 1970-10-10 | 1974-02-27 | British Aircraft Corp Ltd | Doors |
| DE2108967C3 (en) * | 1971-02-25 | 1973-10-04 | Messerschmitt-Boelkow-Blohm Gmbh, 8000 Muenchen | Closure for cells and panels of air and space vehicles |
| US4125235A (en) * | 1977-04-04 | 1978-11-14 | The Boeing Company | Apparatus for opening an aircraft door and for arming and disarming an escape slide deploying mechanism |
-
1979
- 1979-04-10 DE DE2914469A patent/DE2914469C2/en not_active Expired
-
1980
- 1980-03-25 FR FR8006650A patent/FR2453778B1/en not_active Expired
- 1980-03-25 GB GB8009977A patent/GB2047330B/en not_active Expired
- 1980-04-09 IT IT21257/80A patent/IT1141542B/en active
Cited By (8)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB2129485A (en) * | 1982-10-22 | 1984-05-16 | Ortner Freight Car Co | Actuating and locking means for the hopper doors of a railroad hopper car |
| FR2831590A1 (en) * | 2001-10-26 | 2003-05-02 | Madicob | Device for evacuation of smoke and heat comprises frame and window pivoted on frame by handle and actuator and connecting rods |
| CN106672198A (en) * | 2016-12-06 | 2017-05-17 | 中国航空工业集团公司成都飞机设计研究所 | Sliding-lifting type cabin door |
| CN106672198B (en) * | 2016-12-06 | 2019-08-20 | 中国航空工业集团公司成都飞机设计研究所 | A kind of sliding-lift hatch door |
| CN110356538A (en) * | 2018-10-17 | 2019-10-22 | 江西洪都航空工业集团有限责任公司 | A kind of linkage adjustment mechanism for canopy latch mechanism and leak-tight system |
| US11598138B2 (en) * | 2018-11-10 | 2023-03-07 | Bakalyar Enterprises, LLC | Barge lid grain door opening apparatus |
| CN109779437A (en) * | 2019-02-19 | 2019-05-21 | 贵州航天天马机电科技有限公司 | A kind of car door drive |
| CN109779437B (en) * | 2019-02-19 | 2023-10-27 | 贵州航天天马机电科技有限公司 | Cabin door driving system |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| DE2914469C2 (en) | 1986-02-27 |
| IT8021257A0 (en) | 1980-04-09 |
| GB2047330B (en) | 1983-06-15 |
| IT1141542B (en) | 1986-10-01 |
| FR2453778A1 (en) | 1980-11-07 |
| DE2914469A1 (en) | 1980-10-23 |
| FR2453778B1 (en) | 1985-06-14 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCNP | Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee |