Combined helicopter flight controller

Claim 2

A flight control means for helicopters comprising: integrated control means for generating cyclic and collective control function commands for rotor control heads of the swash plate type; mounting means comprising a main control shaft for mounting said integrated control means for rotation in a first plane to provide a first cyclic control input, for rotation in a second plane on an axis orthogonal to that of said main control shaft to provide a second cyclic control input, and for translation in a third plaen parallel to said second plane to provide a collective control input; first displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said first plane to provide a first cyclic control command; second displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said second plane to provide a second cyclic control command; and third displaceable output means responsive to translation of said integrated control means in said third plane to provide a collective control command.

Claim 3

The invention defined in claim 1, wherein said displaceable output means include first, second and third control push rods, respectively interconnected with integrated control means for longitudinal displacement in response to movements of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes; and wherein said first and second cyclic control commands and said collective control command comprise, respectively, first, second, and third respective displacements of said control push rods, said displacements being proportional to the magnitude of rotation and translation of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes, respectively.

Claim 4

A flight control means for helicopters comprising; integrated control means for generating cyclic and collective control function commands for rotor control heads of the swash plate type; mounting means comprising a main control shaft for mounting said integrated control means for rotation in a first plane to provide a first cyclic control input, for rotation in a second plane on an axis orthogonal to that of said main control shaft to provide a second cyclic control input, and for translation in a third plane parallel to said second plane to provide a collective control input; first displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said first plane to provide a first cyclic control command, comprising a first control lever integrally connected with said integrated control means for rotation in said first plane, a first intermediate push rod pivotally connected at one end of said first control lever, a first bell crank means pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said first intermediate push rod, and a first control push rod pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said first bell crank means; second displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said second plane to provide a second cyclic control command, comprising a second control lever integrally connected with said integrated control means for rotation in said second plane, a second bell crank means, a second intermediate push rod pivotally connected at its ends to said second control lever and to one end of said second bell crank means, a third bell crank means, a third intermediate push rod pivotally connected at its ends between the other end of said second bell crank means and one end of said third bell crank means, and a second control push rod pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said third bell crank means; and third displaceable output means responsive to translation of said integrated control means in said third plane to provide a collective control command, comprising fourth bell crank means having one end thereof pivotally interconnected with said integrated control means and responsive to translation of said integrated control means for rotation in said third plane, fifth bell crank means, a fourth intermediate push rod pivotally connected at its ends between the other end of said fourth bell crank means and one end of said fifth bell crank means, and a third control push rod pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said fifth bell crank means; and wherein said first and second cyclic control commands and said collective control command comprise, respectively, first, second and third respective displacements of said first, second and third control push rods, said displacements being proportional to the magnitude of rotation and translation of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes, respectively.

Claim 5

A flight control means for helicopters comprising; integrated control means for generating cyclic and collective control function commands for rotor control heads of the swash plate type; mounting means comprising a main control shaft for mounting said integrated control means for rotation in a first plane to provide a first cyclic control input, for rotation in a second plane on an axis orthogonal to that of said main control shaft to provide a second cyclic control input, and for translation in a third plane parallel to said second plane to provide a collective control input; first displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said first plane to provide a first cyclic control command, comprising a first control lever integrally connected with said integrated control means for rotation in said first plane, a first intermediate push rod pivotally connected at one end of said first control lever, a first bell crank means pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said first intermediate push rod, and a first control push rod pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said first bell crank means; second displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said second plane to provide a second cyclic control command, comprising a second control lever integrally connected with said integrated control means for rotation in said second plane, a second bell crank means, a second intermediate push rod pivotally connected at its ends to said second control lever and to one end of said second bell crank means, a third bell crank means, a third intermediate push rod pivotally connected at its ends between the other end of said second bell crank means and one end of said third bell crank means, and a second control push rod pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said third bell crank means; and third displaceable output means responsive to translation of said integrated control means in said third plane to provide a collective control command, comprising fourth bell crank means having one end thereof pivotally interconnected with said integrated control means and responsive to translation of said integrated control means for rotation in said third plane, fifth bell crank means, a fourth intermediate push rod pivotally connected at its ends between the other end of said fourth bell crank means and one end of said fifth bell crank means, and a third control push rod pivotally connected at one end to the other end of said fifth bell crank means; and wherein said first and second cyclic control commands and said collective control command comprise, respectively, first, second and third respective displacements of said first, second and third control push rods, said displacements being proportional to the magnitude of rotation and translation of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes, respectively.

Claim 6

A flight control means for helicopters comprising integrated control means for generating cyclic and collective control function commands for rotor control heads of the swash plate type: mounting means comprising a main control shaft for mounting said integrated control means for rotation in a first plane to provide a first cyclic control input, for rotation in a second plane on an axis orthogonal to that of said main control shaft to provide a second cyclic control input, and for translation in a third plane parallel to said second plane to provide a collective control input; first displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said first plane to provide a first cyclic control command; second displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said second plane to provide a second cyclic control command; and third displaceable output means responsive to translation of said integrated control means in said third plane to provide a collective control command, said displaceable output means collectively including means precluding interaction of said control inputs, and individually including first, second and third control push rods, respectively, interconnected with said integrated control means for longitudinal displacement in response to movements of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes; and said first and second cyclic control commands and said collective control command comprise, respectively, first, second, and third respective displacements of said control push rods, said displacements being proportional to the magnitude of rotation and translation of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes, respectively.

