Tow-bar fitting
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorsJames Sauven, Laurent Tizac
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tow-bar fitting for connecting a tow-bar to an aircraft landing gear is disclosed including a tow-bar attachment to which, in use, the tow-bar is coupled. The tow-bar fitting also includes a first fuse member via which linear loads but not torque loads are transmitted from the tow-bar attachment to the rest of the landing gear. The first fuse member is configured to fail at a predetermined linear load threshold. The tow-bar fitting includes a second fuse member via which torque loads are transmitted from the tow-bar attachment to the rest of the landing gear. The second fuse member is configured to fail at a predetermined torque load threshold. A method of towing an aircraft is also disclosed.
Claims16
An aircraft landing gear assembly comprising a tow-bar fitting for connecting a tow-bar to the landing gear assembly, the tow-bar fitting comprising:
- a tow-bar attachment to which, in use, the tow-bar is coupled;
- a first fuse member via which linear loads but not torque loads are transmitted from the tow-bar attachment to the rest of the landing gear assembly, the first fuse member being configured to fail at a predetermined linear load threshold;
- a second fuse member via which torque loads are transmitted from the tow-bar attachment to the rest of the landing gear assembly, the second fuse member being configured to fail at a predetermined torque load threshold;
- wherein the tow-bar fitting comprises a slot and the second fuse member is received in the slot such that the second fuse member moves along the slot when the tow-bar attachment rotates relative to a main leg of the landing gear assembly and the range of movement of the second fuse member along the slot determines the range of rotational movement of the tow-bar attachment relative to the main leg;
- and,
- wherein the or each slot is an arcuate slot.
An aircraft landing gear assembly comprising a tow-bar fitting for connecting a tow-bar to the landing gear assembly, the tow-bar fitting comprising:
- a base via which the tow-bar fitting is mounted to the rest of the aircraft landing gear assembly;
- and
- a tow-bar attachment to which, in use, a tow-bar is connected, the tow-bar attachment being rotatably mounted to the base via a first fuse member, the first fuse member being configured to fail at a predetermined linear load threshold;
- and
- two second fuse members mounted on one of the tow-bar attachment and the base and being received in slots for movement relative thereto, said slots being formed in the other of the tow-bar attachment and the base;
- the second fuse members being configured to limit rotational movement of the tow-bar attachment relative to the base and to fail at a predetermined torque load threshold;
- and,
- wherein the slots are arcuate slots.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.