Wing pivot structure
First Claim
1. In an aircraft having a wing and a fuselage with a longitudinal axis, said wing being rotatable on a wing pivot device between a flight position with the wing span approximately orthogonal to the fuselage longitudinal axis and a stowed position with the wing span approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, said wing pivot device comprising:
- a pivot ring attached to said fuselage for rotation on said fuselage about a vertical axis;
at least one forward wing attachment member formed on the upper edge of said ring for attaching the leading portion of said wing to said ring;
at least one aft wing attachment member formed on the upper edge of said ring for attaching the trailing portion of said wing to said ring;
at least one forward primary fuselage attachment member formed on the lower edge of said ring for attaching the forward portion of said ring to the fuselage;
at least one aft primary fuselage attachment member formed on the lower edge of said ring for attaching the aft portion of said ring to the fuselage;
wing attachment assemblies connected to each of said wing attachment members for attaching said ring to said wing;
primary fuselage attachment assemblies fixed to said fuselage and connected in sliding engagementwith the lower edge of said ring, said primary attachment assemblies allowing said ring to rotate about a vertical axis of said fuselage;
removable locking means connected to said primary fuselage attachment assemblies for selectively locking said wing to the fuselage at the primary fuselage attachment members in the flight position; and
means for rotating said ring about a vertical axis.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An aircraft wing pivot structure is described which provides a flexible ring attached to the aircraft wing at flexible wing attachment points by spherical bearings. The ring is attached to the fuselage of the aircraft by pins fixed to the fuselage and fittings partially enclosing sliding shoes formed at the bottom edge of the ring to allow rotation of the wing. The wing is locked in the flight position by retractable pins connected to the primary fuselage attachment fittings. The ring is a unitary stainless structure which accepts wing strains induced by flight loads by flexing at the wing attachment points. The use of a flexible ring eliminates truss-like members mounted on spherical bearings used in conventional designs. The elimination of a substantial number of components by the use of a flexible ring substantially reduces the weight of the aircraft and improves the reliability.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. In an aircraft having a wing and a fuselage with a longitudinal axis, said wing being rotatable on a wing pivot device between a flight position with the wing span approximately orthogonal to the fuselage longitudinal axis and a stowed position with the wing span approximately parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, said wing pivot device comprising:
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a pivot ring attached to said fuselage for rotation on said fuselage about a vertical axis; at least one forward wing attachment member formed on the upper edge of said ring for attaching the leading portion of said wing to said ring; at least one aft wing attachment member formed on the upper edge of said ring for attaching the trailing portion of said wing to said ring; at least one forward primary fuselage attachment member formed on the lower edge of said ring for attaching the forward portion of said ring to the fuselage; at least one aft primary fuselage attachment member formed on the lower edge of said ring for attaching the aft portion of said ring to the fuselage; wing attachment assemblies connected to each of said wing attachment members for attaching said ring to said wing; primary fuselage attachment assemblies fixed to said fuselage and connected in sliding engagement with the lower edge of said ring, said primary attachment assemblies allowing said ring to rotate about a vertical axis of said fuselage; removable locking means connected to said primary fuselage attachment assemblies for selectively locking said wing to the fuselage at the primary fuselage attachment members in the flight position; and means for rotating said ring about a vertical axis. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. In an aircraft having a wing and a fuselage with a longitudinal axis, said wing being rotatable between a flight position with the wing span approximately orthogonal to the axis of said fuselage and a stowed position with the wing span approximately parallel to the axis of the fuselage, said wing pivot device comprising:
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a pivot ring attached to said wing at two forward points and two aft points on said wing at wing attachment points on the upper edge of said ring; a fuselage attachment slider formed on the lower surface of said ring, said slider forming a widened portion of said ring and extending from the inside and outside surfaces of the ring; four primary fuselage attachment points on the lower edge of said ring, each of said fuselage attachment points being vertically aligned with one of said wing attachment points on the upper edge of said ring; four primary fuselage attachment assemblies fixed to the fuselage and aligned with the fuselage attachment points of the ring when the ring is in the flight position, said fuselage attachment assemblies being in sliding engagement with the fuselage attachment slider to allow rotational sliding of the ring with respect to the fuselage; a primary attachment pin located in each of said fuselage attachment assemblies for locking said ring in the flight position through the fuselage attachment points of the ring; means for removing the primary attachment pins from engagement with the fuselage attachment points of the ring to allow rotation of the wing to the stowed position; and means for rotating the wing from the flight position to the stowed position. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification