IL41508A - Aircraft undercarriage - Google Patents

Claims (1)

1. 41508/2 WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:. . .

1. An aircraft landerearriage system comprising in combination, an air inflatable trunk attached to the aircraft . uselage and adapted to be inflated so as to balloon-out from the aircraft fuselage, said trunk being formed of airtight elastic sheet material patterned to contract when deflated compactly against the- aircraft fuselage and to be inflated in response to internal air pressure into a balloon-shape of prescribed form and dimensions, and being apertured along the lowermost footprint surface portions thereof to permit escape of air from within said trunk when said trunk is inflated, for air cushion type support of the aircraft relative to a reaction surface, bladder means formed of airtight flexible sheet material disposed interiorly of said trunk for selective inflat- ion to define an air-confining cell within. said trunk, first means for selectively supplying compressed air into the interior of said trunk, and second means for selectively supplying compressed air to said bladder means and for evacuation of said bladder means, whereby (1) when the aircraft is operating in flight mode the operator thereof may cause said undercarriage system to contract compactly against the aircraft fuselage, whereby (2) the aircraft may be prepared for landing, taxiing, and take-off operations by operator control of said first means so as to cause said trunk to expand and discharge air therebelow so as to create a transient air cushion between the aircraft and a reaction surface, and whereby (3) the operator may actuate said second means so as to inflate said bladder means to any desired degree. whereby to provide interiorly of said trunk a regulated