Abstract:
Method and apparatus of back riveting construction for sections of aircraft structure utilizing the flush riveting wherein the back bar tooling for all the rivets in the entire section is a single piece of stationary tooling which conforms to the exterior shape of the aircraft section. The rivet gun is a single impact pneumatic gun with a rivet driving hammer which is offset from the axis of the gun's piston and impact pin to upset rivet under C-channel flanges.
Abstract:
A fuel injection system for a stratified charge hybrid internal combustion engine includes a main combustion chamber and a precombustion chamber, and fuel injectors (56, 54) in both the main chamber and the precombustion chamber which open at higher and lower pressure levels respectively to sequentially inject fuel into the precombustion chamber and main chamber. The system also includes a timed-spark ignition trigger (58) in the precombustion chamber, and an engine-driven and timed fuel injection pump (12) having a variable output capacity which varies with the engine power level requirements, the injection pump (12) being supplied by a low pressure charge pump (26). The injection system further includes a shuttle valve (30) with a shuttle spool (36) positioned therein defining a precombustion chamber supply chamber (40) on one side thereof and a spool activation chamber (38) on the opposite side. An initial charge from the injection pump (12) displaces the spool (36) from its first (right-hand) to its second (left-hand) position. The initial part of this displacement valves-off the supply of fuel into the supply chamber (40), and further displacement causes the spool (36) to supply a charge of fuel to the prechamber injector (54) until the spool reaches its second position defined by a stop (61). Thereafter, the fuel pressure from the injection pump (12) acting in the spool actuation chamber (38) rises to the opening pressure level of the main injector (56), and fuel flows through the spool actuation chamber to the main injector. The trigger (58) positioned in the shuttle valve fires the ignition means as the spool moves from its first position.
Abstract:
The invention relates to a detonation indication system for an internal combustion piston engine of an aircraft, which senses detonation by means of a sensor comprising a piezoelectric force transducer (12) installed under a the spark plug of each cylinder of the engine. The transducer produces an on-going combustion pressure-induced charge signal which is converted into a voltage signal by a charge converter (14). A comparator gating circuit (16) removes, from the voltage signal, signal components, associated with intake and exhaust strokes, which occur below a predetermined combustion pressure. A high-pass frequency filter (18) then removes signal components associated with low frequency changes in combustion pressure. The output from the filter (18) is applied to an RMS-to-direct current converter (20) which converts the output into a direct current voltage proportional to the RMS value of the filter output. The output from the converter (20) is applied to peak and hold circuitry (22) which holds the peak value of the converter output corresponding to the most severe detonation event which occurs during an adjustable reset time period. A digital display (24) is provided which receives signals from the circuit (22) corresponding to the peak values occurring during successive reset periods and provides a numerical read-out indicative of the severity of the associated detonation events.
Abstract:
The invention relates to an on-board and in-line fuel blending system of two reference fuels (A, B) of known octane ratings for an aircraft or land vehicle piston engine. First and second fuel tanks (12, 14) are provided for the respective test fuels (A, B), each associated with a constant pressure pump (18, 20) and discharge line (22, 24) for supplying a constant pressure of both fuels (A, B). An adjustable blending valve (16) is provided, having two entry ports connected one to each of the discharge lines of the respective pumps. The blending valve includes a spool (36) which, as it moves, increases the portion of one reference fuel and decreases the portion of the other fuel, to vary the octane rating of the blended-flow from an exit port of the blending valve (16). A first flow meter (32) is located in the discharge line (22) of the constant pressure pump (18), and a second flow meter (34) is located in the exit line (44) for blended fuel flowing from the blending valve (16). A float-controlled needle valve (46) is positioned in the line (44) which limits the blended fuel flow to that which the engine is burning. Processing means (86, 90) senses the flow from both flow meters (32, 34) and computes the percent of each test fuel (A, B) in the blend, and also the octane rating of the blended stream. Based on appropriate calibration blending curves, the system will provide instantaneous indications of both lean and rich performance ratings of the fuel. Instantaneous lean and rich performance ratings of the blended fuel streams may be recorded concurrently with engine parameters and ambient test data, and with combustion knock severity numbers derived from an associated detonation indication system.
Abstract:
A variable pitch propeller has blades (36), the position of which, at relatively low pitch angles is controlled by a beta valve through a lever (23) and a feedback collar (25), the position of the collar being controlled by a plurality of beta feedback rods (55). There is one rod (55) for each blade of the propeller, and the movement of the rods (55) is controlled by a blade yoke (50) which has arms (52) partially encircling the rods (55). A lost motion connection in the form of a sleeve (60) is carried on each of the rods (55) and is movable against a retraction spring (62) by the arms (52). A movable stop mechanism (75) engages the feedback rods (55) at a particular low blade angle position and temporarily interrupts the movement of the feedback rods (55) while the sleeves (60) move to a seated position against the retraction spring (62), and thereafter the movement of the rods (55) is again picked up, accompanied by movement of the stop mechanism (75) against a spring (80). The lost motion connection represented by the sleeve (60) permits movement of the blades under control of the beta feedback valve without accompanying movement of the feedback rod which causes a shifting of the blades to a still lower pitch position, thereafter followed by reclosing of the feedback valve with continued movement of the rods (55).
Abstract:
The invention relates to an on-board and in-line fuel blending system of two reference fuels (A, B) of known octane ratings for an aircraft or land vehicle piston engine. First and second fuel tanks (12, 14) are provided for the respective test fuels (A, B), each associated with a constant pressure pump (18, 20) and discharge line (22, 24) for supplying a constant pressure of both fuels (A, B). An adjustable blending valve (16) is provided, having two entry ports connected one to each of the discharge lines of the respective pumps. The blending valve includes a spool (36) which, as it moves, increases the portion of one reference fuel and decreases the portion of the other fuel, to vary the octane rating of the blended-flow from an exit port of the blending valve (16). A first flow meter (32) is located in the discharge line (22) of the constant pressure pump (18), and a second flow meter (34) is located in the exit line (44) for blended fuel flowing from the blending valve (16). A float-controlled needle valve (46) is positioned in the line (44) which limits the blended fuel flow to that which the engine is burning. Processing means (86, 90) senses the flow from both flow meters (32, 34) and computes the percent of each test fuel (A, B) in the blend, and also the octane rating of the blended stream. Based on appropriate calibration blending curves, the system will provide instantaneous indications of both lean and rich performance ratings of the fuel. Instantaneous lean and rich performance ratings of the blended fuel streams may be recorded concurrently with engine parameters and ambient test data, and with combustion knock severity numbers derived from an associated detonation indication system.