Abstract: An automatic shrink shock strut for use in conjunction with aircraft landing gear. The landing gear is of the type which includes a shock strut cylinder and a shock strut piston mounted coaxially therewith, and defining there between a shock strut shrink chamber filled with hydraulic fluid and a gas spring chamber filled with a pressurized gas. During retraction of the landing gear, the mechanism transfers the pressurized gas from the gas spring chamber to a transfer cylinder and therein drives a volume of hydraulic fluid from a hydraulic fluid supply in the transfer cylinder to the shock strut shrink chamber. The shock strut responds by shrinking to a shortened length. During extension of the landing gear the mechanism returns works in reverse and returns the pressurized gas to the gas spring chamber to drive the volume of hydraulic fluid from the shock strut shrink chamber back to the hydraulic fluid supply, thereby extending the landing gear to its normal length.

Abstract: Very large aircraft landing gear using single mounted eight wheel bogie on dual shock struts. A primary or main two-stage shock absorber and a semi-articulating secondary or auxiliary single-stage shock absorber, each of which are mounted using the second and third axles as pivot joints in a four axle, eight wheel truck beam.

Abstract: Auxiliary control of extension, retraction and pivotal movement of aircraft landing gear when not in use is provided by a method of operation, apparatus for attaching to the landing gear, and an assembly comprising landing gear and apparatus. The apparatus comprises auxiliary jacking means (18, 19) attachable between relatively telescopic parts of an oleo main strut of the landing gear and between relatively pivotal parts of the oleo and of a bogie pivotally attached to a lower end of the oleo. The landing gear may thus be powered up by the auxiliary jacking means (18, 19) with the pivotal movement of the bogie (4) being controlled simultaneously during, e.g. removal, fitting or servicing of the landing gear.

Abstract: The invention relates to raisable landing gear having a shortenable leg, including a shock absorber fitted with a plunger rod, and a linkage connecting said plunger rod to the strut of the shock absorber, under the control of a resilient connecting rod having a threshold, serving to pull on the shock absorber when the leg is raised. According to the invention, the linkage includes two arms forming an alignment, with a first arm hinged on the plunger rod and having a lateral appendix whose free end is capable of co-operating with a stationary cam secured to the structure of the airplane, and a second arm which is hinged to the strut. The lateral appendix and the stationary cam are organized to operate in an emergency, in the event of the threshold connecting rod failing, thereby ensuring that the shock absorber is extended and that said lengthened shock absorber is locked in the undercarriage-down position.

Abstract: A shock absorber of the invention comprises a strut, a inner cylinder fixed to the strut and extending inside the strut, and a sliding cylinder mounted to slide inside the strut and associated with the inner cylinder to communicate with the inside thereof via throttling orifices and short-circuit orifices, a pump and control arrangement being provided to pump hydraulic liquid from the sliding cylinder into the inner cylinder so as to produce a retraction of the sliding cylinder into the strut when both the throttling and short-circuit orifices are closed. The throttle orifices produce a communication between the sliding cylinder and the inner cylinder which produces a normal damping operation of the strut while the short-circuit orifices provide a rapid release of the sliding cylinder from a retracted position and a control member selectively closes one or both of the orifices.

Abstract: A folding strut having upper and lower portions (14, 16/62, 64) are connected together by a pivotal joint (18, 66, 68) for folding movement relative to one another upon extension and retraction of the strut. The upper portion (14, 62) of the strut is pivotally mounted to the aircraft frame (52, 80). A locking brace (42, 44/84, 86) extends between the upper and lower strut portions (14, 16/62, 64) to brace the strut against folding. The upper and lower portions of the strut are axially aligned (C, F) when the strut is in a fully-deployed position and the locking brace (42, 44/84, 86) maintains the strut portions (14, 16/62, 64) in this axially-aligned position. The locking brace (42, 44/84, 86) is releasable to allow relative folding movement of the upper and lower portions (14, 16/62, 64) for retraction of the strut to a stowed position.

Abstract: The landing gear of the invention comprises a strut in which a sliding rod slides, the strut and the sliding rod are connected to each other by a scissors linkage having a top branch and a bottom branch which are connected to each other by articulated means capable of moving between a folded position in which the branches of the scissors linkage are adjacent to each other, and an unfolded position in which the branches of the scissors linkage are moved apart from each other, thereby causing the sliding rod to pivot about its own axis.

Abstract: Initial retraction of telescoping cylinders (22, 72) forces hydraulic fluid through an orifice area into a low pressure chamber (116). When the cylinders (22, 72) reach a predetermined position, a stop surface (120) carried by the second cylinder (72) engages a floating member (52) carried by the first cylinder (22). Further retraction causes the floating member (52) to move relative to the first cylinder (22) and compress a high pressure chamber (44). When the shock strut (20) is pivoted into a stowed position, the cylinders (22, 72) are retracted to the predetermined position without compressing the high pressure chamber (44). In a second embodiment, a linkage mechanism (298) moves the high pressure chamber (318) relative to the first cylinder (272) to allow the shock strut (220) to be shortened beyond the predetermined position without compressing the high pressure chamber 318.

Abstract: The shock absorbing jack of the invention includes essentially a rod in which a sliding piston defines an extension chamber and which itself slides in a body by means of a piston defining a retraction chamber, the body including a throttling device and, on the side opposite the rod, two high and low pressure gas chambers, these chambers being separated by a membrane bearing, at rest, on a support with hemispherical perforated bottom.

