GB1597353A

GB1597353A - Apparatus for carrying a load within an aircraft

Info

Publication number: GB1597353A
Application number: GB608971A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Westland Aircraft Ltd
Current assignee: Westland Group PLC
Priority date: 1971-03-05
Filing date: 1971-03-05
Publication date: 1981-09-09
Also published as: DE2210005C1

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO APPARATUS FOR CARRYING A LOAD WITHIN AN AIRCRAFT (71) We, WESTLAND AIRCRAFT LIMITED, of Yeovil, in the County of Somerset, a British Company, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: THIS INVENTION relates to the carriage of loads within an aircraft, and provides particular benefits in the carriage of dischargeable loads within an aircraft fuselage.

To obtain optimum performance from any flying machine it is necessary to maintain a clean unobstructed, preferably aerodynamic fuselage shape, in order to minimise drag. For certain operational roles, aircraft have been adapted to carry dischargeable loads which have been mounted externally of the fuselage, due to the cabin space being used for other equipment such as accommodation, navigation and tracking equipment.

Such an arrangement incurs a lar e drag penalty and also means that the load is subjected to possible adverse effects from severe climatic conditions, which may prevail external of the fuselage.

According to the invention we provide a load carrying apparatus for use in an aircraft having a load carrying compartment formed in a fuselage, wherein the apparatus comprises a load supporting means located within the compartment and pivotally mounted about an axis extending laterally of the compartment for movement between loading and transporting positions and arranged to co-operate with at least one aperture in the load carrying compartment to enable discharge of the load to be effected during operation.

In the embodiments of the invention hereinafter described the dischargeable load is in the form of a plurality of torpedoes; however, it is to be understood that the invention is equally suitable for carrying loads of similar elongated shapes or loads capable of being carried in elongated containers of generally circular cross-section.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the torpedoes are supported side-byside on a rack extending across substantially the whole width of a load carrying compartment, and in a second embodiment the torpedoes are supported one behind another in a line extending longitudinally along each side of the compartment. Both embodiments are shown and described in relation to a helicopter; however, it will be clear that the invention can be readily applied in any aircraft incorporating either a front or rear loading arrangement.

The invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred embodiment of the invention shown incorporated in a helicopter fuselage, Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1, Figure 3 is an end view in the direction of arrow A on Figure 2, Figure 4 is a plan view of a second embodiment again shown incorporated in a helicopter fuselage, and Figure 5 is a side view of the embodiment of Figure 4.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, a helicopter has a fuselage 11 in which is formed a main load carrying compartment 12 used to carry, in certain roles, special equipment which can include navigational equipment, tracking equipment, and also equipment such as auxiliary fuel tanks to increase the range of the machine. Such equipment, however, forms no part of the present invention and is shown collectively by the numeral 13 in the drawings.

A rectangular load carrying rack 14 having four guideways 15 in its upper surface extending in a direction parallel with the longitudinal axis of the compartment 12 (Figure 3) is suspended at its forward end from the helicopter fuselage 11 by two swinging arms 16 pivotally mounted about laterally extending axes on the roof of the compartment 12 and the rack 14. The aft end of the rack 14 is pivotally mounted at 17 to a lower ramp 18 hingedly mounted at 19 to the fuselage. A second, upper, ramp 20 is hingedly mounted at 21 to the fuselage 11, and co-operates with the ramp 18 to open or close an aperture at the rear end of the compartment 12. The ramps 18 and 20 can be operated by any suitable means such as hydraulic or pneumatic jacks, or by electric motors, any movement of the lower ramp 18 causing corresponding movement of the rack 14 in a manner to be hereinafter described.However, in the embodiment shown, movement of the ramp 18 is facilitated by a plurality of hydraulic jacks 25 pivotally connected between the floor structure of the compartment 12 and the underside of the rack 14.

Four torpedoes 22 are supported one in each of the four guideways 15 and are retained, in the stowed position, by a retaining strap 23 incorporating release mechanisms 24. A winch (not shown) can be provided in the fuselage to facilitate loading of the torpedoes into the stowed position.

As shown in Figure 2, the ramp 18 has three main operational positions, the lowermost position being a low loading position to enable the torpedoes to be located on the rack 14 without the necessity of a high lift.

In the lowermost position of the ramp as shown in Figure 2, the rack 14 has been omitted. The uppermost position, in which the rack 14 and torpedoes 22 are shown in broken outline, is the cruise position, in which the ramps 18 and 20 serve to close off the aperture at the rear of the compartment 12. The central position as shown in full line in Figure 2, is the torpedo dropping or discharge position, the upper ramp 20 being folded upwardly against the inside of the fuselage to provide a clear exit for the torpedoes 22.

