GB2287928A

GB2287928A - Loading and unloading of aircraft

Info

Publication number: GB2287928A
Application number: GB9505999A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Erhard Axt; Rolf Forstmann
Original assignee: ESW Extel Systems Wedel Gesellschaft fuer Ausruestung mbH
Current assignee: Vincorion Advanced Systems GmbH
Priority date: 1994-03-31
Filing date: 1995-03-24
Publication date: 1995-10-04
Also published as: GB9505999D0; FR2718104A1; DE4411231A1

Description

2287928 LOADING AND UNLOADING OF AIRCRAFT The present invention relates to

freight loading and unloading apparatus for aircraft, especially for loading and unloading freight items of large volume.

It is known to load freight items of large volume together with pallets carrying them by means of a movable raising and lowering equipment directly from an airport apron into the hold of a freight aircraft. Unloading of the aircraft hold also takes place by means of equipment of that kind. In order to achieve a correct stowage of the freight on the aircraft, it is necessary to orient the lifting and lowering equipment in all three dimensions and at different angles and furthermore to subject the freight items together with their pallets to continuous inclination checks during a loading operation. This necessitates, apart from the time-consuming loading operation of individual freight items one after the other, a further expenditure of time which entails relatively long turnround times of a freight aircraft at airports.

There is thus a need for apparatus which may enable loading and unloading of an aircraft by a technically relatively simple procedure with a substantial saving of time during a loading and/or an unloading operation.

According to the present invention there is provided apparatus for the loading and/or unloading of a freight hold of an aircraft which has a loading opening, which is closable by a door and preferably arranged in its nose region, for the reception of freight items of large volume, such as containers, aircraft sections or the like, wherein at least one pair of roller tracks is arranged on the floor of the hold for the guidance of at least one freight unit, which runs on rollers and can carry a freight item of large volume and which is arrestable in its loading position, to and from its loading position in the hold, wherein a stationary stage is provided on the apron of an airport, the upper side of the stage is oriented parallel to the apron surface and has a rail system, which comprises at least two rails and relative to which the aircraft is positioned and arrested by its opened loading opening for a loading and/or unloading operation in such a manner that the longitudinal axis of the aircraft extends substantially perpendicularly to the rail system, the rail system is provided for at least one transport platform, which is provided with rollers and movable laterally along the rail system and which in dependence on the positional setting of the aircraft assumes a preset loading or unloading position and on its upper side has a roller track pair extending substantially perpendicularly to the rail system, for the freight unit, the spacing between the apron surface and the roller track pair of the platform is equal to the spacing between the apron surface and the roller track pair of the hold, and, for a loading and/or unloading operation, the gap between the roller track pairs of the aircraft and the platform is bridged over by an intermediate bridging element with a further roller track pair.

Apparatus embodying the invention may have the advantage that a ground slope detection of the aircraft during a loading or an unloading operation and consequent corrections and other checks of that kind become superfluous. The freight unit can be designed as a simple loading element with good wind stability during the loading or unloading. In the case of a straight rail system, the erection of the structure can be carried out in dependence on the prevailing wind direction, so that the frontal or lateral wind loading of the aircraft is minimised. In the case of a semicircular rail system, the docking position of the aircraft relative to the structure on the basis of the different available loading and unloading positions of the platform is advantageously chosen in dependence on the prevailing wind direction, preferably again so that the frontal or lateral wind loading of the aircraft is minimised.

In order to shorten the operating times during a loading and/or an unloading operation, it is proposed that at least two transport platforms disposed on the rail system form a changeover magazine.

Advantageously, an unloading operation can then be performed with one platform, whilst the other or another platform stands ready for a loading operation. It is also possible, for example, to load and/or unload two aircraft at the same time.

Preferably the bridging element is tiltable from a vertical into a horizontal position for the purpose of exact docking to the aircraft loading surface level and is movable laterally in its vertical position along the rail system. Consequently, a further gain of time during loading and/or unloading can be achieved through keeping the bridging element in its horizontal position at the aircraft for a complete loading and/or unloading operation.

For preference, the or each platform is movable on the rail system into the loading and unloading position or a parking (standby) position by means of winches or other drive means.

