Aircraft engine mounting system and method of mounting aircraft engines

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9745073-B2
Application number	US-201615356060-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 18, 2016
Priority date	Jan 26, 2009
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

An aircraft mounting system is provided having a yoke that is interlocked with engine mounts securable to the engine and the yoke is interchangeable with other yokes on other engines. An aft engine mount is also provided.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) configured for mounting an aircraft engine ( 22 ) to an aircraft ( 24 ), the engine mounting system ( 20 ) comprising:
a yoke member ( 26 ) including:
an aircraft attachment ( 34 );
a first yoke end ( 28 ) having a cylindrical or cone shape;
a second yoke end ( 30 ) having a cylindrical or cone shape;
wherein the yoke member having a generally arched shape extending between the first yoke end ( 28 ) and second yoke end ( 30 );

a first engine mount ( 36 ) configured to accommodate the first yoke end;
a second engine mount ( 40 ) configured to accommodate the second yoke end;
wherein the first yoke end ( 28 ) and the second yoke end ( 30 ) are configured to be inserted in the first and second engine mounts ( 36 , 40 ), respectively, and interlocked therein;
wherein the first yoke end ( 28 ) is secured to and within the first engine mount ( 36 ) by a fastener ( 58 ) preventing relative sliding of the first yoke end with the first engine mount;
wherein the second yoke end ( 30 ) is slidably free within the second engine mount ( 40 );
wherein the first and second engine mounts ( 36 , 40 ) having the first and second yoke ends ( 28 , 30 ) positioned therein are configured to be secured to the aircraft engine ( 22 ) by a plurality of attachment bolts;
wherein the first engine mount ( 36 ) and the second engine mount ( 40 ) are grounded to the aircraft engine ( 22 ), the first engine mount ( 36 ) and the second engine mount ( 40 ) configured to interlock the yoke member ( 26 ) therebetween; and
wherein the yoke member ( 26 ) has an aircraft attachment width, a first engine end width, and a second engine end width, with the aircraft attachment width being greater than the first engine end width and the aircraft attachment width being greater than the second engine end width.

2. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 further comprising:
a wear resistant cap ( 60 ) positioned about the first or second yoke end ( 28 , 30 );
a wear resistant bushing ( 62 ) positioned within the first or second engine mount ( 38 , 40 ); and
wherein the wear resistant cap ( 60 ) is configured to slidably be inserted into and adjacent the wear resistant bushing ( 62 ).

3. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 further comprising at least one resilient member ( 44 ) disposed within the first engine mount ( 36 ) and configured to absorb at least a portion of a load from the first yoke end ( 28 ).

4. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 3 wherein the at least one resilient member ( 44 ) is an elastomer.

5. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the first engine mount ( 36 ) is further comprised of at least one nonresilient member ( 56 ), the at least one nonresilient member ( 56 ) being disposed between the first engine mount ( 36 ) and the first yoke end ( 28 ).

6. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 5 wherein the nonresilient member ( 56 ) is a spherical bearing.

7. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 6 wherein the spherical bearing is configured to accommodate a tolerancing in the first engine mount ( 36 ).

8. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 further comprising at least one resilient member ( 44 ) disposed within the second engine mount ( 40 ) and configured to absorb at least a portion of a load from the second yoke end ( 30 ).

9. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 8 wherein the at least one resilient member ( 44 ) is an elastomer.

10. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the second engine mount ( 40 ) is further comprised of at least one nonresilient member ( 56 ), the at least one nonresilient member ( 56 ) being disposed between the second engine mount ( 40 ) and the second yoke end ( 30 ).

11. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 10 wherein the nonresilient member ( 56 ) is a spherical bearing.

12. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 11 wherein the spherical bearing is configured to accommodate a tolerancing in the second engine mount ( 40 ).

13. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the first engine mount ( 36 ) includes an engine boss ( 64 ).

14. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of aircraft engine mount systems ( 20 ) associated with a corresponding plurality of aircraft engines ( 22 ), wherein each of the aircraft engine mount systems ( 20 ) has at least one yoke member ( 26 ) associated therewith.

15. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 14 wherein the yoke members ( 26 ) are interchangeable between the aircraft engine mount systems ( 20 ) and the corresponding plurality of aircraft engines ( 22 ).

16. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the combination of the yoke member ( 26 ), the first engine mount ( 36 ) and the second engine mount ( 40 ) provide for a self-aligning aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ).

17. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the yoke member ( 26 ) is configured to be non-separable from the first engine mount ( 36 ) and the second engine mount ( 40 ) after being joined together with the aircraft engine ( 22 ) and the aircraft engine ( 22 ) is installed.

18. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the first yoke end ( 28 ) and the second yoke end ( 30 ) are both conical taper ends.

19. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the first yoke end ( 28 ) and the second yoke end ( 30 ) are both spherical taper ends.

20. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the first engine mount ( 36 ) and the second engine mount ( 40 ) are at least hard mounts, the hard mount being free of any resilient members ( 44 ).

21. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein one of the first engine mount ( 36 ) and the second engine mount ( 40 ) is a hard mount and the other is a soft mount, the hard mount being free of at least a resilient member ( 44 ) and the soft mount including at least the resilient member ( 44 ).

22. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the first engine mount ( 36 ) and the second engine mount ( 40 ) are soft mounts, the soft mount including at least a resilient member ( 44 ).

23. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 1 wherein the aircraft attachment ( 34 ) is positioned between the first yoke end ( 28 ) and the second yoke end ( 30 ), the aircraft attachment ( 34 ) configured for attaching the yoke member ( 26 ) with the aircraft ( 24 ).

24. The aircraft engine mount system ( 20 ) of claim 23 further comprising a first yoke arm bolt associated with the first yoke end ( 28 ), the first yoke arm bolt configured to extend from the first yoke end ( 28 ) through the yoke member ( 26 ) towards the aircraft attachment ( 34 ).

25. An aircraft engine mounting system ( 20 ) for mounting an aircraft engine ( 22 ) to an aircraft ( 24 ), the aircraft engine mounting system ( 20 ) comprised of:
a forward yoke member ( 26 ) including:
a forward aircraft attachment ( 34 );
a first yoke end ( 28 ) having a cylindrical or cone shape;
a second yoke end ( 30 ) having a cylindrical or cone shape;
the forward yoke member ( 26 ) having a generally arched shape extending between the first and second yoke ends ( 28 , 30 );

a first forward engi

Assignees

• Lord Corp

Inventors

• Whiteford Gerald P
• Zameroski Daniel

Classifications

• B64D27/402

  comprising box like supporting frames, e.g. pylons or arrangements for embracing the power plant · CPC title

• B64D27/20 Primary

  within, or attached to, fuselages · CPC title

• B64D27/02

  Aircraft characterised by the type or position of power plants · CPC title

• B64D2027/262

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B64D27/26 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic