Aircraft support vehicle
OwnerAngus John Fraser Murray, Neil William Simpson +1inventors
InventorsAngus John Fraser Murray, Neil William Simpson, Ian Matthew Watson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multi-purpose ground support vehicle for an aircraft comprises a four wheel drive land vehicle in which the main power unit is also connected to an aircraft services gearbox by a power take-off shaft to provide a self-propelled aerospace ground equipment facility in a variety of terrains. The aircraft services gearbox includes a plurality of service devices such as e.g. a hydraulic pump, an electrical generator, a low or high pressure air compressor etc.
Claims16
A self propelled ground support vehicle for an aircraft, said vehicle comprising:—
- a wheeled main body portion;
- a cab portion containing driver controls for the vehicle;
- a main power unit;
- a ground wheel drive train connected to the power unit for transmitting drive from the power unit to at least two of the vehicle wheels;
- an aircraft services gearbox connected to the power unit and supplying drive to at least two aircraft service devices.
A self-propelled ground support vehicle according to any preceding claim, wherein control means for selecting and controlling the services driven by said aircraft services gearbox is provided in said cab portion.
A self-propelled vehicle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said main power unit comprises a dual fuel internal combustion engine capable of running on aviation fuel (AVTUR) or diesel fuel.
A self-propelled vehicle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said ground wheel drive train transmits drive to four or more vehicle wheels.
A self-propelled vehicle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said main body portion includes externally accessible service inlet/outlet connections for at least some of the services driven by said aircraft services gearbox.
A self-propelled vehicle according to any of the preceding claims, wherein said main body portion includes an externally accessible load space for carrying support equipment.
A self-propelled vehicle according to any of the preceding claims including one or more moveable floodlights.
A self-propelled vehicle according to any of the preceding claims, which includes a towing point on the front and/or rear of the vehicle.
A self-propelled vehicle according to any of the preceding claims, which includes a winch means on the front and/or rear of the vehicle.
A self-propelled vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.