US00799.

7527B2

(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7.997,527 B2

Lafont (45) Date of Patent: Aug. 16, 2011
(54) ASSEMBLY FOR AIRCRAFT COMPRISINGA (56) References Cited
WING SYSTEM ELEMENT ASWELLAS AN
ATTACHMENT MAST U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
(75) Inventor: Laurent Lafont, Pechbusque (FR) 3,831,888 A 8, 1974 Baker et al.
4,560,122 A 12/1985 Parkinson et al.
(73) Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS, Toulouse (FR) 5,806,792 A * 9/1998 Brossier et al. ................. 244.54
(*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this 6,095,456 A * 8/2000 Powell ............................ 244.54
6,758.439 B2 * 7/2004 Harrison et al. ................ 244.54
patent is extended or adjusted under 35 2004/0129832 A1* 7/2004 Marche ........................... 244.54
U.S.C. 154(b) by 364 days. 2005/0151008 A1* 7/2005 Machado et al. ............... 244.54
(21) Appl. No.: 11/995,110 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
FR 2698068 A1 * 5, 1994
(22) PCT Filed: Jul. 28, 2006 RU 163718.6 C * 1, 1995
(86). PCT No.: PCT/EP2006/064782 * cited by examiner
S371 (c)(1), Primary Examiner — Tien Dinh
(2), (4) Date: Jan. 9, 2008 Assistant Examiner — Richard R. Green
(87) PCT Pub. No.: WO2007/012667 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — Oblon, Spivak,
McClelland, Maier & Neustadt, L.L.P.
PCT Pub. Date: Feb. 1, 2007
(65) Prior Publication Data (57) ABSTRACT
US 2008/0217467 A1 Sep. 11, 2008 An assembly for an aircraft including a wing element, a
Suspension pylon, a mechanism of attaching the pylon onto
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data the element, including two forward half-attachments, each
Jul. 29, 2005 (FR) ...................................... 05 52386
including a shackle and configured to resist forces applied
along a vertical direction. The shackle is mounted firstly
(51) Int. Cl. articulated onto a first fitting fixed to a forward spar of the
B64C3/32 (2006.01) element extending along the direction of the width, and is
B64D 27/26 (2006.01) secondly mounted articulated onto a second fitting fixed to the
(52) U.S. Cl. ......................................................... 244/54 rigid structure of the pylon. The two shackles are arranged in
(58) Field of Classification Search .................... 244/54; the same plane parallel to the direction of the width.
248/554, 557
See application file for complete search history. 13 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets

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 US 7,997,527 B2
1. 2
ASSEMBLY FOR AIRCRAFT COMPRISINGA ture can resist ever-increasing forces due to the increase in
WING SYSTEM ELEMENT ASWELLAS AN power of engines mounted on aircraft.
ATTACHMENT MAST Furthermore, this symmetry between the two half-attach
ments also inevitably introduces the presence of a first large
TECHNICAL DOMAIN longitudinal fitting between the shackle of the first half-at
tachment furthest from the fuselage and the forward wing
This invention relates in general to an assembly for an spar, this constraint obviously being extremely problematic in
aircraft comprising a wing element and an engine Suspension terms of global mass of the assembly. Here also, it is observed
pylon under said wing element. 10
that the length of this first fitting often needs to increase with
Such an assembly may be used for any type of aircraft, for the width of the rigid structure, in order to maintain symmetry
example aircraft with turbo-engines Suspended from the between the two forward half-attachments.
wing, Such as turbojets or turboprops.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
STATE OF PRIOR ART
15
Therefore, the purpose of the invention is to propose an
On existing aircraft, turbo-engines are suspended below assembly for an aircraft at least partially overcoming the
the wing by complex mounting devices, also called EMS problems encountered in assemblies according to prior art.
