GB2186257A - Improvements in or relating to extenders for aircraft pallets - Google Patents

Abstract

A pallet extender (13) for mounting at an end of an aircraft cargo pallet (10) comprising, a first elongate load support panel (14), hinges (19) on one elongate edge of the panel to mount the panel along an end of a pallet to pivot about an axis extending along said edge of a panel. A second elongate panel (15), extends along the other elongate edge of the first panel and is connected thereto by a hinge (16) to allow the second panel to pivot with respect to the first panel. Locking means (27,28) act between the first and second panels to lock the second panel in any one of a plurality of different attitudes with respect to the first panel. Support structures (23,24) are provided at both ends of said one panel extending to one side of the panel, and brace means (26) are connected between the support structures to the pallet to support the panels at a required attitude with respect to the pallet. The support structures (23) have mountings to support the second panel (15) in a horizontal attitude when the first panel extends upwardly and outwardly of the end of the pallet supported by said brace means. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to extenders for aircraft pallets This invention relates to extenders for aircraft pallets.

Cargo is commonly carried in aircraft holds which are situated in the lower part of the aircraft guselage below the passenger compartment on flat light metal pallets supported on guide rails in the hold. Because of the outward curvature of the fuselage above the pallet the cargo stacked on the pallet cannot occupy fully the hold space. Pallet extenders have been developed to extend the cargo carrying area of the pallet into the curved sides of the hold. Difficulties arise with known forms of extender in that they tend to be suitable only for airfract of similar diameter fuselages and are not readily adaptable to different aircraft. Moreover certain known extenders actually creat voids with the fuselage which cannot be used thus reducing the benefit which they seek to obtain.

The invention provides a pallet extender for mounting at an end of an aircraft cargo pallet comprising, a first elongate load support panel, means along one elongate edge of the panel to mount the panel along an end of a pallet to pivot about an axis extending along said edge of the panel, a second elongate panel extending along the other elongate edge of the first panel and connected thereto by hinge means to allow the second panel to pivot with respect to the first panel, locking means acting between the first and second panels to lock the second panel in any one of a plurality of different attitudes with respect to the first panel and brace means connected to the first panel for connection to the pallet where required to support the first panel in any required attitude with respect to the pallet.

The first panel may have support structures at both ends thereof extending to one side of the panel to receive and support the second panel at an acute angle with respect to the first panel such that when installed on a pallet with the first panel extending upwardly and outwardly along the end of the pallet, the second panel extends horizontally from the upper edge of the first panel over the first panel towards the centre of the pallet.

The support structure at each end of the first panel may comprise a leg extending from said one edge of the panel and having an end adapted to receive and support the other panel and an arm connected to the leg adjacent said other end and to the other edge of the first panel to support the leg.

The brace means may comprise a tie connected at one end to the support means and at the other end having means for attachment to the pallet at any required location along the edge of the pallet to hold the first panel in any required attitude with respect to the pallet.

In any of the above arrangements the means to lock the second panel at any required attitude with respect to the first panel may comprise plates mounted on the ends of the first panel to encompass the arc of movement of the second panel with respect to the first panel and means to lock the second panel in any required position of adjustment with respect to the plates to lock the second panel with respect to the first panel.

Each plate may have a plurality of holes therein defining positions of adjustment to the second panel with respect to the first panel and locking members are provided to engage in the selected holes in the plates to lock the second panel to the plates.

In any of the above arrangements the means connecting the second panel to the first panel comprise an elongate hinge extending the length of the first and second panels.

The means to connect the first panel to a pallet may comprise two hinges spaced apart along said one elongate edge of the first panel, each hinge having one member attached to the first panel and a second member having means to attach to an edge part of the pallet.

The following is a description of a specific embodiment of the invention, reference being made to the accomplinying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pallet extender installed on an aircraft cargo carrying pallet having a pair of hinged panels in which a first panel extends upwardly and outwardly of the end of the pallet and a second panel extends horizontally from the upper end of the first panel; Figure 2 is a further perspective view of the pallet extender as shown in Fig. 1 from a different aspect; Figure 3 is a side view of the pallet extender of Figs. 1 and 2 with the second panel oriented in alignment with the first panel; Figure 4 is an end view of the pallet extender as shown in Fig. 3; Figure 5 is a further view on a part of the pallet in the direction of the arrow A on Fig.

3; Figure 6 is a detailed view of an upright support leg of the pallet extender; Figure 7 is a section on the line F-F on Fig.

3; and Figures 8 to 13 show the extender in different positions of adjustment.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is shown a standard aircraft cargo carrying pallet 10 comprising a panel 11 of aluminium having an extruded channel section 12 extending around the periphery thereof to stiffen the panel and to receive attachment devices. The track has an upwardly open siot and apertures are cut in the slot at spaced locations along the track to receive plungers/fixing bosses of standard attachment devices in known manner.

Cargo pallets of the type described above are installed on guide rails in the holds of aircraft below the floor of the passenger compartment and therefore lie in the lower part of the curved fuselarge of the aircraft. Thus the aircraft hold widens above the location where the pallet is supported in the hold and it is desirable that that space is fully utilised for carrying cargo. However, the cargo cannot satisfactorily over hang the ends of the pallet without the provision of additional support and the pallet extender which will now be described with reference to the drawings is intended to provide that support.

A pallet extender indicated generally at 13 is mounted at each end of the pallet 10 to extend the load carrying area of the pallet.

