RECIPROCATING POWERED WHEEL DRIVE

• US 3,874,619 A
• Filed: 05/03/1974
• Issued: 04/01/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bernard Britton Thompson, John Donald Mayer, Richard Clement Collins
• Original Assignee: Bernard Britton Thompson, John Donald Mayer, Richard Clement Collins
• Inventors: Collins, Richard Clement, Mayer, John Donald, Thompson, Bernard Britton
• Primary Examiner(s): Blix, Trygve M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sauberer, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US05/466,611
• Time in Patent Office: 333 Days
• Field of Search: 180/7R,8R,24.1,24.07,24.09,44R 280/218 74/126,142 244/50,11R
• US Class Current: 244/50
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/405 Powered wheels, e.g. for taxing
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 25/44 Actuating mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/1526 Oscillation or reciprocation to intermittent unidirectional motion

Abstract

A vehicle combination braking and driving system operates rotatively mounted brakes in a braking mode or in a driving mode wherein each brake acts as a coupling between a hydraulically powered reciprocative actuator and a vehicle wheel. Driving torque is exerted upon the wheel by alternately moving the actuator in one direction while simultaneously applying the wheel brake and moving the actuator in the reverse direction while releasing the brake. Multiple reciprocative actuators and respectively associated brakes may be operated with relatively offset phasing to achieve continuity of driving effort. The system is applicable to aircraft and other vehicles; also as a retrofit to existing aircraft by substituting the reciprocative actuators for the brake compensator rods in the main landing gear bogies.

Claims

1. In a wheeled vehicle, combination driving and braking apparatus comprising rotative brake means selectively actuatable to exert braking effort on vehicle wheel means and deactuatable to free the wheel means of such braking effort, powered reciprocative brake positioning means capable for positioning and moving the brake means rotationally, actuator means selectively operable to actuate the brake means while operating the brake positioning means for movement in one direction to rotate the wheel means and alternately to de-actuate the brake means while operating the brake positioning means for movement in the reverse direction without rotating the wheel means, so as to drive the vehicle, and means for maintaining the brake positioning means stationary while actuating and de-actuating the brake means when braking the vehicle.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1, wherein the actuator means is further alternatively operable to actuate the brake means while operating the brake positioning means for movement in the reverse direction, and alternately to de-actuate the brake means while operating the brake positioning means fOr movement in the one direction.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 1, including a second rotative brake means selectively actuatable to exert braking effort on the vehicle wheel means and de-actuatable to free the wheel means of such braking effort, and a second powered reciprocative brake positioning means operable for positioning and moving the second brake means rotationally, and wherein the actuator means are selectively operable to actuate the first-mentioned and second brake means in alternate sequence while simultaneously operating therewith their respectively associated brake positioning means, whereby the wheel means are rotated by increments alternately by the two brake means and respectively associated powered reciprocative brake positioning means.

4. The apparatus defined in claim 3, including interconnecting means between the first-mentioned and second powered reciprocative brake positioning means operable simultaneously with movement of the first-mentioned brake positioning means in one direction for moving the second brake positioning means in the reverse direction and wherein the actuator means are selectively operable to first actuate one or the other of the brake means depending upon the desired direction of rotation of the wheel means.

5. Combined self-motivating and braking apparatus for a ground-borne vehicle including a traction drive system having at least one rotative drive element, the apparatus comprising brake means selectively actuatable to engage and release the rotative drive element, the brake means having a gripping member rotatively engageable with the drive element so as to rotate conjointly therewith when the brake means are actuated, and actuator means operable to rotatively position and move the gripping member independently of rotative positioning of the rotative drive element, the actuator means being operable selectively to restrain the gripping member against rotation and alternatively to effect rotation thereof in one direction of rotation or the other.

6. In an aircraft having a hydraulic power system for supplying hydraulic pressure fluid, landing gear means including wheels rotatively mounted on the landing gear means, rotative hydraulically powered brake means including brake actuator means connected in the hydraulic system to selectively actuate the brake means to exert braking effort on the aircraft wheels and de-actuate the brake means to free the aircraft wheels of such braking effort, combination driving and braking apparatus comprising:

hydraulically powered reciprocative brake positioning means connected in the hydraulic system for positioning and moving the brake means rotationally;

control means connected in the hydraulic system for selectively operating the brake actuator means to actuate the brake means while operating the brake positioning means for movement in one direction to rotate the wheel means and alternately to deactuate the brake means while operating the brake positioning means for movement in the reverse direction without rotating the wheel means, so as to drive the aircraft;

valve means for by-passing the control means to permit actuation and de-actuation of the brake means by the brake actuator means independently of the control means; and

valve means for selectively isolating the brake positioning means and the control means from the aircraft hydraulic power system and for maintaining the brake positioning means stationary while permitting actuation and de-actuation of the brake means by the brake actuator means, so as to brake the aircraft.

7. The apparatus defined in claim 6 including a second rotative hydraulically powered brake means including brake actuator means connected in the hydraulic system to selectively actuate the second brake means to exert braking effort on the aircraft wheels and de-actuate the brake means to free the wheels of such braking effort, and a second hydraulically powered reciprocative brake positioning means connected in the hydraulic system for Positioning and moving the second brake means rotationally, and wherein the control means selectively operate the first-mentioned and second brake actuator means to actuate the brake means in alternate sequence while simultaneously operating therewith their respectively associated brake positioning means, whereby the wheel means are rotated by increments alternately by the two brake means and respectively associated power reciprocated brake positioning means.

