SOUND SUPPRESSING AND THRUST REVERSING APPARATUS

• US 3,591,085 A
• Filed: 07/02/1969
• Issued: 07/06/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rohr Industries, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: George E. Medawar, George R. Urquhart, Leonard Holman
• Inventors: Medawar, George E., Urquhart, George R., Holman, Leonard
• Application Number:
  US04/838,540
• Time in Patent Office: 734 Days
• US Class Current: 239/265.13
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/36 having an ejector
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/60 by blocking the rearward discharge by means of pivoted eyelids or clamshells, e.g. target-type reversers
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

Apparatus comprises shroud in streamline continuation of nacelle to surround and control exhaust gas stream from tail pipe. Includes ejector ring and reverser support ring nested with nacelle for normal flight. Rings separate axially from each other and nacelle in second, sound suppressing position. Free stream air induced through annular passages between nacelle and ejector ring and between ejector ring and support ring to surround and mix with gas stream. In third position, ejector ring moves upstream to nest with nacelle and form reverse thrust discharge passage between rings. This maximum separation between rings causes blocker doors in support ring to close and force gas stream to issue through annular discharge passage. Rings may be adjusted directly from any one position to any other position.

Claims

1. Sound suppressing and thrust reversing apparatus for use with a jet engine mounted in a nacelle, comprising:

a tailpipe located at the aft end of the nacelle and adapted to receive a high velocity exhaust gas stream froM the engine and discharge it rearwardly; and

a shroud formed in rearward streamlined continuation of the nacelle to surround and control the gas stream;

said shroud including at least one ejector ring and a support ring provided with a plurality of blocker doors;

said ejector ring having an upstream surface conforming to the downstream margin of the nacelle and having a downstream surface conforming to the leading edge of the support ring;

said rings being movable to a first position in nested relation with each other and with the nacelle to form a substantially imperforate conduit extending downstream of the tailpipe, a second position in which the ejector ring is spaced downstream of the nacelle and the support ring is spaced downstream of the ejector ring to induce secondary air around the exhaust gas stream, and a third position in which the ejector ring is nested with the nacelle and the support ring is spaced downstream of the ejector ring to form a reverse thrust path for the gas stream, and the blocker doors extend across the support ring to obstruct rearward flow of the exhaust gas stream therethrough.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1;

said ejector ring having a generally streamlined frustoconical shape converging rearwardly, its upstream surface being convex and its downstream surface concave to define a pair of annular paths for free stream air to enter and merge with the gas stream when the rings are in their second position.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2;

said ejector ring having its maximum cross-sectional thickness near its outer margin to combine with the leading edge of the support ring to define an annular convergent divergent nozzle for reverse thrust discharge of the exhaust gas stream when the rings are in their third position.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1;

actuating means to move said rings to each of said positions; and

connector means operating in response to maximum axial separation of said rings to cause said doors to move to blocking position.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1;

actuating means to move said rings to each of said positions; and

selectively operable control means for said actuating means to move said rings directly from any position to any other position.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1;

first longitudinal guide means carried by said nacelle;

first carriage means movably mounted on said guide means;

second longitudinal guide means carried by said first carriage means and extending rearwardly therefrom;

said support ring being connected to the aft end of said second guide means;

second carriage means movably mounted on said second guide means;

said ejector ring being connected to said second carriage means; and

means to move each of said carriage means in the same or opposite directions to alter the axial distance between said rings to predetermined extents.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6;

axially movable linkage means carried by said support ring to move said doors between retracted and blocking positions;

said control means being connected to said linkage means and to said second carriage means and actuatable by the latter to move said doors to blocking position.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7;

said control means comprising a longitudinally extending rod connected at its aft end to said linkage means and having an abutment at its forward end adapted to be engaged by said second carriage means to pull said rod forward upon maximum axial separation of said rings and actuate said linkage means.

9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1;

a first longitudinally movable piston connected to said support ring;

a second longitudinally movable piston connected to said ejector ring; and

controllable pressure fluid means to move each of said pistons independently of each other.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1;

a longitudinally extending cylinder mounted to said nacelle and having a piston rod opening at its downstream end;

said cylinder having a first bore at its downstream end and a second, larger bore at its upstream end and a shoulder at the juncture of the bores;

a first piston in the first bore provided with a piston rod connected to said support ring;

a longitudinal bore through said piston and rod; and

a second piston in said second bore provided with a piston rod extending through the bore in said first piston and rod and connected to said ejector ring;

conduits connected to the upstream and downstream ends of said cylinder and to the juncture of its bores; and

manually controllable valve means connected to said conduits and adapted to supply pressure fluid selectively through said conduits to actuate said pistons selectively in the same or opposite directions.