Control box

1. A control box, operative by a user, for selectively delivering orders to receivers ( 8 , 12 ), the control box comprising:

a shaft ( 14 ) mounted to turn about an axis of rotation (X), while being capable of sliding along said axis (X) between a rest position towards which it is urged by return means ( 24 ), and an active position;

order delivery means ( 16 , 11 ) co-operating with the shaft ( 14 ) to deliver orders as a function of the angular position of the shaft ( 14 );

rotary drive means ( 15 ) for causing the shaft to turn; and

safety actuation means ( 23 ) for causing the shaft to slide from the rest position in which anti-rotation means ( 27 , 28 ) prevent the shaft from turning to the active position in which the anti-rotation means ( 27 , 28 ) leave the shaft free to turn under drive from the rotary drive means ( 15 ),

wherein, in order to deliver an order, the user must act simultaneously on the safety actuation means and on the rotary drive means, and

wherein the anti-rotation means ( 27 , 28 ) comprise longitudinal grooves ( 27 ) formed in a portion of the shaft ( 14 ) and co-operating with a stationary finger ( 28 ) of the control box so that the finger ( 28 ) is engaged in one of the grooves ( 27 ) when the shaft ( 14 ) is in the rest position and the finger ( 28 ) is disengaged from the grooves ( 27 ) when the shaft ( 14 ) is in the active position.

2. A control box, operative by a user, for selectively delivering orders to receivers ( 8 , 12 ), the control box comprising:

a shaft ( 14 ) mounted to turn about an axis of rotation (X), while being capable of sliding along said axis (X) between a rest position towards which it is urged by return means ( 24 ), and an active position;

order delivery means ( 16 , 11 ) co-operating with the shaft ( 14 ) to deliver orders as a function of the angular position of the shaft ( 14 );

rotary drive means ( 15 ) for causing the shaft to turn; and

safety actuation means ( 23 ) for causing the shaft to slide from the rest position in which anti-rotation means ( 27 , 28 ) prevent the shaft from turning to the active position in which the anti-rotation means ( 27 , 28 ) leave the shaft free to turn under drive from the rotary drive means ( 15 ), and

at least one retractable finger ( 41 ) adapted to penetrate selectively into one of the grooves ( 27 ) in order to prevent the shaft ( 14 ) from turning,

wherein, in order to deliver an order, the user must act simultaneously on the safety actuation means and on the rotary drive means.

3. A control box according to claim 1 , wherein the retractable finger ( 41 ) is a moving portion of an electromechanical solenoid actuator ( 40 ).

4. A control box according to claim 1 , further including detector means ( 36 , 37 , 38 ) adapted to co-operate with the shaft ( 14 ) in order to detect whether the shaft ( 14 ) is in the rest position or in the active position.

5. A control box according to claim 4 , wherein the detector means ( 36 , 37 , 38 ) cause the order delivery means ( 16 , 11 ) to be powered when the shaft ( 14 ) is in the active position.

6. A control box according to claim 1 , further including detector means ( 31 , 33 ) adapted to co-operate with the shaft ( 14 ) in order to detect an angular position of the shaft ( 14 ).

7. A device for a user to operate an aircraft landing gear hatch on the ground, the device comprising:

means ( 5 , 12 ) for operating the hatch ( 4 );

hooking means ( 6 , 7 , 10 ) enabling the hatch ( 4 ) to be locked when it reaches a closed position, the hooking means ( 6 , 7 , 10 ) including at least one unlocking actuator ( 8 ) arranged to act on the hooking means ( 6 , 7 , 10 ) in order to deactivate them; and

a control box ( 9 ) according to claim 1 , the order delivery means ( 16 ) of the control box ( 9 ) optionally being connected to the operating means ( 5 , 12 ) of the hatch and to the unlocking actuator ( 8 ) in order to run the following sequences selectively:

an opening sequence during which the unlocking actuator ( 8 ) is actuated to deactivate the hooking means ( 6 , 7 , 10 ); and

a closing sequence during which the operating means ( 5 , 12 ) are actuated to reclose the hatch ( 4 ).

8. A device for operating a landing gear hatch on the ground according to claim 7 , wherein the unlocking actuator ( 8 ) is an electromechanical actuator.

9. A device for a user to operate an aircraft landing gear hatch on the ground, the device comprising:

means ( 5 , 12 ) for operating the hatch ( 4 );

hooking means ( 6 , 7 , 10 ) enabling the hatch ( 4 ) to be locked when it reaches a closed position, the hooking means ( 6 , 7 , 10 ) including at least one unlocking actuator ( 8 ) arranged to act on the hooking means ( 6 , 7 , 10 ) in order to deactivate them; and

a control box ( 9 ) according to claim 3 , the order delivery means ( 16 ) of the control box ( 9 ) optionally being connected to the operating means ( 5 , 12 ) of the hatch and to the unlocking actuator ( 8 ) in order to run the following sequences selectively:

an opening sequence during which the unlocking actuator ( 8 ) is actuated to deactivate the hooking means ( 6 , 7 , 10 ); and

a closing sequence during which the operating means ( 5 , 12 ) are actuated to reclose the hatch ( 4 ).

10. A device for operating a landing gear hatch on the ground according to claim 9 , wherein the unlocking actuator ( 8 ) is an electromechanical actuator.