Retractable landing gear with self-braced folding strut

A retractable landing gear for an aircraft, comprising:

• a folding strut having first and second portions connected by a pivotal joint for folding movement relative to one another upon extension and retraction of said strut, said first portion being pivotally mounted to said aircraft;
• a locking brace extending between said first and second portions;
• and
• a ground-contacting wheel assembly pivotally mounted to said second portion of said strut,
• said first and second strut portions being axially aligned when said strut is in a fully-deployed position, said locking brace maintaining said first and second portions in said axially-aligned position, and said locking brace being releasable to allow relative folding movement of said first and second portions for retraction of said strut to a stowed position;
• wherein upon retraction of said strut from said fully-deployed position to a stowed position, said first portion pivots forwardly relative to said aircraft and said first and second portions fold relative to one another such that, when retracted, said seocnd portion is at least partially positioned above said pivotal mounting between said first portion and said aircraft.

A retractable landing gear for an aircraft, comprising:

• a folding strut having first and second portions connected by a pivotal joint for folding movement relative to one another upon extension and retraction of said strut, said first portion being pivotally mounted to said aircraft;
• a locking brace extending between said first and second portions;
• and
• a ground-contacting wheel assembly pivotally mounted to said second portion of said strut,
• said first and second strut portions being axially aligned when said strut is in a fully-deployed position, said locking brace maintaining said first and second portions in said axially-aligned position, and said locking brace being releasable to allow relative folding movement of said first and second portions for retraction of said strut to a stowed position;
• wherein upon retraction of said first from said fully-deployed position to a stowed position, said first portion pivots forwardly relative to said aircraft and said first and second portions fold relative to one another such that, when retracted, said second portion is at least partially positioned below said pivotal mounting between said first portion and said aircraft.

A retractable landing gear for an aircraft, comprising:

• a folding strut having first and second portions connected by a pivotal joint for folding movement relative to one another upon extension and retraction of said strut, said first portion being pivotally mounted to said aircraft;
• a locking brace extending between said first and second portions;
• and
• a ground-contacting wheel assembly pivotally mounted to said second portion of said strut,
• said first and second strut portions being axially aligned when said strut is in a fully-deployed position, said locking brace maintaining said first and second portions in said axially-aligned position, and said locking brace being releasable to allow relative folding movement of said first and second portions for retraction of said strut to a stowed position;
• wherein said locking brace includes first and second elongated members pivotally attached together for relative folding movement, said first member being pivotally attached to said first strut portion and said second member being pivotally attached to said second strut portion, said first and second brace members being in an axially-aligned position when said gear is in said fully-deployed position, and said first and second brace members folding relative to one another to permit said retraction of said strut.

In combination, retractable main landing gear for an aircraft having a body and a wing, comprising:

• a wing-mounted, body-stowed gear;
• and
• a body-mounted, body-stowed gear;
• comprising:
• a folding strut having first and second portions connected by a pivotal joint for folding movement relative to one another upon extension and retraction of said strut, said first portion being pivotally mounted to said aircraft body for pivotal movement relative to said a aircraft body upon extension and retraction of said strut;
• a brace flange extending from one of said first and second portions and having a joint location positioned radially outwardly a fixed distance from said pivotal joint;
• a locking brace extending between said joint location on said brace flange and the other one of said first and second portions;
• and
• a ground-contacting wheel assembly pivotally mounted to said second portion of said strut,
• said first and second strut portions being axially aligned when said strut is in a fully-deployed position, said locking brace maintaining said first and second portions in said axially-alinged position, and said locking brace being releasable to allow relative folding movement of said first and seocnd portions for retraction of said strut to a stowed position within said body.