Aircraft weather vane mooring device
OwnerHoward M. Mellblom, John M. Maxwellinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An aircraft weather vane and mooring device having a turntable rotatably mounted about a depending central shaft. A friction brake assembly engages the center shaft to prevent rotation of the turntable under normal wind conditions. The turntable comprises a plurality of radially extending crossarms having a low profile configuration. The crossarms are supported for rotation on ground engaging rollers at spaced-apart locations along the crossarms. Weather panels can be detachably secured between adjacent crossarm members.
Claims6
An aircraft weather vane and mooring device to receive an aircraft to permit it to weather vane on a surface under the influence of prevailing wind, said device comprising:
- (a) a turntable having a first and second pair of crossarms intersecting and arranged generally perpendicular one to the other, said first pair of crossarms having an upper surface, opposite edges and a bottom having roller means associated therewith for supporting said first pair of crossarms for rotation upon a surface, said upper surface being configured defining a cradle and having a downwardly inclined ramp at each edge between the sides of the cradle and the edge of the crossarms, said second pair of crossarms defining a generally longitudinally extending trough and having a bottom with roller means associated therewith for supporting said second pair of crossarms for rotation upon a surface;
- (b) a shaft depending from said turntable at the intersection of said crossarms and supporting said turntable for rotation;
- and
- (c) friction braking means associated with said shaft and releasably restraining said shaft against rotation whereby an aircraft can be positioned on said device with the main landing gears positioned in said cradle and whereby upon application of wind forces above a pre-determined velocity said device and the moored aircraft will be caused to rotate into the wind about said shaft and on said surface.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.