GB2102356A

GB2102356A - Combined hinge and deflection arrangement for an aerodynamic control member

Info

Publication number: GB2102356A
Application number: GB08217639A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Charles Bradbury
Original assignee: British Aerospace PLC
Current assignee: BAE Systems PLC
Priority date: 1981-06-19
Filing date: 1982-06-18
Publication date: 1983-02-02

Abstract

A hinge/deflection arrangement for mounting an aileron 21 rearwardly of the rear portion 10 of a main wing includes a hinge element 12 having a cruciform yoke 13 and a control arm 14 extending transversely of the yoke. One of the limbs of the yoke is pivotally mounted to rear portion 10 by means of bracket 11 for pivoting movement about axis XX, whilst the other pivotally carries a coupling fork 16 for turning movement about axis YY. The tail portion of fork 16 is rotatably carried in aileron 21 for rotary movement about axis ZZ. The aileron is constrained to tilt relative to the main wing about axis HH, preferably by means of a further hinge/deflection arrangement, and axes XX, YY, ZZ and HH intersect at a common point. Deflection of the aileron is effected by means of movement of a control rod 15 in the direction of its length within the plane of the main wing portion. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Combined hinge and deflection arrangement for an aerodynamic control member This invention relates to a combined hinge and deflection arrangement for mounting an aerodynamic control member for tilting movement with respect to an aerodynamic fixed member and in particularto an arrangement for effecting deflection of an aileron with respect to a fixed wing member.

According to this invention, there is provided a combined hinge and deflection arrangement for mounting an aerodynamic control member for tilting movement with respect to an aerodynamic fixed member about a tilt axis, said arrangement including a hinge element mounted on the fixed member for pivoting movement about a control axis, actuation means to effect pivoting movement of the control member about said control axis, and a coupling member mounted on the control member for swivelling movement about a swivel axis, said coupling member also being coupled to said hinge element for turning movement about a turning axis, said tilt, control, swivel and turning axes being arranged to intersect at a common point.

Preferably the hinge element includes an arm extending transversely of the control axis, said arm being adapted to co-operate with control rod means thereby to constitute said actuation means.

Preferably the control axis and the turn axis intersect at approximately 450.

Preferably, the tilt axis and the control axis are perpendicular to each other, so that where the arrangement is provided to effect deflection of an aileron mounted for tilting movement about a generally spanwise axis, and pivoting of the hinge element is effected by a control tube connected to the control arm, to which is attached a control tube, deflection of the aileron may be effected by movement of the control tube within the plane of the main wing portion.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of this invention will now be described, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic exploded view of an arrangement constructed in accordance with this invention: Figure 2 is a chordwise sectional view of an arrangement similar to that of Figure 1, but in an assembled state, and with the aerodynamic control member in a median disposition; Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2 but with the aerodynamic control member in a deflected disposition; and Figure 4 is a top plan view of the arrangement of Figures 2 and 3 in an assembled state.

In the description, terms such as "upward", "downward", "forward" and "rearward" refe- to an aircraft in straight and level flight.

Referring to the Figures, there is shown the rearward portion 10 of a main wing to which portion is secured a generally C-shaped bracket 11, with its free limbs extending generally rearwardly. A hinge element 1 2 having a generally cruciform yoke 13, defined by a pair of limbs which intersect at approximately 450, and a control arm 1 4 extending transversely from the intersection, is pivotally mounted on the bracket 11 with one of the limbs of its yoke 13 extending between the limbs of the bracket, for pivoting movement about a control axis XX, the end of the control arm 14 remote from the yoke 13 being pivotally attached to a control tube 1 5. Movement of the control tube generally in the direction of its length, and within the plane of the main wing portion, effects pivoting movement of the hinge element 12 about said control axis XX.

The other limb of the cruciform yoke 13 carries the two spaced-apart ends of a generally Yshaped coupling fork 1 6 for relative turning movement about a turning axis W. The tail portion 17 of the coupling fork 1 6 is formed with two bearing surfaces, 1 8 and 1 9 respectively, spaced along its length and is provided at its free end with a threaded portion 20.

