Jet engine cascade thrust reverser for use with mixer/ejector noise suppressor

A cascade thrust reverser for jet engines comprising:

• a. a frame defining an axial bore and holding a pair of opposed cascades extending from the bore through to an exterior of the frame;
• b. exterior covering means attached to the exterior of the frame for being positionable at one of a stowed position covering the cascades from the outside and a deployed position uncovering the cascades;
• c. interior blocking means disposed in the bore for being positionable at one of a stowed position covering the cascades from inside the bore and a deployed position concurrently uncovering the cascades and blocking the bore;
• and
• d. actuation means, attached to the exterior of the frame and operably connected to the exterior covering means and the interior blocking means, for positioning the exterior covering means and the interior blocking means concurrently at one of their deployed positions and their stowed positions.

A cascade thrust reverser for jet engines comprising:

• a. a frame defining an axial bore and holding a pair of opposed cascades extending from the bore through to an exterior of the frame;
• b. exterior covering means swingably attached to the exterior of the frame for being swingable between covering the cascades from the outside and uncovering the cascades;
• c. interior blocking means pivotally disposed in the bore for being pivotable between covering the cascades from inside the bore and concurrently uncovering the cascades and blocking the bore;
• and
• d. actuation means attached to the exterior of the frame and operably connected to the exterior covering means and the interior blocking means for concurrently pivoting and swinging the interior blocking means and the exterior covering means, respectively, between covering the cascades and uncovering the cascades concurrently with blocking the bore.

A cascade thrust reverser for jet engines comprising:

• a. a frame having an exterior and defining an axial through-bore;
• b. first and second cascades held by the frame across the bore from one another and defining a first radial axis, wherein the cascades provide a conduit through the frame;
• c. first and second actuation mechanisms lying parallel to one another and attached to the exterior of the frame, wherein the actuation mechanisms define a second radial axis substantially perpendicular to the first radial axis;
• d. first and second cascade doors swingably connected to the exterior of the frame and further connected to the actuation mechanisms for being positioned thereby at one of a stowed position, wherein outer sides of the cascades are covered by the cascade doors, and a deployed position, wherein the cascades are uncovered;
• and
• e. first and second blocker doors disposed in the bore and connected to the actuation mechanisms through the frame for being pivotally positioned thereby at one of a stowed position, wherein the first and second blocker doors cover the first and second cascades, respectively, from inside the bore, and a deployed position, wherein the cascades are uncovered and the blocker doors meet to substantially block the frame bore;
• f. wherein the actuation mechanisms are configured, when actuated together, to concurrently position the blocker doors and the cascade doors at one of their respective stowed and deployed positions, whereby when the cascade doors and blocker doors are concurrently in their stowed positions, the bore is unblocked and the cascades are covered, with any exhaust traveling down the bore passing freely there through, and when the cascade doors and blocker doors are concurrently in their deployed positions, the bore is blocked and the cascades are uncovered, with any engine exhaust traveling down the bore being redirected by the blocker doors towards and through the cascades.

A cascade thrust reverser for jet engines comprising:

• a. a frame defining an axial through-bore and holding a pair of cascades extending from the bore to an exterior of the frame;
• and
• b. a pair of cascade doors swingably connected to the exterior of the frame;
• and
• c. a pair of blocker doors pivotally disposed in the bore;
• d. wherein the blocker doors and the cascade doors are operably connected to a pair of actuation mechanisms attached to the exterior the frame, the actuation mechanisms being actuable to concurrently position the blocker doors and the cascade doors at one of a stowed position, wherein the cascades are covered from the outside and from inside the bore, and a deployed position, wherein the cascades are uncovered and the blocker doors meet to block the bore, whereby any engine exhaust traveling through the bore is redirected by the blocker doors towards and through the cascades.

