Apparatus for controlling aircraft on ships or the like
OwnerThomas M. Craiginventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
There is provided aircraft securing apparatus for securing an aircraft against toppling on the deck of a ship or the like. The apparatus includes a rotatable arm pivotal in a plane substantially parallel to the deck to engage a downwardly-projecting probe of an aircraft. A releasable clamp is mounted on the arm and is adapted to be slidable from a stored position to a probe-engaging position, and a sensor is provided on the arm for sensing engagement of the probe by the arm and actuating locking of the clamp about the probe. A drive motor is provided for effecting rotation of the arm.
Claims19
Aircraft securing apparatus for securing an aircraft against toppling on the deck of a ship comprising:
- a rotatable arm, rotatable about a fixed axis, for rotation in a plane substantially parallel to said deck to rotatably engage a downwardly projecting probe of an aircraft, said arm being mounted for rotation but not translation in said plane with respect to said axis;
- a releasable clamp on said arm for clamping onto said probe, said clamp slidable from a stored position to a plurality of probe-clamping positions relative to said rotatable arm;
- means disposed on said arm for sensing engagement of the probe with the arm and for actuating said clamp for movement to any one of said plurality of probe clamping positions;
- and
- drive means for rotating the arm to rotatably engage said probe.
Aircraft securing apparatus for securely moving an aircraft from a landed position on a deck of a ship to an intersection with a track for an aircraft conveyor for engagement with the aircraft conveyor, the apparatus comprising:
- a mounting frame for securing the apparatus to the deck;
- a rotatable arm pivotally mounted to the mounting frame in a plane substantially parallel to said deck, for engaging a downwardly projecting probe of an aircraft and being vertically movably mounted to the mounting frame, wherein said rotatable arm moves between a storage position below a horizontal surface formed by the deck and an operating position above the horizontal surface formed by the deck;
- means for raising and lowering the arm;
- releasable clamp mounted on said arm and slidable from a stored position to a probe-engaging position;
- means disposed on said arm for sensing engagement of the downwardly projecting probe with the arm and for actuating movement of the clamp along the arm from the storage position to engage the downwardly projecting probe and to lock the clamp about the downwardly projecting probe upon sensing said engagement;
- and
- drive means for rotating the arm to engage the downwardly projecting probe and then move the probe and associated aircraft in an arcuate path into a position where the probe intersects the aircraft conveyor track.
A method of securing an aircraft provided with a downwardly projecting probe against toppling on the deck of a ship including a guide rail comprising:
- providing a deck area with a rotatable arm pivotal in a plane substantially parallel to the deck and having a releasable clamp slidable on the arm from a stored position to a probe engaging position and means for sensing engagement of the probe with the arm;
- landing an aircraft on the deck in a location such that the probe will lie within an arc swept by the rotatable arm on rotation thereof;
- rotating the arm to engage the probe;
- sensing engagement of the probe with the arm by said sensing means;
- actuating the clamp, in response to said sensing, to slide along the arm to engage the probe and lock about the probe;
- and
- rotating the arm and probe engaged therewith to move said probe and said aircraft in an arcuate path into position above said guide rail on said deck.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.