Mechanical mixer for controlling aircraft spoilers
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorThomas M. Baker
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a system for positioning the spoilers on the port and starboard wings of an aircraft, a mechanical mixer that incorporates a three-dimensional cam receives pilot-controlled roll (control wheel) and speed-brake inputs and combines them to produce left and right wing spoiler positioning outputs. The cam surfaces of the three-dimensional cam are contoured so that the positioning of the spoilers in reaction to the roll input effects a roll response of the aircraft that is substantially independent of the setting of the speed-brake input.
Claims10
In an aircraft including first and second aerodynamic control surfaces arranged and movably mounted on the port and starboard wings, respectively, of such aircraft to function as spoilers, and a mixer apparatus for positioning said control surfaces in response to the combined settings of first and second, independently variable, pilot-controlled inputs, wherein said first input is a speed-brake setting and wherein the second input is a roll setting derived from the control wheel of the aircraft, said mixer apparatus comprising:
- cam means defining first and second three-dimensional cam surfaces;
- support means upon which said cam means is movably mounted;
- means for translating said cam means relative to said support means along a predetermined axis in response to said first pilot-controlled input;
- means for selectively rotating said cam means relative to said support means about said axis in response to said second pilot-controlled input;
- first and second cam follower means mounted and arranged for movement relative to said support means, said first and second cam follower means cooperating with said first and second cam surfaces, respectively;
- first and second coupling means coupling said first and second cam follower means to said first and second control surfaces, respectively;
- and
- said first and second cam surfaces being so contoured that translation of said cam means along said axis in response to said first input, as determined by the speed-brake setting, varies the profiles of said cam surfaces that are followed by said cam follower means when said cam means is rotated in response to said second pilot-controlled input, as determined by said roll setting, in such a manner that causes a rate of roll of the aircraft in response to an increment of the roll setting to be substantially independent of the speed-brake setting.
In an aircraft of the type having stationary port and starboard wings mounted on the fuselage and including first and second aerodynamic control surfaces mounted for movement on the port and starboard wings, respectively, and a mixer apparatus for positioning said control surfaces in response to the combined settings of first and second independently variable, pilot-controlled inputs, said mixer apparatus comprising:
- cam means defining separate, first and second three-dimensional cam surfaces;
- support means upon which said cam means is movably mounted;
- first and second cam follower means mounted and arranged for movement relative to said support means, said first cam follower means cooperating only with said first cam surface, and said second cam follower means cooperating only with said second cam surface;
- means for translating said cam means relative to said support means along a predetermined axis in response to said first pilot-controlled input;
- means for selectively rotating said cam means relative to said support means about said axis in response to a change in the setting of said second pilot-controlled input so as to position said cam means at a pilot-selected angle of rotation with respect to said first and second cam follower means, said cam means remaining at said pilot-selected angle of rotation until altered in response to a change in the setting of said second pilot-controlled input;
- first and second coupling means for coupling said first and second cam follower means to said first and second control surfaces, respectively;
- and
- said cam surfaces being so contoured that translation of said cam means along said axis varies the profiles of said cam surfaces that are followed by said cam follower means when said cam means is rotated such that the positioning of said control surfaces in response to said second pilot-controlled input varies as a predetermined function of said first pilot-controlled input.
In an aircraft including first and second aerodynamic control surfaces movably mounted on the port and starboard wings thereof, respectively, and a mixer apparatus for positioning said surfaces in response to the combined settings of first and second, separate and independently variable pilot-controlled inputs, said mixer apparatus comprising:
- cam means defining first and second three-dimensional cam surfaces;
- support means upon which said cam means is movably mounted;
- means for translating said cam means relative to said support means along a predetermined axis in response to said first pilot-controlled input;
- means for rotating said cam means relative to said support means about said axis in response to said second pilot-controlled input;
- first and second cam follower means mounted on said support means for movement relative thereto and for separately cooperating with said first and second cam surfaces, respectively;
- first and second coupling means coupling said first and second cam follower means to said first and second control surfaces, respectively;
- and
- said cam surfaces being so contoured that translation of said cam means along said axis varies the profiles of said cam surfaces that are followed by said cam follower means when said cam means is rotated such that the positioning of said control surfaces in response to said second pilot-control input varies as a predetermined function of said first pilot-control input.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.