Patents Assigned to Messier-Dowty Limited
  • Patent number: 9440733
    Abstract: An aircraft brake assembly comprising a support leg, a main wheel rotatably mounted on the support leg, a brake comprising a first sub-assembly fixed to the main wheel and a second sub-assembly moveably mounted on the support leg and a ground reaction wheel coupled to the second sub-assembly, wherein on application of the brake, the first sub-assembly engages with the second sub-assembly to exert a braking force on the second sub-assembly; and wherein the ground reaction wheel is arranged to transfer the braking force from the second sub-assembly to the ground.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: Chris Green, Yann Simonneaux
  • Patent number: 9346538
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear including wheels and a fairing arranged to be moveable between a first and a second configuration, wherein in the first configuration the fairing is arranged to shield an element of the landing gear from incident airflow and wherein in the second configuration the fairing is arranged to deflect debris or spray propelled from one or more of the wheels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 24, 2016
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: Yann Simonneaux, Simon D. Harris
  • Patent number: 9272792
    Abstract: A mechanical position indicator for providing a visual indication that a first part of an aircraft landing gear has assumed a predetermined position relative to a second part, the position indicator being arranged to be coupled to a first one of the first and second parts and in a first state arranged to hold an indicator element in a deployed position, the position indicator being arranged such that upon the first part assuming the predetermined position relative to the second part, a second one of the first and second parts changes the position indicator from the first state to a second state in which the indicator element is displaced from the deployed position, the position indicator being arranged to inhibit the indicator element thereafter returning to the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: David Benjamin Hodgkinson, Stuart Lacy, Christopher Webb, Garry Anson
  • Patent number: 9272774
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear assembly comprising a bogie beam (2), an axle (4) extending through the bogie beam and a jacking dome fitting (6) extending through a sidewall (8) of the bogie beam and arranged to transfer vertical loads applied to the jacking dome fitting to the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: Ian R Bennett, Matthew Craig Sexton
  • Patent number: 9266606
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear including: a main strut having an upper portion arranged to be coupled to the underside of an aircraft and a lower portion telescopically mounted with respect to the upper portion; a bogie including a bogie beam pivotally coupled to the lower portion of the main strut, the bogie beam having a plurality of axles mounted on it, each axle carrying one or more wheel assemblies; an actuator arranged such that a change in its effective length causes a change in the angular position of the bogie relative to the main strut, and a control port arranged to be coupled to a control fluid supply system, wherein the aircraft landing gear includes or is in combination with a control valve having a first configuration in which it permits control fluid to be supplied to the control port of the actuator at a first pressure and a second configuration in which the control valve permits the supply of control fluid to the control port at a second pressure less than the first pressure so as to reduce loads
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: Simon Goodburn, Glen Chisholm, Sam Nell
  • Patent number: 9227724
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear having a strut having an upper portion for mechanically coupling to an aircraft and a lower portion movably mounted with respect to the upper portion. A bogie beam is pivotally coupled to the lower strut. A bogie control linkage is mechanically coupled to the bogie at a first connection point, and to the strut at a second connection point. The bogie control linkage has: an actuator including a locking system that inhibits actuation of the actuator; a sensor linkage mechanically coupled to the lower strut and arranged to change between first and second conditions in accordance with movement of the upper strut relative to the lower strut; and an actuator control linkage arranged to operate the locking system when the sensor linkage is in the first condition and arranged not to operate the locking system when the sensor linkage is in the second condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Robert Kyle Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9174727
    Abstract: A landing gear assembly for an aircraft, the landing gear assembly including: an elongate bogie beam; a first axle bearing having an outer part rotatably coupled to an inner part, the outer part being coupled to the bogie beam, the inner part including a mounting aperture; and an elongate axle provided through the mounting aperture of the inner part and coupled thereto, wherein the axle is coupled to the inner part of the first axle bearing in a configuration such that the longitudinal axis of the axle is spaced from the axis of rotation of the inner part, such that rotation of the inner part causes a change in the orientation of the axle relative to the bogie beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 3, 2015
