Abstract: A partially buoyant aircraft capable of transporting very large cargo payloads comprises a lifting body with an exterior airfoil configuration that includes internal structural support members for an exterior skin, the skin defining an internal volume for storing the cargo, propulsion apparatus, flight stabilization apparatus on a portion of the lifting body, lift assisting apparatus carried within the lifting body, and landing gear arranged in close proximity to the longitudinal centerline of the lifting body. Each landing gear comprises a wheel supported by a cylinder set including upper and lower telescoping cylinders, the upper cylinders of the wheels being ported together to operate as a single element.

Abstract: A hydraulic system for retracting into and extending out of the body of an aircraft a landing gear for use in taking off and landing, comprises a housing unit which has a hydraulic pump, a hydraulic actuator, a shuttle valve, an emergency valve, an actuator pressure releasing mechanism, and a mechanically locking mechanism accommodated therein. The hydraulic actuator has a piston rod assembly received therein to be reciprocably moved by the hydraulic pump to assume a retraction position and an extended position. The shuttle valve is movable with respect to the housing unit for selectively changing the flow of the hydraulic fluid between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic actuator. The emergency valve is movable with respect to the housing unit to assume two different positions for selectively changing the flow of the hydraulic fluid between the hydraulic pump and the hydraulic actuator and the flow of the hydraulic pump and the fluid pressure reservoir.

Abstract: An aircraft nose landing gear installation that utilizes a single piece pin inserted through the gear fittings and into the two piece, fail safe support structure without requiring mechanical retention on the outside of the wheel well.

Abstract: An operator for lowering and retracting two or more landing gear on an aircraft with a single motor. The output of the motor is modified by a reduction gear assembly, then rotates a drive shaft of each drive, there being one drive for each landing gear assembly. Output of each drive shaft turns a universal joint, then a screw shaft fixed to the universal joint. The screw shaft is arranged to turn in a threaded collar fixed to a tubular stabilizing strut connected to the main strut of the landing gear such that rotation telescopically extends and contracts the paired strut and screw shaft when the latter rotates. Two opposing landing gear are driven by mirror image drives of the operator. Optionally, a third drive shaft and screw shaft lower and retract the nose wheel or tail wheel of the aircraft.

Abstract: Landing gear (10) for an airplane including an elongate strut (12) having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced therefrom. The first end of the strut being pivotally attached to the airplane for pivotal movement of the strut between an extended position for taxiing and landing of the airplane and a retracted position for stowage of the landing gear within a landing gear bay. The landing gear assembly also includes elongate first and second hub assemblies (70) and (72) each having first and second ends. Landing wheels (20) and (22) are journaled to each of the second ends of the hub assemblies. The first ends of the hub assemblies are attached to the second end of the strut for swinging movement thereof between an unsplayed position, wherein the wheels are parallel to each other, and a splayed position, wherein the first and second hub assemblies are spread to a predetermined angle from each other to permit stowage of the landing gear within the landing gear bay with minimal intrusion.

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: A nose landing gear assembly for an airplane which can be launched with catapult assistance. The landing gear assembly includes a nose strut, upper drag link, lower drag link, launch bar and launch bar actuator. When the nose shut is in the extended position, the upper drag link, lower drag link and launch bar form a direct load path between the catapult shuttle and the airplane thereby avoiding subjecting the nose strut to loads reacted from the shuttle. The nose strut, launch bar, launch bar actuator and airplane fuselage form a first four bar linkage. Furthermore, the nose strut, upper drag link, lower drag link and airplane fuselage form a second four bar linkage such that during retraction of the nose strut, the launch bar, launch bar linkage, upper drag link and lower drag link are caused to move up and into the airplane wheel well.

Abstract: A nose landing gear assembly on an airplane with a front fuselage section having a wheel bay defined therein and a pair of laterally spaced side compartments defined therein on each side of the wheel bay by respective laterally spaced side walls. A nose landing gear is mounted on the fuselage section for pivotal lifting and lowering movement into and out of the wheel bay. The nose landing gear assembly includes an actuator disposed in one of the side compartments for lifting the nose landing gear into and lowering the nose landing gear out of the wheel bay, and a steering device disposed in the other of the side compartments for steering the nose landing gear while the airplane is taxiing. Since the actuator and the steering device are concealed in the respective side compartments, they are protected from foreign-object damage. The nose landing gear assembly allows the airplane cabin to have increased space because the actuator and the steering device are positioned laterally of the nose landing gear.

