Aircraft wing and locking mechanism

An aircraft comprising an aircraft wing, the aircraft wing comprising:

• a fixed wing, and
• a wing tip device at a tip of the fixed wing, wherein the wing tip device is configurable between (i) a locked flight configuration for use during flight, and (ii) a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations, while in the ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the locked flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft wing is reduced,
• the aircraft wing further comprising a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising:
• a locked configuration for locking the wing tip device in the locked flight configuration, and
• an unlocked configuration in which the wing tip device is configured to move into and out of the flight configuration,
• the locking mechanism further comprising:
• a locking pin mechanically attached to one of the fixed wing and wing tip device, and
• a receiving socket mechanically attached to the other of the fixed wing and wing tip device,
• wherein the receiving socket is arranged to receive the locking pin in when the wing tip device is in the locked flight configuration such that when the locking mechanism is in the locked configuration the locking pin cannot be removed from the receiving socket,
• wherein the locking pin comprises a longitudinal axis and a distal end, where at the distal end a first protrusion extends in a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a second protrusion extends in a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, where the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and
• the receiving socket comprises a receiving section for receiving the first protrusion and the second protrusion, the receiving socket further comprising a first rotatable latch and the second rotatable latch, the first rotatable latch and the second rotatable latch are arranged to engage with, and block, the removal of the first protrusion and the second protrusion respectively when the locking mechanism is in the locked configuration, the first rotatable latch and the second rotatable latch arranged to allow movement of the first protrusion and the second protrusion into and out of the receiving portion when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked configuration,
• wherein the first rotatable latch and the second rotatable latch comprise a pivot point around which said first and second rotatable latches rotate, and the locking mechanism is arranged such that when under tension, the force transmitted through the first and second rotatable latches is directed directly through the pivot point.

An aircraft wing, the aircraft wing comprising:

• a fixed wing, and
• a wing tip device at a tip of the fixed wing,
• wherein the wing tip device is configurable between (i) a flight configuration for use during flight, and (ii) a ground configuration for use during ground-based operations, while in the ground configuration the wing tip device is moved away from the flight configuration such that the span of the aircraft wing is reduced,
• the aircraft wing further comprising a locking mechanism, the locking mechanism comprising a locked configuration for locking the wing tip device in the flight configuration and an unlocked configuration in which the wing tip device may move into and out of the flight configuration, the locking mechanism comprising:
• a locking pin mechanically attached to one of the fixed wing and wing tip device, and
• a receiving socket mechanically attached to the other of the fixed wing and wing tip device,
• wherein the receiving socket is arranged to receive the locking pin when the wing tip device is in the flight configuration such that when the locking mechanism is in the locked configuration the locking pin cannot be removed from the receiving socket,
• wherein the locking pin comprises a longitudinal axis, and a distal end, where at the distal end a first protrusion extends in a first direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, and a second protrusion extends in a second direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, where the first direction is opposite to the second direction, and
• the receiving socket comprises a receiving section for receiving the first protrusion and the second protrusion, the receiving socket further comprising:
• a first pair of rotatable latches on a first side of the receiving sprocket and including a first latch configured to engage a first rearward end face of the first protrusion to and a second latch configured to engage a second rearward end face of the first protrusion, and
• a second pair of rotatable latches on a second side of the receiving sprocket opposite to the first side, the second pair of rotatable latches including a first latch configured to engage a first rearward end face of the second protrusion to and a second latch configured to engage a second rearward end face of the second protrusion,
• wherein the first and second rotatable latches block removal of the first and second protrusions when the locking mechanism is in the locked configuration, and
• wherein the first and second pairs of rotatable latches allow movement of the first and second protrusions when the locking mechanism is in the unlocked configuration.

A method to lock a wing tip device to a tip of a fixed wing, the method comprising:

• moving the wing tip device from a ground configuration to a flight configuration;
• as the wing tip device moves into the flight configuration, inserting a locking pin projecting from one of the wing tip device and the tip of the fixed wing into a slot in a receiving socket on the other of the wing tip device and the tip of the fixed wing;
• as the locking pin is inserted into the slot of the receiving socket, a first pair of latches on a first side of the receiving socket opens to receive a first protrusion on a first side of the locking pin, and a second pair of latches on a second side of the receiving socket opens to receive a second protrusion on the second side of the locking pin;
• as the first protrusion moves beyond the first pair of latches, a first latch of the first pair of latches engages a first rearward end face on the first protrusion, and a second latch of the first pair of latches engages a second rearward end face on the first protrusion,
• as the second protrusion moves beyond the second pair of latches, a first latch of the second pair of latches engages a first rearward end face on the second protrusion, and a second latch of the second pair of latches engages a second rearward end face on the second protrusion, and
• the engagement of the first and second pairs of latches with the respective first and second protrusions biases the locking pin in the slot against an abutment in the receiving socket to lock the wing tip device in the flight condition.