Retraction system for double pod air cushion landing gear system

Claim 2

A retraction system comprising: rigid container means having an opening therein; an inflatable member sealingly attached to said container means at said opening to form an enclosure; a plurality of cords entirely within said enclosure and operatively connected at their respective one ends to the inner surface of said member at spaced intervals; and retraction means operatively mounted within said container means and operatively connected to the respective other ends of said cords for reeling in said cords and thereby retracting said member into said container means when said member is deflated.

Claim 3

A system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising: said member being formed in the shape of a toroid; and said cords being attached to said member at a minimum of two vertically displaced points at each spaced interval.

Claim 4

A system as set forth in claim 2 further comprising: said retraction means including a rotatable spool having said cords wound therearound and motor means for selectively rotating said spool.

Claim 5

A system as set forth in claim 3 further comprising: said container means including a torpedo-like, hollow structure formed to house the member in an evacuated state and having a plurality of ribs therein transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof at each spaced interval of cord connection to said member, each of said ribs having a strut depending therefrom, and a longeron connected to the distal ends of said struts.

Claim 6

A system as set forth in claim 4 further comprising: guide means operatively mounted within said container means including at least a pair of openings in each of said ribs for routing said cords therethrough to said member.

Claim 7

A system as set forth in claim 5 further comprising: said cover means including an outwardly-opening door having two elongated sides, one of said sides being hinged along the length of said container means structure adjacent said opening and having a plurality of actuator means pivotally connected at their respective one ends to each of said ribs and at their respective other ends to said door at spaced intervals along the length thereof for rotating said door from an open to a closed position, said door forming a smooth, continuous surface with said container means structure in the closed position.

Claim 8

A system as set forth in claim 6 further comprising: said member being operatively attached at one side thereof to said door along one of said elongated sides, and at the other side thereof along the length of said longeron, and having elastic means operatively attached therein adjacent each point of cord connection for shaping said member during retraction thereof.

Claim 9

An air-cushion system for a vehicle, comprising: rigid container means affixed beneath the vehicle including an opening; an inflatable member having a plurality of holes therethrough adjacent a supporting surface for providing an air cushion therebetween sealingly attached to said container means at said opening to form an enclosure; a plurality of cords entirely within said enclosure and operatively connected at their respective one ends to the inner surface of said member of spaced intervals; and retraction means operatively mounted within said container means and operatively connected to the respective other ends of said cords for reeling in said cords and thereby retracting said member into said container means when said member is deflated.

Claim 10

An air-cushion system for a vehicle, comprising: rigid container means affixed beneath the vehicle including an opening; an inflatable member having a plurality of holes therethrough adjacent a supporting surface for providing an air cushion therebetween sealingly attached to said container means at said opening to form an enclosure; a plurality of cords entirely within said enclosure and operatively connected at their respective one ends to the inner surface of said member of spaced intervals; and retraction means operatively mounted within said container means and operatively connected to the respective other ends of said cords for reeling in said cords and thereby retracting said member into said container means when said member is deflated.

Claim 11

A system as set forth in claim 8 further comprising: the member being formed in the shape of a toroid; and said cords being attached to said member at a minimum of two vertically displaced points at each spaced interval.

Claim 12

A system as set forth in claim 9 further comprising: said retraction means including a rotatable spool having said cords wound therearound and motor means for selectively rotating said spool.

Claim 13

A system as set forth in claim 10 further comprising: said container means including a torpedo-like, hollow structure formed to house the member in an evacuated state and having a plurality of ribs therein transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof at each spaced interval of cord connection to said member, each of said ribs having a strut depending therefrom, and a longeron connected to the distal ends of said struts.

Claim 14

A system as set forth in claim 11 further comprising: guide means operatively mounted within said container means including at least a pair of openings in each of said ribs for routing said cords therethrough to said member.

Claim 15

A system as set forth in claim 12 further comprising: said cover means including an outwardly-opening door having two elongated sides, one of said sides being hinged along the length of said container means structure adjacent said opening and having a plurality of actuator means pivotally connected at their respective one ends to each of said ribs and at their respective other ends to said door at spaced intervals along the length thereof for rotating said door from an open to a closed position, said door forming a smooth, continuous surface with said container means structure in the closed position.

Claim 16

A system as set forth in claim 13 further comprising: said member being operatively attached at one side thereof to said door along one of said elongated sides, and at the other side thereof along the length of said longeron, and having elastic means operatively attached therein adjacent each point of cord connection for shaping said member during retraction thereof.