SELF-ADJUSTING SLIDE ASSEMBLY FOR WEIGHT ON GEAR SWITCH

摘要

16 SELF-ADJUSTING SLIDE ASSEMBLY FOR WEIGHT ON GEAR SWITCH A self-adjusting slide assembly is provided for mounting a weight on gear switch to an aircraft. The slide assembly is particularly adapted for mounting on a skid equipped helicopter for responding to vertical oscillatory deflection of a cross tube of the skid landing gear. A mounting bracket is attached to the underside of the helicopter for supporing a back plate and a pair of clamp plates. A C-shaped slide member has a flange mounted between the back plate and clamp plates so as to slide vertically. Take-off and landing stresses cause the cross tube to exhibit vertical oscillatory deflection between an upper arm and a lower arm of the slide member. A microswitch mounted on the lower arm is actuated when the cross tube contacts a bottom bumper on the lower arm while the helicopter is fully on skid gear. Any deviation of the cross tube beyond its normal limits of deflection causes the upper and lower arms of the slide member to move with respect to the mounting bracket to establish new limits for cross tube oscillatory deflection. Thus, the microswitch maintains approximately the same relative position with respect to the mean position of the cross tube oscillatory deflection regardless of any permanent deformation of the cross tube resulting from harder than normal landings.