To provide flap with large upper surface radius as required for airplanes with over-the-wing blowing, distort upper surface of flap by actuator. Flap can be used as control surface at leading as well as trailing edges and, with minor modification, as variant of Jacobs-Hurkamp air flap

Currey, N. S.

Perry, J. T.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

Decdmber 1973	 B73-10502 
•	 NASA TECH BRIEF. 
Ames Research Center 
NASA Tech Briefs announce new technology derived from the U.S. space program. They are issued to encourage 
commercial application. Tech Briefs are available on a subscription basis from the National Technical Information 
Service, Springfield, Virginia 22151. Requests for individual copies or questions relating to the Tech Brief program may 
be directed to the Technology Utilization Office, NASA, Code KT, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Flex Flap 
S The problem: To provide a flap with a large upper surface radius 
as required for airplanes with over-the-wing blowing. 
The solution: 
Distort the upper surface of the flap by an actuator. 
How it's done: 
The bottom stainless steel skin of the flap is al-
lowed to telescope nearly undistorted into a channel 
as the upper skin is pulled forward and down by an 
actuator. As indicated in the diagrams, the pulled-
down shape of the upper skin is controlled by link-
ages or other devices, as well as the elasticity of the 
metal; it may be necessary to fasten radius rods to 
the upper skin in order to ensure that the convex 
shape cannot be altered excessively by air loads or 
other stresses. 
Although the flex flap concept is presented as a 
technique for achieving the extraordinary curvatures 
needed for blown wing structures, the flap can be 
used as a control surface at leading as well as trailing 
edges and, with minor modification, as a variant of 
the Jacobs-Hurkamp air flap (for STOL).
Note: 
Requests for further information may be directed 
to:
Technology Utilization Officer 
Ames Research Center 
Moffett Field, California 94035 
Reference: TSP 73-10502 
Patent status: 
Inquiries concerning rights for the commercial use 
of this invention should be addressed to: 
NASA Patent Counsel 
Mail Code 200-1A 
Ames Research Center 
Moffett Field, California 94035 
Source: Norman S. Currey and John T. Perry of 
Lockheed-Georgia Company

under contract to
Ames Research Center

(ARC-10771) 
Category 06 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 	 Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States
	 information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States	 will be free from privately owned rights.
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Flex flap

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