Abstract: A flexible solar skin which absorbs radiant solar energy to convert it into electricity, made possible through a conductive plastic, which conceals a conductive fiber, whereby the fiber directs generated electricity to a terminal in the form of a contact strip hemmed or fused alongside the material. Additionally, an air vehicle covered with this photovoltaic material to collect solar radiant energy during flight which is converted into electricity to assist the propulsion system of the vehicle.

Abstract: A light-weight, gas chargeable, self-contained, shock absorber piston assembly which can be retrofitted to various landing gear. The invention permits taxi and take off in either a "normal" or "rough" runway configuration, followed by subsequent landing, taxi and take off again in either mode. The reconfiguration of the gear for these modes is at the option of the aircrew. There is no need to resupply the landing gear with gas from an external source until completion of a number of system actuations.

Abstract: The landing gear comprises: a rod including nested first and second tubes between which there slides a cylinder whose outer end supports a running gear; a strut surrounding the top of the rod and including a steering mechanism cooperating with a rotary tube disposed between the rod and the strut; and a fluid actuator constituted by at least one chamber between the strut and the rod and having a feed inlet only. The landing gear is particularly applicable to helicopters that are required to "kneel down" camel fashion, e.g., for storage in the hold of an aircraft carrier or a cargo plane.

Abstract: The nose wheel landing gear has the wheel (23) coupled to the rest of the landing gear by a deformable parallelogram (20, 37, 33, 13) which is located to one side of the wheel (23), the wheel lever (20) which supports the wheel is only slightly longer than the wheel radius. This arrangement enables the landing gear to be shortened when retracted without the wheel itself being offset sideways, thereby occupying less space overall.

Abstract: The landing gear comprises a shock absorber (4) having a rod (6) slidable in a cylinder (6), a wheel (12) linked to the cylinder, a guide sheath (14) surrounding the shock absorber (4), releasably engageable means (17) for fixing the cylinder at least in rotation relative to the guide sheath (14), and a strut (21) surrounding the sheath. When the strut is retracted under the control of an actuator (42) a rod (80) draws the sheath (14) into the strut (21) thereby compacting the landing gear lengthwise, at the same time a helical groove (38) cooperates with a groove follower (40) to turn the sheath, and hence the shock absorber cylinder (6) and the nose wheel (12) so that the wheel lies flat inside the aircraft when retracted.

Abstract: A telescoping energy-dissipating oleo landing gear shock strut set which can provide both the main landing gear and forward landing gear function, and which is affixed to an airplane, is restrained in an unenergized, shortened condition. A high pressure gas charge is then provided between the extendible element of the strut and the element affixed to the airplane. Early in the takeoff run, the charge gas in the forward strut is released so as to jump the nose and rotate the airplane to a high angle of attack appropriate for takeoff. Subsequent to this rotation, but before the conventional takeoff speed is reached, the charge gas in each of the main struts is released to impart a vertical velocity to the entire airplane, thus jumping it into the air. Both the forward strut and main struts incorporate a hydraulic flow bypass function, so that the landing shock dissipation function does not compromise the aforesaid energy release.

Abstract: This shock absorber strut incorporates an annular piston between the lower and upper bearings of the shock absorber piston; together with a separator piston in the bore of the shock absorber piston. The volume below the separator piston is filled with hydraulic fluid and is connected to an external hydraulic power source. An external hydraulic power source is also connected between the annular piston and the shock absorber lower bearing. Application of external hydraulic pressure to the underside of the annular piston, while simultaneously draining off fluid below the separator piston, causes the shock absorber to contract. The volume vacated by the fluid below the separator piston provides a reservoir for displaced shock absorber fluid which pushes the separator piston down the bore of the shock absorber piston. The contracted strut is then locked hydraulically. The procedure is reversed for shock absorber extension.

Abstract: Shock absorbers and shock absorber jacks each of which comprises a shaft containing a low-pressure chamber and sliding in a first chamber of a first cylinder which is separated from another or second chamber which contains a high-pressure chamber, by means of a partition which is traversed by a grooved shaft borne by a separator piston in the other chamber and guided in a sleeve borne by the partition. In the event of the penetration of the shaft into the first cylinder at a rate of very much higher than normal, then the two grooves in the shaft communicate with each other and permit the flow of oil from the first chamber towards the second chamber and towards the low-pressure chamber because of a radial passage through the sleeve near the partition.

Abstract: A wing mounted retractable aircraft undercarriage with a trailing wheel or wheels comprising a rigid leg casing, pivotally mounted on the wing about a retraction axis, a rocking lever pivoted on the leg casing, supporting the wheel or wheels and mounting the lower pivot connection of a shock absorber located behind the leg casing, an upper pivot connection of the shock absorber to a lever, which lever is pivotable on the leg casing about an articulation axis which is distinct from the retraction axis, a rod of fixed length pivoted at one end to the lever and at the other end to a fixed position on the wing, so that upon retraction of the undercarriage by the action of a retraction jack, the rod causes rotation of the lever with respect to the leg casing, which rotation, by traction of the expanded shock absorber causes pivoting, with respect to the leg casing, of the rocking lever mounting the wheel or wheels towards the retraction axis, and thus an overall shortening of the undercarriage.

Abstract: In a landing gear of the type that includes a pivotally retractable shock strut, the overall length of the strut is shortened during retraction by a mechanism that is effective to force the shock strut piston to telescope into the shock strut cylinder. The mechanism includes a multiple section, foldable brace which when the landing gear is down functions to rigidify the shock strut and which during retraction folds into a compact, collapsed configuration. One end of the brace is pivotally connected to a collar which in turn is coaxially, rotatably mounted on the strut cylinder, while the other end of the brace is pivotally connected to a support point located on the underside of the wing and offset to one side of the plane of rotation of the strut so that the brace resides at a skewed angle to such plane.