Preferably, the bridging element is mounted to be movable rotationally at the end face of the platform facing the aircraft. The roller track pairs of the hold, platform or platforms and bridging elEments can be rail pairs. The upper side of the stage is preferably adjustable in height relative to the apron surface and thus adaptable to the hold-to-apron spacing of different aircraft types.

For preference, the aircraft is positioned in the proximity of the rail system automotively by means of a tractor or nosewheel-manoeuvring equipment. Expediently, a marked line is provided on the apron at a spacing from the rail system determined by the loading and/or unloading position of the aircraft. This line can be followed by the manoeuvring equipment for the alignment of the aircraft. Preferably this equipment is remotely controlled and guided on the marked line by a rail let into the apron. The aircraft, with its loading opening in a loading and/or unloading position, can be held in the vicinity of the rail system for the duration of a loading and/or and unloading operation with the assistance of a nose support and a tail support, which are adjustable in height and arranged on a movable carrier plate and which engage the aircraft respectively in the nose region and the tail region. The carrier plate, together with the nose support and tail support, can be arranged to be movable on rails which are arranged in the apron in the region of the stopping position of the aircraft.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1is a schematic plan view of first apparatus embodying the invention and equipped with two transport platforms on a straight rail system; Fig. 2 is a schematic front elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1, with raising and lowering equipment provided in the loading and unloading position; and 1 - Fig. 3 is a schematic plan view of second apparatus embodying the invention, with a semicircular rail system.

Referring now to the drawings there is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 loading and unloading apparatus comprising three rails 4 mounted on a stationary stage 2. The stage comprises vertical struts 18, which are arranged on an aircraft apron, and diagonal struts 18 connecting the vertical struts 17 with each other and with horizontal struts 19. The stage upper side, which is formed by the horizontal struts 19, is oriented parallel to the apron surface and carries the rails 4, which constitute a rail system 3. For adaptation to the spacings between the apron and the holds of different aircraft types, the upper side of the stage 2 can be constructed to be adjustable in height relative to the apron surface.

An aircraft is positioned for a loading and/or an unloading operation by a loading opening thereof disposed in its nose region and is arrested in the proximity of the centre of the rail system 3 in such a manner that the longitudinal axis of the aircraft 5 extends approximately perpendicularly to the rail system 3. The positioning of the aircraft 5 with its loading opening in the loading and/or unloading position can take place automotively by means of a tug or nosewheel manoeuvring equipment 13. If the manoeuvring equipment 13 is used, a marked line 14 or threshold, the spacing of which from the rail system 3 is determined by the loading and unloading position of the aircraft 5 and which is followed by the equipment 13 for the alignment of the aircraft 5, can be provided on the apron 1. A remotely controlled nosewheel manoeuvring equipment 13 can also be provided, and guided on the marked line 14 by a rail let into the apron 1. The arresting of the aircraft 5 in the proximity of the middle of the rail system 3 for the duration of a loading and/or an unloading operation can be performed with the help of, for example, a nose support 15 and a tail support, which supports are adjustable in height and engage respectively in the nose region and in the tail region of the aircraft 5. These supports can be arranged on a movable carrier plate which is, for example, movable on rails arranged in the apron 1 in the region of the stopping position of the aircraft 5. In this case, the vertically adjustable nose and tail supports can also be used as a levelling system for fine adjustment of the aircraft 5.

As shown in Fig. 1, two transport platforms 7, which are each provided with rollers and movable along the rail system 3 by, for example, cable-winch drives (not shown), are arranged respectively in a parking position and in a loading and/or an unloading position on the rails 4 of the rail system 3, wherein the two platforms 7 form a changeover magazine. Each platform 7 has on its upper side a respective roller track pair 8, which extends perpendicularly to the rail system 3, for a respective transport freight unit 12 running on rollers and carrying a freight item 11 of large volume (for example the aircraft wings 20 shown in Fig. 2). In order to be able to load and/or unload the aircraft hold, the floor of which has at least one roller track pair 6 for the guidance of one or more freight units 12 as well as for the arresting thereof in their loading position in the hold, with the units 12 the spacing between the apron surface and the platform track pair 8 is equal to the spacing between the apron surface and the hold track pair 8. The gap between the roller track pairs of the aircraft and the platform is bridged over by at least one intermediate bridging element 9, which has a further roller track pair 1 11 and is preferably fastened to be rotationally movable at the end face of each platform 7 facing the aircraft 5 or is arranged to be movable on rails 22 transversely in front of the rail system. The roller track pairs 6, 8 and 10 of the hold, platforms and bridging element or elements can be constructed as rail pairs. For a loading and/or an unloading operation of an aircraft 5, the transport freight unit 12 carrying a freight item of large volume is movable along the roller track pairs 6, 8 and 10 by means of cable-winch drives 21 or other electrical or mechanical drives.

