GB685237A - Improvements relating to aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

685,237. Electrically indicating out-of-balance of fuel tanks in aircraft. SIMMONDS AEROCESSORIES, Ltd. Aug. 15, 1951 [Sept. 5, 1950], No. 21854/50. Class 37. [Also in Group XXXIII] In an aircraft having one or more tanks or groups of tanks on each side of a nominal centre of gravity line, electrically operated liquid contents gauges are arranged to provide a current proportional to the moment of the liquid in each tank or group of tanks about the nominal centre of gravity line and to control a differential indicator which is calibrated to show the extent and direction of any out of balance condition. Tanks 1, 2, 3, 4 in the starboard wing and tanks 11, 12, 13, 14 in the port wing are respectively fitted with capacity gauges 6, 7, 8, 9 and 16, 17, 18, 19, the gauges of each group being linked in parallel by leads 10 and 20 and respectively connected to suitable capacity measuring arrangements 21 and 22 which in turn are applied to a differential indicator 23. The size of the condenser in each capacity gauge is such that the change of capacity is proportional to the product of the distance of the centre of gravity of the respective tank from the centre line A-B of the aircraft and the mass of fuel in the tank so that the indicator 23 will give a direct indication of any out of balance moment and may, if desired, be arranged to control pumps so as to effect the transfer or control the rate of flow of liquid from the appropriate tanks when an unbalanced condition occurs. A separate circuit, Fig. 2 (not shown), may be provided to give an indication of any fore-andaft out of balance moment with respect to the centre of gravity line C-D.