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US 11,648,800 B2Granted
Aircraft recovery dolly
OwnerMason Jess Wintersinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A wheel dolly for lifting and transporting a flat tire attached to an aircraft is comprised of a frame assembly having first and second laterally spaced frame members and a telescopic frame structure interposed between the laterally spaced frame members. A pair of tire lifting assemblies are fixedly coupled the frame assembly. A pair of actuators is coupled between the tire lifting assemblies to force the tire lifting assemblies toward one another in order to raise a flat tire on an aircraft. A plurality of wheels is coupled to the frame assembly to allow the frame assembly to roll in any direction.
Claims20
A wheel dolly for lifting and transporting a flat tire attached to an aircraft, comprising:
- an extendable and retractable frame assembly having a telescopic frame structure, a first side frame member coupled proximate a first end of the telescopic frame structure, a second frame member coupled to proximate a second end of the telescopic frame structure, the first and second frame members depending from a same side of the telescopic frame structure and being substantially parallel to one another;
- a first tire support structure comprising three or more first inwardly extending roller support structures, each of the inwardly extending roller support structures forming an inwardly extending cantilevered fin which forms a downwardly angled surface extending from the first frame member and lowers as it extends toward the second frame member, each first inwardly extending roller support structure fixedly coupled to the first side frame member in a cantilevered manner and defining a first leading edge that is positioned proximate a ground level;
- a second tire support structure comprising three or more second inwardly extending roller support structures, each of the second plurality of inwardly extending roller support structures forming an inwardly extending cantilevered fin which forms a downwardly angled surface extending from the second frame member and lowers as it extends toward the first frame member, each second inwardly extending roller support structure fixedly coupled to the second side frame member in a cantilevered manner and defining a second leading edge that is positioned proximate a ground level;
- a first plurality of idle roller members coupled to and positioned between each of the first inwardly extending roller support structures proximate the first leading edges thereof;
- a second plurality of idle roller members coupled to and positioned between each of the second inwardly extending roller support structures proximate the second leading edges thereof;
- a first actuator coupled to the telescopic frame structure for selectively lengthening and shortening the telescopic frame member so as to selectively move a first side of the first and second tire support structures toward and away from one another;
- a second actuator coupled to and between the first and second side frame members so as to selectively move a second side of the first and second tire support structures toward and away from one another in unison with the movement of the first side of the first and second tire support structures by the first actuator;
- and
- a plurality of wheels, each wheel downwardly depending from the frame assembly to allow the wheel dolly to roll upon the ground.
6 more elements
A wheel dolly for lifting and transporting a flat tire attached to an aircraft, comprising:
- a frame assembly comprising first and second laterally spaced frame members and a telescopic frame structure interposed between the first and second laterally spaced frame members;
- a first actuator positioned within the telescopic frame structure and capable of selectively increasing or decreasing a distance between the first and second laterally spaced frame members;
- a second actuator coupled to respective distal ends of the first and second laterally spaced frame members, the second actuator configured to selectively increasing or decreasing a distance between the first and second laterally spaced frame members at a same rate as the telescopic frame structure;
- a pair of tire lifting assemblies, each fixedly coupled to a respective one of the first and second laterally spaced frame members, the pair of tire lifting assemblies comprising:
- a first tire support structure comprising three or more first inwardly extending roller support structures, each of the inwardly extending roller support structures forming an inwardly extending cantilevered fin which forms a downwardly angled surface extending from the first frame member and lowers as it extends toward the second frame member, each first inwardly extending roller support structure fixedly coupled to the first side frame member in a cantilevered manner and defining a first leading edge that is positioned proximate a ground level;
- and
- a second tire support structure comprising three or more second inwardly extending roller support structures, each of the second plurality of inwardly extending roller support structures forming an inwardly extending cantilevered fin which forms a downwardly angled surface extending from the second frame member and lowers as it extends toward the first frame member, each second inwardly extending roller support structure fixedly coupled to the second side frame member in a cantilevered manner and defining a second leading edge that is positioned proximate a ground level;
- a plurality of castors coupled to the frame assembly, the plurality of castors being freely rotatable relative to the frame assembly to allow the frame assembly to roll in any direction;
- and
- a self-contained hydraulic system coupled to the first and second actuators to selectively extend or retract the first and second actuators to cause the first and second laterally spaced frame members to move toward or away from one another.
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.