Vehicle for towing aircraft
AssigneeOshkosh Corporation
InventorsNick Heemskerk, Mark Rodenkirch, Robert Zschoche, Kevin Cecil
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A towbarless tractor for towing an airplane having a nose landing gear includes a chassis, a body supported on the chassis, and a capture system. The capture system includes a lift body coupled to at least one of the body or the chassis, a cradle coupled to the lift body, and a side-shift actuator configured to selectively move the cradle along a lateral direction relative to the body.
Claims20
A towbarless tractor for towing an airplane having a nose landing gear, the towbarless tractor comprising:
- a chassis;
- a body supported on the chassis;
- and
- a capture system including:
- a lift body coupled to at least one of the body or the chassis;
- a cradle coupled to the lift body;
- and
- a side-shift actuator configured to selectively move the cradle along a lateral direction relative to the body.
A towbarless tractor for towing an airplane having a nose landing gear, the towbarless tractor comprising:
- a chassis;
- a body supported on the chassis;
- and
- a capture system including:
- a lift body coupled to at least one of the body or the chassis;
- a cradle coupled to the lift body;
- a side-shift actuator coupled to the cradle;
- a lift actuator coupled to the cradle;
- and
- a tilt actuator coupled to the cradle, wherein the side-shift actuator, the lift actuator, and the tilt actuator are configured to move the cradle in three different directions relative to the body.
A towbarless tractor for towing an airplane having a nose landing gear, the towbarless tractor comprising:
- a chassis;
- a body supported on the chassis;
- and
- a capture system including:
- a lift body coupled to at least one of the body or chassis;
- a cradle including a bottom plate;
- a lift actuator configured to selectively raise and lower the cradle relative to the body;
- a front gate assembly pivotably coupled to the cradle by a pivot actuator, wherein a cam mechanism coupled between the front gate assembly and the pivot actuator so that linear motion of the pivot actuator is converted into pivotal movement of the front gate assembly, wherein the front gate assembly is selectively pivotable between an open position where the front gate assembly is pivoted outwardly away from the bottom plate and a closed position where the front gate assembly is pivoted inwardly toward the bottom plate;
- a rear retention bar extending laterally across and pivotably coupled to the cradle so that the rear retention bar is selectively pivotable toward and away from the bottom plate;
- a side-shift actuator configured to selectively move the cradle along a lateral direction relative to the lift body;
- and
- a tilt actuator configured to rotate the cradle about a tilt axis that is perpendicular to the lateral direction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.