(Engine Mounting Structure), or Suspension pylons. For tur The object of the invention to achieve this is an aircraft
bojets, the mounting structure usually used comprise a rigid assembly comprising a wing element and a suspension pylon
box structure, in other words formed by the assembly of upper for Suspending an engine under the wing element, the assem
and lower spars connected to each other through a plurality of bly also comprising means of attaching a rigid pylon structure
transverse ribs. onto the wing element, these attachment means comprising
In a known manner, these pylons are designed particularly two forward half-attachments, each being provided with a
to transmit static and dynamic forces generated by the turbo 25 shackle and designed to resist forces applied along a vertical
engines such as the weight, thrust or the different dynamic direction of the Suspension pylon, this shackle being mounted
forces, to the wing. firstly articulated through a first pin onto a first fitting fixed to
In this respect, in Suspension pylons known according to a forward spar forming part of the wing element and extend
prior art, forces are transmitted between the Suspension ing along the width of this wing element, and secondly
pylons and the wing through a forward attachment composed 30 mounted articulated through a second pin onto a second fit
of two lateral half-attachments, an aft attachment and an ting fixed to the rigid structure. According to the invention,
intermediate attachment designed particularly to resist thrust the two shackles of the two forward half-attachments are
forces generated by the associated turbo-engine arranged in the same plane parallel to the direction of the
To achieve this, the intermediate attachment that will resist width.
thrust forces, also called a spigot attachment, is generally 35 Therefore in this assembly according to the invention, there
materialised by a ball joint fixed in the aft upper spar of the is no longer symmetry between the vertical and longitudinal
rigid structure, between the forward attachment and the aft median plane of the pylon between the two forward half
attachment. This very large sized spigot attachment also com attachments, as was the case in embodiments according to
prises a pin or a shear pin located under the aircraft wing prior art. The fact that the two shackles are located in the same
through an embedment fitting, so as to fit into the above 40 plane parallel to the width direction and therefore parallel to
mentioned spigot attachment. the forward wing spar, advantageously makes it possible for
Furthermore, the two forward engine half-attachments both half-attachments to remain on the inside of the wing and
were designed so as to resist forces applied along the vertical its leading edge, without projecting forwards from the leading
direction of the pylon. To achieve this, each is provided with edge. Thus, aerodynamic performances can be considerably
a shackle arranged in a vertical and longitudinal plane, articu 45 increased.
lated firstly through a first pin onto a first fitting fixed to a Furthermore, with this solution it is possible to bring the
forward spar belonging to the wing element, and secondly shackles closer to the forward spar, therefore very signifi
through a second pin onto a second fitting fixed to the rigid cantly reducing the length of the two fittings inserted between
structure. Furthermore, the two forward half-attachments are this forward spar and their associated shackle, regardless of
usually arranged symmetrically about a median vertical and 50 the width of the rigid structure of the suspension pylon. Obvi
longitudinal plane of the Suspension pylon, this plane being ously, as a result the global mass of the assembly can be
parallel to the planes containing the two shackles, also form reduced, and resistance of forces significantly improved.
ing a plane of symmetry for the rigid structure of this pylon. Preferably, the plane in which the two shackles of the
Nevertheless, this very widespread solution has non-neg forward half-attachments are arranged is also parallel to the
ligible disadvantages that will be described below. 55 vertical direction of the suspension pylon, like the web of the
Firstly, note that the desire to achieve the symmetry men forward spar. This further improves the possibilities of bring
tioned above between the two half-attachments sometimes ing the two shackles closer to this spar, and therefore making
makes it necessary to place them far forward from the front the forward half-attachments compact. Therefore, the result
spar of the wing element. This constraint is particularly severe is another significant reduction in the global mass of the
for the half-attachment furthest from the aircraft fuselage, and 60 assembly, and a significant improvement to the resistance of
causes problems in introducing forces into the wing box, forces.
problems with the layout of the leading edge, and also aero Preferably, the second fitting of each forward half-attach
dynamic problems. Consequently, note that the risk of need ment is a double-head fitting, with the shackle being located
ing to arrange half-attachments very far forward from the between the two fittings, and the first pin for each forward
forward spar of the wing element is naturally more severe for 65 half-attachment also passing through a second fitting fixed
a wide rigid structure, although increasing the width of this onto the wing element, Such that this shackle is located
rigid structure is a solution frequently used so that this struc between the first fitting and the secondary fitting.
