Retention device for capturing a spent thermal fuse

Claim 1

In an aircraft wheel having a rim with a tire attached thereto to define a pressure chamber for a fluid, and a relief valve connected to the pressure chamber through a passage in the rim, said relief valve having a core member made of a fusible alloy located in a conical bore connected to said passage, the core member responding to a predetermined temperature by changing shape and being expelled from the relief valve by the pressure of the fluid in the pressure chamber to thereafter allow fluid to escape through the passage and conical bore and thereby prevent damaging the tire from a predetermined pressure resulting from the predetermined temperature, the improvement comprising: a cylindrical projection extending from the relief valve having a cylindrical bore aligned with the core member and vent holes for connecting the cylindrical bore with the surrounding environment, said vent holes being located adjacent a shoulder that separates said cylindrical bore from the conical bore, said cylindrical projection having a groove on its peripheral surface, said vent holes terminating in said groove; a resilient band located in said groove to cover the vent holes to prevent contaminants from entering the cylindrical bore; and an end cap attached to said cylindrical projection to establish a retention chamber in said cylindrical bore, said core member on being expelled from the relief valve being retained in said retention chamber adjacent said end cap to prevent injuring any person or damaging any property resulting from the expulsion of the core from the relief valve, said fluid in the chamber thereafter flowing from the passage through the vent holes to the surrounding environment by expanding the resilient band over the vent holes to reduce the fluid pressure in the pessure chamber.