Compression-sealed nacelle inlet door assembly

A compression-sealed door assembly for controlling air pressure within a supersonic jet nacelle inlet having at least one secondary air flow passageway formed through a wall portion of said nacelle inlet, and comprising:

• door means mounted for pivotal movement with respect to said nacelle inlet for selective movement between a closed position wherein said door means span and thereby close said secondary air flow passageway and an open position wherein air smoothly flows through said secondary air flow passageway;
• sealing means arranged between a surface portion of said door means and a confronting surface portion of said nacelle inlet for providing a fluid-tight seal therebetween when said door means assumes said closed position;
• said sealing means comprising a substantially U-shaped strip of resilient material attached to one of said confronting surface portions at a location where the distance between said confronting surface portions is less than the distance between the arms of said U-shaped strip in its unloaded condition, and the space between said arms being in fluid communication with the interior of said inlet;
• whereby when said door means assume a closed position, both the restoring force of the resilient material and fluid pressure from within the inlet press the seal into firm sealing contact between the door means and the inlet;
• said sealing means further comprising a strip of carbon attached to the other of said confronting surface portions and wherein the one of said arms of said U-shaped strip which confronts said carbon strip carries at least two ribs protruding outwardly therefrom, so that when said door means is in said closed position, said at least two ribs contact a surface of said carbon strip and form a labyrinth seal therewith.