GB581142A - Improvements in or connected with pressure cabins for aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

581,142. Aircraft pressure cabins. VICKERS - ARMSTRONGS, Ltd., and WALLIS, B. N. Nov. 18, 1942, No. 16338. [Class 4] An aircraft pressure cabin comprises two or more rigid non-circular frames or bulkheads to which a mesh or network of flexible tension members is. connected enclosing an airtight flexible inner skin, the tension members being so arranged that the lateral loading thereon due to the internal pressure on said skin is so varied that the network assumes the same shape in cross-section as that defined by the rigid frames or bulkheads. An inverted U-shaped cabin is shown in which successive transverse frames 10 are connected by longitudinal members 13, 14 to which and to the frames 10 are secured the ends of inclined wires A forming a mesh which is closer near the lower part of the cabin, where the curvature of the wall is flatter, than it is at the top of the cabin. The wires support an inner flexible skin 15. The floor 11 is rigid and made impervious. The lateral loading on the wires due to the pressure on the skin varies.inversely as the radius of curvature of the cross-section of the cabin. A modification is described in which each transverse frame is formed of three circular arcs, an upper arc joined to two side arcs of flatter curvature. In this case the network is divided into three zones, of uniform mesh in each zone, connected to longitudinal wires 17, Fig. 4, arranged at the position of the change of curvature, the meshes in the upper zone being wider than those in the two side zones. A second pressure space may be formed beneath the floor 11 and may be of the same shape as the upper space but inverted. The main framework of the fuselage may be of geodetic structure as shown in Fig. 1 and the outer covering may be as described in Specification 574,090. The space between the outer covering and the network may be filled with wool noil. Specification. 233,020, [Class 4], also is referred to.