Abstract: A shock absorber, optionally operable as a retractable landing gear actuator, includes a sealed cylinder divided by a cylinder head to define an upper chamber and a lower chamber, the lower chamber further divided by a piston having a piston rod passing in sealed manner through the lower cylinder end. The cylinder head includes one or more orifices, the effective opening of each orifice controlled by a valve, the valve having a stem attached to and passing through the upper cylinder end to the atmosphere, such that the pressure between the piston and the cylinder head is limited to a certain value above atmospheric pressure, regardless of the velocity or position of the piston. The valve is forced toward the closed position by a spring against a stop such that it is always at least partially open. During hard or crash landings, high fluid pressure on the piston or in the upper chamber forces the valve further open.

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: Aircraft components utilize flexible fluted extruded twin wall plastic sheet to form aileron hinges, horizontal staibilizers and elevators, vertical stabilizers and rudders, compound landing gear, struts, and control systems which are lighter in weight and lower in cost than previously available structures. The landing gear has damping characteristics superior to previous gear. The invention is particularly well suited to remotely controlled flying model aircraft.

Abstract: A shock strut assembly for an aircraft landing gear includes a trunnion fitting, a compressible oleo strut subassembly, a wheel subassembly, an energy dissipating subassembly, and a mechanical load control subassembly. The oleo strut subassembly includes a cylinder member having an upper end mounted in combination with the trunnion fitting by means of the mechanical load control subassembly and a piston member having a lower end affixed in combination with the wheel subassembly and an upper end slidably inserted in the cylinder member. The energy dissipating subassembly includes a cylindrical cutter member secured in combination with the cylinder member and the trunnion fitting and a frangible tube member mounted in concentric combination with the cylinder member so that the lip of the upper end thereof is disposed in abutting engagement with the cutter member.

Abstract: A landing pad system for absorbing horizontal and vertical impact forces upon engagement with a landing surface (15) where circumferentially arranged landing struts (12) respectively have a clevis (24) which receives a slidable rod member (13) and where the upper portion of a slidable rod member is coupled to the clevis by friction washers (30,32) which are force fit onto the rod member to provide for controlled constant force energy absorption when the rod member moves relative to the clevis. The lower end of he friction rod is pivotally attached by a ball and socket (44) to a support plate (42) where the support plate is arranged to slide in a transverse direction relative to a housing which contains an energy absorption material (50) for absorbing energy in a transverse direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a shock-absorbing actuator including a cylindrical body and a hollow rod having an annular piston. The cylindrical body includes a separator piston delimiting two hydraulic fluid chambers, one of which communicates via a distributor valve with the hydraulic circuit of the aircraft, said distributor valve being closed automatically at the end of lowering the landing gear; the annular chamber communicates via a second distributor valve with said hydraulic circuit. The distributor valves thus make it possible to extend and retract the shock-absorbing actuator. In addition, a force peak-limiting means is disposed in an extension extending beyond an end wall of the body that forms one of the abutments for the separator piston.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear damping mechanism improvement of a damper containing piston means in a chamber of a housing, an orifice in the piston means and Belleville springs disposed in the chamber between the wall of the chamber and the piston means on opposite sides thereof. The improvement comprises means, e.g. in the form of a member having slots therein, and disposed between one end of the Belleville springs and the adjacent chamber wall, providing fluid communication of the inner cavity and outer cavity of the chamber below and above the Belleville springs.

Abstract: A landing apparatus for use with helicopters comprises a substantially J-shaped cantilevered landing skid having a cantilevered portion and a mounting portion. The cantilevered portion is attached at one end thereof to the mounting portion and extends substantially perpendicularly away the mounting portion. The mounting portion is mountable on a rear portion of an aircraft so that the cantilevered portion can extend forwardly underneath the aircraft.

Abstract: The invention relates to a landing gear, wherein a connecting plate 12 is joined to a strut tube 5 of a shock strut which is joined to a bearing member 1, and wherein the strut tube 5 houses an inner member 8 which with its terminal end engages the bearing member 1. It is desirable to model a shock strut formed with a deflecting C-member and hydraulic spring system with simple means as authentically as possible. This is achieved in that the strut tube 5 is joined to the bearing member 1 via a spring-action C-member 7 to permit up and down motions while the connecting plate 12 is solidly attached, in that the bearing member 1 is of integral construction with the connecting plate 12, the strut tube 5 and the C-member and in that the inner member is formed as a metal pin 8 which is axially slidable in the strut-tube 5, the metal pin 8 being loaded at its one end by a metal compression coil spring 10 abutting on a fixed part at its far end.

