Thrust-reversing apparatus for turbofan jet engine

Claim 2

In an aircraft having a turbofan engine, the combination comprising: a tubular housing fixedly disposed around said engine and extending aft of the fan section thereof, primary exhaust gas of said engine being discharged to the atmosphere from the aft end of said housing; a tubular cowling fixedly disposed in spaced relation around said houSing and defining therewith a passage through which fan air of said engine is discharged to the atmosphere, a plurality of openings being circumferentially spaced about and extending through the wall of said cowling aft of the fan section of said engine; a plurality of inner-thrust-reversing doors circumferentially spaced about the inner side of said cowling and each pivoted at one edge thereof to said cowling adjacent the aft edge of a respective one of said openings, said inner doors being movable between (1) a retracted position wherein they extend longitudinally of said cowling and respectively lie over said openings and (2) a deployed position wherein they project inwardly from said cowling and their free ends are adjacent said housing so that fan air flowing through said passage is thereby deflected through said openings; plurality of outer-thrust-reversing doors circumferentially spaced about the outer side of said cowling and each pivoted at one edge thereof to said cowling adjacent the aft edge of a respective one of said openings, said outer doors being movable between (1) a retracted position wherein they extend longitudinally of said cowling and respectively lie over said openings and (2) a deployed position wherein they project outwardly from said cowling and deflect in a forward direction fan air flowing through said openings; and means operatively associated with said inner and outer doors for simultaneously moving the same between said retracted and deployed positions thereof, said means being arranged so that during deployment said inner doors reach said deployed position thereof after said outer doors are fully deployed and so that during retraction said inner doors move away from said deployed position thereof before said outer doors move toward said cowling.

Claim 3

The combination defined in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said inner and outer doors between said retracted and deployed positions thereof comprise: a drive shaft mounted on said cowling adjacent the forward edge of each opening therein and rotatable about its own longitudinal axis, said axis being substantially parallel with the axis of rotation of the adjacent pair of inner and outer doors; means for simultaneously rotating said shafts in the same direction at a selected time; first and second lever arms fixedly connected at one end to each drive shaft and extending laterally therefrom; first and second links respectively pivoted at one end to the free ends of each associated pair of said first and second lever arms for rotation about axes substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the shaft on which said lever arms are mounted, the other ends of said first and second links being respectively pivoted to the adjacent pair of said inner and outer doors, said first and second lever arms being positioned on their drive shafts so that when said doors are deployed said second links are respectively centered relative to said second lever arms before said first links are centered relative to said first lever arms.

Claim 4

The combination defined in claim 1 wherein sidewalls extend along the longitudinally extending edges of each of said outer doors, said sidewalls being mounted on the inner side of said outer doors and disposed substantially perpendicular to the adjacent portion thereof.

Claim 5

The combination defined in claim 1 wherein deflector plates are respectively fixedly mounted on the inner side of said outer doors adjacent the free ends thereof, said deflector plates extending circumferentially of said outer doors and being disposed substantially perpendicular thereto.

Claim 6

In an aircraft having a turbofan engine, the combination comprising: a tubular housing fixedly disposed around said engine and extending aft of the fan section thereof, primary exhaust gas of said engine being discharged to the atmosphere from the aft end of said housing; a tubular cowling fixedly disposed in spaced relation around said Housing and defining therewith a passage through which fan air of said engine is discharged to the atmosphere, a plurality of openings being circumferentially spaced about and extending through the wall of said cowling aft of the fan section of said engine; a plurality of inner thrust reversing doors circumferentially spaced about the inner side of said cowling and each pivoted at one edge thereof to said cowling adjacent the aft edge of a respective one of said openings, said inner doors being movable between (1) a retracted position wherein they extend longitudinally of said cowling and respectively lie over said openings and (2) a deployed position wherein they project inwardly from said cowling and their free ends are adjacent said housing so that fan air flowing through said passage is thereby deflected through said openings; a plurality outer thrust reversing doors circumferentially spaced about the outer side of said cowling and each pivoted at one edge thereof to said cowling adjacent the aft edge of a respective one and said openings, said outer doors being movable between (1) a retracted position wherein they extend longitudinally of said cowling and respectively lie over said openings and (2) a deployed position wherein they project outwardly from said cowling and deflect in a forward direction fan air flowing through said openings; sidewalls respectively extending along the longitudinal edges of each of said outer doors and projecting inwardly from the inner side thereof in substantially perpendicular relation therewith; said outer doors adjacent the free ends thereof respectively having deflector plates fixedly mounted on the inner sides thereof, said deflector plates extending circumferentially of said outer doors and being disposed substantially perpendicular thereto; and means operatively associated with said inner and outer doors for simultaneously moving the same between said retracted and deployed positions thereof.

Claim 7

In an aircraft having a turbofan engine, the combination comprising: a tubular housing fixedly disposed around said engine and extending aft of the fan section thereof, primary exhaust gas of said engine being discharged to the atmosphere from the aft end of said housing; a tubular cowling fixedly disposed in spaced relation around said Housing and defining therewith a passage through which fan air of said engine is discharged to the atmosphere, a plurality of openings being circumferentially spaced about and extending through the wall of said cowling aft of the fan section of said engine; a plurality of inner thrust reversing doors circumferentially spaced about the inner side of said cowling and each pivoted at one edge thereof to said cowling adjacent the aft edge of a respective one of said openings, said inner doors being movable between (1) a retracted position wherein they extend longitudinally of said cowling and respectively lie over said openings and (2) a deployed position wherein they project inwardly from said cowling and their free ends are adjacent said housing so that fan air flowing through said passage is thereby deflected through said openings; a plurality outer thrust reversing doors circumferentially spaced about the outer side of said cowling and each pivoted at one edge thereof to said cowling adjacent the aft edge of a respective one and said openings, said outer doors being movable between (1) a retracted position wherein they extend longitudinally of said cowling and respectively lie over said openings and (2) a deployed position wherein they project outwardly from said cowling and deflect in a forward direction fan air flowing through said openings; sidewalls respectively extending along the longitudinal edges of each of said outer doors and projecting inwardly from the inner side thereof in substantially perpendicular relation therewith; said outer doors adjacent the free ends thereof respectively having deflector plates fixedly mounted on the inner sides thereof, said deflector plates extending circumferentially of said outer doors and being disposed substantially perpendicular thereto; and means operatively associated with said inner and outer doors for simultaneously moving the same between said retracted and deployed positions thereof.