Lucas Industries Limited

Lucas Industries Public Limited Company

Goodrich Actuation Systems Limited

Stephen Harlow Davies

John Herbert Harvey

Tony Jones

Kevin Richard Hadley

Terence John Capewell

Richard John McKay

Philip Hudson

David John Langford

Edward George Hill

Alan Terry Rollason

Arthur L Lloyd

Michael J Anderson

Mark Guy

Steven Blakemore

Nigel R Moorhouse

An actuator comprising, a first, rotatable member arranged to be driven by a motor, a sleeve, said first member cooperating with said sleeve such that rotation of the first member at a given speed relative to said sleeve causes the sleeve to be translated axially at a first speed through a predetermined distance, stop means limiting axial translation of the sleeve reative to the first member whereafter during continued rotation of the first member the sleeve rotates with the first member, a second, non-rotatable, member, said sleeve cooperating with said second member whereby rotation of the sleeve at said given speed causes axial translation of the second member relative to said sleeve at a second speed and, a brake arrangement applying a braking force to the sleeve, the braking force resisting rotation of the sleeve but not significantly affecting translation of the sleeve.

Sequentially operated actuator with brake arrangement

A skew detection system for use in sensing the occurrence of a skew condition in a system having a plurality of control surfaces located adjacent one another and which, in use, are driven to move simultaneously and at the same speed as one another, the skew detection system comprising a detector arrangement extending over and movable with the surfaces, between a first location on one of the surfaces and a second location on another of the surfaces, at least part of the detector arrangement being arranged to move in the event that one or more of the surfaces becomes skewed, and a sensor arranged to permit a change in the position of the said part of the detector arrangement to be detected. In one embodiment, a skew condition can be sensed using two sensors.

Skew detection system

A screw actuator comprising first and second relatively rotatable members, a screw thread formation in the first member including a helical groove, spherical elements carried by the second member and in rolling engagement in the helical groove to form a ball screw coupling between the first and second members, the groove being of sufficient width to allow the spherical elements to move laterally within the groove, and a brake member carried by the second member and defining a screw thread formation which is received in the groove of the screw thread formation of the first member, the brake member being angularly moveable relative to the second member by rotation of the first member relative to the second member, between a first angular position in which the screw thread formation of the brake member is cooperable with that of the first member, and a second angular position in which the screw thread formation of the brake member is not cooperable with that of the first member.

Screw actuator

A deployment inhibiting arrangement for a jet engine thrust reverser system, the system including one or more actuators for operating a thrust reverser of the system and first locking means for the or each actuator normally serving to hold the system in a condition in which the thrust reverser is undeployed, the inhibiting arrangement including additional locking means normally held in an inactive condition, but operable by means independent of said one or more actuators and said first locking means to provide an additional mechanical lock serving to prevent deployment of the thrust reverser irrespective of the condition of the first locking means and/or actuator(s). The invention also relates to a jet engine thrust reverser system, the system including such a deployment inhibiting arrangement.

Deployment inhibiting arrangement for a thrust reverser system

A lock for a thrust reverser comprising a retainer member carried by a pivot pin, the pivot pin being angularly moveable between a first position in which the retainer member retains a part of the thrust reverser and a second position in which the said part of the thrust reverser is not retained by the retainer member. The lock further comprises a lock arrangement for retaining the pivot pin in its first position, the lock arrangement comprising a lock member axially moveable between a locked position, in which it cooperates with the pivot pin to prevent movement of the pivot pin from its first position to its second position, and a retracted position, an arrangement for restricting angular movement of the lock member, and a solenoid actuator arranged to control movement of the lock member.

