Abstract: Shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers. The shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomers being synthesized by filling an alignment cell with liquid crystal monomers. The liquid crystal monomers align to a surface of the alignment cell and then are polymerized with a dithiol chain transfer agent. The alignment cell is configured to impose a director orientation on a portion of the shape-programmable liquid crystal elastomer. For some embodiments, liquid crystal elastomer laminates are prepared by arranging a plurality of liquid crystal elastomers such that a director orientation of each liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality is in registered alignment with an adjacent liquid crystal elastomer of the plurality. The arrangement is secured and the plurality of liquid crystal elastomers cured.

Abstract: A nose landing gear arrangement including a leg assembly with a pivot axis A at one end thereof and a landing gear wheel mounting at the other end thereof. Two stays are provided, each stay being mounted at one end thereof to the leg assembly and mountable at the other end thereof to an aircraft. Each stay includes an upper stay part and a lower stay part which are hinged together by means of a simple hinge. The upper stay part has a cardan joint at its end spaced from the hinge to enable hinged mounting to an aircraft. The lower stay part has a cardan joint at its lower end spaced from the hinge, the cardan joint of the lower stay part hingedly mounting the lower stay part to the leg assembly. The leg assembly and the stays are arranged so that the stays extend from the leg assembly on opposite sides thereof and the stays fold into a stowed position so that they lie substantially alongside the leg assembly when the leg assembly is retracted.

Abstract: An aircraft wing including: a main wing element; and a flap connected to the main wing element by a deployment system which can deploy the flap from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein the wing has a trailing edge which is swept, at least in the region of the flap, when the flap is in its retracted position, and wherein the deployment system is arranged such that the flap reduces the degree of sweep of the trailing edge of the wing in the region of the flap as it is deployed. The deployment system includes a first actuator configured to rotate the flap horizontally so as to change the sweep angle of the flap and a second actuator configured to rotate the flap vertically so as to increase the camber of the wing, and the first and second actuators are operable independently of each other.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear assembly comprises a four bar linkage arranged to be pivotably attached to an aircraft fuselage and movable between a deployed position and a retracted position, wherein when in the retracted position at least a first portion of the landing gear assembly is housed within a wing at the aircraft.

Abstract: A nose landing gear arrangement comprises a leg assembly with a pivot axis A at one end thereof and a landing gear wheel mounting at the other end thereof. Two stays are provided, each stay being mounted at one end thereof to the leg assembly and mountable at the other end thereof to an aircraft. Each stay comprises an upper stay part and a lower stay part which are hinged together by means of a simple hinge. The upper stay part has a cardan joint at its end spaced from the hinge to enable hinged mounting to an aircraft. The lower stay part has a cardan joint at its lower end spaced from the hinge, the cardan joint of the lower stay part hingedly mounting the lower stay part to the leg assembly. The leg assembly and the stays are arranged so that the stays extend from the leg assembly on opposite sides thereof and the stays fold into a stowed position so that they lie substantially alongside the leg assembly when the leg assembly is retracted.

Abstract: An aircraft wing comprising: a main wing element; and a flap connected to the main wing element by a deployment system which can deploy the flap from a retracted position to an extended position, wherein the wing has a trailing edge which is swept, at least in the region of the flap, when the flap is in its retracted position, and wherein the deployment system is arranged such that the flap reduces the degree of sweep of the trailing edge of the wing in the region of the flap as it is deployed. The deployment system comprises a first actuator configured to rotate the flap horizontally so as to change the sweep angle of the flap and a second actuator configured to rotate the flap vertically so as to increase the camber of the wing, and the first and second actuators are operable independently of each other.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear assembly comprises a four bar linkage arranged to be pivotably attached to an aircraft fuselage and movable between a deployed position and a retracted position, wherein when in the retracted position at least a first portion of the landing gear assembly is housed within a wing at the aircraft.

Abstract: A material having fibers in a curable matrix is applied as a reinforcement to a vertical column. The matrix is cured by providing a reinforcement curing apparatus including a steel cylindrical housing split lengthwise into at least two sections, and a plurality of elongated radiant heaters mounted to an interior wall of the housing and oriented to direct their heat inwardly. The curing apparatus is assembled around the perimeter of the column having the reinforcement thereon and operated to heat and cure the reinforcement.

Abstract: An excavation hole shoring system is disclosed which employs a plurality of shoring panels positioned between adjacent vertical soldier beams around the periphery of an excavation hole. A plurality of horizontal reinforcing members form a box frame around the hole's periphery at grade level, and each of the soldier beams is attached to an adjacent one of the reinforcing members with a metal strap. Each of the soldier beams includes a pair of longitudinal guide beams which form front and back channels for reception of front and back shoring panels. The front shoring panel is employed to shore the lower portion of an excavation hole, while the back shoring panel is employed to shore the upper portion of the hole. The two panels are therefore vertically staggered in an overlapping fashion so that holes of varying depths can be shored with the same shoring system.

Abstract: A radiation sensitive compound and method for making same. The compound has the general formula: ##STR1## wherein, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2, which may be the same or different, each represents lower alkyl, aryl, X, CHX.sub.2, CH.sub.2 X, CX.sub.3 or NHR.sup.3 wherein R.sup.3 represents hydrogen, lower alkyl, aryl or ##STR2## and provided at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 is CX.sub.3, X is halogen, and A.sup.1 and A.sup.2 are each residues of A.sup.1 --H and A.sup.2 --H respectively wherein A.sup.1 --H and A.sup.2 --H which may be the same or different are each compounds containing at least one group having an active hydrogen atom. The method comprises reacting together an isocyanate of the formula ##STR3## with a compound of the formula A.sup.1 --H or A.sup.2 --H to obtain the desired compound wherein R.sup.1 or R.sup.4 represents lower alkyl, aryl, X, CHX.sub.2, CX.sub.3, NCO or NHR.sup.5 wherein R.sup.5 represents hydrogen, lower alkyl or aryl and at least one of R.sup.1 and R.sup.4 is CX.sub.3.

Abstract: The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a lifting jack having an upstanding hollow strut member for rotatably receiving a screw rod therein. The strut member has a flat front wall which forms a glide surface and inwardly turned portions to form a rear glide surface. The inwardly turned portions are spaced apart to provide a longitudinal opening through which extends a slide member secured to a load-lifting support element. The upper end of the screw rod is provided with a non-circular configuration having flat side wall portions and shoulder portions extending therefrom to be inserted into a recess formed in a washer which is to rotate therewith. The washer bears against a pair of thrust disks which are positioned between the upper end of the strut member and the washer. The thrust disks provide multiple thrust bearing surfaces for increased wearability and ease of turning under heavy loads.