A cascade thrust reverser for jet engines comprising:

• a. a frame defining an axial bore and holding a pair of opposed cascades extending from the bore through to an exterior of the frame;
• b. a pair of cascade doors swingably connected to the exterior of the frame for being moveable to one of a stowed position, wherein the cascades are covered from the outside, and a deployed position, wherein the cascades are uncovered;
• c. a pair of blocker doors pivotally disposed in the bore for being pivotable to one of a stowed position, wherein the cascades are covered from inside the bore, and a deployed position, wherein the cascades are uncovered and the blocker doors meet to block the bore;
• and
• d. a pair of actuation mechanisms attached to the exterior of the frame and operably connected to the blocker doors through the frame and to the cascade doors, wherein the actuation mechanisms are configured, when actuated together, to concurrently pivot the blocker doors and swing the cascade doors, whereby when the blocker doors and the cascade doors are held concurrently in their stowed positions by the actuation mechanisms any engine exhaust traveling down the bore passes through substantially unimpeded and any ambient air passing over the exterior of the frame does so substantially without aerodynamic interference from the cascades, and whereby when the blocker doors and the cascades are moved to their deployed positions by the actuation mechanisms any engine exhaust traveling down the bore is redirected by the blocker doors towards and through the cascades, which further help to redirect the exhaust.

A cascade thrust reverser for jet engines comprising:

• a. a frame defining an axial bore and holding first and second opposed cascades respectively extending from the bore through to first and second exterior regions of the frame;
• b. a first actuation mechanism attached to a third exterior region of the frame between the cascades, and a second actuation mechanism attached to a fourth exterior region of the frame between the cascades;
• c. a first cascade door swingably attached to the frame proximate the first exterior region and actually connected to the actuation mechanisms for being positioned at one of a stowed position, wherein an exterior side of the first cascade is covered, and a deployed position, wherein the exterior side of the first cascade is uncovered;
• d. a second cascade door swingably attached to the frame proximate the second exterior region and actually connected to the actuation mechanisms for being swing to one of a stowed position, wherein an exterior side of the second cascade is covered, and a deployed position, wherein the exterior side of the second cascade is uncovered;
• e. first and second blocker doors disposed in the bore and supported between and operably connected to the actuation mechanisms through the frame for being pivoted thereby to one of a stowed position, wherein interior sides of the first and second cascades are covered, and a deployed position, wherein the interior sides of the cascades are uncovered and the first and second blocker doors meet to block the bore and thereby redirect any engine exhaust traveling through the bore to the cascades;
• f. wherein the actuation mechanisms are configured to pivot the blocker doors concurrently with swinging the cascade doors.

A swing arm assembly for a cascade thrust reverser comprising:

• a. a swing arm bracket for facilitating attachment of the swing arm assembly to a thrust reverser frame;
• b. an aft swing arm pivotally connected at a first end to a first end of the swing arm bracket;
• and
• c. a fore swing arm comprising a long arm portion connected to a lever arm portion, the lever arm portion extending generally laterally away from the long arm portion and forming a shoulder therewith, and the fore swing arm being pivotally connected at the shoulder to a second end of the swing arm bracket.

An actuation mechanism for a thrust reverser comprising:

• a. a generally cylindrical hinge shaft assembly comprising:
• i. an axially hollow outer shaft;
• ii. an inner shaft partially nested within the outer shaft;
• and
• iii. support apparatus for independently rotatably supporting the inner shaft and the outer shaft;
• b. an inner lever affixed to the inner shaft such that the inner lever and the inner shaft rotate in conjunction;
• c. an outer lever affixed to the outer shaft such that the outer lever and the outer shaft rotate in conjunction;
• and
• d. a traverse beam slidably supported in a support guide extending laterally away from the hinge shaft assembly, wherein the traverse beam is pivotally connected at one end to a first push/pull rod in turn pivotally connected to the inner lever, and the traverse beam is pivotally connected at the other end to a second push/pull rod in turn pivotally connected to the outer lever;
• e. wherein when the traverse beam is slid along the support guide, the attached inner lever and inner shaft rotate in one rotary direction, and the attached outer lever and outer shaft rotate in the other rotary direction.