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: Stuart Lacy, Yann Simonneaux
  • Patent number: 9162756
    Abstract: A landing gear (10), including: a bogie beam (12); an axle (14) pivotally connected to the bogie beam (12); a locking member (40) coupled to the axle (14) such that movement of the axle (14) invokes movement of the locking member (40), said movement of the locking member (40) defining a swept volume; and a locking mechanism (60) coupled to the bogie beam (12) and including first (65a) and second glide members, (65a, 65b) the locking mechanism (60) being arranged to move the glide members (65a, 65b) between locking positions, where glide members (65a, 65b) are within the swept volume on opposing sides of the locking member (40) and in which position the locking mechanism (60) is arranged to lock the locking member (40) in a predetermined position, and non-locking positions, where the locking mechanism (60) is arranged permit movement of the locking member (40).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: Robert Menezes, Matthew Hilliard, Peter Michaelides
  • Publication number: 20150204399
    Abstract: A brake assembly for a vehicle comprising a wheel comprising a hollow section and a rim, the rim comprising a first portion comprising an electrically conductive material and a second portion adjacent to the first portion comprising a plurality of a permanent magnets and a stator comprising at least one electromagnetic coil arranged to be located within the hollow section of the wheel, wherein the stator is moveable between a first position in which the at least one electromagnetic coil is inductively coupled to the first portion of the rim when the wheel is rotating relative to the stator, and a second position in which the at least one electromagnetic coil is inductively coupled to the second portion of the rim.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 2, 2013
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Kyle Schmidt
  • Patent number: 9056431
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a fitting connected to a body. The fitting has an engagement portion including a channel formed into a peripheral surface of it and an axis. The body includes an axial layer provided around at least some of the peripheral surface of the engagement portion of the end fitting and a hoop layer provided around the axial layer at a location corresponding to at least some of the channel so as to urge at least some of the axial layer into a portion of the channel. The channel is arranged such that at least some of it defines a pathway that is non-orthogonal with respect to the axis of the fitting, such that at least some of the surface area of the channel defines a load bearing surface for the transfer of torque between the fitting and body when a rotational force is applied to one of them.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 16, 2015
    Assignees: MESSIER-DOWTY LIMITED, MESSIER-BUGATTI-DOWTY
    Inventors: David Bond, Paul Trowbridge, Andrew Smith, Richard Masson, Patrick Dunleavy
  • Patent number: 9027878
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear including a fairing (12) arranged to be moveable between first and second configurations, wherein in the first configuration the fairing shields an element of the landing gear from an incident airflow, the fairing being arranged to be in the first configuration when the landing gear is deployed but unloaded, and wherein in the second configuration the fairing exposes the landing gear element to the incident airflow, the fairing being arranged to be in the second configuration when the landing gear is deployed and loaded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Yann Simonneaux
  • Patent number: 8998129
    Abstract: Aircraft landing gear including an axle pivotally connected to a bogie beam and a locking device. The locking couples the axle to the bogie beam, and has a movable member and a follower. The movable member is movable between first and second configurations. Movement of the movable member towards the second configuration causes corresponding movement of the follower so as to transfer a steering force to the axle through the follower which causes the axle to rotate in a first direction. With the movable member in the first configuration, the follower is in a first configuration that inhibits the movable member being moved by an external force applied to the axle. With the movable member in the second configuration, the follower in a second configuration that permits the movable member to be moved by an external force applied to the axle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Ian Bennett
  • Patent number: 8955798
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear includes at least one load bearing longitudinal structural element. The longitudinal structural element is hollow and is arranged to have a non-structural element located inside.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Yann Simonneaux
  • Patent number: 8955799
    Abstract: A stop pad (11) for an aircraft landing gear arranged to provide protection against impact between first and second elements of the landing gear, the stop pad being arranged to provide an indication that it is been subject to an impact against one of the first or second landing gear elements, the impact having an impact load above a predetermined threshold level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: Christophe Devillers, Ben Hodgkinson