An aileron 21 extending generally rearwardly of the rearward portion 10 of the main wing and adapted for tilting movement about tilt axis HH, includes two bearing surfaces 22 and 23 which co-operate with bearing surfaces 1 8 and 1 9 on the tail portion of the coupling fork to allow relative swivelling freedom between the coupling fork 1 6 and the aileron 21 about a swivel axis ZZ.

Axial movement of the aileron 21 with respect to the coupling fork 1 6 is prevented by means of a nut 24 threaded on the threaded portion 20 of the coupling fork 16. The aileron 21 includes a removable flush access panel 25 which ailows access to the nut 24 to allow its removal and replacement.

The control, turning and swivel axes XX, YY, and ZZ all intersect at a common point through which the tilt axis HH, about which the aileron 21 will tilt, also passes.

In use, an aileron 21 will be mounted rearwardly of the rear portion 10 of a main wing by means of at least two, and probably three, of the hinge arrangements described above. The common points of intersection of the control, turning and swivel axes XX, YY and ZZ respectively for each individual arrangement will together define the axis HH about which the aileron will tilt. The control arms of these arrangements will preferably be interconnected for common drive movement by means of slave drive tubes; angular movement of any of the control arms will be transmitted to the other control arms of the arrangement by means of the slave drive tubes, and the angular movement of the control arms about a generally vertical axis will be transformed into deflection of the aileron 21 about a generally horizontal, spanwise axis.

It will be understood that this arrangement acts Lotn as a hinge c.rrangement for supporting the aileron and also as a deflection arrangement: an aileron may therefore be mounted using two or more of these arrangements, each arrangement being interconnected by a slave drive tube to effect the same tilting movement, so that the torsional rigidity of the aileron may positively be controlled.

Since each coupling fork 1 6 is attached to the aileron 21 by means of a single nut, the aileron may be disconnected from the rearward portion 10 of the wing simply by removing the appropriate access panels 25 and nuts 24, without the need to disconnect the control arrangements.

The arrangement essentially comprises three moving parts; the control tube 15, the hinge element 12, and the coupling fork 1 6. This is an advantage in terms of the ease of maintenance.

As shown in the drawings, the above described arrangement constitutes a flush mounting for the aileron, yet at the same time allows generous angular movement of the control arm 14 within the plane of the wing. This reduces the drag attributable to the control arrangements.

The arrangement is of particular advantage where it is wished to provide an arrangement for mounting an aileron on a wing having a relatively thin profile for the control movement is input linearly in a generally spanwise direction and this control movement is converted to a rotary movement by means of the combined hinge and deflection mounting. The arrangement therefore obviates the need for operating control members outside the normal wing aileron profile.

The relationship between the angular movement of the control arm 14 and that of the aileron 21 is dependent upon the angle of intersection between the limbs of the cruciform yoke 13; in the embodiment shown, the angle of intersection is 450 and thus the relationship is a one-to-one relationship for relatively small angles of deflection.

Claims

1. A combined hinge and deflection arrangement for mounting an aerodynamic control member for tilting movement with respect to an aerodynamic fixed member about a tilt axis, said arrangement including a hinge element mounted on the fixed member for pivoting movement about a control axis, actuation means to effect pivoting movement of the control member about said control axis, and a coupling member mounted on the control memberforswivelling movement about a swivel axis, said coupling member also being coupled to said hinge element for turning movement about a turning axis, said tilt, control, swivel and turning axes being arranged to intersect at a common point.

2. A combined hinge and deflection arrangement as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the hinge element includes an arm extending transversely of the control axis, said arm being adapted to co-operate with control rod means thereby to constitute said actuation means.

3. A combined hinge and deflection arrangement as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the control axis and the turn axis intersect at approximately 450.

4. A combined hinge and deflection arrangement as claimed in any of the preceding Claims, wherein the tilt axis and the control axis are perpendicular to each other.

5. A combined hinge and deflection arrangement substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.