 US 7,997,527 B2
3 4
Also preferably, one of the two forward half-attachments is FIG. 6 shows a view similar to that shown in FIG. 4, in
designed Such that its shackle is mounted to be articulated which the assembly is in the form of another preferred
through a third pin, onto the first fitting fixed to the forward embodiment of this invention;
spar, so that this forward half-attachment is capable of resist FIG. 7 shows a sectional view taken along line VII-VII in
ing forces applied along the width direction. 5 FIG. 6;
In this case in which the other of the two forward half FIG. 8 shows a sectional view taken along line VIII-VIII in
attachments is then designed to resist forces applied along the FIG. 6;
vertical direction only, it would be possible for the attachment FIG. 9 shows a diagrammatic view symbolizing forces
means to also comprise an aft attachment designed to resist resisted by each of the attachments in the assembly in the
forces applied along a longitudinal direction of the pylon, 10 form of the preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 8; and
along a transverse direction of this pylon as well as along the FIG. 10 shows a diagrammatic view symbolically repre
vertical direction. Alternately, this aft attachment could be senting forces resisted by each attachment in the assembly in
designed so as to resist forces applied along the longitudinal the form of an alternative to the preferred embodiment shown
in FIGS. 6 to 8.
direction of the pylon, along the width direction and along the 15
vertical direction. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED
Consequently in both cases, the attachment means are EMBODIMENTS
capable of forming a statically determinate mounting system
composed exclusively of the two forward half-attachments With reference to FIG. 1, the figure shows an assembly 1
and the aft attachment. 2O for an aircraft according to a first preferred embodiment of
Therefore with Such a layout, the spigot type intermediate this invention.
attachment is advantageously eliminated. Note that on recent Globally, this assembly 1 comprises a wing element 2 such
aircraft turbo-engines, the large dilution ratio required results as a wing, a suspension pylon 4 for an engine 10 Such as a
in an extremely large overall dimension, because increasing turbojet, and means 8 of attaching a rigid structure 6 forming
the dilution ratio inevitably increases the engine diameter, 25 the box of the pylon 4 on the wing element 2.
and also more particularly increases the diameter of its fan Furthermore, this FIG. 1 also shows attaching means 12
casing. Thus, with a ground clearance that is naturally fixed so inserted between the rigid structure 6 and the turbo-engine 10
as to remain acceptable from a safety point of view, the space for guidance, these means 12 being composed of one or
remaining between the wing and the turbo-engine to hold the several forward engine attachments 14, one aft engine attach
Suspension pylon and the different attachments is becoming 30 ment 16 and a thrust resistance device 18 provided essentially
increasingly restricted, while paradoxically the forces to be with lateral resistance rods.
resisted are becoming increasingly high. This development of These attaching means 12 do not form part of this invention
turbo-engines has the unfortunate consequence of reducing and consequently will not be described further.
the vertical dimensions of the Suspension pylon, particularly Throughout the following description, by convention X
to maintain Sufficient space to put the clamping fitting of the 35 refers to the longitudinal direction of the pylon 4 that is also
intermediate attachment into place, for which large dimen considered to be the same as the longitudinal direction of the
sions were necessary in order to resist forces applied along the turbojet 10, this X direction being parallel to a longitudinal
longitudinal and transverse directions of the turbo-engine. axis 5 of this turbojet 10. Furthermore, the direction trans
Therefore it can be understood that eliminating this inter verse to the pylon 4 is called the Y direction and can also be
mediate spigot type attachment can give a larger space in 40 considered to be the same as the transverse direction of the
which the Suspension pylon can be located, consequently turbojet 2, and Z is the vertical direction or the height, these
making it possible to increase the size of the Suspension three X, Y and Z directions being orthogonal to each other.
pylon, that can then be better adapted to the high forces that it Furthermore, the terms <<forwards and <aft) should
is designed to resist, and/or enables an increase in the ground be considered with respect to a direction of movement of the
45 aircraft that occurs as a result of the thrust applied by the
clearance by moving the rigid structure as close as possible to
the underside of the wing. turbo-engines 10, this direction being shown diagrammati
cally by the arrow 7.
Finally, another object of the invention is an aircraft with at
least one assembly like the assembly that has just been Still with reference to FIG. 1, it can be seen that only the
described. rigid structure forming the box 6 of the Suspension pylon 4
Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will 50 has been shown, with means 8 for attaching this rigid struc
become clear after reading the detailed non-limitative ture under the wing element 2. The other constituents not
description given below. shown of this pylon 4. Such as the secondary structure segre
gating and holding the systems while Supporting aerody
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS namic fairings, are conventional elements identical to or simi
55 lar to those used in prior art, and known to those skilled in the
This description will be made with reference to the art. Consequently, no detailed description of them will be
appended figures wherein: made.
FIG. 1 shows a side view of an aircraft assembly according Similarly, note that the rigid structure 6 is similar to the
to a preferred embodiment of this invention; structures encountered in devices according to prior art. Thus,
FIG. 2 shows a partial view of the top of the assembly 60 it is effectively of the “box” type, in other words it is formed
shown in FIG. 1; by the assembly of the upper spar 20 and the lower spar 22 and
FIG. 3 shows a sectional view taken along line III-III in two side panels 24 (only one being shown due to the side
FIG. 2: view), these elements 20, 22, 24 being connected to each
FIG. 4 shows a sectional view taken along line IV-IV in other through transverse ribs 26 that are normally oriented
FIG.3: 65 along parallel YZ planes.
FIG. 5 shows a sectional view taken along line V-V in FIG. In this embodiment, the attachment means 8 comprise an
3: aft attachment 27 inserted between an aft part of the rigid
 US 7,997,527 B2
5 6
structure 6 and the intrados 36 of the wing 2, and is designed structure 6, by means of longitudinal tabs 44 added onto this
to resist forces applied along the Y and Z directions, but not spar. Moreover, this fitting 42 is preferably mounted on one of
forces applied along the X direction. Secondly, the attach the transverse ribs of this box shaped structure, which
ment means 8 also include an intermediate attachment 28, for explains why the lower part 45 of this fitting 42 projects
example of the spigot type, inserted between the upper spar 5 inwards into the box. The two heads of the fitting 42 forming
20 of the rigid structure 6 and the intrados 36 of the wing 2. a clevis and passing through the intrados 36 are preferably
this attachment 28 being designed to resist forces applied oriented in planes parallel to the plane P.
along the X and Y directions, but not forces applied along the A second pin 46 passes through three orifices formed in the
Z direction. These two attachments 27, 28 are made in a forward head of the fitting 42, the lower end of the shackle38,
known to those skilled in the art, and therefore they will not be 10 and the aft head of the fitting 42, in turn one after the other.
described further. The pin 46, preferably oriented to be orthogonal to the plane
On the other hand, the attachment means 8 forming a P, thus articulates the shackle 38 on the second fitting 42,
statically determinate mounting system, also comprise two preferably associating it with a ball joint 48 housed in the
forward half-attachments 29a, 29b specific to this invention orifice of the shackle 38, and through which this same pin 46
and for which a detailed description will be given below, each 15 passes.
of these half-attachments 29a, 29b being designed so as to In extending upwards along the Z direction, the shackle 38
resist forces applied along the Z direction, but not forces has an upper end located between a first fitting 50 installed
applied along the X and Y directions. fixed on the forward spar 34 of the wing 2, and another, or
With this statically determinate system, forces applied secondary, fitting 52 installed fixed on this wing. If each of
along the X direction are resisted by the intermediate attach these two fittings separated from each other in the direction
ment 28, forces applied along the Y direction are resisted orthogonal to the plane Pare oriented approximately parallel
jointly by the intermediate attachment 28 and the aft attach to this plane P. note that the first fitting 50 matching the shape
ment 27, and forces along the Z direction are resisted jointly of the spar 34 is preferably approximately solid, while the
by means of the two half-attachments 29a, 29b and the aft other fitting 52 is generally H-shaped with the bar 54 of this H
attachment 27. Furthermore, the moment applied about the X 25 being arranged along the width direction 32. Therefore with
direction is resisted vertically by means of two forward half this particular layout, the forward head of the second fitting
attachments 29a, 29b, the moment applied about the Y direc 42 can partially penetrate into the free lower space under the
tion is resisted vertically by means of the two half-attach bar of the H, as can be seen better in FIGS. 3 and 4. Obviously,
ments 29a, 29b and the aft attachment 27, and the moment the result is a significant saving in size and mass.
applied about the Z direction is resisted transversely by means 30 This secondary fitting 52 is then rigidly added onto the
of the intermediate attachment 28 and the aft attachment 27. wing element 2 firstly being mounted on the extrados 39 of
With reference to FIG. 2, the figure shows that each of the the wing 2 (FIG.3), and secondly on the first fitting 50 (FIG.
two forward half-attachments 29a, 29bis fitted with a shackle 5). A first pin 56 penetrates through the three orifices in the bar
also called a rod, for example a double shackle in the form of 54 of the H of the fitting 52, the upper end of the shackle 38,
a plate, that is globally connected to the rigid structure 6 and 35 and the fitting 50, in turn one after the other. The pin 56,
to a forward spar 34 of the wing element 2 (not shown on this preferably oriented to be orthogonal to the plane P, thus
figure). Classically, this spar 34 is oriented parallel to the articulates the shackle 38 on the first fitting 50, preferably
leading edge 30 of the wing 2, namely parallel to a direction associating it with a ball joint 58 housed in the orifice of the
32 of its width, this direction 32 being located in an XY plane shackle 38, and through which this pin 56 passes.
and inclined from the X and Y directions. 40 FIGS. 6 to 9 show part of an assembly according to another
One of the special features of this invention consists of preferred embodiment of this invention. In this mode, one of
arranging matters so that the two shackles 38 belonging to the the two forward half-attachments, in this case the half-attach
two forward half-attachments 29a, 29b are arranged in the ment 29a, is designed to be capable of resisting forces applied
same plane P (represented by a line because the view is a top along the Z direction and along the width direction 32, the
view), this plane P being parallel to the width direction 32, 45 other of the two half-attachments still being designed to resist
and preferably parallel to the Z direction. Therefore in such a only forces applied along the Z direction. At the same time, it
case, the plane P in which the shackles 38 are arranged is is also planned to eliminate the intermediate attachment 28
parallel to a plane in which the web 37 (see FIG. 1) of the and to modify the aft attachment 27 so that the aft attachment
forward spar 34 is located, which advantageously makes it is capable of resisting forces applied along the X, Y and Z
possible to bring the shackles 38 as close as possible to the 50 directions as shown diagrammatically in FIG. 9.
web 37. Therefore in general, as can be seen in FIG. 2, the With this new statically determinate attachment system,
shackles 38 are arranged to be parallel to the spar 34 and close forces applied along the X direction are resisted by the aft
to it. attachment 27, forces applied along the Y direction are
We will now describe the forward half-attachment 29a resisted by the aft attachment 27 while forces applied along
located the closest to the aircraft fuselage, in this case on the 55 the width direction 32 are resisted by means of the half
right side, with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5. The other forward attachment 29a, and forces applied along the Z direction are
half-attachment 29b has an identical design, and conse resisted jointly by means of two forward half-attachments
quently will not be described further. Furthermore, these two 29a, 29b and the aft attachment 27. Furthermore, the moment
half-attachments 29a, 29b are arranged symmetrically with applied about the X direction is resisted vertically by means
respect to a plane orthogonal to plane P. 60 of two forward half-attachments 29a, 29b, the moment
Therefore with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5, it can be seen that applied about the Y direction is resisted vertically by means of
in this preferred embodiment in which the half-attachment the two half-attachments 29a, 29b and the aft attachment 27,
29a is exclusively designed to resist forces along the Z direc and the moment applied about the Z direction is resisted
tion, the shackle 38 is in the form of a plate extending along jointly using the forward half-attachment 29a and the aft
the Z direction and with a small width along the direction 32. 65 attachment 27.
Its lower end is located between the two heads of a second To assure that the forward half-attachment 29a can resist
fitting 42 mounted fixed on the upper spar 20 of the rigid the forces applied along the direction 32, a third pin 60 is
 US 7,997,527 B2
7 8
provided that penetrates into the orifices formed in the bar 54 junction between the shackle 38 and the forward spar 34 of
of the H of the fitting 52, the upper end of the shackle 38 and the wing 2, and if the second pin should break then the fourth
the fitting 50, respectively. The pin 60, preferably oriented to pin 68 become active to form the junction between the
be orthogonal to the plane P. canthus be used to provide a new shackle 38 and the upper spar 20 of the rigid structure 6.
articulation between the shackle 38 on the first fitting 50. 5 The only modification in one alternative to the preferred
preferably associating it with a ball joint 62 housed in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 9 is that the aft attachment
orifice of the shackle 38, and through which this same pin 60 27 is designed to resist forces along the X, 32 and Z direc
passes. tions, and no longer the X, Y and Z directions as shown
This third pin 60, which is offset from the first pin 56, diagrammatically in FIG. 10. In this statically determinate
preferably in the direction 32 only, thus forms a triangular 10 system integrating the aft attachment 27, forces applied along
force resistance system with the first and second pins 56, 46 the X direction are resisted by the aft attachment 27, forces
that is quite capable of resisting only forces applied along the applied along the width direction 32 are resisted jointly by the
Z direction and the direction 32. half-attachment 29a and the aft attachment 27, and forces
Therefore the shackle 38 of this embodiment must extend applied along the Z direction are resisted jointly by means of
along the direction 32 so that the third pin 60 can pass through 15 the two half-attachments 29a, 29b and the aft attachment 27.
it, which means that it is preferably square or rectangular in Also, the moment applied about the X direction is resisted
shape, but the rectangle is not as long as the rectangle encoun vertically by means of two forward half-attachments 29a,
tered in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 to 5. Other ele 29b, the moment applied about the width direction 32 is
ments of the half-attachment 29a presented above are also resisted vertically by means of the two half-attachments 29a,
found in this embodiment, and consequently it should be 20 29b and the aft attachment 27, and the moment applied about
noted that elements on the figures with the same numbers the Z direction is resisted jointly using the forward half
correspond to identical or similar elements. attachment 29a and the aft attachment 27.
This forward half-attachment 29a is provided with a safety Obviously, various modifications can be made by those
fitting 66 practically identical to the second fitting 42 and skilled in the art to the assemblies 1 for an aircraft that have
located close to it, so as to provide a <Fail Safed safety 25 just been described, solely as non-limitative examples. In
function at this forward half-attachment. The lower end of the particular, the assembly could integrate two forward half
shackle 38 is located between the two heads of this fitting 66 attachments with a design exactly the same as or similar to the
mounted fixed on the upper spar 20 of the rigid structure 6, design of the forward half-attachment 29b shown in FIG. 6
using longitudinal tabs 64 added onto this spar. Moreover, this and described above.
