Splayable aircraft nose landing gear

摘要

Landing gear (10) for an airplane including an elongate strut (12) having a first end and a second end longitudinally spaced therefrom. The first end of the strut being pivotally attached to the airplane for pivotal movement of the strut between an extended position for taxiing and landing of the airplane and a retracted position for stowage of the landing gear within a landing gear bay. The landing gear assembly also includes elongate first and second hub assemblies (70) and (72) each having first and second ends. Landing wheels (20) and (22) are journaled to each of the second ends of the hub assemblies. The first ends of the hub assemblies are attached to the second end of the strut for swinging movement thereof between an unsplayed position, wherein the wheels are parallel to each other, and a splayed position, wherein the first and second hub assemblies are spread to a predetermined angle from each other to permit stowage of the landing gear within the landing gear bay with minimal intrusion. The first and second hub assemblies are actuatable between the splayed and unsplayed positions by first and second foldable linkage assemblies (84) and (88) and are reversibly driven by a linear hydraulic actuator (126).