Locking system for aircraft thrust reversers

Abstract

A locking system is provided for securing a transcowl to the frame of a thrust reverser on an aircraft engine. [Solution] A locking system for securing a transcowl 40 to the frame of a thrust reverser on an aircraft engine. The locking system includes an arm 41 having a receptacle, connected to the transcowl 40. The lock includes a body and a pin, the pin 41 being movable relative to the body, and the lock is configurable between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the pin is in an extended position, extending into the receptacle relative to the body to secure the transcowl 40 in the stowed position. In the unlocked position, the pin is in a retracted position, away from the arm 41 relative to the body, allowing the transcowl 40 to move to the deployed position.

Claims

1. A locking system for securing a transcowl (40) to a fixed structure (51) of a thrust reverser on an aircraft engine (104), An arm (41) connected to the transcowl (40), the arm (41) having a receptacle, A lock (61) comprising a body (62) and a pin (63), wherein the pin (63) is movable relative to the body (62), and the lock (61) is positioned between a locked position and an unlocked position, In the locked position, the pin (63) is in an extended position that extends into the receptacle relative to the main body (62) in order to fix the transcowl (40) in the stowed position. A locking system in which, in the unlocked position, the pin (63) is in a retracted position away from the arm (41) relative to the body (62) in order to allow the transcowl (40) to move to the deployed position.

2. The locking system according to claim 1, wherein the receptacle includes the opening (43) contained within the arm (41), with the arm (41) extending completely around the opening (43).

3. The locking system according to claim 1, further comprising a biasing member (80) disposed within the main body (62), wherein the biasing member (80) is configured to apply force to the pin (63) in order to bias the pin (63) to the extended position.

4. The locking system according to claim 1, further comprising an anchor (65) having a base (66) configured to be attached to the fixing structure (51) and a flange (67) extending outward from the base (66), wherein the lock (61) is attached to the flange (67) so as to be spaced apart from the fixing structure (51).

5. The locking system according to claim 4, further comprising the opening (68) located within the flange (67) such that when the pin (63) is in the extended position, the pin (63) extends through the opening (68) into the receptacle of the arm (41) with respect to the pin (63).

6. The locking system according to claim 4, wherein each of the flange (67) and the arm (41) has a flat surface, the flat surfaces facing each other when the lock (61) is in the locked position and the pin (63) is positioned within the receptacle of the arm (41).

7. The locking system according to claim 4, wherein the base (66) is provided with an opening (69), and the arm (41) extends through the opening (69) to the locked position.

8. The locking system according to claim 1, further comprising a processing circuit (91) or a control unit (90) having one or more switches, configured to be installed inside the aircraft and to move the lock (61) between the locked position and the unlocked position.

9. The locking system according to claim 1, wherein the arm (41) is a first arm (41), the lock (61) is a first lock (61), the first arm (41) and the first lock (61) form a first locking combination (59), and further comprising one or more further locking combinations (59), each of which comprises a further arm (41) and a further lock (61), and each of the one or more locking combinations (59) is selectively movable between a locked position and an unlocked position.

10. The locking system according to claim 9, wherein the plurality of locking combinations (59) are configured to be attached to the fixed structure (51) and are spaced apart around the engine core (21) of the engine (104).

11. A locking system for securing a transcowl (40) to a fixed structure (51) of a thrust reverser on an aircraft engine (104), The aforementioned fixed structure (51) is equipped with a locking combination (59), and each locking combination (59) is An arm (41) connected to the transcowl (40), the arm (41) having a first opening (43), An anchor (65) attached to the aforementioned fixing structure (51), the anchor (65) having a second opening (68), A lock (61) attached to the anchor (65), comprising a lock (61) equipped with a movable pin (63), The locking combination (59) is selectively movable between a locked position and an unlocked position. In the locked position, the pin (63) extends through the first opening (43) of the arm (41) and the second opening (68) of the anchor (65) in order to fix the transcowl (40) in the stowed position. A locking system in which, in the unlocked position, the pin (63) moves away from the first opening (43) to allow the transcowl (40) to move to the deployed position.

12. The locking system according to claim 11, wherein the pin (63) is separated from both the first opening (43) and the second opening (68) in the unlocked position.

13. The aforementioned anchor (65) is A base (66) configured to be attached to the aforementioned fixing structure (51), The system comprises a flange (67) extending outward from the base (66), The locking system according to claim 11, wherein the second opening (68) is located within the flange (67) and spaced apart from the base (66).

14. The locking system according to claim 11, further comprising a third opening (69) located within the anchor (65), wherein the arm (41) extends through the third opening (69) in the locked position.

15. The locking system according to claim 11, wherein the fixing structure (51) comprises a torque box extending around the engine core (21).

16. The locking system according to claim 11, wherein the locking combination (59) further comprises a biasing member (80) that biases the pin (63) toward the locked position.

17. A method for securing the transcowl (40) of a thrust reverser on an aircraft engine (104), With the transcowl (40) in the stowed position, the arm (41) extending outward from the transcowl (40) is positioned on the lock (61). The lock (61) is locked to the arm (41), and the trans cowl (40) is fixed in the storage position. To unlock the lock (61) from the arm (41), and A method comprising moving the transcowl (40) from the stowed position to the deployed position and moving the arm (41) away from the lock (61).

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising positioning the arm (41) within an opening (52) in the fixing structure (51) of the engine (104) in the storage position.

19. The method according to claim 17, further comprising inserting the pin (63) of the lock (61) into the opening (43) in the arm (41) to lock the lock (61) to the arm (41).

20. Align the arm (41) with the lock (61), position the opening (43) within the arm (41) with the opening (68) within the anchor (65) that supports the lock (61), and The method according to claim 17, further comprising inserting the pin (63) of the lock (61) through both the opening (43) in the arm (41) and the opening (68) in the anchor (65) to lock the lock (61) to the arm (41).

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