fitting 66 is also preferably mounted on one of the transverse 30 The invention claimed is:
ribs of this box shaped structure, and its two heads passing 1. An assembly for an aircraft comprising:
through the intrados 36 are oriented along planes parallel to a wing element having a forward spar oriented parallel to a
plane P. since they are located in line with the two heads of the leading edge of the wing element along a wing spar
second fitting 42, along direction 32. direction;
A fourth pin 68 penetrates into three orifices formed in the 35 a suspension pylon for an engine under the wing element,
forward head of the fitting 66, the lower end of the shackle 38 wherein said wing spar direction is oriented in an X-Y
and the aft head of the fitting 66, in turn one after the other. plane and inclined in X and Y directions, wherein the X
The pin 68, preferably oriented to be orthogonal to the plane direction is the longitudinal direction of the Suspension
P, thus articulates the shackle 38 on the fitting 66, preferably pylon and is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the engine
associating it with a ball joint 70 housed in the orifice of the 40 and the Y direction is transverse to the Suspension pylon
shackle 38 and through which this same pin 68 passes. Nev and to the longitudinal axis of the engine, a Z direction
ertheless, note that this pin 68, also called the <<Fail Safed being a vertical direction, and the X,Y and Z directions
pin, is mounted with radial clearance so that no force passes being orthogonal to each other,
through it under normal conditions, and Such that this pin can an attachment structure for attaching a rigid structure of the
form a new force path if one of the other three pins 46,56, 60 45 pylon onto the wing element, said attachment structure
should fail. including two forward half-attachments,
Preferably, as can be seen in FIG. 6, the four pins 46,56, 60 wherein each of said two forward half-attachments
and 68 form a quadrilateral and preferably a square or a includes a shackle and is configured to resist forces
rectangle. Consequently, if any one of the first, second and applied along the vertical direction of the Suspension
third pins 56, 46, 60 called the active pins should break, it can 50 pylon,
be seen that the two remaining active pins cooperate with the wherein each shackle is mounted firstly articulated through
<Fail Safed pin 68 to form a new assembly also capable of a first pin onto a first fitting fixed to the forward spar,
resisting triangular forces in the plane P. and quite Suitable for wherein the shackles have axes parallel to each other and
resisting forces applied along the Z direction and direction32. parallel to the wing spar direction of the wing element,
Once again with reference to FIG. 6, it can be seen that the 55 wherein each shackle is secondly mounted articulated
design of the other forward half-attachment, in other words through a second pin onto a second fitting fixed to the
the half-attachment 29b located furthest from the fuselage, is rigid structure, and
practically the same as what was described above with refer wherein a same plane contains the axes of the two shackles
ence to FIGS. 6 to 9. The only difference lies in the fact that of the forward half-attachments and said same plane
the third pin 60 is mounted in the same way as the fourth pin 60 does not intersect the wing spar direction.
68, namely with radial clearance preventing it from carrying 2. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 1,
forces under normal conditions, but capable of forming a new wherein the plane does not intersect the vertical direction of
force path in case the pin 56 should break. In this half the Suspension pylon.
attachment 29b designed only to resist forces along the Z 3. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 1,
direction, these forces normally pass through the first and wherein the second fitting of each forward half-attachment is
second pins 56, 46 that are the only active pins. If the first a double-head fitting and the shackle is arranged between the
should break, then the third pin 60 becomes active to make the two heads.
 US 7,997,527 B2
10
4. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 1, 8. An assembly for an aircraft according claim 7, wherein
wherein for each forward half-attachment, the first pin also the attachment structure forms a statically determinate
passes through another fitting rigidly added onto the wing mounting system composed exclusively of the two forward
element, such that the shackle is located between the first half-attachments and the aft attachment.
fitting and the other fitting. 9. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 1,
5. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 1, wherein the attachment structure further includes an aft
wherein one of the two forward half-attachments is config attachment configured to resist forces applied along a longi
ured such that its shackle is mounted to be articulated through tudinal direction of the pylon, along the wing spar direction,
a third pin, onto the first fitting fixed to the forward spar, so and along the vertical direction.
that the forward half-attachment is capable of resisting forces 10 10. An aircraft comprising at least one assembly according
to claim 1.
applied along the wing spar direction. 11. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 1,
6. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 5. wherein the shackles have identical designs.
wherein the first, second, and third pins are oriented to be 12. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 1,
orthogonal to the plane. 15 wherein the shackles have a same length.
7. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 1, 13. An assembly for an aircraft according to claim 1,
wherein the attachment structure further includes an aft wherein the second fittings extend parallel to the wing spar
attachment configured to resist forces applied along a longi direction in a same plane.
tudinal direction of the pylon, along a transverse direction of
the pylon, and along the vertical direction. k k k k k