Patent ID: 6142416
Filing Date: 2000-11-07
Classification: F02K,Y02T

Abstract:
A failsafe nozzle actuating system for an aircraft gas turbine engine comprising:a variable thrust vectoring axisymmetric exhaust nozzle having a plurality of multi-degree of freedom pivotal flaps circumferentially disposed about a nozzle centerline and bounding an exhaust gas flowpath in said nozzle,said pivotal flaps being differentially pivotal so as to have different attitudes about said nozzle centerline in a vectored configuration of said nozzle,a primary nozzle actuating means operably connected to said flaps for pivoting and setting an attitude for each of said flaps relative to the centerline,said primary nozzle actuating means including primary actuators,each of said actuators being extendable independent of any other of said primary actuators between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position,a failsafe nozzle actuating means operably connected to said flaps for pivoting and setting a failsafe attitude of said flaps,said failsafe nozzle actuating means including failsafe actuators each of which is extendable to a failsafe position corresponding to a position for pivoting and setting each of said flaps to a failsafe attitude, anda failsafe control system operable to set said flaps at said failsafe attitude during a failsafe mode of said nozzle actuating system wherein said failsafe attitude of each of said flaps is one at which each of said primary actuators is at a partially retracted position between said fully extended position and said fully retracted position of said primary actuators.