8. The apparatus defined in claim 7, including interconnecting means between the first-mentioned and second powered reciprocative brake positioning means operable simultaneously with moving the first-mentioned brake positioning means in one direction for moving the second brake positioning means in the reverse direction and wherein the control means are selectively operable to first actuate one or the other of the brake actuator means depending upon the desired direction of rotation of the wheel means.

9. The apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the first-mentioned and second brake positioning means each include hydraulic piston means and cooperating cylinder means defining first and second pressure chambers alternatively pressurized with hydraulic pressure fluid to move the brake positioning means in one direction or the other, and further including hydraulic flow interconnecting means for connecting the first working chamber of the first-mentioned brake positioning means with the second chamber in the second brake positioning means such that the exhaust hydraulic fluid flow produced by movement of the first-mentioned brake positioning means in the one direction moves simultaneously therewith the second brake positioning means in the reverse direction and alternately the exhaust flow produced by movement of the second brake positioning means in the one direction moves simultaneously therewith the first-mentioned brake positioning means in the reverse direction.

10. The apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the control means includes cycling valve means operable between a first position wherein hydraulic pressure fluid is supplied from the hydraulic system directly to the first-mentioned brake positioning means and associated brake actuator means and alternately a second position wherein hydraulic pressure fluid is supplied directly to the second brake positioning means and associated brake actuator means and means for shifting the cycling valve between the first and second positions so as alternately to move under the direct influence of hydraulic pressure fluid the first-mentioned and second brake positioning means in the same direction while simultaneously actuating therewith their respectively associated brake means.

11. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein the shifting means includes valve actuator means operable periodically to change the position of the cycling valve irrespective of whether both the first-mentioned and second brake positioning means, respectively, have completed movement in either direction.

12. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein the shifting means includes valve actuator means operable to change the position of the cycling valve means, and position sensitive control means responsive to the respective positions of the first-mentioned and second brake positioning means for operating the valve actuator means only when both the first-mentioned and second brake positioning means, respectively, have completed movement in either direction.

13. The apparatus defined in claim 12, wherein the position sensitive control means includes logic means comprising:

a summing device having input elements responsively connected respectively to the first and second-mentioned limit responsive means and an output connected to the valve actuator means to operate the valve actuator means in response to simultaneous actuation of both of the input elements.

14. The apparatus defined in claim 12, wherein the valve actuator means includes pressure actuated valve positioning means for chanGing the position of the cycling valve means, and pilot valve means responsive to the position sensitive means for pressure actuating the valve positioning means.

15. The apparatus defined in claim 10, wherein the control means further includes reversing valve means interposed between the cycling valve means and the first-mentioned and second brake actuator means co-operable with the cycling valve means to alternatively supply hydraulic pressure fluid directly to the first-mentioned brake positioning means and the brake actuator means associated with the second brake positioning means and alternately to the second brake positioning means and the brake actuator means associated with the first-mentioned brake positioning means.

16. The apparatus defined in claim 9, wherein the hydraulic piston means defines first and second by-pass conduits therein, one-way valve means for permitting hydraulic fluid flow respectively through the by-pass conduits in opposite directions only, and valve means normally closing each of the conduits in response to hydraulic fluid flow in the direction permitted by the one-way valve means, and means for opening one of the normally closed valve means when the piston means reach one limit of movement and means for opening the other of the normally closed valve means when the piston means reach the other limit of movement.

17. The apparatus defined in claim 6, including means for de-actuating the brake means independently of the control means in response to the brake positioning means nearing the end of movement thereof in either direction.

18. The apparatus defined in claim 17, wherein said de-actuating means includes valve means operable between a first position for permitting flow of hydraulic pressure fluid to the brake actuator means and alternatively a second position for blocking the flow of hydraulic pressure fluid to the brake actuator means, and means responsive to the brake positioning means nearing either end of movement thereof for actuating the valve means to the second position.

19. The apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the wheels include first and second wheels respectively operable with the first-mentioned and second brake means and their respectively associated brake positioning means.

20. The apparatus defined in claim 19, wherein the first and second wheels are rotatably mounted on the landing gear means in fore and aft relationship with one another.

21. The apparatus defined in claim 19, wherein the first and second wheels are rotatably mounted on the landing gear means in side-by-side relationship with one another.

22. The apparatus defined in claim 7, wherein the wheels are disposed in groups on either side of the aircraft fuselage, and wherein the first-mentioned and second brake means and their respectively associated brake positioning means operate with two wheels of one of the wheel groups and further including third and fourth hydraulically powered brake means including third and fourth braking actuator means connected in the hydraulic system, hydraulically powered reciprocative brake positioning means respectively associated therewith operable with two wheels of a corresponding wheel group on the opposite side of the fuselage and second control means connected in the hydraulic system for selectively operating the third and fourth brake actuator means to actuate the third and fourth brake means in alternate sequence while simultaneously operating therewith their respectively associated brake positioning means, whereby the aircraft is driven by rotating the two wheels of each of the opposite wheel groups in equal rotative increments or alternatively is steered by rotating the two wheels of each of the opposite wheel groups in unequal rotative increments.

23. A method of alternatively driving and braking at least one rotary component of the traction drive apparatus of a ground-borne vehicle having at least one selectively rotatable brake associated with the rotary component, comprising the steps of:

ACTUATING the brake while simultaneously rotating the brake in one direction to rotate the rotary component and alternately de-actuating the brake while simultaneously rotating the brake in the reverse direction without rotation of the rotary component; and

alternatively actuating the brake while simultaneously maintaining the brake stationary.