Abstract: A suppression system for a gas turbine engine uses a tapered exhaust manifold with a plurality of exhaust nozzles acting in conjunction with a plurality of mixing cells to produce cooling of an exhaust gas stream upon exit from an aircraft. The cooling air is supplied to the mixing cells in such a way that the walls of the cells are inherently maintained at a desired temperature without the use of dedicated cooling apparatus such as finned head exchangers, film cooling slots, etc. This approach allows the typically conflicting requirements of low IR signature and low radar cross section to be simultaneously satisfied in an efficient, light weight and low cost manner.

Abstract: A low profile latch mechanism for an access panel that minimizes external structural discontinuities while concomitantly providing external access to engage and/or disengage the latch mechanism for closing and/or opening of the access panel. The latch mechanism includes an insert member mounted in rotatable combination with the internal surface of the access panel, a captured floating nut mounted in nonrotatable combination with the internal surface of a frame segment, a safety lock member mounted for axial displacement within the captured floating nut, and a removable key member. The removable key member is insertable through an access aperture in the access panel to engage the insert member for rotation thereof to threadingly engage the captured floating nut to close the access panel. The safety lock member is biased to engage the insert member to lock the low profile latch mechanism in the fully engaged state upon removal of the key member.

Abstract: An IR suppressor produces a thin "ribbon" exhaust plume using a tapered exhaust manifold which has a plurality of discrete exhaust nozzles that are longitudinally aligned with the exhaust manifold. Optionally, the nozzles extend within but are spaced apart from mixing ducts which are open to the ambient air at both ends. The mixing ducts mix ambient air with the exhaust plume. In another aspect of this invention, a single nozzle (which is longitudinally aligned with the manifold) is substituted for the plurality of discrete exhaust nozzles. In this aspect, the nozzle extends within but is spaced apart from a mixing duct which is open at both ends and has a curve sufficient to block a line of sight to the nozzle. A helicopter that has a rotatable IR suppressor so that the exhaust can be directed substantially parallel to the helicopter blades when the blades are not turning to protect them from exhaust heat is also disclosed.

Abstract: A turbine engine inlet system includes a duct 14 to deliver air to the engine, inlet lips 16 and 52 to smooth the entry of air flowing into the duct, a screen 50 between the lips 52 and 16 for passage of inlet air, a forward inlet section 18 submerged within the aircraft skin contour to provide a degree of ram recovery to the duct, and a movable air deflector 20 which is positionable in a retracted position during normal flight, is extendable outward to a second position substantially flush with the screen 50 for maximum protection against foreign object damage (FOD), and is further extendable outward to a third position beyond the screen to provide an air bypass path when the screen is iced-over.

Abstract: A turbine engine inlet system includes a curved duct 14 to deliver air to the engine, an inlet lip 16 to smooth the entry of air flowing into the duct, a forward inlet section 18 submerged within the aircraft skin contour to provide a degree of ram recovery to the duct, and a movable air deflector 20 which is flush with the forward inlet section 18 during normal flight conditions and extended to slightly above the inlet lip 16 during icing conditions.

Abstract: An aircraft duplex hinge assembly (10 or 10') configured for use in aircraft, especially helicopters, having a compound curvature airframe (130) configuration wherein the edges of access panels (100) and the corresponding airframe apertures have a beveled configuration. The duplex hinge assembly (10 or 10') includes dual hinge mechanisms (20) and a latching mechanism (50) to deactivate the duplex hinge mechanism (10) with the access panel (100) in the closed position. The dual hinge mechanisms (20) include a primary mounting bracket (22) secured in combination with the airframe (130), a secondary mounting bracket (24) secured in combination with the access panel (100), and an interconnecting member (26) having a straight segment (30), an arcuate segment (32), and a protective flat segment (34).

Abstract: A flexible engine inlet duct mounting system for integrating an engine inlet duct in combination with an engine system to minimize or eliminate turbulence-inducing structural discontinuities therebetween wherein non-turbulent intake airflow is provided to the engine system. The mounting system includes a mechanical support assembly that constrains the relative motion between the aft ends of the inlet duct and the engine system, and a dual seal assembly that accommodates such relative motion while concomitantly maintaining seals between the inlet duct and the engine system. The duct support assembly includes an annular duct support member and an annular spherical adaptor member having interacting ends that have complementary arcuate configurations which constrain the relative motion of the aft ends of the inlet duct to in-plane displacements about a duct pivot point coincident with the engine system centerline.

Abstract: There is provided by the present invention an accumulator system for turb engine start-ups that has comparable weight and bulk to a conventional auxiliary power unit system but which has instantaneous second start capability.

Abstract: An aircraft cowling (20) is comprised of a cowling body (22), forward and aft bearings (24,25) disposed on the cowling body (22), corresponding sets of guides (29,30) disposed on and conforming with the shape of the aircraft (26), a screw fastener assembly (74), latches (82), and complementary interaction between the cowling edges (68,70) and aircraft edges (69,71) to provide lateral support for the cowling (20). The aft bearing (25) is comprised of two rollers (44) and two roller supports (46) which are disposed on the cowling body (22) in a manner permitting lateral motion and coupled by a shaft (50) with right-hand threads (56) on one end and left-hand threads (58) on the other end. The shaft (50), due to the opposing threads (56,58), restricts the roller supports (46) to convergent and divergent movements and prevents movement in a common direction, thereby providing lateral support to the cowling (20) during opening and closing.

Abstract: A circulation control rotor system for aircraft in which compressed air is directly supplied at generally constant pressure to plenums in the rotor blades and discharged through area controlled slots, the area controlling means involving camming surfaces and being actuated by cyclic, collective, aircraft vibration and flight stability inputs.

Abstract: An engine air particle separator for use with a turbine engine and providing a first engine air flow path to the engine inlet in which foreign particles are separated from the air entering engine, and a second direct flow path for air to the engine inlet presenting minimum pressure drop and such that the ram air flows directly into the engine inlet. The second flow path includes actuatable blow-in doors which are actuated by a pneumatic door actuator mechanism operable to cause the doors to close upon the admission of air at operating pressure to the mechanism. Mechanism is provided to prevent the doors from opening when actuating air pressure is applied to the door actuator mechanism but falls below a preselected limit and to permit the doors to open in response to spring bias and ram pressure acting thereagainst when the air at actuating pressure is withdrawn.

Abstract: A releasable push-pull sheathed cable control system in which the sheathed cable extends between the control input and the control output and includes a looped portion fixed at one end and releasably fixed at its other end so that tension or compression loading of the cable following cable jamming anywhere within the sheath or therebeyond in a control system will cause deformation or the looped portion and release of one end of the sheathed cable.

Abstract: An infra-red radiation suppressor adapted to be positioned to alter the flow of the exhaust gases of a turbo-shaft engine and sized to block view into the engine outlet and including self-pumping ejector means to cool the visible surfaces of the suppressor.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of InventionThis invention relates to infra-red radiation suppression and more particularly to an infra-red radiation suppressor which is adapted to be mounted to block the view into the outlet of a turbo-shaft engine and to intercept and alter the flow of exhaust gases thereof and which includes self-pumping ejector mechanisms to provide cooling of the exposed suppressor parts.2.