Goodyear Aerospace Corporation

The Goodyear & Tire Rubber Company

Robert E Berger

Richard L Crossman

Richard L Kirk

William F Conley

Roy W Baird

A closed torus tire may be inflated by means of a circumferential conduit located at the interface of the tire and a rim. The closed inflation chamber of the closed torus tire communicates with the circumferential conduit via an air inlet passageway through the annular base region of the tire's carcass. An inflation valve passageway through the rim also communicates with the circumferential conduit to provide an air conduit means for inflating the closed torus tire.

Circumferential conduit means for inflating a closed torus tire

An improved aircraft wheel configuration obviates the hazard of wheel failure during take-off and landing situations when tire deflation occurs and the wheel accepts full loading on its flanges. The wheel is configured to provide a differential flange height between the inboard and outboard flanges such that the total load applied to the wheel is distributed equally between the flanges. Alternatively, and/or in addition the flanges are restructured to provide an increased section modulus and the inboard flange is designed to provide a wider contact surface.

Non-frangible wheel

An annular carbon brake disk having cast metal keyslot reinforcement members which are shaped to intimately conform to the contour of the keyslots and to an adjacent surface area of the disk on each side of the keyslots. The reinforcement members are preferably investment castings of heat resistant stainless steel or other suitable metal and the walls of the reinforcement members are substantially thicker at the portion contacting the keyslot than at the other portions of the members. The keyslot reinforcement members may be used with either continuous or segmented disks.

Growing community of inventors

North Canton, OH, United States of America

Robert E Berger