Lock for a trust reverser

An actuator comprising a drive arrangement arranged to rotate a first drive member, the first member being in screw-threaded engagement with a second member, the second member being in screw-threaded engagement with a third, output member, wherein the screw-threaded engagement between the first and second members is such that, when the first member rotates at a given speed relative to the second member, the second member moves axially relative to the first member at a first speed, the screw-threaded engagement between the second and third members being such that, when the second member rotates at the said given speed relative to the third member, the third member moves axially relative to the second member at a second, higher speed. The invention also resides in an aircraft engine thrust reverser system utilizing one or more of the above actuators for deploying cowls of the system.

Actuator

A fluid pressure-operated actuator comprises a cylinder body containing a piston slidable therein, the piston defining respective chambers at opposite sides thereof. A rod projects from one side of the piston and extends through an end wall of the cylinder and a plunger is slidable on the rod and also extends through the end wall. The arrangement is such that the application of fluid pressure simultaneously to the chambers results in movement of the piston lengthwise of the rod, the piston movement including a first part during which the plunger applies force to the rod in addition to that arising on the piston, and a second part during which the force from the plunger is absent.

Fluid pressure actuator and actuator system

A torque limiter comprises input and output shafts connected together by a clutch which disengages to prevent excessive torque from being applied to the output shaft and to allow the input shaft to rotate freely. As the clutch disengages, a brake is applied to the output shaft to prevent it from rotating. When the brake is applied, a latch holds the brake on. The clutch comprises balls which are held in clutch plate recesses to transmit torque but which ride out of the recesses and fall into pockets so that the clutch becomes permanently disengaged.

Torque limiter

A lock is provided for locking a first door and a second door of an engine thrust reverser. The lock comprises a first and a second locking element for the first and second doors, respectively. The first and second locking elements are movable between a first and a second position for respectively preventing and permitting deployment of the first and second doors. A third locking member is provided and is movable between a first and a second position for preventing and permitting, respectively, movement of the first and second locking elements from the first positions and second positions thereof. An electromechanical actuator is arranged to move the third locking element from a first position to a second position thereof.

Lock for an engine thrust reverser

A lock for an engine thrust reverser comprises a locking member, for example, in the shape of a fork, arranged to engage a locking pin of a thrust reversing member. In use, the thrust reversing member is held in an inoperative position by other locks such that no force is exerted on the locking member by the thrust reversing member. If the other locks fail, the thrust reversing member pushes against the locking member. Under such conditions the lock cannot be unlocked and consequently the thrust reversing member is prevented from being deployed.

A device is provided for hand operation of a gas turbine engine thrust reversing system. Torque is applied to an input element and transmitted to an output element by way of a torque limiting means arranged to substantially remove the torque from the output element when the torque exceeds a threshold. The device also includes means to lock the thrust reverser against movement.

Device for operation of a gas turbine engine thrust reverser system

A lock has a shaft coupled to a flexible shaft which synchronizes hydraulic actuators of a translating cowl thrust reverser. The shaft is provided with a rotary brake comprising axially movable rotating and fixed discs urged together by a spring. The rotating discs are rotationally fixed to an armature of a solenoid which, when actuated, releases the rotary brake to allow the shaft to rotate and the thrust reverser to be deployed or stowed.

Lock for a thrust reverser mechanism, a thrust reverser mechanism, and a

The core of a liner displacement transducer is coupled to a rotatable movable member by a threaded stem which engages the member for rotation therewith and is axially slidable relative thereto. The stem threadedly engages a nut which is axially located on a fixed part of the transducer and is restrained against rotation by a spring loaded detent. Projections on the stem are engageable with respective abutments on the nut at opposite limits of linear travel of the stem, causing the nut to rotate and preventing further change in the position of the core.

Coupling for linear displacement transducer

A device for coupling a rotary member to an axially movable input stem of a linear displacement transducer comprises an axially movable element which is coupled to the stem and threadedly engages the rotary member. The axially movable element is restrained against rotation by spring loaded detents and has abutments which can engage a lug on the member when the element reaches its limiting axial positions. This engagement causes the element to be rotated with the member and input to the transducer is arrested.

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Telford, United Kingdom

Stephen Harlow Davies