Ram air turbine indexing mechanism

• US 4,717,095 A
• Filed: 06/10/1985
• Issued: 01/05/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Cohen, Mordehy, Kezar, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barefoot, Galen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fiorito, Lynn M.
• Application Number:
  US06/743,087
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 292/173, 244/58, 244/7 R, 244/137 A, 416/142, 416/14
• US Class Current: 244/58
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 41/007 Ram air turbines
• CPC Class Codes: F03D 9/32 on moving objects, e.g. vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F05B 2220/31 in ram-air turbines ("RATS")
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/72 Wind turbines with rotation axis in wind direction
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/728 Onshore wind turbines

Abstract

An indexing mechanism for use with a deployment mechanism of a ram air turbine having front and rear linkages pivotally connected at one of their ends within the storage bay of an aircraft and their other ends pivotally connected to a housing for the ram air turbine, for moving the ram air turbine between a stowed and deployed position. The improved indexing mechanism includes a spring-loaded detent member coupled to the housing which engages a slot in the turbine hub preventing rotation of the turbine hub and blade when the ram air turbine is in the stowed position. Coupled to the rear linkage adjacent the pivot joint at the ram air turbine is a cam member which moves through an arc as the ram air turbine is deployed, said cam member engaging the spring-loaded detent member to release the turbine hub and blade as the ram air turbine nears the fully deployed position.

Claims

1. In a deployment mechanism for a ram air turbine movable between stowed and deployed positions relative to a mounting base associated with an aircraft, with a plurality of links pivotally connected at pivot joints at one of their ends to said base and pivotally connected at their other ends at pivot joints to the ram air turbine, the ram air turbine including a rotatable turbine hub and blades, and indexing mechanism comprising means coupled to the ram air turbine for releasably holding the rotatable turbine hub and blades in a particular rotative position when stowed, and means coupled to one of said links adjacent the pivot joint thereof at the ram air turbine and responsive to pivotal movement of the link relative to the ram air turbine for coacting with said holding means to release the turbine hub and blade.

2. An indexing mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the holding means includes a spring-loaded detent member to prevent rotation of the turbine hub when it is stowed.

3. An indexing mechanism as defined in claim 2 including a slot in the turbine hub which is engaged by the detent member when the ram air turbine is in a stowed position.

4. An indexing mechanism as defined in claim 3 further comprising a second slot in the turbine hub which alternately may be engaged by the detent member when the ram air turbine is in its stowed position.

5. An indexing mechanism as defined in claim 4 for a turbine hub having two blades wherein the two slots in the turbine hub are set 180°

apart.

6. An indexing mechanism as defined in claim 1 wherein the indexing mechanism acts to automatically release the turbine hub when the ram air turbine nears the fully deployed position.

7. An indexing mechanism as defined by claim 1 wherein the coacting means include a cam member coupled to one of said links, which moves through an arc as the ram air turbine is deployed.

8. An indexing mechanism as defined in claim 7 wherein the holding means further include a disc coupled to a spring-loaded detent member, which is acted upon by the cam member to release the turbine hub when the ram air turbine is in the deployed position.

9. An indexing mechanism as defined in claim 2 wherein the detent member includes a pin member and a plurality of slots which act in conjunction to preclude rotation of the detent member.

10. In a deployment mechanism for a ram air turbine movable between stowed and deployed positions relative to a mounting base associated with an aircraft, with a plurality of links pivotally connected at pivot joints at one of their ends to said base and pivotally connected at their other ends at pivot joints to the ram air turbine, an indexing mechanism for releasably holding a rotatable turbine hub and blades in a particular rotative position when stowed, said indexing mechanism comprising two slots in said turbine hub, a spring-loaded detent member to engage one of said slots to prevent rotation of said turbine hub when it is stowed, said detent member including a rod which extends through a case secured to a housing on the ram air turbine, said case including slots which coact with a pin to prevent rotation of said detent member, said rod further including a disc at the end away from said turbine hub, a cam member coupled to one of said links adjacent the pivot joints of one of said links at the ram air turbine which moves through an arc as the ram air turbine is deployed, said cam member engaging said disc to act on said detent member and release said turbine hub when the ram air turbine nears the fully deployed position.

11. In a deployment mechanism for a ram air turbine movable between stowed and deployed positions relative to a mounting base associated with an aircraft, the deployment mechanism including at least one link pivotally connected to said base and pivotally connected at a pivot joint to the ram air turbine, an indexing mechanism for releasably holding a rotatable turbine hub and blades in a particular rotative position when stowed comprising, an engageable surface on said turbine hub, a detent member including a movable rod on a housing on the ram air turbine engageable with said engageable surface to prevent rotation of said turbine hub when it is stowed and having a disc at an end remote from said turbine hub, a cam member coupled to said link adjacent the pivot joint at the ram air turbine and which moves through an arc as the ram air turbine is deployed, said cam member engaging said disc to pull on said rod and release said turbine hub when the ram air turbine nears the fully deployed position.