When it is required to load the torpedoes the ramp 18 is lowered to the lowermost position shown in Figure 2. A torpedo 22 is winched or otherwise moved up each guideway 15 formed in the rack 14 to the stowed position, in which it is retained by the retaining strap 23 and release mechanism 24. For normal cruise flight the ramp 18 is raised to its uppermost position which moves the rack 14 about the supporting arms 16 to the position shown in broken outline in Figure 2. The upper ramp 20 is folded downwardly to mate with the ramp 18 and close the aperture. To discharge the torpedoes the upper ramp is moved upwardly adjacent the roof of the compartment 12, and the ramp 18 is lowered to its mid position, as shown in full line in Figure 2.Operation of the release mechanism 24 frees the torpedoes from the retaining strap 23 and allows them to slide down the guideways 15 formed in the rack 14 and out of the fuselage through the rear aperture.

The release mechanisms 24 may be operated from either or both the pilot's cockpit and an operator's position in the compartment 12.

In a further embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 4 and 5, the fuselage 11, compartment 12 and ramps 18 and 20 are identical to that already described. The compartment 12 accommodates ancillary equipment again shown collectively by numeral 13. Two launch tube assemblies 26 are located one on each side of the compartment 12 and are pivotally mounted at 27 for movement in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage. The launch tube assemblies 26 are pivotable between a loading, substantially horizontal, position, shown in broken out line in Figure 5, and a transporting and launch position shown in full line in Figures 4 and 5, and which in the embodiment shown is at an angle of approximately 45" to the horizontal axis of the fuselage.The launch tube assemblies 26 slope downwardly from the roof to the floor of the compartment 12 in a direction away from an aperture in the end of the compartment 12.

Each tube assembly 26 is rotated about the pivot 27 by a hydraulic jack 28 pivotally connected between the floor of the compartment 12 and each assembly 26. Locking means 29 are provided to maintain each tube assembly 26 in the transport/launch position. Each tube assembly 26 is of substantially rectangular cross-section and is partitioned into two longitudinally extending compartments 33 each adapted to carry a torpedo 22 so that in the transport/launch position each pair of torpedoes 22 is located one behind the other m a line extending along each longitudinal wall of the compartment 12. When in the horizontal loading position the torpedoes are stacked verti catty in each tube assembly 26, loading being facilitated by lowering the ramp 18 to the position shown in broken outline in Figure 5. Loading rails 30 are provided on the ramp 18, the loading rails 30 being fitted with struts 31 to enable the rails 30 to be raised to an upper position shown in Figure 5 to facilitate loading of the second torpedo into the upper of the two compartments 33.

The torpedoes 22 are retained in the compartments 33 by means incorporating a release mechanism (not shown), each tube assembly 26 being arranged so that in the transport/launch position the compartments 33 co-operate with two apertures 32 in the floor of the compartment 12 through which the torpedoes are dropped when released.

Closure means may be provided in each aperture 32 and may be actuated by the torpedo release mechanism.

It will be clear that the present invention provides apparatus which enables the payload area of an aircraft to be more fully utilised in the carriage of specialised loads.

In the two embodiments described, particular benefits are derived in that a plurality of torpedoes are transported within, and launched from, the confines of a load carrying compartment of a helicopter without necessitating an increase in the compartment area. Such an operational requirement has previously necessitated mounting the torpedoes outside the fuselage which is an unsatisfactory arrangement for the reasons hereinbefore described.

Although two embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated it is to be understood that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For instance, the actual number of torpedoes carried in either of the foregoing embodiments will depend upon many factors, including the size of the compartment 12 and the load carrying capabilities of the aircraft and is, therefore, not to be considered as limited to four.

Other possible dischargeable loads which could be carried in apparatus according to the present invention include marker or sonar buoys and any spares, stores or provisions capable of being packed in generally elongated containers suitable for transporting in the apparatus hereinbefore described.

In the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5 the launch tube assemblies 26 can be arranged so that in the transport/launch position they slope downwardly from the roof to the floor of the compartment 12 in a direction towards the aperture in the end of the compartment.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A load carrying apparatus for use in an aircraft having a load carrying compartment formed in a fuselage, wherein the apparatus comprises a load supporting means located within the compartment and pivotally mounted about an axis extending laterally of the compartment for movement between loading and transporting positions and arranged to co-operate with at least one aperture in the load carrying compartment to enable discharge of the load to be effected during flight.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the load supporting means is arranged so that loading is effected from a direction generally aligned with a longitudinal axis of the load carrying compartment.

