Thrust vectoring exhaust nozzle

An exhaust nozzle for selectively varying the direction of discharge of a stream of exhaust gas, comprising:

• an exhaust duct having an upstream entry end and downstream discharge end, including,
• a plurality of flaps defining the perimeter of the exhaust duct, each flap disposed adjacent two other flaps and extending from the entry end to the discharge end, each flap secured at the upstream end thereof to a supporting universal joint,
• means, disposed between an upstream static structure and each flap, for selectively positioning said flap to the corresponding universal joint, wherein the positioning means further includes
• a unison ring, disposed generally coaxially with respect to the exhaust duct,
• a plurality of elongated load links, each load link secured at one end thereof to the unison ring and at the other end thereof to one of the flaps, and
• means for axially positioning and orienting the unison ring, wherein the unison ring is supported by a plurality of curved bearing tracks races supported from the static structure, the bearing tracks distributed about the circumference of the unison ring and each track configured to describe a curved path with respect to the centerpoint of the unison ring.