Landing gear shrink link mechanism

A shrink mechanism for use with a landing gear of an aircraft, the landing gear including an outer cylinder rotatably coupled to a frame of an aircraft about a trunnion axis of rotation and a shock strut assembly movably coupled to the outer cylinder so as to reciprocate along a longitudinal axis of the outer cylinder, the shrink mechanism comprising:

• a first shrink link member pivotally coupled to the outer cylinder;
• a second shrink link member coupling the first shrink link member to the shock strut assembly;
• a crank member pivotally coupled to the outer cylinder;
• a drive member coupling the crank member to a walking beam of a landing gear retract mechanism;
• a driven member coupling the crank member to the first shrink link member;
• a sensor actuator arm coupled to the first shrink link member so as to rotate with the first shrink link member;
• and
• a sensor coupled to the outer cylinder;
• wherein the sensor is configured to sense the sensor actuator arm upon extension of the shock strut assembly.

A shrink mechanism for use with a landing gear of an aircraft, the landing gear including an outer cylinder rotatably coupled to a frame of an aircraft about a trunnion axis of rotation and a shock strut assembly movably coupled to the outer cylinder so as to reciprocate along a longitudinal axis of the outer cylinder, the shrink mechanism comprising:

• a first shrink link member pivotally coupled to the outer cylinder;
• a second shrink link member coupling the first shrink link member to the shock strut assembly;
• a crank member pivotally coupled to the outer cylinder;
• a drive member coupling the crank member to a walking beam of a landing gear retract mechanism;
• and
• a driven member coupling the crank member to the first shrink link member;
• wherein the first shrink link member and the second shrink link member are rotatably coupled to each other so as to fold and unfold relative to each other and lock in an over-center position when unfolded.