Leading edge flap mechanism

Claim 2

An airfoil leading edge flap mechanism comprising; a. a nose skin section of resilient material forming part of said airfoil; said section extending for a substantial predetermined portion from said airfoil nose area to said airfoil leading edge lower surface and being fixedly mounted to said airfoil nose area in a spanwise direction while being unengaged from said fixedly mounted area to said skin opposite end at said airfoil leading edge lower surface, b. a forming rib means pivotally mounted within said airfoil nose section adjacent said airfoil leading edge, c. actuating means arranged within said airfoil nose for pivoting said forming rib means in a downward forward direction and vice versa, for extension and retraction respectively; d. said actuating means including a first linkage means mounted pivotally to said opposite skin end for keeping said skin section in controlled curvature during said extension and retraction; e. said actuating means including a second linkage means for moving said rib means in downward forward direction about said rib means pivotal mounting, whereby said forming rib means upon extending rotation from said airfoil nose section deforms said section into a desired aerodynamic curvature for a highly cambered, high lift, low speed, airfoil, and f. said actuating means including a pivotal mounted bellcrank means having a pair of spaced-apart located pivot points carrying said first and said second linkage means so that upon rotation of said bellcrank by an associated drive means said forming rib means and said skin section are positioned in coordination with one another in predetermined required positions for said flap extension and retraction and whereby said pair of spaced locations are positioned to cause an overcenter position of said linkages spaced pivotal points in said full extension so that outside forces against said extended leading edge mechanism meet a locked structural extended position of said leading edge flap mechanism.

Claim 3

An aircraft leading edge flap mechanism for airfoils comprising; a. an actuating mechanism driven by an associated driving means; said actuating mechanism including; a bellcrank connected for rotation to said associated driving means; a forming rib means, a first and a second linkage each pivotally carried by said bellcrank; b. said forming rib means pivotally mounted within said airfoil for downward forward rotation about said pivotal mounting and vice versa; c. a flexible skin section, covering at least partly said airfoil nose area and said airfoil leading edge under-surface, fixedly mounted at said airfoil nose area and supportedly and pivotally mounted to said first linkage at said skin section opposite end from said fixedly mounted nose area, and d. said second linkage means pivotally mounted with said forming rib means so that upon actuation of said driving means said bellcrank actuates said first and second linkages for moving said skin section and said rib means respectively in said downward and forward position for forming said leading edge curvature, whereby said forming rib means contacts said flexible skin section and deforms said section so that an airfoil extending leading edge curvature of increased and desired high lift camber is achieved.

Claim 4

An aircraft leading edge flap mechanism for airfoils comprising; a. an actuating mechanism driven by an associated driving means; said actuating mechanism including; a bellcrank connected for rotation to said associated driving means; a forming rib means, a first and a second linkage each pivotally carried by said bellcrank; b. said forming rib means pivotally mounted within said airfoil for downward forward rotation about said pivotal mounting and vice versa; c. a flexible skin section, covering at least partly said airfoil nose area and said airfoil leading edge under-surface, fixedly mounted at said airfoil nose area and supportedly and pivotally mounted to said first linkage at said skin section opposite end from said fixedly mounted nose area, and d. said second linkage means pivotally mounted with said forming rib means so that upon actuation of said driving means said bellcrank actuates said first and second linkages for moving said skin section and said rib means respectively in said downward and forward position for forming said leading edge curvature, whereby said forming rib means contacts said flexible skin section and deforms said section so that an airfoil extending leading edge curvature of increased and desired high lift camber is achieved.

Claim 5

An aircraft leading edge flap mechanism for airfoils as claimed in claim 2 wherein said first and said second linkages are positioned in over-center locking arrangement so that said first linkage pulls said flexible skin section in tight arrangement about said forming rib means.

Claim 6

An aircraft leading edge flap mechanism for airfoils as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first linkage means is adapted, upon reverse actuation of said driving means, to retract said flexible skin section by said opposite end pivotally and supportedly arranged mounting means, so that said skin curvature becomes coincident with said basic airfoil periphery supported by said first linkage mounting.

Claim 7

An aircraft wing improved airfoil leading edge flap mechanism maintaining absolutely smooth nose leading edge surface curvature during and at extended and retracted positions comprising a. actuator means driven by associated controlled driving means; b. said actuator means including: a bellcrank rotationally mounted within said airfoil nose section for receiving said driving means force for rotation; a first and a second elongated linkage means mounted each at one end and in spaced relationship with one another on said bellcrank; a forming rib, having a desired low speed high camber curvature, pivotally mounted within said nose section next to said airfoil nose leading edge for pivoting downward and forward from and out of said nose section for extension of said leading edge flap and vice versa for retraction of said leading edge flap and said forming rib pivotally connected to said first linkage other end for positioning said forming rib in said extension and retraction; c. a skin section of flexible material fixedly mounted to said aircraft wing along a spanwise location on said airfoil upper nose leading edge and disposed freely and coincidentally with said aircraft wing airfoil contour from said fixedly mounted location until a predetermined area approximately at said airfoil leading edge lower surface end area and pivotally supported at said end area onto said second linkage means other end, and d. said first and said second elongated linkage means proportioned at predetermined lengths so that upon rotation of said actuator means due to controlled driving input by said driving means, said first linkage pushes said forming rib curvature against said flexible skin section during extension and thereby said flexible skin is pulled about said curvature and is kept smooth and in tight condition by said second linkage holding said skin at said skin end area and whereby during retraction said second linkage means positions said skin in its previous position coincident with said aircraft wing airfoil contour.

Claim 8

An aircraft wing improved airfoil leading edge flap mechanism maintaining absolutely smooth nose leading edge surface curvature during and at extended and retracted positions comprising a. actuator means driven by associated controlled driving means; b. said actuator means including: a bellcrank rotationally mounted within said airfoil nose section for receiving said driving means force for rotation; a first and a second elongated linkage means mounted each at one end and in spaced relationship with one another on said bellcrank; a forming rib, having a desired low speed high camber curvature, pivotally mounted within said nose section next to said airfoil nose leading edge for pivoting downward and forward from and out of said nose section for extension of said leading edge flap and vice versa for retraction of said leading edge flap and said forming rib pivotally connected to said first linkage other end for positioning said forming rib in said extension and retraction; c. a skin section of flexible material fixedly mounted to said aircraft wing along a spanwise location on said airfoil upper nose leading edge and disposed freely and coincidentally with said aircraft wing airfoil contour from said fixedly mounted location until a predetermined area approximately at said airfoil leading edge lower surface end area and pivotally supported at said end area onto said second linkage means other end, and d. said first and said second elongated linkage means proportioned at predetermined lengths so that upon rotation of said actuator means due to controlled driving input by said driving means, said first linkage pushes said forming rib curvature against said flexible skin section during extension and thereby said flexible skin is pulled about said curvature and is kept smooth and in tight condition by said second linkage holding said skin at said skin end area and whereby during retraction said second linkage means positions said skin in its previous position coincident with said aircraft wing airfoil contour.

Claim 9

An Aircraft wing improved airfoil leading edge flap mechanism as claimed in claim 5 wherein said aircraft wing at said predetermined area approximately at said airfoil leading edge lower surface end area is provided with a mounted on stop holding means for assuring a correctly positioned leading edge at retraction.

Claim 10

An aircraft wing improved airfoil leading edge flap mechanism as claimed in claim 6 wherein said first and said second linkage means pivotal mountings on said bellcrank in relationship with said pivotal mountings on said forming rib and said flexible skin end area provide for an over-center locking arrangement at said extended position of said leading edge.