Air Tractor Inc.

Victor D Trotter

Robert L Woods

Travis G Storro

Lee N Skidmore

An aerial valve for a liquid container (e.g., a bag or a tank) suspended or otherwise carried by a firefighting aircraft includes an axially compressible tubular diaphragm. To open and close the valve, a motorized leadscrew raises and lowers a flow stopper relative to a discharge opening. The tubular diaphragm creates an air chamber above the flow stopper, so the full weight of the liquid in the container is not bearing down against the flow stopper. Thus, less force is needed to lift the flow stopper from its closed position, making the valve easier to open. Some examples of the aerial valve include features that make it wear resistant, easy to service, reprogram remotely, inexpensive to ship, and useful as a replacement for existing valves.

Aerial container valve with tubular diaphragm

In the field of agriculture and aerial firefighting, some example vent systems for aircraft fluid dispersion tanks include a vent-well recessed below the top of the tank. When a gate valve assembly below the tank opens to release fluid for dispersion along the aircraft's trailing flight path, the vent system prevents a detrimental vacuum from developing within the tank. In some examples, a recessed vent exploits the Coanda effect to direct air into the tank without obstructing the pilot's view. In some examples, a low profile scoop above the vent further promotes airflow with minimal visual obstruction. In addition or alternatively, some example vent systems include a lightweight cable connecting the gate valve assembly to a spring-loaded vent. The cable pulls the vent open in response to the gate opening to release fluid. When the gate closes, the cable becomes slack, which allows the spring to close the vent.

Lightweight low-profile vent systems for aircraft fluid dispersion tanks

A dump gate system for a fluid hopper in a firefighting aircraft. A gate sealably engages a gate opening in the hopper at a closed position. The gate is hingedly connected about the gate opening, and a drive shaft is supported within the hopper. A crank arm is fixed to the drive shaft and is further coupled to the gate by a connecting link. The crank arm and the connecting link define an over-center geometry while the gate is at the closed position, such that weight of the fluid on the gate induces torque on the drive shaft in a gate-closing direction. An electric motor is selectively coupled to rotate the drive shaft in a gate-opening direction to thereby enable control of the fluid flow from the hopper according to an angular position of the drive shaft.

Aerial firefighting dump gate system

A dump gate system for a fluid hopper in a firefighting aircraft. A gate sealably engages a gate opening in the hopper at a closed position. The gate is hingedly connected about the gate opening, and a drive shaft is supported within the hopper. A crank arm is fixed to the drive shaft and is further coupled to the gate by a connecting link. The crank arm and the connecting link define an over-center geometry while the gate is at the closed position, such that weight of the fluid on the gate induces torque on the drive shaft in a gate-closing direction. A linear electric motor is selectively coupled to rotate the drive shaft in a gate-opening direction to thereby enable control of the fluid flow from the hopper according to an angular position of the drive shaft.

An airborne container for a liquid or other flowable material has bottom doors which are opened to release the material on the ground below the aircraft. To maintain a specified coverage level, a control system which includes a digital controller repeatedly calculates a differential pressure across the doors and varies the position of the doors to maintain a constant material flow rate as the differential pressure varies. The control system closes the doors when a specified volume of material has been spread.

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Fort Worth, TX, United States of America

Victor D Trotter