THRUST REVERSER FOR ASYMMETRIC EXHAUST EFFLUX DEFLECTION

• US 3,640,468 A
• Filed: 03/30/1970
• Issued: 02/08/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John W. Tatom, Norman Searle
• Original Assignee: John W. Tatom, Norman Searle
• Inventors: Searle, Norman, Tatom, John W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wood, Jr., M. Henson
• Assistant Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Application Number:
  US05/023,826
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 239/265.13,265.19,265.27,265.29,265.31,265.37,265.35,265.33
• US Class Current: 239/265.29
• CPC Class Codes: F02K 1/563 in specified direction, e.g. to obviate its reinjection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/60 Efficient propulsion technologies, e.g. for aircraft

Abstract

A scheme for increasing thrust reverser utilization particularly on STOL aircraft is provided whereby all of the exhaust efflux being diverted is deflected in an asymmetric direction away from the plane of the engine intake air. Exhaust ingestion is thereby reduced allowing more effective reversers to be used down to lower speeds with consequent reductions in ground roll of the aircraft. Preferably, this asymmetric deflection of the exhaust efflux is directed upwardly at an angle to the horizontal to produce an additional load on the landing gear due to the vertical component of the reverse thrust enabling greater wheelbraking force to be applied for a given wheel ground friction coefficient.

Claims

1. A thrust reverser for turbofan and turbojet aircraft comprising a pair of deflector elements disposed adjacent the exhaust discharge end of an engine of said aircraft diametrically opposite one another with respect to said engine, and an actuator to move each said deflector element to and from respective positions totally unobstructing and totally obstructing said exhaust discharge end, each said deflector element including an external surface that conforms to and is adapted to be disposed within the plane of the external surface of the engine when located in the unobstructing position aforesaid and at least one internal surface, the internal surfaces of both deflector elements being angularly and asymmetrically disposed relative to the engine exhaust axis when said deflector element is located in the obstructing position aforesaid to direct all of the engine exhaust in a lateral, generally forward direction of the aircraft.

2. The thrust reverser of claim 1 wherein each said deflector element includes an internal surface in the form of a cone section, the edges of said elements being cut at an angle to the cone section axis and the cone section axis being coincident with the engine axis when said external surface is disposed as aforesaid and said edges being disposed in abutment to define a crotch that is substantially normal to the exhaust axis when said deflector elements are located in the totally obstructing position aforesaid.

3. The thrust reverser of claim 1 including a set of louvers associated with each said deflector element and disposed within the planes of the external and internal engine surfaces around and defining said exhaust discharge end, a movable closure covering each said set of louvers when said deflector elements are disposed in the totally unobstructing position aforesaid and actuator means to move said closures to a position uncovering said louvers when the deflector elements are disposed in the totally obstructing position aforesaid.

4. The thrust reverser of claim 2 including unequal length links connectinG opposite ends of said deflector elements to said engine whereby movement of said elements in an aft direction effects a tilting thereof until the adjacent edges abut as aforesaid.

5. The thrust reverser of claim 4 wherein a first pair of links interconnect the forward ends of said deflector elements with said engine at both the top and bottom thereof and a second pair of links interconnect the aft ends of said deflector elements with said engine at both the top and bottom thereof, said first pair of links being longer than their corresponding second pair of links and the top links of each said pair of links being longer than the bottom links.