Electric Servo Dump Gate System On A Crop Duster
OwnerTroy Reabeinventor
Life of this patent
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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.
Claims20
An electric servo dump gate system on a crop duster comprising:
- an electric gate control system comprising:
- an electric gate controller;
- and an electric servo connected to the gate controller and the gate;
- the gate controller upon the actuation by the pilot sends commands to the electric servo, which controls the position of the gate;
- and
- a mechanical gate control system comprising:
- a pilot input bell crank lever;
- and a mechanical pilot disconnect;
- the mechanical pilot disconnect disengages the pilot's side of the mechanical system from the electric servo gate side when the pilot input lever is in a stowed position whereby the mechanical system does not control the gate as the electric system controls the gate, but re-connects the mechanical system automatically when the pilot input lever is moved from the stowed position towards an open position whereby the mechanical system controls the gate even during the electric gate controller or electric servo failure.
A method of converting a traditional mechanical dump gate system to an electric servo dump gate system on a crop duster, comprising:
- installing an electric gate controller in a cockpit;
- disconnecting mechanical dump gate system at any location in between a pilot input bell crank lever and the dump gate;
- installing a mechanical pilot disconnect at the location where the mechanical dump gate system is disconnected;
- installing a back-drivable electric servo at any location near the dump gate;
- connecting the electric servo and the electric gate controller to the aircraft power buss through appropriate breakers;
- and
- connecting the electric servo and the electric gate controller via electronics;
- and
- connecting the electric servo and the dump gate.
A dump gate system on a crop duster comprising a powered gate system;
- and a mechanical gate system with disconnect;
- the powered gate system comprises a back-drivable servo, an electric gate controller, and a GPS;
- and the mechanical gate system comprises a series of cranks, linkages and mechanical pilot disconnect.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.