Patents by Inventor Robert Menezes

Robert Menezes has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20130146704
    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 pre-determined position, and non-locking positions, where the locking mechanism (60) is arranged permit movement of the locking member (40).
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 19, 2011
    Publication date: June 13, 2013
    Inventors: Robert Menezes, Matthew Hilliard, Peter Michaelides
  • Publication number: 20130020431
    Abstract: There is described a landing gear having a bogie including a elongated beam (2) for accommodating at least two axles receiving each a pair of ground engaging wheels, at least one axle (5) being pivotally mounted on the elongated beam. The landing gear further includes axle travel limitation means (10) extending between said pivotable axle and said elongated beam to be hitched up thereto, said travel limitation means being deformable one way starting from an stable and lockable state thereof corresponding to a landing position of said pivotable axle. There are also described independently lockable and actuatable telescopic struts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 10, 2010
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY LTD
    Inventors: Ian Robert Robert Bennett, Robert Menezes, Paul Shaw
  • Publication number: 20120119025
    Abstract: An auxiliary actuator mechanism includes a lever, a spring unit and a control linkage. The lever is pivotally connected to the upper portion of a main shock absorber strut, and pivotable between an upper position for take-off, and a lower position. The spring unit is pivotally connected at an upper end to the lever and at a lower end to the bogie at an auxiliary pivot forward of the main pivot. The control linkage is connected between the lever and the upper portion of the main shock absorber strut to define the upper predetermined position of the lever. The control linkage is connectable to an anchor point that moves relative to the upper portion of the main shock absorber strut during stowing, and is operated by initial stowing movement of the stowing mechanism to lower the lever from the upper position to a stowing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ian Bennett, Richard C. Lang, Robert A. Menezes
  • Publication number: 20120112001
    Abstract: An auxiliary mechanism includes a lever unit, a spring unit and a positioning unit. One of the units pivotally connects to the upper portion of a main shock absorber strut so as to pivot between a predetermined lower position for take-off and landing and an upper position. Another unit pivotally connects at an upper end to the upper portion of the main shock absorber strut and pivotally connects at a lower end to the first unit. A third unit pivotally connects at a lower end to the bogie beam at an auxiliary pivot and connects at an upper end to the lever. The positioning unit assumes either a contracted state or extended state for taxiing, take-off and landing, and assumes the other state for stowing the landing gear after take-off. The spring unit provides spring resistance to pivotal movements of the bogie beam about the main pivot during taxiing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: May 10, 2012
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ian Bennett, Richard C. Lang, Robert A. Menezes
  • Publication number: 20120091271
    Abstract: A semi-levered landing gear for an aircraft includes a main shock absorber strut, a bogie beam and an auxiliary actuator mechanism. The bogie beam extends fore and aft of an airframe of the aircraft with forward and aft axles for respective forward and aft wheels, and a main pivot between the forward and aft axle pivotally connected to the lower portion of the main shock absorber strut. The auxiliary actuator mechanism includes a spring unit pivotally connected at a lower end to an auxiliary pivot on the bogie forward of the main pivot, and at an upper end to an anchor point offset from the pivot connection of the upper portion to the aircraft fuselage. During stowing the strut and spring unit pivot together about different pivot points, causing a relative longitudinal movement between the main pivot and auxiliary pivot that further tilts the bogie beam to a stowing position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Publication date: April 19, 2012
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ian BENNETT, Richard C. LANG, Robert A. MENEZES
  • Patent number: 8104711
    Abstract: An auxiliary actuator (49) comprises a two stage telescopic hydraulic unit comprising first (59, 63) and second (56, 50) stage piston and cylinder actuators operating coaxially within an outer casing (50). A respective actuator is connected to a respective one of the strut (1) and bogie beam (4). The second stage actuator (56, 60) serves to control the tilt position of the bogie beam (4) relative to the strut (1). The second stage actuator (56. 60), when in the retracted position with the first stage actuator (59, 63) in the extended position, limits the length ol the auxiliary actuator (9) between its connections (62,67) to the strut (1) and bogie beam (4), so as to assume a predetermined intermediate length in which the bogie beam (4) is restrained to tilt about the auxiliary pivot (14) and thereby lengthens the landing gear during take-off.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2012
    Assignee: Messier-Dowty Limited
    Inventors: Ian Bennett, Richard C. Lang, Robert A. Menezes
  • Publication number: 20090050736
    Abstract: A semi-levered landing gear for an aircraft comprises a main shock absorber strut (1) connected to the airframe; a bogie beam (4) extending fore and aft of the airframe with forward and aft wheels (J, T) and a main pivot connection (5) to the strut (1) between the forward and aft wheels (7, T) and an auxiliary actuator (49) connected between the strut (1) and the front of the bogie beam (4) at an auxiliary pivot (14). The auxiliary actuator (49) comprises a two stage telescopic hydraulic unit comprising a first stage piston and cylinder actuator (59, 63) and a second stage piston and cylinder actuator (56, 50) operating coaxially within an outer casing (50). A respective piston rod (65, 60) each extends from each end of the casing (50) and is connected to a respective one of said (strut 1) and bogie beam (4). The first stage actuator (59, 63) is operable to an extended position, and the second stage actuator (56, 60) is operable between a retracted position (FIG. 11) and an extended position (FIG.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 4, 2006
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: MESSIER-DOWTY LIMITED
    Inventors: Ian Bennett, Richard C. Lang, Robert A. Menezes