Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation

Sundstrand Corporation

David G Bannon

William E Seidel

David Everett Russ

Mark A Osborn

Gregory J Bradley

Christopher S Prokup

Duane H Grimm

Timothy Scott Konicek

Scott J Marks

Richard E Walsh

Roger J Collings

Conor Riordan

Paul Michael Reinhard

Leslie L Bevans

David L Jacques

Gary D Nohr

A ram air turbine actuator release device to release a ram air turbine actuator includes a lock bolt releasably engaged to the ram air turbine actuator, a toggle comprising a toggle roller to engage the lock bolt, and a toggle pivot to couple the toggle to the ram air turbine actuator, a hydraulic toggle actuator, including a piston defining a first hydraulic chamber and a second hydraulic chamber, a solenoid valve in fluid communication with the first hydraulic chamber, and a plunger coupled to the piston, wherein a pressure differential between the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber displaces the plunger to rotate the toggle to disengage the toggle roller from the lock bolt.

Ram air turbine hydraulic release mechanism

A ram air turbine actuator release device to release a ram air turbine actuator includes a lock bolt releasably engaged to the ram air turbine actuator, a toggle including a toggle roller to engage the lock bolt, and a toggle pivot to couple the toggle to the ram air turbine actuator, a toggle actuator, including an actuation source, and a stroke amplifier, including a piston coupled to the actuation source, a first hydraulic chamber having a first diameter in fluid communication with the piston, a second hydraulic chamber having a second diameter in fluid communication with the first hydraulic chamber, and a plunger in fluid communication with the second chamber, wherein a diameter ratio between the first hydraulic chamber and the second hydraulic chamber amplifies a displacement of the actuation source to displace the plunger to rotate the toggle to disengage the toggle roller from the lock bolt.

Ram air turbine release mechanism with stroke amplification

A linear actuator includes a fixed first end, a second end movable linearly along a central axis of the actuator, an inner cylinder configured to urge axial movement of the second end, and a piston assembly including a piston rod located inside of the inner cylinder. One or more locking pawls are located in pawl openings in the piston rod. The one or more locking pawls are selectably engagable with the inner cylinder to prevent relative motion of the piston rod and the inner cylinder. A lockbolt selectably releases the one or more locking pawls from engagement with the inner cylinder and includes an antilock pin engagable with a pawl opening in the one or more locking pawls to urge the one or more locking pawls away from the inner cylinder with axial movement of the lockbolt.

Failsafe deployment feature for actuator

An actuator assembly includes a housing, an internal cavity within the housing configured to partially contain a pressurized fluid, a fluid inlet port connecting a first opening on an outer surface of the housing to the internal cavity, a fluid outlet port connecting a second opening on the outer surface of the housing to the internal cavity, and a pressure relief channel having a relief inlet and a relief outlet. The relief outlet is in fluid communication with the internal cavity and a distance between the fluid inlet port and the relief outlet is less than half a distance between the fluid inlet port and fluid outlet port.

Mistake proof ram air turbine downlock protection

A locking mechanism for a ram air turbine (RAT) includes a base clevis configured to mount to a housing and to have a base link clevis connector portion defining a plurality of base link clevis connector arms and a base link clevis having a base connector portion defining base connector arms that are configure to movably connect to the base link clevis connector arm. The locking mechanism also includes a pin operatively connecting the base connector portion to the base link clevis connector portion in a rotatable relationship and a spring positioned around the pin, wherein a first spring end abuts the base clevis and a second spring end abuts the base link clevis to bias the base link clevis to an unlocked position. A sleeve is positioned between the spring and the pin to maintain a wind diameter of the spring.

Locking mechanisms for ram air turbines

An actuator housing is provided. The actuator housing may comprise a body, and a first side of the body including a first pin interface and a first threaded hole clocked relative to the first pin interface. The first pin interface and the first threaded hole may be configured to interface with a solenoid housing. A second side of the body may be orthogonal to the first side. The second side may include a circular geometry with a cylindrical member disposed central to the circular geometry. A toggle assembly interface may be recessed in the second side and disposed within the cylindrical member.

Actuator housing for ram air turbine deployment actuator

An actuator for a ram air turbine system includes a piston rod that is cylindrical in shape and centered about a centerline, and stow lock pawls supported by the piston rod and able to move radially. Each of the stow lock pawls has a crown with a crown radius. The actuator further includes a lock bolt extending along the centerline radially within the piston rod and configured to be axially movable within the piston rod between a stowed position and a deployed position. The actuator further includes rollers radially outward from the centerline configured to be guided by the lock bolt and a cylinder having a mating surface with a mating radius. The cylinder is positioned radially outward from the piston rod and configured to be axially movable between the stowed position and the deployed position. A ratio of the crown radius of the stow lock pawls to the mating radius of the cylinder is less than 0.98.

Stow lock pawl for a rat actuator

A ram air turbine assembly includes a governor shaft rotatable about an axis and a stop shaft coupled for rotation with the governor shaft. A rotatable housing portion surrounds at least a portion of the stop shaft. A lock plunger extends through an opening in the rotatable housing portion to prevent rotation of the rotatable housing portion and minimize vibration impact loading when stowed.

Turbine lock plunger for ram air turbine assembly

In one aspect, a ram air turbine stall recovery system includes a ram air turbine, a hydraulic pump powered by the ram air turbine with the hydraulic pump having a pump inlet and a pump outlet, an electric generator powered by the ram air turbine, a bypass line that connects the pump outlet to the pump inlet, a bypass valve located on the bypass line between the pump outlet and the pump inlet; and a controller responsive to an input signal that indicates a potential stall condition of the ram air turbine. The controller causes the bypass valve to open to allow a hydraulic fluid to flow through the bypass line in order to reduce a pressure within the hydraulic pump.

Stall recovery system for a ram air turbine

An actuator housing is provided. The actuator housing may comprise a body. A first side of the body may include a first pin interface and a first threaded hole clocked relative to the first pin interface. The first pin interface and the first threaded hole may be configured to interface with a solenoid housing. A second side the body may be disposed adjacent the first side. The second side may include a toggle assembly interface configured to receive a toggle assembly. A third side of the body may be disposed adjacent the first side and the second side. The third side may include an adapter interface configured to receive an adapter for the toggle assembly.

A component for use in a ram air turbine actuator includes a lock bolt extending along a centerline with the lock bolt being axially movable between a stowed position and a deployed position and a plurality of rollers that are radially outward from the centerline and guided by the lock bolt. The component also includes a slider radially between at least a portion of the lock bolt and a piston rod with the slider being axially movable between a stop position and the deployed position and up-lock wedges supported by the piston rod. The actuator becomes locked in the stowed position when the lock bolt and slider move axially within the piston rod and a cylinder to position the rollers to push the up-lock wedges radially outward into an aperture and prevent the lock bolt, slider, and cylinder from axial movement.

Ram air turbine actuator

A flyweight for use in a ram air turbine has a body with a circumferentially enlarged portion extending between flat sides spaced by an angle of between 45 degrees and 150 degrees. A pivot point is defined by a bore at a circumferentially intermediate point in the body, and in a relatively thin inner portion. The relatively thin inner portion extends beyond the pivot point to an end that will be radially inward when the flyweight is mounted in a ram air turbine. A governor, a ram air turbine and a method are also described.

Flyweight for ram air turbine

A combination hub, counterweight and crank arm for a governor assembly in a ram air turbine is has a hub section with a cylindrical orifice, an annular collar section that surround the hub section, a counterweight section that extends out of the annular collar section and a crank arm section that extends out of the annular collar section, with all the sections formed in a single piece steel body.

Combined hub, counterweight and crank arm with single piece steel body

A Ram Air Turbine (RAT) is provided and includes a turbine hub having an end plate and a nose cone attached thereto at trailing and leading ends, respectively, a governor shaft, to which turbine blades are connected, which is coupled to the end plate and supported within the nose cone to be rotatable with the turbine blades about a central axis thereof and axially movable from a first position relative to the turbine hub to a second position relative to the turbine hub and a hub assembly operably coupled to the turbine hub, the governor shaft and the turbine blades whereby the hub assembly biases the governor shaft toward the first position at low rotational speeds such that the turbine blades assume a partial coarse pitch angle, and the second position at high rotational speeds such that the turbine blades assume a fine pitch angle.

Partial coarse pitch start Ram Air Turbine with enhanced spring support

A ram air turbine assembly includes a preferentially located mass that modifies the resonance frequency of the assembly so that vibration is reduced to desired levels. The example mass can be fixed in a specific location on the ram air turbine or can be deployable once the ram air turbine is moved to an operating position.

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Rockford, IL, United States of America

David G Bannon