Aircraft roll disconnect mechanism

• US 7,229,047 B1
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Textron Innovations Incorporated (Textron Inc)
• Original Assignee: Cessna Aircraft Company (Textron Inc)
• Inventors: Nelson, Bruce A., Klausmeyer, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LUU, TUYET PHUONG PHAM
• Application Number:
  US11/214,210
• Time in Patent Office: 651 Days
• Field of Search: 244/99.2, 244/229, 244/232, 244/233, 744/71.R, 745/005, 745/016, 745/015.R, 74/96, 744/790.1, 744/80.R
• US Class Current: 244/99.2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/341 having duplication or stand-by provisions

Abstract

An aircraft flight control disconnect mechanism between the pilot and co-pilot controls, including a pair of concentrically positioned opposed circular jaws, each jaw having either mating tapered teeth or mating tapered openings, which when the jaws are axially separated, disconnects one pilot control from the other and a rotating control sleeve concentrically aligned with and rotatably attached to one of said jaws, the sleeve including a helical cam slot surrounding a fixed roller whereby rotation of the control sleeve moves the said connected jaw toward or away from the adjacent jaw so that the two jaws are free to rotate independent of each other.

Claims

1. In an aircraft flight control system having dual conventional mechanical controls for a pilot and co-pilot, which controls can be releasably tied together, the improvement comprising:

a disconnect mechanism between the two pilot controls including;

a pair of concentrically positioned juxtaposed circular jaws, each jaw having either mating tapered teeth or mating tapered openings, which when the jaws are axially separated disconnects one pilot control from the other;

a rotating control sleeve concentrically aligned with and rotatably attached to one of said jaws, the sleeve includes an helical cam slot surrounding a fixed roller whereby rotation of the control sleeve moves the said connected jaw toward or away from the adjacent jaw so that the two jaws are free to rotate independent of each other.

2. In an aircraft flight control as set forth in claim 1 wherein the mating tapered teeth and openings have tapered sides and flat bottoms, which bottom surfaces never contact each other.

3. In an aircraft flight control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein one circular jaw has at least two tapered teeth and the other circular jaw has a similar shaped opening for engaging said teeth.

4. In an aircraft flight control system as set forth in claim 1, the helical cam slot has an initial relatively straight portion, which transcends into a helical portion whereby initial rotation of the control sleeve has no axial movement.

5. In an aircraft flight control system as set forth in claim 1, the mating tapered teeth of one jaw has a flat bottom portion and the adjacent jaw with teeth shaped openings has a planer engaging surface allowing the pair of jaws in contacting relation to rotate relative to each other until the tapered teeth engage the teeth shaped openings whereby the pair of jaws are locked together to in precise alignment with each other.

6. On disconnect mechanisms in an aircraft flight control system having dual controls for a pilot and co-pilot, which dual controls can be releaseably, tied together comprising:

A pair of concentrically positioned juxtaposed circular jaws, each jaw having either mating tapered teeth or openings mating the tapered teeth, which when the jaws are axially separated disconnects one pilot control from the other;

A rotating control sleeve concentrically aligned with and rotatably attached to one of said jaws, the sleeve includes an arcuate cam slot surrounding a fixed roller whereby rotation of the said sleeve moves said connected jaw toward or away from said adjacent jaw and the mating teeth and openings move apart so that the two jaws are free to rotate independent of each other.

7. A disconnect mechanism in an aircraft flight control system as set forth in claim 6 where:

One of said pilot controls, controls roll of the aircraft through the ailerons while the other pilot control, controls roll through the use of spoilers.