Messier-dowty Inc.

Robert Menezes

Ian Robert Bennett

Richard Charles Lang

Matthew Hilliard

Paul Shaw

Peter Michaelides

A landing gear (), including: a bogie beam (); an axle () pivotally connected to the bogie beam (); a locking member () coupled to the axle () such that movement of the axle () invokes movement of the locking member (), said movement of the locking member () defining a swept volume; and a locking mechanism () coupled to the bogie beam () and including first () and second glide members, () the locking mechanism () being arranged to move the glide members () between locking positions, where glide members () are within the swept volume on opposing sides of the locking member () and in which position the locking mechanism () is arranged to lock the locking member () in a predetermined position, and non-locking positions, where the locking mechanism () is arranged permit movement of the locking member ().

Landing gear

There is described a landing gear having a bogie including a elongated beam () for accommodating at least two axles receiving each a pair of ground engaging wheels, at least one axle () being pivotally mounted on the elongated beam. The landing gear further includes axle travel limitation means () extending between said pivotable axle and said elongated beam to be hitched up thereto, said travel limitation means being deformable one way starting from an stable and lockable state thereof corresponding to a landing position of said pivotable axle. There are also described independently lockable and actuatable telescopic struts.

Steerable axle

An auxiliary mechanism includes a lever unit, a spring unit and a positioning unit. One of the units pivotally connects to the upper portion of a main shock absorber strut so as to pivot between a predetermined lower position for take-off and landing and an upper position. Another unit pivotally connects at an upper end to the upper portion of the main shock absorber strut and pivotally connects at a lower end to the first unit. A third unit pivotally connects at a lower end to the bogie beam at an auxiliary pivot and connects at an upper end to the lever. The positioning unit assumes either a contracted state or extended state for taxiing, take-off and landing, and assumes the other state for stowing the landing gear after take-off. The spring unit provides spring resistance to pivotal movements of the bogie beam about the main pivot during taxiing.

A semi-levered landing gear for an aircraft includes a main shock absorber strut, a bogie beam and an auxiliary actuator mechanism. The bogie beam extends fore and aft of an airframe of the aircraft with forward and aft axles for respective forward and aft wheels, and a main pivot between the forward and aft axle pivotally connected to the lower portion of the main shock absorber strut. The auxiliary actuator mechanism includes a spring unit pivotally connected at a lower end to an auxiliary pivot on the bogie forward of the main pivot, and at an upper end to an anchor point offset from the pivot connection of the upper portion to the aircraft fuselage. During stowing the strut and spring unit pivot together about different pivot points, causing a relative longitudinal movement between the main pivot and auxiliary pivot that further tilts the bogie beam to a stowing position.

An auxiliary actuator mechanism includes a lever, a spring unit and a control linkage. The lever is pivotally connected to the upper portion of a main shock absorber strut, and pivotable between an upper position for take-off, and a lower position. The spring unit is pivotally connected at an upper end to the lever and at a lower end to the bogie at an auxiliary pivot forward of the main pivot. The control linkage is connected between the lever and the upper portion of the main shock absorber strut to define the upper predetermined position of the lever. The control linkage is connectable to an anchor point that moves relative to the upper portion of the main shock absorber strut during stowing, and is operated by initial stowing movement of the stowing mechanism to lower the lever from the upper position to a stowing position.

An auxiliary actuator () comprises a two stage telescopic hydraulic unit comprising first () and second () stage piston and cylinder actuators operating coaxially within an outer casing (). A respective actuator is connected to a respective one of the strut () and bogie beam (). The second stage actuator () serves to control the tilt position of the bogie beam () relative to the strut (). The second stage actuator (), when in the retracted position with the first stage actuator () in the extended position, limits the length ol the auxiliary actuator () between its connections () to the strut () and bogie beam (), so as to assume a predetermined intermediate length in which the bogie beam () is restrained to tilt about the auxiliary pivot () and thereby lengthens the landing gear during take-off.

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Bristol, United Kingdom

Robert Menezes