Traction vehicle for aircraft and engagement and hoisting device therefor

A traction vehicle (2) for ground movement of an aircraft (1), having at least one nose wheel (4), which traction vehicle (2) comprises

• a wheel-mounted chassis (7) and
• an engagement and hoisting device (12) that can be raised and lowered relative to the chassis .(7) and is of a type that is brought into freely carrying engagement with the nose wheel (4) and which comprises
• a stand (17), being substantially U-shaped with its opening turned towards the aircraft (1),
• journalling members (15), flexibly connecting the stand (17) to the chassis (7),
• actuators (13), arranged between the stand (17) and the chassis (7) to raise and lower the engagement and hoisting device (12) relative to the chassis (7), and
• a nose-wheel holder (18), having
• an inner space (35) that can be opened in the direction of the nose wheel (4) for receiving the same,
• carrying members (43, 48) for carrying the nose wheel (4) in said space (35), and
• forward and rear wheel supports (44, 49) for holding the nose wheel (4) in the longitudinal direction of the traction vehicle,
• characterized in
• that the nose-wheel holder (18) and the stand (17) are shaped as two separate units and comprise co-operating journalling members (70, 71), arranged in a circular arc and defining a vertical axis of rotation for said units (17, 18), and
• that the nose-wheel holder (18) is substantially U-shaped with its opening turned towards the aircraft (1) as viewed in a starting position, when the nose-wheel holder (18) is situated to be moved into a position to receive the nose wheel (4).