Process and an installation for the control of the efficiency of the aerodynamic surfaces of an aircraft
AssigneeOffice National d'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiales
InventorsPhilippe Poisson-Quinton, Amedee P. Bevert, Hung Le Thuy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process and an installation for the control of the efficiency of the aerodynamic surfaces of an aircraft, wherein control of the stability of flying aircrafts with the assistance of orientable auxiliary aerodynamic surfaces is achieved, the surfaces are connected to their operating structure through a device providing at will an engaged condition or a disengaged condition, and the process and installation may be used with profit on subsonic, supersonic and laboratory airplanes.
Claims12
Apparatus for controlling the operation of an aerodynamic surface on an aircraft, comprising:
- means for mounting an aerodynamic surface on an aircraft to assume variable orientation with respect thereto;
- means for controlling the orientation of said surface with respect to the aircraft;
- means for connecting said controlling means to said surface comprising a first pivot member and linkage means pivotally connected to said first pivot member for permanently linking said controlling means to said surface;
- means for selectively blocking said first pivot member with respect to the aircraft to establish, in a blocking condition, a steerable connection between said controlling means and said surface to operate the same in a controlled mode, and to disable such connection, in a nonblocked condition thereof, to let said surface operate in a freely floating mode;
- and said selective blocking means includes a pair of oppositely movable jacks on either side of said first pivot member to block said first pivot member with respect to the aircraft by moving said jacks into engagement with said first pivot member, in the blocked condition thereof.
An aircraft comprising:
- a frame;
- an orientable aerodynamic surface mounted to said frame to assume variable orientation with respect thereto;
- means including a control member for controlling the orientation of said surface with respect to the frame;
- means for connecting said control member to said surface comprising a support member, and a linking arm having a first point pivotally connected to said control member, a second point pivotally coupled to said surface and a third point pivotally connected to the support member;
- and
- means for blocking said control member with respect to the frame while allowing said support member to move freely with respect thereto, in a first condition of said blocking means to provide a free floating mode of operation of said surface, and for releasing said control member and blocking said support member with respect to the frame to provide a steering connection between said control member and said surface to provide a controlled operating mode of said surface in a second condition of said blocking means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.