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 including a shock absorbing leg that is pivotally mounted, and to a driving actuator associated therewith. According to the invention, the leg is implemented in the form of two elements that are hinged to each other about an axis parallel to the pivot axis of the leg and that are connected together by means of a shock absorber, the bottom element forming a rocker and the top element forming a panel whose free end is connected to a drive actuator which is a shock-absorbing actuator having a force threshold, said shock-absorbing actuator serving to apply a predetermined torque that maintains the leg in position during normal landing, while allowing said leg to be raised against a controlled force in the event of a crash landing.

Abstract: The invention relates to raisable landing gear including a shock absorber having a strut and a sliding rod, together with a two-alignment hinged side-brace. According to the invention, unlocking means are provided to break the secondary alignment, thereby breaking the main alignment while the landing gear is being raised, said means being essentially constituted by a lever mounted to rotate on one of the arms of the main alignment, and by a motor and gear box assembly for driving said rotary lever in rotation and further including an unlocking arm that, when said motor and gear box assembly is in action, co-operates with the lower arm of the secondary alignment to break said secondary alignment. Return means are also associated with the rotary lever to ensure that it returns to its initial position when the landing gear is raised.

Abstract: The invention relates to raisable landing gear having a shock absorber strut and a sliding rod. According to the invention, the landing gear includes a lateral stabilizer hinged to the strut and fitted with a wheel at its free end, together with mechanical coupling means associated with said lateral stabilizer, in such a manner that: firstly lowering the landing gear deploys the lateral stabilizer so that its wheel, when the landing gear is in its lowered position, provides support additional to that provided by the wheels of the wheel set, and also constitutes a lateral stabilizer proper during taxiing of the airplane; and secondly raising the landing gear folds the lateral stabilizer so as to enable the entire landing gear assembly to be housed when in the raised position. It then becomes possible to organize the landing gear beneath the fuselage of the airplane, thereby making it possible to obtain landing gear that is extremely short.

Abstract: A self-contained shortening and folding apparatus for retracting aircraft front landing gear, thereby conserving space within the storage bay.

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: 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 present invention relates to landing gear. The landing gear has a strut (2) having one end pivotally mounted about a first axis (4) suitable for connection to the structure (1) of an aircraft. A lower portion (6) for supporting running gear (10) is pivotally mounted relative to said strut (2) to pivot about a second axis. A collapsible side brace (20) has one end suitable for connection to a first point (27) of the aircraft structure (1) for pivoting about a third axis (29) and a fourth axis (30) providing rotation with two degrees of freedom about said third and fourth axes respectively. The third axis (29) passes through said first point (27) being situated on a line which is not colinear with the first axis but which intersects said first axis at a second point (40). A pivot pin (33) is rotatable about a fifth axis (35), the fifth axis not being colinear with said first (4), third (29) and fourth (30) axes and being situated on a line which passes through said second point (40).

Abstract: A combination landing gear door and splash guard for an aircraft landing gear which includes a linkage to control the clearance between the door/splash guard and a runway surface with respect to the extension of a shock absorbing strut of the landing gear.

Abstract: The front bearing for a landing gear trunnion is carried by a rear wing spar and the rear bearing is carried by a simple beam which is pivotally attached at its inner end to the body frame. A main attach pin pivotally connects the outer end of such beam to a pair of connector plates, one located on each side of the connection. A pair of shear pins connect the connector plates to a short cantilever beam which is connected to and project inwardly from the rear wing spar, generally in line with the landing gear beam. One of the shear pins is positioned generally horizontally outwardly from the main attach pin. The second shear pin is positioned generally vertically below the main attach pin. Generally vertical overloads are carried by the lower shear pin load and such shear pin is designed to fracture in response to a load slightly below the vertical load reacting capability of the reaction structure.