Abstract: Landing gear comprising a pivoting strut (1) receiving the rod of a shock absorber (2) which projects downwardly from the strut and is movable in an axial direction (3) relative thereto, a rocking beam (4) mounted to tilt at the bottom end of the shock absorber rod (2) and supporting leading and trailing wheel sets (6), a torque linkage comprising a top branch (7) and a bottom branch (8) which are hinged to each other, the top branch (7) being hinged to the strut (1) and the bottom branch (8) being hinged to the rocking beam, and locking means (9, 15) for limiting a downwards pivot movement of the top branch (7) of the torque linkage while the shock absorber rod (2) is not fully extended.

Abstract: Axial motion of the wheel assembly of a flat-spring undercarriage for vertical-lift aircraft is provided to permit proper deflection of the flat spring so as to effectively cushion the touchdown of such an aircraft from a hover.

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: In combination with a piston-and-cylinder arrangement, supporting and attaching apparatus for attaching the piston-and-cylinder arrangement to a supporting structure and for supporting the piston-and-cylinder arrangement includes a frame attached to the cylinder for transmitting loads acting on the piston-and-cylinder arrangement to the supporting structure, the frame having a shell-type design disposed over at least a portion of the cylinder and a mechanical joint for attaching the frame to the cylinder. The supporting and attaching apparatus include a reinforcing rib which closes an end of the frame adjacent to the closed end of the cylinder, the reinforcing rib being coupled to the closed cylinder end. The frame is clamped on the piston-and-cylinder arrangement against a sleeve-like collar that projects from the cylinder by a bolt joint which attaches the reinforcing rib to the closed end of the cylinder.

Abstract: Nose landing gear jump strut assembly includes an outer main housing cylinder containing a jump cylinder which is normally retained in a retracted position but is extendable on command during the take-off ground roll of the aircraft to accelerate the outer main housing cylinder upward thus to rotate the nose of the aircraft upward and thereby increase the angle of attack of the aircraft. Within the jump cylinder is the main strut piston which is free to move relative to the jump cylinder except during extension of the jump cylinder, the main strut piston is hydraulically locked for movement with the jump cylinder. After the jump cylinder has been fully extended, and the aircraft starts to become airborne, the main strut piston will move to its fully extended position. Then the jump cylinder is retracted, while still leaving the main strut piston fully extended.

Abstract: Flexurally stiff members having low torsional stiffness, high transverse shear resistance and high stability are disclosed. In several embodiments, each member includes a flexurally and torsionally stiff tapered elongate beam surrounded by an outer tube-like component of lower torsional stiffness and interconnected by an elastomeric medium which enables the tube-like component to twist relative to the beam while permitting some of the flexural and transverse loads applied to the tube-like component to be transferred to the beam. In several embodiments, the tube-like component includes a pair of interarranged corrugated open section members engaged by one or more stabilizers, including a shrunk fit tube of elastomeric material extending lengthwise between attachment fittings at opposite ends. End fittings for applying various loads to the members are also disclosed.

Abstract: A rapidly extendible, rough-field attenuating shock-absorbing strut, particularly adapted for use with an aircraft having a tricycle landing gear, is used during takeoff and is adapted for rapid extension to provide angular or upward momentum to the aircraft and thus facilitate takeoff. The strut comprises an outer cylinder which is secured to the aircraft and an inner cylinder adapted for longitudinal reciprocation within the outer cylinder. The inner cylinder has a wheel mounted thereon at the end opposite that of the outer cylinder. A piston is secured for longitudinal reciprocation within both the outer and inner cylinders. The piston has a piston head adapted for reciprocation within the outer cylinder.

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: Skid landing gear provided with components having a device for absorbing energy by plastic deformation and/or for limiting stress, and components of this type.According to the invention, each of two undercarriage parts comprises a skid 170 connected to the structure to two crosspieces 175 and 176 that are hinged on the structure about an axis parallel to the hinge axis on the structure of the other crosspiece of the same undercarriage part, and at least one component 181 that has a main mechanical and/or hydraulic function, such as a strut, a cross-bracing or control jack, a shock absorber or a shock absorber jack, the component being provided with a device for absorbing energy by plastic deformation and/or for limiting stress, and is connected on the one hand to a crosspiece 176 of the respective undercarriage part and on the other hand either to the corresponding skid 170 or to the structure of the aerodyne.The invention is especially suited to use on helicopters.