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the load supporting means is adapted to support a plurality of elongated containers of generally circular crosssection.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the load supporting means is adapted to support a plurality of torpedoes.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the load supporting means comprises a substantially rectangular rack extending across substantially the full width of the load carrying compartment.

6. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the upper surface of the rack is provided with a plurality of guideways extending in a direction substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the load carrying compartment.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein one end of the rack is mounted on swinging arms depending from the roof of the load carrying compartment, the other end being pivotally connected to a lower ramp hingedly mounted at one end of the floor of the load carrying compartment, the lower ramp being arranged to at least partially close an aperture at the end of the load carrying compartment when in a raised position.

8. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 7, wherein an upper ramp is hingedly mounted on the roof of the load carrying compartment to co-operate with the lower ramp to close the aperture.

9. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 8, wherein a retaining strap extends across the rack for location above the load located in the rack.

10. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 9, wherein the retaining strap incorporates release mechanisms for discharging the load located in the rack.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 5 to 10, wherein at least one hydraulic jack is located between the floor of the load carrying compartment and the underside of the rack.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the load supporting means comprises at least two launch tube assemblies pivotally mounted one adjacent each longitudinal wall of the load carrying compartment for movement in a plane substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the fuselage between a substantially horizontal loading position and a transport/launch position at an angle to the horizontal axis of the fuselage.

13. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12, wherein the angle is such that each launch tube assembly in the transport/launch position slopes downwardly from the roof to the floor of the compartment in a direction away from an aperture in the end of the compartment.

14. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 13, wherein the angle is approximately 45".

15. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 12 or Claim 14, wherein a hydraulic jack is pivotally mounted between the floor of the load carrying compartment and each launch tube assembly.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any of

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. In the two embodiments described, particular benefits are derived in that a plurality of torpedoes are transported within, and launched from, the confines of a load carrying compartment of a helicopter without necessitating an increase in the compartment area. Such an operational requirement has previously necessitated mounting the torpedoes outside the fuselage which is an unsatisfactory arrangement for the reasons hereinbefore described. Although two embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated it is to be understood that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims. For instance, the actual number of torpedoes carried in either of the foregoing embodiments will depend upon many factors, including the size of the compartment 12 and the load carrying capabilities of the aircraft and is, therefore, not to be considered as limited to four. Other possible dischargeable loads which could be carried in apparatus according to the present invention include marker or sonar buoys and any spares, stores or provisions capable of being packed in generally elongated containers suitable for transporting in the apparatus hereinbefore described. In the embodiment of Figures 4 and 5 the launch tube assemblies 26 can be arranged so that in the transport/launch position they slope downwardly from the roof to the floor of the compartment 12 in a direction towards the aperture in the end of the compartment. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:

1. A load carrying apparatus for use in an aircraft having a load carrying compartment formed in a fuselage, wherein the apparatus comprises a load supporting means located within the compartment and pivotally mounted about an axis extending laterally of the compartment for movement between loading and transporting positions and arranged to co-operate with at least one aperture in the load carrying compartment to enable discharge of the load to be effected during flight.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any of

Claims 12 to 15, wherein each launch tube assembly is of substantially rectangular cross-section and is partitioned to provide at least two longitudinally extending compartments.

17. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 16, wherein in the horizontal loading position each launch tube assembly co-operates with loading rails located on a lowered ramp hingedly mounted at one end of the floor of the load carrying compartment, the ramp being arranged to at least partially close an aperture at the end of the load carrying compartment when in a raised position.

18. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 17, wherein an upper ramp is hingedly mounted on the roof of the load carrying compartment to co-operate with the lower ramp to close off the aperture.

19. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 17 or Claim 18, wherein adjusting means are provided to adjust the height of the loading rails above the ramp.

20. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 19, wherein locking means are provided to lock each launch tube assembly in the transport/launch position.

21. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 60, wherein each launch tube assembly in the transport/launch position co-operates with apertures through the floor structure corresponding in number to the number of compartments in the launch tubes.

22. Apparatus as claimed in any of Claims 12 to 21, wherein retaining means incorporating a release mechanism is associated with each launch tube assembly.

23. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 21, or Claim 22 as appendant to claim 21, wherein closure means are provided in each aperture in the floor structure.

24. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 23, wherein the closure means are actuated by operation of the release mechanism.

25. A load carrying apparatus as claimed in any preceding Claim, wherein the aircraft is a helicopter.

26. A load carrying apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.

27. A load carrying apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings