US 4,345,195 AGranted

Strapdown multifunction servoactuator apparatus for aircraft

AssigneeSperry Corporation

InventorsCarl D. Griffith, Kenneth L. Oliver

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Abstract

Strapdown, multifunction actuator apparatus comprising one or two integral units adapted for installation in an aircraft, particularly a helicopter, and coupled between the pilot's control stick linkage and the aircraft control surface (or surface servo boost) linkage to perform the functions of series actuation, trim actuation, artificial feel, control position sensing, and control authority limits. The apparatus includes a series actuator installed in the vehicle and connected to the vehicle control linkages in the conventional parallel actuator manner; that is, it is secured directly or strapped down to the airframe and therefore greatly simplifies control system installation and reduces problems such as those associated with control rod vibration resonances normally encountered with conventional integral-with-linkage series actuator installations.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A multifunction actuator apparatus for aircraft including a series actuator, the combination comprising:

housing means adapted to be mounted directly on the aircraft structure adajcent to the primary pilot controller-to-control surface actuation members and including first and second drive shafts journalled in said housing means,
first linkage means drivably supported on said first drive shaft and coupled with said pilot controller member,
second linkage means including a drive link drivably supported on said second drive shaft and further including a differential link coupled between said control surface member, and drive link and said first linkage means,
series servomotor means including means drivably connecting said servomotor to said second drive shaft for positioning said drive link, and
first and second authority limit means secured to said housing means adjacent said differential link and drive link and cooperable therewith, said first limiting means limiting the position of said pilot controller member between first predetermined maximum limits and said second limiting means limiting said drive link between second predetermined maximum limits.

2 more elements

In multifunction actuator apparatus for aircraft having pilot controller-to-control surface actuation members and including first linkage means responsive to movement to said pilot's controller the combination comprising, a series servo actuator including housing means adapted to be secured directly on the aircraft generally adjacent said actuation members, and further including a drive shaft journalled in a wall of said housing means,

second linkage means including a drive link drivably supported on said drive shaft and further including a differential link coupled between said control surface actuation member, said drive link and said first linkage means,
series servomotor means including means drivably connecting said servomotor to said drive shaft for positioning said drive link, and
first and second authority limit means secured to said housing means adjacent said differential link and drive link and cooperable therewith, said first limiting means limiting the position of said pilot controller member between first pedetermined maximum limits and said second limiting means limiting said drive link between second predetermined maximum limits.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.