  • Publication number: 20140374538
    Abstract: An aircraft landing gear having a strut having an upper portion for mechanically coupling to an aircraft and a lower portion movably mounted with respect to the upper portion. A bogie beam is pivotally coupled to the lower strut. A bogie control linkage is mechanically coupled to the bogie at a first connection point, and to the strut at a second connection point. The bogie control linkage has: an actuator including a locking system that inhibits actuation of the actuator; a sensor linkage mechanically coupled to the lower strut and arranged to change between first and second conditions in accordance with movement of the upper strut relative to the lower strut; and an actuator control linkage arranged to operate the locking system when the sensor linkage is in the first condition and arranged not to operate the locking system when the sensor linkage is in the second condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 17, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Robert Kyle Schmidt
  • Patent number: 8899517
    Abstract: A landing gear, including an elongate axle pivotally connected to a bogie beam, the landing gear further including a locking device for locking the axle at a substantially fixed orientation with respect to the bogie beam, the locking device including first and second barrier arms that are movable between a first configuration, in which they define a barrier so as to maintain the maintain the axle in the substantially fixed orientation with respect to the bogie beam, and a second configuration, in which the axle may pivot about the bogie beam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Ian Bennett
  • Patent number: 8844864
    Abstract: A main landing gear assembly for an aircraft comprising: an elongate beam pivotally coupled about its longitudinal axis to the aircraft such that the axis of rotation of the elongate beam is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage; a shock strut pivotally coupled at a first end to the elongate beam and coupled at a second end to a wheel assembly; a folding forward stay pivotally coupled at a first end to the elongate beam and pivotally coupled at a second end to the shock strut; and a rigid rear stay pivotally coupled at a first end to the aircraft and pivotally coupled at a second end to the shock strut, the rigid rear stay being arranged to restrain the path of the shock strut when moving between a deployed and a retracted position such that the wheel assembly is located forward and inboard in the retracted position in comparison with its location in the deployed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Ian Robert Bennett
  • Patent number: 8800382
    Abstract: An overload detecting assembly comprising a lateral probe (18) which cooperates with a first load bearing member (10) as it moves towards a second load bearing member (11) and in turn deflects an indicator member (20) which may take a permanent set when a yield point is exceeded. Ready inspection of the indicator member reveals whether or not it has been bent. The indicator member may comprise a cantilevered beam (24) formed in a sleeve (20) coaxial with the load bearing members (10, 11). Alternatively, an extension (25) of the probe (18) may deflect laterally at a midpoint under overload conditions. Alternatively, the probe (18) may form an impression in an indicator member (30) under overload conditions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Ian Robert Bennett
  • Patent number: 8690432
    Abstract: A bearing assembly (2?) comprising a housing (3?) supporting first and second bearing ring portions (4, 4?) with bearing surfaces to engage an inner tubular member (1?) at axially spaced regions, characterized in that either: the bearing ring portions are provided by separate bearing rings (4?) supported in the housing member (3?) with bearing surfaces of different diameters; or the bearing ring portions are provided by a single bearing ring (4?) that is free to flex radially and is supported so that the second bearing ring portion is free to flex radially under load and its bearing surface than assumes a position with a greater diameter than that of the first bearing ring portion (4?).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 8, 2014
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventor: Ian Robert Bennett
  • Publication number: 20140084108
    Abstract: Aircraft landing gear including: a bogie beam coupled to a main strut; a first and second axles mounted on the bogie beam, each axle having a respective brake assembly and wheel assembly; and first and second stabilising arms mechanically coupling the first and second brake assemblies to respective first and second anchor points on the landing gear so as to react respective first and second brake torques generated as respective brake assembly applies a braking force to the respective wheel assembly. The first and second stabilising arms couple the respective first and second brake assemblies to the respective first and second anchor points such that the first and second brake torques result in both stabilising arms experiencing a tensile force or both stabilising arms experiencing a compressive force.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2012
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY LIMITED
    Inventor: Simon Goodburn