Patent GB-991405-A (GB)
Title: Improvements relating to aircraft
Inventor: WATTS FREDERICK THOMAS
IPC: B64C9/22
Filed: 1960-05-19
Abstract: 991,405. Controlling and de-icing aircraft. DE HAVILLAND AIRCRAFT CO. Ltd. May 17, 1961 [May 19, 1960], No. 17626/60. Headings B7G and B7W. An aircraft wing has at its leading edge a slat hingedly mounted for angular movement from an operative position spaced in front of the wing leading edge to form a slot, to a retracted position upside down within a recess in the lower surface of the wing. Stalling speed can thus be lowered without spoiling the airflow over the wing upper surface at high speeds. Figs. 3 and 4 are cross-sections of a wing leading edge fitted with two slats 14, the outboard one being half as long again as the inboard one, the two slats moving together. The wing leading edge has apertures 24, alternate apertures leading each to a compartment 32 (Fig. 3) bounded laterally by walls 34 spanned by a pivot 26 for a hinge member 34 which completes the leading edge profile in the slat retracted position (full lines). An arm 36 on each hinge member 34 is secured to the slat 14. A torque tube 54 runs the length of both slats, and is in sections connected by pairs of crank arms 58 (one shown) and pins 60. Between each adjacent pair of crank arms, a link 62 is pivoted on pin 60, the link extending to a lever 64 pivoted to the wing. The free end of lever 64 is connected by link 66 to arm 36. Rotation of one torque tube section by an, hydraulic jack or electric motor, moves the slat between the extended position (broken lines), and the inverted retracted position. At each remaining aperture 24, (Fig. 4), a hollow pivot 28 supports a hinge member 38, and has a port 42, which in the extended slat position communicates with a hollow arm 40 leading to the interior of the slat. The slat upper surface 44 and part of the undersurface 52 is double walled, the interior of the wall communicating with the slat interior at the trailing edge of the upper surface, and with the atmosphere at the lower surface. De-icing fluid, e.g. hot air, can thus be led through pivot 28, and arm 40, to the slat interior, and passes through the double wall and is finally discharged towards the slot formed in the extended position. A flap 82 is operated through linkwork 80, 78, 76, by a cam surface 68 on torque tube 54 co-operating with a roller 72 on link 76. The cam has two lifts 88 and 90, so that flap 82 is in the full line position when the slat is fully extended, or fully retracted, and is in the broken line position when the slat is in intermediate positions. In case of linkage or jack failure, link 62 is arranged to be past top dead-centre in the retracted position, so that the slat cannot extend without torque being exerted on tube 54 by the jack, and is near bottom dead-centre when the slat is extended, so that very little further extension is possible. In a modified system, the torque tube operates a further torque tube through an irreversible clutch and screw jack mechanism, the further torque tube operating the slat. The torque tube operates the flap through spur gearing and a crank-arm mechanism. De-icing fluid is led to the slat through a rotary pipe joint, like joint 28, 38, Fig. 4, and through a telescopic tube leading to the slat interior at its leading edge. The fluid then flows through the double upper wall of the slat from leading edge to trailing edge, where it is discharged.