As is evident from Fig. 2, the middle loading Position 3 has raising and lowering equipment 16 for the raising or lowering of a freight item 11 from the apron 1 into a plane above the rail system 3 or from this plane to the apron 1. The raising and lowering of the freight item 11 takes place together with the transport unit 12 and the transport platform 7. It is necessary for this purpose to provide the rails 4 of the rail system 3 with separating points in the region of the loading and/or unloading position, so that the rail sections within this position can form part of the raising and lowering equipment 16.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 3, by contrast to the apparatus of Fig. 1, has a semicircular rail system 3a consisting of three rails 4a.

An aircraft 5 with its opened loading opening is positioned and arrested for a loading and/or an unloading operation in such a manner in the proximity of the centre of the rail system 3a that the longitudinal axis 5 is in alignment with the centre radius of the rail system. The remaining constructional elements are denoted by the same reference symbols as in Figs. 1 and 2, and these elements fulfil the functions described above or in the following.

The method steps, which are required for a loading and/or an unloading operation of the hold of the aircraft 5, can be as follows:

1. Approach and orientation of the aircraft The aircraft 5 approaches its loading and/or unloading position in the centre of the rail system 3 on the apron 1 or in the proximity of the centre of the rail system 3a in dependence on the prevailing wind direction.

After reaching this position, the setting of the aircraft 5 can if required be corrected by the manoeuvring equipment 13, which is movablealong the marked line 14, in such a manner that the longitudinal axis of the aircraft extends perpendicularly to the rail system 3 or is in alignment with the radius of the semicircular rails system 3a, i.e. is in alignment with the centre line of a platform 7 disposed in its loading andlor unloading position.

- The aircraft 5 is arrested with the assistance of the vertically adjustable nose support 15 and the vertically adjustable tail support (not shown), the supports being used for the fixing of the aircraft and also for fine height adjustment of the aircraft.

- After the arresting of the aircraft, the nosewheel -manoeuvring equipment - if used - can be removed.

2. Loading and/or unloading of the aircraft After opening of the loading opening of the aircraft 5, an empty transport platform 7 is moved along the rail system 3 or 3a to the unloading position and fixed there.

The bridging element 9, which is mounted to be rotationally movable at the transport platform 7 or is moved in front of the transport platform 7, is pivoted out of, for example, a vertical position into an almost horizontal position in such a manner that its roller track pair 10 is in alignment with the roller track pairs 6 and 8 of the hold and the platform 7.

The cable of a winch drive 21, which is arranged on the platform 7, is attached to a freight unit 12 in the hold and the unit 12 is drawn, together with a freight item 11 of large volume which it carries, by means of the drive 21 out of the hold and onto the platform 7.

After tilting-up of the bridging element 9 back into its vertical position the platform 7 loaded with the freight unit 12 and the freight item 11 is moved on the rail system 3 or 3a into a parking or standby position. In the case of use of only one bridging element, this can remain at the aircraft for the complete loading and unloading cycle. One full or empty platform is exchanged by an empty or full transport platform by means of lateral movement.

After the hold has been unloaded completely, a loading operation can be started by a transport of a platform 7, which supports a freight unit 12 and a freight item 11, on the rail system 3 or 3a into Position 2 (Fig. 1) or Position 3 (Fig. 2). The loaded platform 7 has previously been raised from the apron 1 to the level of the rail system 3 or 3a by means of the raising and lowering equipment 16 or is disposed in Position 1 or 3 (Fig. 1) or Position 1, 2, 4 or 5 (Fig. 3) in waiting position.

If appropriate, the bridging element 9 is pivoted out of its vertical position into an almost horizontal position in such manner that its roller track pair 10 is in alignment with the roller track pairs 6 and 8 of the hold and the platform.

The transport unit 12 together with the freight item 11 is transported by means of the drive 21 from the platform 7 into the hold and arrested there.

After the bridging element 9 has, if required, been brought into its vertical position, the empty platform 7 is moved on the rail system 3 or 3a into a parking position.

