Aeronautics and astronautics – Landing gear – Wheel
Patent
1983-06-01
1985-01-01
Barefoot, Galen L.
Aeronautics and astronautics
Landing gear
Wheel
415 3, 290 55, B64C 2540
Patent
active
044912889
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to aircraft landing wheel rotating means.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
When an aircraft lands, the tires on the landing wheels receive a large jolt as they are substantially stationary prior to touchdown and then they are suddenly accelerated to approximately the speed of the aircraft in a few seconds after touchdown. This jolt leads to rapid wear of the tires and often results in "flat spots" which unbalance the tires and may lead to blowouts. As the landing speeds of aircraft increase, the problem of tire wear is exacerbated.
Many methods have been proposed to rotate the landing wheels prior to touchdown to reduce the relative speed between the tires and the runway. Examples of these methods are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,313,159 (Gulotta); 2,466,568 (Bean); 2,594,202 (Necchi); 2,665,087 (Clover); 2,777,651 (Gates) and 3,004,738 (Peterson).
Generally these methods rely on the use of an airscoop which directs air under pressure onto a series of turbine blades attached to the landing wheels so that the flow of air over the blades rotates the wheels.
These methods have proved unsatisfactory. The airscoops create considerable unwanted drag, both when the undercarriage is lowered prior to touchdown and when the aircraft takes off, and because they must withstand large air forces, they are heavy, reducing the aircraft payload and increasing the fuel consumption.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a means to rotate the landing wheels prior to touchdown but with little, if any, drag as the undercarriage is lowered or on take off.
It is a preferred object to provide a means which incorporate a lightweight airscoop which directs the air to the landing wheels.
It is a further preferred object that the turbine blades form the spokes of the landing wheels.
It is a still further preferred object that the airscoop will direct a large volume of air in and around the disc braking system to improve its efficiency.
Other preferred objects will become apparent from the following description.
In one aspect the present invention resides in an aircraft landing wheel rotating means including: landing wheel; and the airscoop having a forwardly directed inlet and a wheel outlet adapted to direct the airflow through the airscoop to the turbine blades to rotate the landing wheel, the airscoop being characterized by: the airflow through the wheel outlet to the turbine blades and open the venting outlet to allow at least a portion of the airflow to pass through the venting outlet and bypass the turbine blades.
Preferably the undercarriage leg has an axle, and the landing wheel has a hub rotatably mounted on the axle, the turbine blades interconnecting the hub and rim of the landing wheel. Preferably the disc braking system for the wheel is incorporated in the hub.
Preferably the airscoop has a lightweight sheet metal housing with a preferably rectangular inlet and venting outlet. Preferably the wheel outlet is formed in the side of the housing adjacent the landing wheel and has a substantially frusto-conical shape complementary to the frusto-conical inner rim section of the landing wheel rim. Preferably the wheel outlet lies within the inner rim section and a minimal clearance is provided between the two to limit the escape of air between the airscoop and the landing wheel.
Preferably the movable means includes one or more doors and/or flaps pivotally or hingedly mounted in the housing rearwardly of the wheel outlet and operable to close the venting outlet. The doors or flaps may be opened and closed by hydraulic rams connected to the doors or flaps by links or cranks. Alternatively, the shafts supporting the doors or flaps may be fitted with gears engaged with racks or worms movable by hydraulic rams or servomotors.
Preferably the doors, when closing the venting outlet, engage the upright leg of the undercarriage leg and their leading edges may be concealed behind a fairing provided for
REFERENCES:
patent: 59828 (1866-11-01), Fay
patent: 415904 (1889-11-01), Duncan
patent: 2312159 (1943-02-01), Gulotta
patent: 2409439 (1946-10-01), Law
patent: 2412884 (1946-12-01), Grabash
patent: 2424941 (1947-07-01), Musser et al.
patent: 2454627 (1948-11-01), Brandt et al.
patent: 2466568 (1949-04-01), Bean
patent: 2594202 (1952-04-01), Necchi
patent: 2665087 (1954-01-01), Clover
patent: 2777651 (1957-01-01), Gates
patent: 3004738 (1961-10-01), Peterson
patent: 3161377 (1964-12-01), Balluff
patent: 4061294 (1977-12-01), Hawkins
patent: 4397431 (1983-08-01), Ben-Poraf
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