Helicopter dolly

A ground handling system for lifting, supporting, maneuvering and transporting a helicopter equipped with two opposed skids comprising:

• a helicopter dolly means for supporting, maneuvering and transporting a helicopter equipped with two opposed skids;
• a lifting means connectable to the aircraft for lifting the aircraft to sufficient height to permit said dolly means to be positioned under the skids of the aircraft, and lifting means having a release means for lowering the helicopter onto said dolly means, said lifting means disconnectable from the helicopter after helicopter is positioned on said dolly means,
• said lifting means includes a jack means connectable to the skids for lifting the helicopter by raising the skids,
• said jack means includes a pair of jack assembly means, each jack assembly means connectable to an opposing skid of the helicopter in proximity to the center of gravity of the helicopter for providing generally simultaneous lifting force substantially through the center of gravity of the helicopter to enable the helicopter to be lifted with substantially the entire load of the aircraft borne by the jack assembly means while a rear wheel assembly is emplaced under the heel of the skid generally adjacent to the center of gravity of the aircraft and while a front wheel assembly is emplaced under the toe of the skid generally well forward of the center of gravity of the aircraft, said jack assembly means having a means for releasing the lifting force when said front and rear wheel assemblies are in place under the skids and said jack assembly means disconnectable from the skids after lowering said helicopter,
• said jack assembly means includes a hydraulic jack means, platform means, lift housing means and skid grasping means, said hydraulic jack means connected to said platform means for providing hydraulic vertical lifting force, said platform means straddles the skid in a straddling position to provide in combination with the hydraulic jack means centered, overhead lifting force to the skid.

A ground handling system for lifting, supporting, maneuvering said transporting a helicopter equipped with two opposed skids comprising:

• a helicopter dolly means for supporting, maneuvering and transporting a helicopter equipped with two opposed skids, and
• a lifting means connectable to the aircraft for lifting the aircraft to sufficient height to permit said dolly means to be positioned under the skids of the aircraft, said lifting means having a release means for lowering the helicopter onto said dolly means, said lifting means disconnectable from the helicopter after helicopter is positioned on said dolly means,
• said lifting means includes a jack means connectable to the skids for lifting the helicopter by raising the skids,
• said jack means includes a pair of jack assembly means, each jack assembly means connectable to an opposing skid of the helicopter in proximity to the center of gravity of the helicopter for providing generally simultaneous lifting force substantially through the center of gravity of the helicopter to enable the helicopter to be lifted with substantially the entire load of the aircraft borne by the jack assembly means while a rear wheel assembly is emplaced under the heel of the skid generally adjacent to the center of gravity of the aircraft and while a front wheel assembly is emplaced under the toe of the skid generally well forward of the center of gravity of the aircraft, said jack assembly means having a means for releasing the lifting force when said front and rear wheel assemblies are in place under the skids and said jack assembly means disconnectable from the skids after lowering said helicopter,
• said jack assembly means includes a hydraulic jack means, platform means, lift housing means and skid grasping means, said hydraulic jack means connected to said platform means for providing hydraulic vertical lifting force, said platform means straddles the skid in a straddling position to provide in combination with the hydraulic jack means centered, overhead lifting force to the skid, said lift housing means connected to said hydraulic jack means and connectable to the skid for translating said overhead vertical lifting force to the skid centered below said platform means, said grasping means connected to said lifting housing means and operatively engaging the skid for retaining the skid to said lift housing during vertical movement of the skid, and said hydraulic jack means having a release means for releasing hydraulic pressure to lower the skid.

A ground handling system for helicopters with skid-type landing gears, comprising:

• a rear wheel assembly and two jacking assemblies;
• a front wheel assembly including an elongated frame, two caster wheels, and two skid trays, one caster wheel connected adjacent to each end of said frame, one skid tray connected to each said end beyond said caster wheel, said skid tray having a channel of sufficient width to accommodate the differing width between the skids of a helicopter;
• a yoke assembly including a tongue and limiting device, said yoke assembly connected to said frame in a vertically pivotal association, said tongue connects to said yoke in telescoping cooperation, said tongue connectable to a propulsion means, said limiting device connected to said yoke, vertical movement of said yoke interrupted by impinging contact by limiting device on said frame,
• said rear wheel assembly includes an elongated axle, two wheels, an off-set flange and two skid trays, one wheel connected to each end of said axle by an off-set flange, said axle being lower than a hub of said wheel, said two wheels having camber, one skid tray connected adjacent to each end of said axle inside said wheel, said skid tray having a channel of sufficient width to accommodate the differing width between skids of a helicopter, said rear wheel assembly connectable to said front wheel assembly by connecting means for towing and storing;
• and said jacking assembly connectable to each opposing skid, said jacking assembly including a hydraulic jack having a vertical displacement plunger, a platform having a horizontal floor vertically supported by four legs at a height sufficient to raise the rear portion of a skid above the level of said skid tray of said rear wheel assembly, an inverted U-shaped housing having two generally parallel vertical strut members and a cross-member removeably connected between said strut members, said cross-member in contact with said jack plunger, said floor having opposed channels to slideably accommodate said strut members, a pivotal skid grasping yoke assembly connected to a lower portion of said strut members below said floor, and said yoke assembly including a pair of pivotal inwardly rotating members with apertures for accommodating protruding strong points of the skid.