Compound motion structure

Abstract

A compound motion structure ( 3 ) for connection between two surfaces comprising a first arm ( 5 ) and a second arm ( 7 ) swingable coupled together through a first hinge connection ( 13 ), a first surface ( 35 ) coupled to an opposite end of the first arm via a second hinge connection, a second surface ( 39 ) coupled to an opposite end of the second arm via a third hinge connection, the first arm ( 5 ) and the second arm ( 7 ) being movable thereby resulting in a compound motion of one or both surfaces.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A compound motion structure for connection between two surfaces operable to have relative motion therebetween wherein when moved to an extended swing condition there is compound motion swinging of a second surface relative to a first surface. 
     
     
         2 . A compound motion structure according to  claim 1 , wherein the swing axes of a first hinge connection and a second hinge connection share a common plane intersecting therewith at all swing conditions. 
     
     
         3 . A compound motion inducing and supporting structure for connection between two surfaces required to be relatively supported and to have compound relative motion induced therebetween said structure comprising an arm assembly comprising a first swing arm and a second swing arm, said first swing arm and said second swing arm being swingably connected with each other at respective one ends by a first hinge connection located therebetween; and wherein a second hinge connection is provided at the opposite end of said first swing arm for connection with a first surface, and wherein a third hinge connection is provided at the opposite end of said second swing arm for connection with a second surface; the arm assembly being such that a swing axis of the third hinge connection is inclined in a mirror image arrangement relative to a swing axis of the second hinge connection, and at a compound angle with respect to a swing axis of the first hinge connection; said first swing arm and said second swing arm being movable to cause swinging about all swing axes to a retracted or an extended swing condition where the first swing arm and the second swing arm are respectively retracted or extended relative to each other; and wherein when moved to an extended swing condition from a retracted swing condition there will be compound motion swinging of said second surface relative to said first surface and the swing axes of the second hinge connection and the third hinge connection share a common plane intersecting therewith at all swing conditions. 
     
     
         4 . A compound motion inducing and supporting structure connected between two surfaces required to be relatively supported and to have compound relative motion induced therebetween; said structure comprising at least two arm assemblies, each arm assembly comprising a first swing arm and a second swing arm, said first swing arm and said second swing arm being swingably connected with each other at respective one ends by a first hinge connection located therebetween; and wherein a second hinge connection is provided at the opposite end of said first swing for connection with a first surface, and wherein a third hinge connection is provided at the opposite end of said second swing arm for connection with a second surface; and wherein swing axes of the second hinge connection and third hinge connection are inclined relative to the first hinge connection, each of the at least two arm assemblies being mounted to the first surface and the second surface in spaced apart relationship; said first swing arm and said second swing arm being mounted to permit swinging about all axis to a retracted swing condition where the opposite ends of the first swing arm and second swing arm assembly are relatively closest to each other or to an extended swing condition wherein the opposite ends of the first swing arm of each arm assembly and second swing arm are relatively further away from each other; and wherein when moved to the extended swing condition from the retracted swing condition there will be compound motion swinging of said second surface relative to said first surface and the swing axes of the second hinge connection and third hinge connection trace a path where there will be a common plane intersecting therewith at all swing conditions 
     
     
         5 . An apparatus comprising:
 a first arm and a second arm swingably coupled together;   a first surface coupled to an opposite end of the first arm;   a second surface coupled to an opposite end of the second arm; and   the first arm and the second arm being movable thereby resulting in a compound motion of one or both surfaces.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the first or second surface comprises respective mechanisms operatively connected to the first arms at or adjacent the first hinge connections to constrain the first arms and second arms to swing about the respective first hinge connections with mirror image displacements relative to each other during swinging between retracted an extended swing conditions 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising a first connection hinge between the first arm and the second arm, the first connection hinge being inclined to accommodate a swing axis of the arms. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a second connection hinge to couple the first surface to the first arm, the second connection hinge inclined at an angle of inclination to accommodate a swing axis of the second arm; and   a third connection hinge to couple the second surface to the second arm, the third connection hinge inclined at an angle of inclination to accommodate a swing axis of the second arm.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the swing axes of the second connection hinge and third connection hinge are inclined relative to the first connection hinge. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the angle of inclination of the third connection hinge is at substantially a compound angle with respect to a swing axis of the first connection hinge. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the angle of inclination of the third connection hinge is at substantially a mirror image to the angle of inclination of the second connection hinge. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the first arm and the second arm are movable to a retracted swing condition or to an extended swing condition 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the first arm and the second arm are movable relative to each other. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the first surface is an aerofoil and the second surface is an auxiliary aerofoil.