Aircraft manual control members

Claim 2

A pilot''s manual control member for an aircraft fitted with an autopilot, which comprises: a first part having a cylindrical projection; a second part having a cylindrical projection; between the cylindrical projections, first and second axially spaced sets of bearings which support the second part coaxially of the first part and which permit a limited manual movement of the second part with respect to the first both in the axial direction and in rotation about the axis; first and second spring biassing arrangements which respectively oppose axial and rotational movements of the second part with respect to the first; first and second sensing arrangements for producing output signals representative of movements of the second part with respect to the first, in the direction of and in rotation about the axis, respectively; and in which, with the control member fitted in an aircraft; in manual flight control of the aircraft, manual movement of the two parts in the axial direction is for the purpose of controlling the aircraft in pitch; and manual movement of the second part in rotation about the axis, is for the purpose of controlling the aircraft in roll; and with the autopilot engaged, that is with the control member disabled from manual control of the aircraft, the limited manual movement of the second part with respect to the first is yet permitted, the signals developed by the sensing arrangements, in response to such movement, corresponding to pitch and roll demands, respectively, being supplied to the autopilot.

Claim 3

A control member according to claim 1 in which the axially spaced sets of bearings each comprise a plurality of ball bearings respectively located in pairs of circumferentially spaced opposed recesses which are formed in the cylindrical projections and which are so dimensioned as to permit the said limited manual movement of the second part with respect to the first.

Claim 4

A control member according to claim 2 in which the walls of the recesses contacted by the ball bearings are of tungsten or like hard material.

Claim 5

A control member according to claim 3 in which, of the walls of the recesses contacted by the ball bearings at least one wall is adjustable radially towards and away from the opposing wall so as to eliminate any lost motion which may exist radially of the cylindrical portions.

Claim 6

A control member according to claim 1 in which the cylindrical projection of the second part is a hollow cylindrical projection which surrounds the cylindrical projection of the first part.

Claim 7

A control member according to claim 1 in which the spring biassing arrangements are located between the cylindrical projections of the two parts.

Claim 8

A control member according to claim 6, in which: the first spring biassing arrangement comPrises a first plurality of spring elements located between respective ones of a first plurality of pairs of opposed abutment surfaces of the cylindrical projection of the first part and respective ones of a first plurality of pairs of opposed abutment surfaces of the cylindrical projection of the second part; the second spring biassing arrangement comprises a second plurality of spring elements located between respective ones of a second plurality of pairs of opposed abutment surfaces of the cylindrical projection of the first part and respective ones of a plurality of pairs of abutment surfaces of the second part; and in which at least one of the first plurality of spring elements is compressed, in the axial direction, between a pair of abutment surfaces of both cylindrical projections and any remaining spring element of the first plurality is compressed, in the axial direction, between opposed abutment surfaces of one of the cylindrical projections and has a predetermined clearance with respect to opposed abutment surfaces of the other cylindrical projection; and at least one of the second plurality of spring elements is compressed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction between a pair of abutment surfaces of both cylindrical projections and any remaining spring element of the second plurality is compressed, in the said perpendicular direction, between opposed abutment surfaces of one of the cylindrical projections and has a predetermined clearance with respect to the opposed abutment surfaces of the other cylindrical projection.

Claim 9

A control member according to claim 1 in which at least one of the spring biassing arrangements is preloaded so as to present a force/deflection threshold to be overcome in moving the second part relative to the first.

Claim 10

A pilot''s manual control member for an aircraft fitted with an autopilot which comprises: a first part movable in a certain direction so as to control the aircraft in pitch; a second part carried by the first part and rotatable about an axis fixed in the first part; a first plurality of spring elements located between respective ones of a first plurality of pairs of opposed abutment surfaces of the first part and respective ones of a first plurality of pairs of opposed abutment surfaces of the second part; a second plurality of spring elements located between respective ones of a second plurality of pairs of opposed abutment surfaces of the first part and respective ones of a plurality of pairs of abutment surfaces of the second part; first and second sensing arrangements for producing output signals representative of movement of the second part relative to the first part in the direction of and about the said rotational axis respectively; and the opposed abutment surfaces are so disposed and spaced that at least one of the first plurality of spring elements is compressed, in the axial direction, between a pair of abutment surfaces of both parts and any remaining spring element of the first plurality is compressed, in the axial direction, between opposed abutment surfaces of one of the parts and has a predetermined clearance with respect to opposed abutment surfaces of the other part; and at least one of the second plurality of spring elements is compressed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction between a pair of abutment surfaces of both parts and any remaining spring element of the second plurality is compressed, in the said perpendicular direction, between opposed abutment surfaces of one of the parts and has a predetermined clearance with respect to the opposed abutment surfaces of the other part.

Claim 11

A pilot''s manual control member for an aircraft fitted with an autopilot which comprises: a first part movable in a certain direction so as to control the aircraft in pitch; a second part carried by the first part and rotatable about an axis fixed in the first part; a first plurality of spring elements located between respective ones of a first plurality of pairs of opposed abutment surfaces of the first part and respective ones of a first plurality of pairs of opposed abutment surfaces of the second part; a second plurality of spring elements located between respective ones of a second plurality of pairs of opposed abutment surfaces of the first part and respective ones of a plurality of pairs of abutment surfaces of the second part; first and second sensing arrangements for producing output signals representative of movement of the second part relative to the first part in the direction of and about the said rotational axis respectively; and the opposed abutment surfaces are so disposed and spaced that at least one of the first plurality of spring elements is compressed, in the axial direction, between a pair of abutment surfaces of both parts and any remaining spring element of the first plurality is compressed, in the axial direction, between opposed abutment surfaces of one of the parts and has a predetermined clearance with respect to opposed abutment surfaces of the other part; and at least one of the second plurality of spring elements is compressed in a direction perpendicular to the axial direction between a pair of abutment surfaces of both parts and any remaining spring element of the second plurality is compressed, in the said perpendicular direction, between opposed abutment surfaces of one of the parts and has a predetermined clearance with respect to the opposed abutment surfaces of the other part.