Abstract: Improved ultralight aircraft constructed with a tubular keel extending over the length of the aircraft from forward of its wing to the tail thereof. The aircraft includes a cantilever engine mount which is carried on a pair of mounting plates extending longitudinally from the forward end of the tubular keel. The propeller shaft, driven by the engine through a speed reduction arrangement, is supported in a bearing disposed on the engine mount. The aircraft includes a cage assembly for the operator's seat and has upright tubular rails and a pair of longitudinally extending side rails mounted on a shock absorbing landing gear. The landing gear has a nose wheel and a pair of laterally spaced rear wheels. The rear wheels are carried on the outer ends of a pair of longitudinally spaced, transversely extending tubular members.

Abstract: A structural support comprises inner and outer elements which are telescopingly engaged, a cage secured to the inner element and having apertures in which balls are disposed which are disposed radially between the two elements, and a frangible connection securing the two elements against relative axial movement. In the locked relative positions of the elements, the outer element has locally an increased internal diameter portion and the balls are radially disposed in this position or are moved into the portion on being subjected to an axial force which breaks the frangible connection, so that the relative axial movement of the elements results in the ball plastically deforming the outer element and absorbing energy from the force to protect the body carried by the support. The support can be used to provide a brace operating as a strut and/or a tie, or a shock absorber, or, by mounting a damping piston slidably in the inner tubular element can provide a shock absorbing piston and cylinder unit.

Abstract: A tail skid mounted to the airframe of a glider of a light air plane comprises a body of elastic material, a support plate imbedded in the elastic body and a skid wheel yieldingly supported in a metal frame mounted to the skid body and elastically connected to the support frame.

Abstract: A bogie type landing gear especially suitable for providing soft landing capabilities for short take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft wherein fore and aft wheels are mounted on opposite ends of a bogie which is pivotally attached to the lower end of a vertical shock strut. In one embodiment, a torque link pivotally connects the aft end of the bogie to the shock strut such that, under normal landing conditions, the front wheel will touch down first thereby reducing and directing the landing forces to minimize shock to the aircraft. The aft mounted torque links also act as a tension member during the initial landing stroke. In another embodiment, a damper acts as a tension stop for a soft landing arrangement as well as to dampen bogie motion over bumps with the torque links being separate.

Abstract: An aircraft landing gear assembly includes a strut and tire arranged for load-bearing contact with an underlying surface. A weight transfer shoe interposed between the tire and support surface at touchdown and arranged to pivot to a clear position after touchdown cushions the impact between the tire and the support surface to extend the service life of the tire.

Abstract: A passive aircraft landing gear system in which the spring rate and damping for aircraft rolling motions about a longitudinal axis are independent of the spring rate and damping for aircraft vertical motions, thereby permitting the landing gear system to optimally accomplish both landing impact attenuation and ground resonance instability abatement.

Abstract: A ball joint connection for the torque scissors of aircraft landing gear provides realignment of the scissors during stroking of the piston to avoid the usual distortion and wearing of parts in the conventional straight pin hinge. Quick disconnect of the scissors for aircraft towing is accomplished through the simple expediency of rotating the ball portion of the scissors design, upon which two diametrically opposed flats have been machined. The scissors can thereby be easily and quickly disconnected prior to towing and then reconnected for the torque transfer operation. As an added feature a ball rotating and locking device is provided as an integral part of the scissors assembly.

Abstract: In a landing gear for an airframe mounted on a cushioned strut, an airframe mounted portion is guided along a landing gear portion after the landing gear touches down. Crash attenuation is absorbed by a work absorbing tube secured at one end thereof to the airframe portion in an encircling relation with respect to the airframe portion. A work applying structural fitting is secured to the airframe at the other end of the work absorbing tube and is adapted to engage and work the tube as the airframe moves downward relative to the airframe portion to dissipate energy involved in arresting downward movement of the airframe. Coupling structure between the airframe and the airframe mounted portion is provided to fail at a predetermined load to permit movement of the airframe relative to the airframe portion.