Apparatus for aligning and securing pallets in an aircraft
AssigneeDeutsche Aerospace Airbus GmbH
InventorsWilfried Eilenstein-Wiegmann, Guenter Vogg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A pallet that is initially not completely aligned with a support structure, such as support rails in the floor of an aircraft, is properly aligned by the function of an aligning and coupling device which has two sections interconnected by a coupling member, such as a screw bolt that can be tightened. One section is connected to the support and the other section is connected to the pallet. Relative movement at least in a radial direction of the components of one section permit an adjustment. The relative movement is preferably permitted in the radial and axial direction. The continued tightening of the two sections to each other provide the required alignment.
Claims14
An apparatus for simultaneously aligning and securing a pallet to a support, comprising a first section having a first central axis, said first section comprising a housing having an inner conical wall, and a conical member having an outer conical wall facing said inner conical wall with an initial play for a radial and axial relative displacement between said conical member and said housing, a female threading with a lead-in surface, and a first connector for securing said first section to said support, said apparatus further comprising a second section having a second central axis, said second section comprising a central bore coaxial with said second central axis, and a second connector for securing said second section to said pallet, said apparatus further comprising a threaded bolt axially displaceable and rotatable in said central bore of said second section, said threaded bolt having a guide ramp at one end, an operating head at its other end, and a male threading next to said guide ramp, said guide ramp cooperating with said lead-in surface of said first section for guiding said threaded bolt with its male threading into said female threading, whereby said outer conical wall of said conical member and said inner conical wall of said housing cooperate with each other in response to an axial force applied by tightening said threaded bolt to simultaneously align said first and second central axes with each other and to secure said pallet to said support by eliminating said initial play.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.