Pneumatic control valve actuator computer control arrangement

Claim 1

A control system for a circulation control rotor system in an aircraft comprising: a compressed air supply; a plenum connected to receive compressed air from the compressed air supply; a plurality of valves distributed in a series around a circumference of the plenum for modulating the escape of air through openings in the plenum in response to signals for controlling the aircraft, wherein one of the valves in the series is designated as the first plenum valve and the valve which is next to the first plenum valve in the series is designated as the second plenum valve and the valve which is next to the second plenum valve in the series is designated as the third valve and the valve which is next to the third plenum valve in the series is designated as the fourth plenum valve; means for providing signals indicative of a desired control response; and a quad-redundant flight control computer for providing the signals for controlling the airflow to the valves in response to the signals indicative of a desired control response, including a first signal processor; a second signal processor; a third signal processor; and a fourth signal processor; characterized in that: the first plenum valve and every incremental fourth valve in the series thereafter is responsive to the first signal processor and the third signal processor; the second plenum valve and every incremental fourth valve in the series thereafter is responsive to the second signal processor and the fourth signal processor; the third plenum valve and every incremental fourth valve in the series thereafter is responsive to the first signal processor and the fourth signal processor; and the fourth plenum valve and every incremental fourth valve in the series thereafter is responsive to the second signal processor and the third signal processor.