Lifting dolly for helicopters

A lifting dolly for lifting and transporting apparatus supported on the ground by a spaced pair of generally parallel skids, comprising:

• a generally horizontally oriented frame having a width less than the spacing between the skids;
• a plurality of rolling members coupled to said frame;
• means for adjusting the elevation of said frame between a first position elevated above the ground and a second position relatively lower than said first position;
• a plurality of lifting arms coupled generally to opposite sides of said frame and movable between retracted and laterally outwardly extended positions and each carrying a lifting finger positioned generally on the ground when said frame is in said second position for pressing beneath an associated one of the skids;
• and
• means for moving said lifting arms toward said extended positions when said frame is located between the skids and disposed in said second position to press said lifting fingers beneath the skids, said frame elevation adjusting means being thereupon operable to move said frame to said first position thereby lifting the apparatus off the ground.

A lifting dolly for lifting and transporting a helicopter or the like supported on the ground by a spaced pair of generally parallel skids, comprising:

• a generally horizontally oriented central frame having a width less than the spacing between the skids, a length generally less than the lengths of the skids, and a plurality of rollers mounted at the underside thereof;
• a fore wheel assembly coupled generally to the front end of said frame for pivoting motion generally about a horizontal axis and including a plurality of fore wheels;
• an aft wheel assembly coupled generally to the rear end of said frame for pivoting motion generally about a horizontal axis and including a plurality of aft wheels;
• means for pivoting said fore and aft wheel assemblies relative to said frame for moving said frame between a first position elevated above the ground with said fore and aft wheels in rolling contact with the ground and a second position with said rollers resting on the ground and said fore and aft wheels generally out of rolling contact with the ground;
• a plurality of generally identical lifting arms coupled to opposite sides of said frame with at least two of said lifting arms at each of said opposite sides, said lifting arms being pivotal relative to said frame generally within a horizontal plane;
• means for constraining said lifting arms at each of the opposite sides of said frame for pivoting movement together between retracted and laterally outwardly extended positions;
• a laterally outwardly extending and generally wedge-shaped lifting finger carried by each of said lifting arms generally at the end thereof opposite said frame;
• means for moving said lifting arms in unison between said retracted and extended positions thereby maintaining said lifting fingers carried by said lifting arms in generally uniformly spaced relation from the associated side of said frame, said lifting fingers being disposed when said frame is located between the skids and disposed in said second position to press against the skids initially to laterally shift said frame on said rollers to center said frame between the skids and then to press substantially simultaneously to a lifting position beneath the skids, said frame elevation adjusting means being thereupon operable to move said frame to said first position to lift the helicopter;
• means for directionally adjusting one of said pluralities of fore and aft wheels for steering the dolly;
• and
• means for driving one of said pluralities of fore and aft wheels for propelling the dolly;
• said driving means, said frame elevation adjusting means, and said lifting arm moving means being carried by the dolly for transport therewith.