Articulated main landing gear
AssigneePneumo Corporation
InventorLouis C. Hrusch
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An articulated, retractible landing gear for helicopters and the like includes a three member drag brace assembly having a retraction brace pivotally connected to the helicopter fuselage at its inboard end and to an upper drag brace at its outboard end, with the latter pivotal connection being along the articulation axis of the landing gear, the upper brace being pivotally connected at its other end to a lower brace which in turn is connected to the oleo strut of the landing gear by a universal joint, the pivotal connection between the upper and lower braces in the extended position of the landing gear being on an axis normal to both the drag brace center line and the articulation axis.
Claims7
In combination with an aircraft fuselage, a retractible articulated landing gear for helicopters and the like comprising a shock absorbing oleo strut having a tire on its outboard end, means connecting the inboard end of the oleo strut to the fuselage for pivotal movement about a retraction axis and an articulation axis, and a three member drag brace assembly extending between the fuselage and the oleo strut, a first member of said drag brace assembly being pivotally connected to the fuselage at its inboard end and to a second member at its outboard end, the latter pivotal connection lying along the articulation axis, the second member being pivotally connected at its outboard end to a third member which in turn is connected at its outboard end to the oleo strut by a universal joint, the pivotal connection of the second and third members being perpendicular to the articulation axis when the gear is extended.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.