Passenger loading bridge
AssigneeAbex Corporation
InventorsRobert L. Saunders, George D. Hone
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A passenger loading bridge includes a ground level rotunda, a tunnel support vertically pivoted thereto, an elevated tunnel horizontally pivoted to the support, a drive assembly horizontally pivoted to the tunnel outer end and rigidly mounting a detachable aircraft engaging cab. Stairs are located in the tunnel support. The drive assembly swings and elevates the tunnel, while a parallelogram linkage assures that the cab is level at all elevations. The cab is offset 45.degree. to the tunnel axis and has extension and rotation capabilities. The tunnel features a load bearing floor support and walls and a roof of curtain wall construction.
Claims21
A passenger loading bridge for interconnecting an aircraft with the ground level of an airport terminal building including:
- a. a rotunda connected to the building substantially at ground level;
- b. a tunnel support vertically pivotally connected at its inner end to the rotunda;
- c. a tunnel having first horizontal pivot means connecting its inner end to the tunnel support outer end;
- d. an aircraft engaging cab assembly connected to the outer end of the tunnel;
- and
- e. a drive assembly having second horizontal pivot means mounting the outer end of the tunnel and including elevating means for elevating the tunnel and car assembly;
- characterized by
- f. a staircase located in the tunnel support;
- and
- g. the first horizontal pivot means connecting the tunnel to the tunnel support being located at the top of the staircase.
A passenger loading bridge for interconnecting an aircraft and an airport passenger terminal, including a tunnel section having a floor, side walls and a roof, characterized by
- a. a floor support extending longitudinally of the tunnel and bearing all normal structural loads;
- b. the side walls and roof being of non-structural, curtain wall construction subject only to wind and roof loads.
A passenger loading bridge for interconnecting an aircraft with the ground level of an airport terminal building including:
- a. a rotunda connected to the building substantially at ground level;
- b. a tunnel support vertically pivotally connected at its inner end to the rotunda to enable horizontal swinging movement of the tunnel support;
- c. a tunnel horizontally pivotally connected at its inner end to the tunnel support;
- d. an aircraft engaging cab assembly connected to the outer end of the tunnel;
- and
- e. a drive assembly mounting the outer end of the tunnel for swinging the tunnel about the rotunda and including elevating means for elevating the tunnel and cab assembly;
- characterized by
- f. the tunnel having a floor support extending longitudinally of the tunnel and bearing all normal structural loads and the side walls and roof being of non-structural curtain wall construction subject only to wind and roof loads.
In a passenger loading bridge for interconnecting an aircraft and a passenger terminal building, a tunnel section having a floor, spaced side walls and a roof, characterized by the floor width being narrower than the widest spacing of the side walls, thereby reducing the tunnel design load, while maintaining the same ease of passenger movement as a conventional tunnel having a floor width equal to the widest spacing of its side walls.
A passenger loading bridge for interconnecting an aircraft with an airport passenger terminal building including:
- a. a rotunda connected to the building;
- b. a tunnel pivotally connected at its inner end to the rotunda for horizontal and vertical movement;
- c. a drive assembly mounting the outer end of the tunnel for swinging the outer end horizontally and vertically;
- d. a cab;
- and
- e. a cab support connecting the cab to the tunnel outer end at an acute angle relative to the tunnel longitudinal axis;
- characterized by
- f. cab extension means for moving the cab relative to the cab support at said acute angle to enable the cab to move substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of an aircraft when the bridge is in position to engage the aircraft.
A passenger loading bridge for interconnecting an airplane and an airport terminal building, comprising:
- a. a tunnel;
- b. pivot means connecting the inner end of the tunnel to the building for vertical swinging movement;
- c. a drive assembly including a tunnel support pivoted to the tunnel outer end, lift means for elevating the tunnel outer end, guide means for guiding tunnel elevation, and ground engaging means;
- d. a cab;
- and
- e. a cab support mounting the cab on the drive assembly;
- characterized by the guide means comprising
- f. a first pair of horizontally spaced, vertically extending box beams mounted on the ground engaging means;
- g. a second pair of horizontally spaced, vertically extending box beams of different size mounted on the tunnel support, the smaller pair of box beams being telescopically received within the larger pair of box beams;
- and
- h. a plurality of bearing pads interposed between the inner surfaces of the larger box beams and the outer surfaces of the smaller box beams to guide the elevating movement of the tunnel.
A passenger loading bridge for interconnecting an aircraft with an airport terminal building comprising:
- a. a tunnel;
- b. pivot means connecting the inner end of the tunnel to the building for vertical swinging movement;
- and
- c. a drive assembly for elevating the tunnel outer end pivoted to the tunnel outer end;
- characterized by
- d. a modular cab assembly including a cab, a cab support and means for pivoting the cab relative to the cab support;
- and
- e. quick-connect cab mounting means rigidly and removably mounting the cab assembly to the drive assembly for vertical movement therewith.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.