초록 ▼

Disclosed is sectional aerial refueling apparatus including a high capacity nozzle unit and a high capacity receptacle unit into which the nozzle is insertable. The probe-like forward end of the nozzle also is insertable into a prior art-type, low capacity receptacle. The nozzle has an inner fuel pa

Disclosed is sectional aerial refueling apparatus including a high capacity nozzle unit and a high capacity receptacle unit into which the nozzle is insertable. The probe-like forward end of the nozzle also is insertable into a prior art-type, low capacity receptacle. The nozzle has an inner fuel passage terminating at a port in its front end and an outer fuel passage extending through the side of the nozzle and terminating there in an outer port. The inner and outer fuel passages are normally closed by independently operable poppet valves which remain closed until the nozzle is inserted into a receptacle. The high capacity receptacle includes inner and outer fuel passages which in turn respectively terminate in inner and outer ports. The latter fuel passages are normally closed by independently operable poppet valves which remain closed until the nozzle and the receptacle are engaged. The nozzle and high capacity receptacle each include valve actuators which, during engagement of the nozzle and receptacle, engage and force open the poppet valves of the other so as to bring the fuel passages in the nozzle into communication with those in the receptacle thereby to form a composite inner fuel passage and a composite outer fuel passage. Only the forward portion of the front nozzle housing can be inserted into the prior art type of low capacity receptacle, leaving the rear nozzle poppet valve closed and outside the receptacle.

대표청구항 ▼

Sectional, aerial refueling apparatus comprising a nozzle unit and a receptacle unit, the nozzle having a probe-like forward segment and the receptacle having a cavity opening to the rearward end thereof into which cavity the forward segment of the nozzle is insertable, each of said units having an

Sectional, aerial refueling apparatus comprising a nozzle unit and a receptacle unit, the nozzle having a probe-like forward segment and the receptacle having a cavity opening to the rearward end thereof into which cavity the forward segment of the nozzle is insertable, each of said units having an inner fuel passage and an outer fuel passage, said inner and outer nozzle passages merging into a common main fuel passage at the rear of said nozzle, and said inner and outer receptacle passages merging into a common main passage disposed adjacent the forward end of said receptacle, the inner nozzle passage terminating in an inner nozzle port in the forward end of the nozzle, and a forwardly biased, inner nozzle poppet valve adjacent the inner nozzle port for normally closing the inner nozzle passage, and the receptacle further having an inner valve actuator means for engaging and causing rearward displacement of said inner nozzle poppet valve during insertion of the nozzle into the receptacle, the outer nozzle passage extending through the side of the nozzle and terminating there in an outer nozzle port spaced rearwardly from the inner nozzle port, the inner receptacle passage terminating in an inner receptacle port at the forward end of the receptacle cavity and the outer receptacle passage terminating in an outer receptacle port spaced rearwardly from the inner receptacle port along the side of the cavity, the inner ports and outer ports of the units being so disposed that upon full insertion of the nozzle into the receptacle the inner passages intercommunicate to form an inner composite fuel passage and the outer passages intercommunicate to form an outer composite fuel passage with both said inner and outer composite fuel passages communicating with said main fuel passages during said full insertion.