Claim 7

A flight control means for helicopters comprising integrated control means for generating cyclic and collective control function commands for rotor control heads of the swash plate type: mounting means comprising a main control shaft for mounting said integrated control means for rotation in a first plane to provide a first cyclic control input, for rotation in a second plane on an axis orthogonal to that of said main control shaft to provide a second cyclic control input, and for translation in a third plane parallel to said second plane to provide a collective control input; first displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said first plane to provide a first cyclic control command; second displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means in said second plane to provide a second cyclic control command; and third displaceable output means responsive to translation of said integrated control means in said third plane to provide a collective control command, said displaceable output means collectively including means precluding interaction of said control inputs, and individually including first, second and third control push rods, respectively, interconnected with said integrated control means for longitudinal displacement in response to movements of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes; and said first and second cyclic control commands and said collective control command comprise, respectively, first, second, and third respective displacements of said control push rods, said displacements being proportional to the magnitude of rotation and translation of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes, respectively.

Claim 8

A flight control means for helicopters comprising: integrated control means for generating cyclic and collective control function commands for rotor control heads of the swash plate type; mounting means comprising a main control shaft, bearing means mounting said main control shaft for rotation and translation on its longitudinal axis, a pivot means on one end of said shaft comprising a tilt axis orthogonally disposed with said longitudinal axis, a pitch control crank pivoted on said pivot means in a plane including said longitudinal axis, and hub means on one end of said pitch control crank affixing said integrated control means thereto for rotation and translation with said shaft, whereby rotation of said integrated control means about said longitudinal axis provides a first cyclic control input, translation of said integrated control means along said longitudinal axis provides a collective control input, and rotation of said integrated control means about said tilt axis provides a second cyclic control input; first displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means about said longitudinal axis to provide a first cyclic control command; second displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means about said tilt axis to provide a second cyclic control command; and third displaceable output means responsive to translation of said integrated control means along said longitudinal axis to provide a collective control command; said displaceable output means including first, second and third control push rods, respectively interconnected with said control means for longitudinal displacement in response to movements of said control means in said first, second and third planes; and wherein said first and second cyclic control commands and said collective control command comprise, respectively, first, second, and third respective displacements of said control push rods, said displacements being proportional to the magnitude of rotation and translation of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes, respectively.

Claim 9

A flight control means for helicopters comprising: integrated control means for generating cyclic and collective control function commands for rotor control heads of the swash plate type; mounting means comprising a main control shaft, bearing means mounting said main control shaft for rotation and translation on its longitudinal axis, a pivot means on one end of said shaft comprising a tilt axis orthogonally disposed with said longitudinal axis, a pitch control crank pivoted on said pivot means in a plane including said longitudinal axis, and hub means on one end of said pitch control crank affixing said integrated control means thereto for rotation and translation with said shaft, whereby rotation of said integrated control means about said longitudinal axis provides a first cyclic control input, translation of said integrated control means along said longitudinal axis provides a collective control input, and rotation of said integrated control means about said tilt axis provides a second cyclic control input; first displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means about said longitudinal axis to provide a first cyclic control command; second displaceable output means responsive to rotation of said integrated control means about said tilt axis to provide a second cyclic control command; and third displaceable output means responsive to translation of said integrated control means along said longitudinal axis to provide a collective control command; said displaceable output means including first, second and third control push rods, respectively interconnected with said control means for longitudinal displacement in response to movements of said control means in said first, second and third planes; and wherein said first and second cyclic control commands and said collective control command comprise, respectively, first, second, and third respective displacements of said control push rods, said displacements being proportional to the magnitude of rotation and translation of said integrated control means in said first, second and third planes, respectively.

Claim 10

The invention defined in claim 5, wherein said first displaceable output means includes a lateral control lever integral with and extending radially from said main control shaft and rotatable about said longitudinal axis, and first linkage means driven by said lateral control lever and connected to said first control push rod to provide an output displacement proportional to the rotation of said main shaft longitudinally of said first control push rod as said first cyclic control signal; wherein said second displaceable output means includes a pitch control support lever fixed to said main control shaft, a bell crank means pivotally supported by said support lever, and second linkage means interconnecting said bell crank means between the other end of said pitch control crank and said second control push rod and driven by said pitch control crank to provide an output displacement proportional to the rotation of said pitch control crank on said tilt axis longitudinally of said second control push rod as said second cyclic control signal; and wherein said third displaceable output means includes, a support means, a collective control crank pivotally mounted adjacent the end of said main control shaft on said support means opposite said integrated control means, and third linkage means interconnecting said collective control crank between said end of said main control shaft and said third control push rod and driven by said main control shaft and said control means to provide an output displacement longitudinally of said third control push rod proportional to the axial displacement of said main control shaft as said collective control signal.

Claim 11

The invention defined in claim 6, wherein said bell crank means in said second displaceable output means includes bearing means precluding interaction between rotation of said support lever with said main control shaft and said second linkage means.

Claim 12

The invention defined in claim 6, wherein said third linkage means of said third displaceable means includes bearing means precluding reaction of said collective crank means to rotation of said main control shaft.

Claim 13

The invention defined in claim 6, wherein said bell crank means in said second displaceable output means includes bearing means precluding interaction between rotation of said support lever with said main control shaft and said second linkage means; and wherein said third linkage means of said third displaceable means includes bearing means precluding reaction of said collective crank means to rotation of said main control shaft.