Normalair-garrett (holdings) Limited

Westland Plc

Peter J Rowland

James C Foote

Michael W Harral

Andrew Bramwell

Raymond John Hann

Neville F Adams

Ronald E Short

An assembly for retaining a catch member in a first condition and for releasing the catch member for movement to a second condition, the assembly including a latch member pivotable about a first pivotal axis and having a formation adapted to co-operate with the catch member to retain the catch member when the latch member is in a latched position, and a rocker member pivotable about a second pivotal axis, the latch member and the rocker member interacting to retain the latch member in its latched position, the assembly further including actuating means to move the rocker member about the second pivotal axis to cause the latch member to be pivoted about the first pivotal axis to an unlatched position to release the catch member, and wherein the latch member and the rocker member are interconnected by a resilient biasing means wherein the resilient biasing means includes first and second relatively movable parts with a spring acting between them and there being a stop means which locks the first and second relatively movable parts upon a movement of the rocker member about the second pivotal axis beyond a threshold position.

Uplock assembly

Inflation pressure of an aircrew G-suit is set by a servo-pressure which controls movement of inflation gas supply and vent valves 126 and 127, respectively. Servo-pressure is regulated by a torque motor controlled valve 124, 125 which receives a servo-demand signal from an electronic control unit (ECU) 123. The ECU receives an inflation pressure demand signal P.sub.DEM from an aircraft systems computer 120 which stores schedules of G-suit inflation pressure against increasing acceleration and decreasing cabin ambient pressure. The computer is programmed to look-up and output the higher one of values for inflation pressure dependent upon values of acceleration signals G.sub.Z and cabin ambient pressure signals P.sub.AMB input to the computer by sensors 121 and 122, respectively. The ECU compares an existing G-suit inflation pressure P.sub.O signal with the inflation pressure demand signal and generates a compensated error signal which is combined with the inflation pressure demand signal to provide the servo-demand signal. The use of the ECU for the computationally intensive control task optimizes the use of the aircraft system computer. A combined breathing demand regulator and G-suit inflation pressure control valve which continues to function in the absence of electrical power after bail-out from an aircraft is also disclosed.

Aircraft aircrew life support systems

A breathing demand regulator for use in aircrew life support apparatus has an aneroid capsule 56 coacting with a valve head 50 to restrict outflow from a breathing pressure control chamber 32. The aneroid capsule expands to move the valve head in the event of aircraft cabin altitude rising above a predetermined level due to loss of cabin pressure. An end face 53 of a valve stem 51 supporting the valve head senses inflation pressure of an aircrew G-suit by way of a passageway 59 for movement of the valve head in the presence of G-load. This arrangement provides for increased control pressure and, hence, increased breathing gas pressure in a regulator outlet 13, in meeting the higher of requirements for positive pressure breathing to protect an aircrew member exposed to both G-load and high aircraft ambient altitude (say above 12000 meters). The regulator is disclosed in combination with an anti-G valve arrangement 90, 100 and a G-suit inflation control valve arrangement 60, 61 and 120, 121 that provides the higher of G-suit inflation pressure requirement for protecting the aircrew member when exposed to high aircraft ambient altitude in the presence of G-load.

Aircraft aircrew life support apparatus

A fuel flow control valve is adapted to control the flow of fuel in a spill line to control the amount of fuel usable in a two speed gas turbine. The valve includes fluid pressure operated valve means controlled by two variable volume fluid pressure chambers to provide appropriate fuel flow for `run` and `idle` conditions, and positioning means to automatically position the fluid pressure operated valve means when the control valve is at rest to provide a flow of fuel appropriate for `start-up` of the gas turbine that is greater than the flow required in the `idle` condition but less than that required in the `run` condition. Operating fluid pressures connected to the chambers may comprise either gaseous fluid pressures tapped from a stage of the compressor of the gas turbine or a combination of said gaseous pressure source and a liquid fluid pressure source preferably comprising a fuel pressure supply tapped from the fuel supply line to the gas turbine.

Growing community of inventors

Yeovil, United Kingdom

Peter J Rowland