The construction of the pallet is shown in greater detail in Figs. 3 to 7 to which reference is now made. The pallet extender comprises two elongate rectangular panels 14, 15 which are hinged together by an elongate hinge 16 extending along the length of the panel. Each panel comprises a metal framework indicated generally at 17 and is covered by a light sheet metal skin 18. The panels 14 has two spaced hinges 19 attached along an edge 20 thereof. Each hinge includes a leg 21 which terminates in an attachment device 22 for engaging in the track 12 extending along the end of the pallet. The panel 14 is thus supported on the end of the pannel to hinge with respect to the end about an axis extending between the end of the pallet and the adjacent edge 20 of the panel.

Two legs 23 are also pivotally connected to the hinges 19 of the panel 14 at the ends thereof. The legs extending outwardly of the panel at 45 degrees thereto supported by similar struts 24 extending from the end of the panel adjacent the other edge and connected by elements 25 to the legs adjacent the free ends thereof. Tie members 26 are also connected at one end to the connection elements 25 and extends to the legs. The tie members extend downwardly along the pallet.

The lower ends of the tie members have standard attachment devices to engage in the track 12 to lock the ends of the tie members in requires positions of adjustment along the track and therefore support the legs 23 in required attitudes with respect to the end of the pallet. As shown in Fig. 3, with the legs locked vertically with respect to the horizontal panel 14 extends upwardly and outwardly from the ends of the pallet at an angle of about 45 degrees.

In the arrangement of Figs. 1 and 2 the second panel 15 of the extender as shown in Fig. 1 is folded back on the lower panel 14 to lie horizontally over the lower panel and is supported on the upper ends of the legs 23.

The latter have upwardly projecting spigots 23a to engage in the underside of the frame of panel 14. In that position the pallet extender provides enclosed space under the panel 15 within panel 14 for further cargo to be carried and further cargo can be supported on the upper surface of the horizontal panel 15.

The panel 15 can itself be locked in a number of positions of relative rotation with respect to the panel 14. This is achieved by means of locking plates 27 which are mounted at the ends of panel 14 remote from the pallet and each having a plurality of spaced apertures through which spring loaded locking devices 28 disposed in recesses 1 4a in the lower corners of panel 15 can project to engage in apertures provided in the ends of panel 15. The panel 15 can thus be locked in a horizontal attitude shown in Fig. 1, the vertical attitude shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the in-line attitude with panel 14 as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 10 in which the pair of panels extends obliquely outwardly of the panel or in Fig. 6 in which the pair of panels extend vertically with respect to the pallet. Figs. 7 shows panel 1 5 folded past the legs 23 downwardly on to panel 14 and Fig. 8 shows a complete extender structure collapsed on to the top of the panel. The arms 24 are connected by folding link connections 24a to the upper ends of panel 14 is shown in Figs. 3 and 7 and these connections are released to allow the arms to be disconnected from panel 14 to allow the structure to fold flat. The panel 14 and the struts 26 are slid along the pallet.

The arrangement thus provides a highly versatile structure capable of taking up a number of different attitudes according to the load to be carried. When the pallet is being returned out of use. The extender can be collapsed down to permit a number of pallets to be stacked one on top of the other occupying the minimum space.

Claims (11)

1. A pallet extend for mounting at an end of an aircraft cargo pallet comprising, a first elongate load support panel, means along one elongate edge of the panel to mount the panel along an end of a pallet to pivot about an axis extending along said edge of the panel, a second elongate panel extending along the other elongate edge of the first panel and connected thereto by hinge means to allow the second panel to pivot with respect to the first panel, locking means acting between the first and second panels to lock the second panel in any one of a plurality of different attitudes with respect to the first panel and brace means connected to the first panel for connection to the pallet where required to support the first panel in any required attitude with respect to the pallet.

2. A pallet extender as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first panel has support structures at both ends thereof extending to one side of the panel to receive and support the second panel at an acute angle with respect to the first panel such that when installed on a pallet with the first panel extending upwardly and outwardly along the end of the pallet, the second panel extends horizontally from the upper edge of the first panel over the first panel towards the centre of the pallet.

3. A pallet extender as claimed in claim 2 wherein the support structure at each end of the first panel comprises a leg extending from said one edge of the panel and having an end adapted to receive and support the other panel and an arm connected to the leg adjacent said other end and to the other edge of the first panel to support the leg.

4. A pallet extender as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the brace means comprise a tie connected at one end to the support means and at the other end having means for attachment to the pallet at any required location along the edge of the pallet to hold the first panel in any required attitude with respect to the pallet.

5. A pallet extender as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the means to lock the second panel at any required attitude with respect to the first panel comprise plates mounted on the ends of the first panel to encompass the arc of movement of the second panel with respect to the first panel and means to lock the second panel in any required position of adjustment with respect to the plates to lock the second panel with respect to the first panel.

6. A pallet extender as claimed in claim 5 wherein each plate has a plurality of holes therein defining positions of adjustment to the second panel with respect to the first panel and locking members are provided to engage in the selected holes in the plates to lock the second panel to the plates.

7. A pallet extender as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein each panel comprises a frame at least partially covered in sheet metal.

8. A pallet extender as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the means connecting the second panel to the first panel comprise an elongate hinge extending the length of the first and second panels.

9. A pallet extender as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the means to connect the first panel to a pallet comprise two hinges spaced apart along said one elongate edge of the first panel, each hinge having one member attached to the first panel and a second member having means to attach to an edge part of the pallet.

10. An aircraft argo pallet having a pair of pallet extenders as claimed in any of the preceding claims mounted at opposed ends of the pallet.

11. A pallet extender substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.