GB684388A - Improvements in the mounting of aircraft landing wheels - Google Patents

Abstract

684,388. Aircraft undercarriages. GOODYEAR AIRCRAFT CORPORATION. June 29, 1951. [March 26, 1951] No. 15468/51. Class 4. An aircraft landing gear comprises a strut, an axle support attached to the bottom of the strut, a landing wheel axle mounted slidably in the said support and axially slidable therein, an operating mechanism, also mounted in the said support and connected with the said axle in such manner as to allow it to be moved from an inner position and vice versa, and driving elements extending from the said operating mechanism to a point outside said support and arranged so as to be connected with an outside power source. The invention may be applied to undercarriages having single or double wheels in the embodiment shown in Figs. 2 and 3, applied to two wheels, the undercarriage leg 1 shown in a plan cross-section carries at its lower end a cross head 2 which supports axially slidable wheel axles 3 and 4 each prevented from rotating by a key 6. Each axle is bored at 17 and internally threaded at 15 to receive a transverse operating shaft 8 formed at each end with a threaded portion 14 and a cylindrical extension 16 and having at its centre a worm wheel 9, axial movement of the shaft being prevented by collars 10 secured by nuts 12 within recesses 13 in the head 2. Each axle is slotted at 24 to receive a stud 23 which limits its axial movement. A driving shaft 18, fitted with a worm to mesh with the worm wheel 9, is mounted in bearings 20, 21 and is provided with a connection to a power take-off 22 actuated from the pilot's cockpit. When the undercarriage is extended the axles 3, 4 are driven apart to provide a maximum track for the wheels, but during retraction the power drive 22 is operated to draw the wheels together in order that they may occupy a minimum space within the aircraft structure. In an alternative embodiment Figs. 6-9 (not shown) the inner end of each axle is pivotally connected to a toggle lever in turn connected to pins on a toggle disc rotated by a source of power similar to that employed for the operation of the shaft 18.