Mcdonnell Douglas Corporation

William V Mutz

Wilfred E Boehringer

Teunes Verhoeven

Terry J Beezhold

The present invention provides a door operating system for opening and closing a door covering an exit opening of an aircraft. More particularly, the present invention provides a door operating system for opening and closing a plug type door typically located on the lower passenger deck of an aircraft. The door operating system includes a frame that is connected to the door of the aircraft and defines a pivot for the door. Connected to the frame is a torque drum and linkage system. The door operating system also includes a motor and a cable drum attached to the opposite end of the track. A cable is connected to the cable drum, the torque drum, and the frame. When opening the door, the motor turns the cable drum, which thereby pulls the cable. The cable rotates the drive torque drum and causes the door to be rotated about the pivot thereby moving the door upwardly and inwardly away from the exit opening. After the door has moved away from the exit opening, the cable pulls the frame such that the frame slides along the track and is moved lengthwise with respect to the aircraft away from the exit opening. To close the door, the above operations are reversed. As an aid to opening and closing the door, the door operating system also includes an interlock system that prevents the door from being moved lengthwise along the track until the door has been fully rotated upwardly and inwardly by the torque drum.

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Long Beach, CA, United States of America

William V Mutz