US 4,790,430 A · Aircraft brake shipping container

Abstract

A container for shipping brake assemblies includes a base support member, a body tube, and a top closure member. A threaded shaft is provided extending axially through the body tube from above the top closure member to a nut imbedded in the base support member. A snug nut is provided on the threaded shaft just above the top closure member and tightening the snug nut clamps together the body tube and top and base members. Upper and lower truncated cone-shaped assemblies are provided and mounted on the threaded shaft with the truncated ends facing one another and the lower assembly affixed to the base support member. A plug nut is provided for clamping the cone assemblies together and to the base support member when brake assemblies are mounted between them. For more fragile carbon brake heatsinks, a post-and-bellows assembly may be provided whereby carbon brake heatsinks are mounted on guide posts extending from a shock absorbing bellows and held in place by a plug nut tightened against an impact absorbing wheel-like assembly. The container's top and base members may have either circular peripheries to facilitate rolling transport of containers or polygonal peripheries to inhibit such movement. Also, the external surfaces of the base and top members may have corresponding projections and recesses to facilitate container stacking. The container is preferably made primarily of rotationally molded plastic having some inherent flexibility thereby making it both lightweight and resilient enough to provide shock absorbing characteristics.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A compact, lightweight, reusable container for shipping brake assemblies comprising:

an open ended cylindrical tube having first and second ends;
a rotationally molded, plastic base support member on which said first end of said cylindrical tube is mounted;
a base nut imbedded in the center of said base support member and aligned with the vertical axis of said cylindrical tube;
a rotationally molded, plastic top closure member having a hole centered along the vertical axis of said cylindrical tube and which is mounted on said second end of said cylindrical tube;
a threaded shaft running along the vertical axis of said cylindrical tube with one end of said shaft threaded into said base nut and the other end of said shaft extending slightly above the upper surface of said top closure member through said hole in said member;
means for rotating said threaded shaft, said rotating means being rigidly affixed to the upper end of said threaded shaft extending through said top closure member;
a snug nut threaded onto said threaded shaft between said rotating means and said top closure member, whereby tightening of said snug nut against said upper surface of said top closure member forces said top closure member and said base support member against said ends of said cylindrical tube;
upper and lower spaced means for holding said brake assemblies in place within said container;
and
plug nut means threaded on said threaded shaft for clamping said upper and lower spaced holding means together with said brake assemblies supported between them as said means for rotating said threaded shaft is actuated.

7 more elements

A compact, lightweight, reusable container for shipping brake assemblies comprising:

an open ended cylindrical tube having first and second ends;
a base support member on which said first end of said cylindrical tube is mounted;
threaded means located in the center of said base support member;
a top closure member having a central hole and which is mounted on said second end of said cylindrical tube;
a threaded shaft extending along the vertical axis of said cylindrical tube with one end of said shaft threaded into said threaded means and the other end of said shaft extending slightly above the upper surface of said top closure member through said hole in said member;
means for rotating said threaded shaft, said rotating means located at the upper end of said threaded shaft;
means for supporting and holding in place said brake assemblies within said container operative as said rotating means is actuated, said supporting and holding means being located along said threaded shaft and between said top closure member and said base support member;
and
a snug nut threaded onto said threaded shaft between said rotating means and said top closure member, whereby tightening of said snug nut against said upper surface of said top closure member forces said top closure member and said base support member against said ends of said cylindrical tube.

6 more elements

A compact, lightweight, reusable container for shipping brake assemblies comprising:

an open ended tube having first and second ends;
a base support member on which said first end of said tube is mounted;
an internally threaded opening in the center of said base support member;
a top closure member having a central hole and which is mounted on said second end of said tube;
a threaded shaft running through said tube with one end of said shaft threaded into said internally threaded opening and the other end of said shaft extending above the upper surface of said top closure member through said hole in said member;
means on said threaded shaft located above the upper surface of said top closure for forcing said top closure member and said base support member against said ends of said tube;
and
means for supporting and holding in place said brake assemblies within said container, said supporting and holding means including at least one rotationally molded part for resiliently mounting said brake assemblies.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Aircraft brake shipping container

Life of this patent

Aircraft brake shipping container

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20