# US 12,111,203 B2 · Aircraft lifting devices with coupling adapters between jacks and load cells > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,111,203 B2 - Document ID: US12111203B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/248,256 - Filed: 2021-01-15 - Published: 2022-07-21 - Granted: 2024-10-08 - Earliest claimed: 2021-01-15 - Assignees: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation - Applicants: Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation - Inventors: Patrick Leonard; Frank McDonough; Matthew Hansen; Paul Ashburn - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12111203B2 ## CPC - B66F 3/46: Combinations of several jacks with means for interrelating lifting or lowering movements - G01G 19/07: for weighing aircraft - B64F 5/50: Handling or transporting aircraft components - B66F 13/00: Common constructional features or accessories - G01G 19/52: Weighing apparatus combined with other objects, e.g. furniture (with walking sticks A45B3/08) - B66F 3/00: Devices, e.g. jacks, adapted for uninterrupted lifting of loads (mobile jacks of the garage type B66F5/00) - B66F 3/08: screw operated (B66F3/44 takes precedence; gearings F16H) - B66F: HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD ({invalid lifting devices A61G7/10; } mounting artificial islands on piles or like supports E02B17/00; scaffolding combined with lifting devices E04G1/22; lifting devices for sliding forms E04G11/24; lifting of buildings E04G23/06; shores or struts E04G25/00; lifts or other hoisting devices on ladders E06C7/12; props for mining E21D15/00) - G01G: WEIGHING (sorting by weighing B07C5/16) - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An aircraft lifting assembly includes a jack, a load cell, and a jack adapter. The jack includes an extendable arm having a distal end portion for exerting a force to lift an object. The distal end portion defines a cavity. The jack adapter couples the extendable arm to the load cell and includes a base portion, a cradle portion, and a projection. The base portion defines a jack arm support surface and a load cell support surface. The jack arm support surface opposes the distal end portion of the extendable arm and the load cell support surface opposes the load cell. The cradle portion extends from the base portion to circumscribe a portion of the load cell to secure the jack adapter to the load cell. The projection extends from the base portion into the cavity to secure the jack adapter to the extendable arm of the jack. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An aircraft lifting assembly, comprising: a jack including an extendable arm, the extendable arm having a distal end portion for exerting a force to lift an object, the distal end portion having a cavity formed therein; a load cell capable of measuring a weight supported by the jack during an aircraft lifting operation; and a jack adapter for coupling the extendable arm to the load cell, the jack adapter comprising: a base portion defining a jack arm support surface on a first side of the base portion, and a load cell support surface on a second side of the base portion that is opposite the first side of the base portion, wherein the jack arm support surface opposes the distal end portion of the extendable arm and the load cell support surface opposes the load cell; a cradle portion extending above the base portion to circumscribe a portion of the load cell to secure the jack adapter to the load cell; and a projection of the base portion extending below the first side of the base portion into the cavity of the distal end portion of the extendable arm of the jack to secure the jack adapter to the extendable arm of the jack. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The aircraft lifting assembly of claim 1, wherein the projection of the jack adapter includes a projection pin bore hole formed therein and the distal end portion of the extendable arm includes a jack arm pin bore hole formed therein, and the jack adapter further comprising a locking pin extending through the jack arm pin bore hole and through the projection pin bore hole to restrict rotation of the jack adapter within the extendable arm of the jack. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The aircraft lifting assembly of claim 1, wherein the cradle portion includes a wall portion and defines an electrical connector pass-through portion configured to permit an electrical connection to the load cell. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The aircraft lifting assembly of claim 1, wherein: the load cell defines a bottom surface opposing the load cell support surface of the jack adapter; the distal end portion defines a top surface opposing the jack arm support surface of the jack adapter; the load cell support surface of the adapter is larger than the bottom surface of the load cell; and the jack arm support surface of the adapter is larger than the top surface of the distal end of the extendable arm of the jack. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The aircraft lifting assembly of claim 1, wherein the distal end portion defines the cavity at least partially with cavity walls that are cylindrical and coaxial with the extendable arm. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The aircraft lifting assembly of claim 1, wherein the projection has a projection shape that is based on a cavity shape of the cavity. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The aircraft lifting assembly of claim 6, wherein the projection shape is substantially the same as the cavity shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The aircraft lifting assembly of claim 1, wherein the cradle portion has a cradle shape that is based on a load cell shape of the load cell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The aircraft lifting assembly of claim 8, wherein the cradle shape is substantially the same as the load cell shape. ### Claim 10 An adapter for connecting an extendable arm of a jack to a load cell for aircraft lifting operations, the jack including an extendable arm having a distal end portion having a cavity formed therein, the load cell capable of measuring a weight supported by the jack during an aircraft lifting operation, the adapter comprising: a base portion defining a jack arm support surface on a first side of the base portion, and a load cell support surface on a second side of the base portion that is opposite the first side of the base portion, the jack arm support surface configured to oppose the distal end portion of the extendable arm and the load cell support surface configured to oppose the load cell; a cradle portion extending above the base portion and configured to circumscribe a portion of the load cell to secure the adapter to the load cell; and a projection of the base portion extending below the first side of the base portion to insert into the cavity of the distal portion of the extendable arm of the jack and secure the adapter to the extendable arm of the jack. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The adapter of claim 10, wherein the projection of the adapter includes a projection pin bore hole formed therein, the adapter further comprising a locking pin configured to extend through the projection pin aperture and through a jack arm pin bore hole formed in the extendable arm to restrict rotation of the adapter within the extendable arm of the jack. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The adapter of claim 11, wherein the cradle portion includes a wall portion and defines an electrical connector pass-through portion configured to permit an electrical connection to the load cell. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The adapter of claim 12, wherein: the load cell support surface of the adapter is larger than a bottom surface of the load cell; and the jack arm support surface of the adapter is larger than the top surface of the distal end of the extendable arm of the jack. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The adapter of claim 13, wherein the projection has a projection shape that is based on a cavity shape of the cavity. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The adapter of claim 14, wherein the projection shape is substantially the same as the cavity shape. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The adapter of claim 15, wherein the cradle portion has a cradle shape that is based on a load cell shape of the load cell. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The adapter of claim 16, wherein the cradle shape is substantially the same as the load cell shape.