The loading operation is concluded by closing of the loading opening, optionally after loading with further transport units 12 and freight items 11.

3. Conveying of the loaded and unloaded freight items - After conclusion of the loading operation, the vertically adjustable nose and tail supports are removed from the aircraft so that the aircraft can move away from its loading or unloading position as well as start towards its destination.

The transport units, which carry the freight items of large volume unloaded from the aircraft, are transported together with the associated transport platform on the rail system one after the other to the raising and lowering equipment 16, with the aid of which the platform, freight unit and freight item are lowered to the apron.

Claims

1. Freight loading and unloading apparatus for an aircraft provided in the floor of a hold thereof with roller tracks for guidance of rollerborne freight units, the apparatus comprising a structure which is locatable in a stationary position on an airport apron with an upper side of the structure substantially parallel with the apron surface and which is equipped with a plurality of rails arranged on said upper side and with at least one transport platform which is provided on an upper surface thereof with roller tracks extending transversely of the rails and for guidance of the freight units and which is movable along the rails into an out of a loading and unloading position for transfer of freight units between the platform and the hold of such aircraft when parked on the apron with its longitudinal axis extending transversely of the rails, the spacing of the platform roller tracks from the apron surface being or being settable to be substantially equal to a predetermined spacing of the hold roller tracks from the apron surface, and a bridging element which is positionable to bridge a gap between the platform in said position and the aircraft when so parked and which is provided with roller tracks co-operable with those of the platform and those of the hold.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rails are rectilinear and the platform loading and unloading position is dependent on where the longitudinal axi s of the parked aircraft substantially perpendicularly intersects the rails.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rails are semicircular and the platform loading and unloading position is dependent on where the longitudinal axis of the parked aircraft substantially radially intersects the rails.

4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure is equipped with at least two such platforms, which are alternately locatable in the loading and unloading position and in a stand-by position.

5. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the structure is provided with drive means for moving the or each platform along the rails.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the drive means comprise winches.

7. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bridging el ement i S arranged to be pivotable between a substantially vertical orientation and a substantially horizontal orientation and to be movable along the rails.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7, comprising means to retain the bridging element in said substantially horizontal orientation.

g. Apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the bridging element is mounted at an end of the at least one platform i which, in use, faces the parked aircraft and is rotationally movable.

10. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the roller tracks of the or each platform, the bridging element and the aircraft hold comprise rail pairs.

11. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the upper side of the structure together with the rails and the or each platform is adjustable in height relative to the apron surface.

12. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising means to adjust the position of the aircraft relative to the structure.

13. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising a marking on the apron to denote a predetermined parking position of the aircraft relative to the structure.

14. Apparatus as claimed in claim 12, said means to adjust the position of the aircraft being remotely controllable to travel along track means in the apron.

is. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising height-adjustable support means for supporting the nose and tail of the parked aircraft, the support means being movable across the 20 apron by way of guide means arranged therein.

16. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising means to lower each platform from and raise each platform to the loading and unloading position thereof.

17. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

18. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

19. A method of loading or unloading an aircraft by means of the apparatus claimed in any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of positioning the aircraft on the apron adjacent to the structure and with its longitudinal axis extending transversely of the rails, positioning the platform or one of the platforms in the loading and unloading position, the loading and unloading position being dependent on the parked position of the aircraft, positioning the bridging element to bridge a gap between the positioned platform and the aircraft, and transferring a freight unit between the platform and the aircraft by way of the roller tracks of the platform, bridging element and aircraft.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, wherein the step of positioning the aircraft is carried out by way of an aircraft tug or aircraft nosewheel manoeuvring equipment.

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21. A method as claimed in claim 19 or claim 20, wherein the step of positioning the aircraft is carried out with reference to a marking disposed on the apron at a spacing from the structure.

22. A method as claimed in claim 21 when appended to claim 20, wherein the step of positioning the aircraft is carried out by causing the manoeuvring equipment to follow the marking.

23. A method as claimed in claim 20 or claim 21, wherein the manoeuvring equipment is remotely controlled to travel along track means in the apron.

24. A method as claimed in any one of claims 19 to 23, comprising the step of supporting the nose and tail of the parked aircraft by heightadjustable support means, the support means being movable across the apron by way of guide means arranged therein.