Electric servo dump gate system on a crop duster
OwnerTroy Reabeinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is an Electric servo system which controls and automates gate openings based on GPS speed and position data that results in precise and reliable modern variable and constant rate application. The Electric servo system also allows for Mechanical gate linkages to remain intact, resulting in few changes to the aircraft and redundancy of emergency components. A Mechanical input connect/disconnect is used to effortlessly transfer between the automated Electric servo system and the Mechanical gate system.
Claims42
A method of converting a mechanical dump gate system to an electric servo dump gate system on a crop duster to enable both electrical and mechanical operation to open and close a dump gate, comprising:
- using an electric gate control system in the crop duster comprising an electric gate controller;
- providing the mechanical dump gate system comprising a pilot input bell crank lever operable with the dump gate;
- installing an electric servo at any location between the pilot input bell crank lever and the dump gate;
- connecting the electric servo and the electric gate controller to an aircraft power buss;
- connecting the electric servo with the electric gate controller via electronics;
- connecting the electric servo and the dump gate;
- and
- configuring the mechanical dump gate system to be capable of providing continuous mechanical connection from the pilot input bell crank lever to the dump gate.
A method of converting a mechanical dump gate system to an electric servo dump gate system on a crop duster, comprising:
- using an electric gate controller in the crop duster;
- disconnecting the mechanical dump gate system at any location in between a pilot input bell crank lever and a dump gate to form a disconnected mechanical path;
- installing an electric servo at the location;
- connecting a pilot input bell crank side of the disconnected mechanical path to a mechanical input side of the electric servo;
- connecting a dump gate side of the disconnected mechanical path to an output side of the electric servo and thereby connecting the electric servo and the dump gate;
- connecting a mechanical path at the location where the mechanical dump gate system forms the disconnected mechanical path and thereby reconnecting the pilot input bell crank lever and the dump gate;
- connecting the electric servo and the electric gate controller to an aircraft power buss;
- and,
- connecting the electric servo with the electric gate controller via electronics.
A method of building an electric servo dump gate for both electrical and mechanical operation to open a dump gate for use in a crop duster, comprising:
- attaching a back-drivable electric servo motor to the dump gate;
- mechanically connecting the back-drivable electric servo motor to an over-center bell crank;
- installing a mechanical connection to enable mechanical control of the dump gate by a pilot input bell crank lever;
- mechanically connecting an output of the mechanical connection pilot disconnect to the over-center bell crank;
- installing the electric servo dump gate onto the crop duster by:
- attaching the electric servo dump gate to the crop duster;
- mechanically connecting the mechanical connection to the pilot input bell crank lever through at least one linkage;
- connecting the back-drivable electric servo motor and an electric gate controller to an aircraft power buss;
- connecting the back-drivable electric servo motor and the electric gate controller via electronics;
- and,
- connecting the back-drivable electric servo motor and the dump gate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.