GB2516162A

GB2516162A - A service vehicle for an aircraft

Info

Publication number: GB2516162A
Application number: GB1408876.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James Fegan
Original assignee: Mallaghan Engineered Ltd
Current assignee: Mallaghan Engineered Ltd
Priority date: 2014-05-19
Filing date: 2014-05-19
Publication date: 2015-01-14
Anticipated expiration: 2034-05-19
Also published as: GB2516162B; GB201408876D0

Abstract

A service vehicle for aircraft comprising a wheeled chassis 2 having an operators cab 8 at a forward end thereof. A loading platform or container body 10 is mounted on the chassis behind the operators cab via a scissor lift 12 enabling the loading platform/container body to be elevated with respect to the chassis between a lowered position and an elevated position to allow the loading platform/container body to be aligned with a service entrance of an aircraft. The lower rollers 32 of the scissor lift engaging hooks 36 when the loading platform/container is in its lowered position to prevent displacement of the lower rollers away from the respective guide tracks upon which they run.

Description

A Service Vehicle for an Aircraft This invention relates to an improved service vehicle for an aircraft.

It is well known to provide service vehicles at airports to facilitate servicing of the interior of the aircraft, for example, cleaning the interior and seating of the aircraft, and more particularly for replenishing supplies of food and drink and other provisions for passengers. Such service vehicles are typically equipped with load carrying platform or container body mounted on a lifting arrangement on the chassis of the vehicle, behind the operator's cab, whereby the load carrying platform or container body can be raised to the height of the fuselage of an aircraft, typically by a scissor lift or pantograph arrangement activated by one or more hydraulic rams.

The scissor lift or pantograph arrangement typically comprises first and second leg units, each comprising a respective pair of parallel legs, said first and second leg units being situated between the loading platform or container body and the vehicle chassis, the leg units crossing each other at an axis and being pivotally interconnected at said axis, each first leg of the first leg unit being pivotally connected at one end to the vehicle chassis adjacent the cab by first fixed pivot means and provided at the other end with first roller engaging a respective track on the underside of the loading platform/container body; each second leg of the second leg unit being connected at one end to the loading platform/container body adjacent a forward end thereof by second fixed pivot means and provided at the other end with a second roller engaging a respective guide track on the vehicle chassis adjacent a rear end thereof, ram means being provided to act upon the leg units.

A cantilevered loading bridge is usually provided at one end, typically a forward end, of the container for docking with a door of an aircraft to define a bridge between the container and the aircraft, allowing persons, equipment and supplies to be transferred between the container and an aircraft. The loading bridge typically comprises a telescopically extendable outer section, such that the front edge of the outer section of the loading bridge can be extended to abut the fuselage of an aircraft, just below a service entrance thereof.

In use, the service vehicle can be driven up to an aircraft and, once in position, the container body can be raised to the required height (i.e. level with the service entrance of the aircraft). Ground engaging stabilisers may be provided on the vehicle which may be extended to engage the ground and stabilise the vehicle before raising the container body and then extending the loading bridge into engagement with the aircraft adjacent a service entrance of the aircraft.

A problem with the known catering trucks is that, when the vehicle is being driven around with the loading platform/container body in a lowered position, vehicle motion, in particular when the vehicle passes over bumps in the road, may cause the rollers, the second rollers in particular, to jump off their respective tracks, potentially leading to damage or jamming of the scissor linkage arrangement.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved service vehicle which overcomes this problem.

According to the present invention there is provided a service vehicle for aircraft comprising a wheeled chassis having an operators cab at a forward end thereof, a loading platform or container body being mounted on the chassis behind the operators cab via lifting means enabling the loading platform/container body to be elevated with respect to the chassis between a lowered position and an elevated position to allow the loading platform/container body to be aligned with a service entrance of an aircraft, said lifting means comprising a scissor lift mechanism comprising first and second leg units, each leg unit comprising two or more of transversely spaced parallel legs, said first and second leg units being situated between the loading platform or container body and the vehicle chassis, the first and second leg units crossing each other at an axis and being pivotally interconnected at said axis, each leg of the first leg unit being pivotally connected at one end to the vehicle chassis adjacent the cab by a respective first fixed pivot means and provided at the other end with a respective first freely rotatable roller engaging a respective first track mounted on the underside of the loading platform/container body; each leg of the second leg unit being pivotably connected at one end to the loading platform/container body adjacent a forward end thereof by a respective second fixed pivot means and provided at the other end with a respective second freely rotatable roller engaging a respective second guide track mounted on the vehicle chassis adjacent a rear end thereof, ram means being provided to act upon the first and second leg units in order to displace the loading platform/container body between its lowered and elevated positions, a stop means being provided at one end of each second guide track, the second roller of each leg of the second leg unit engaging a respective stop means when the loading platform/container body is in its lowered position, wherein each stop means comprises a hook engageable by the respective second roller when the loading platform/container body is in its lowered position to prevent displacement of the second roller away from the respective second guide track.

Each stop means may be mounted on the respective second guide track.

Alternatively each stop means may be integrally formed with the respective second guide track.

In a preferred embodiment, each stop means may comprise a base portion, the base portion having a curved surface having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of each second roller and an upper portion having a lower face extending tangentially from said base portion. The lower face of at least pad of said upper portion of each stop means may extend substantially parallel to the respective second guide track. The lower face of an outermost region of said upper portion of each stop means may diverge from the respective second guide track in a direction away from the base portion to provide a lead in to guide the respective second roller into the base portion of the respective stop means.

Preferably each of said second rollers is provided with a flange on at least one side thereof arranged to be located to one side of the respective second guide track.

Said flange may be provided on an outer side of each second roller with respect to the chassis of the vehicle, such that the flange of each second roller is located on an outer side of the respective second guide track upon which the respective second roller is supported.

Preferably said second rollers are provided on a common axle.

A service vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-Figure 1 is a side view of a service vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention in a partially elevated configuration; Figure 2 is a detailed side view of the scissor linkage mechanism of the service vehicle of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a detailed side view of the scissor linkage mechanism of the service vehicle of Figure 1 approaching its transport or lowered configuration.

As illustrated in Figure 1, a service vehicle in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a chassis 2 supported on front and rear pairs of road wheels 4,6. An operators cab 8 is mounted upon a front end of the chassis 2 from which the vehicle may be driven. A container body 10 is mounted on the chassis behind the cab 8, within which may be carried catering supplies, cleaning equipment and other items and provisions required for servicing aircraft. The container body 10 is mounted on the chassis 2 via a scissor lift 12, whereby the container body 10 may be vertically elevated to the height of an aircraft fuselage by means of a suitable drive means, such as one or more hydraulic rams (not shown).

As is conventional in the art, a horizontally extending front loading platform 14 is provided on a forward end of the container body 10 for loading persons, equipment, provisions and catering and/or cleaning supplies from a forward end of the vehicle onto an aircraft via a door or other service entrance of the aircraft.

In use, the service vehicle can be driven up to an aircraft and, once in position, the container body 10 can be raised to the required height (i.e. level with the service entrance of the aircraft) and the loading platform 14 extended such that the front edge of the front loading platform 14 abuts the fuselage just below the service entrance. Safety railings 16 are provided on either side of the front loading platform 14 and a resilient bumper 18 is mounted on a leading edge of the front loading platform 14 for abutting the aircraft fuselage without damaging the aircraft. Ground engaging stabilisers (not shown) may be provided on the vehicle which may be extended to engage the ground and stabilise the vehicle before raising the container body 10.

The front loading platform 14 is mounted on the forward end of the container body on slide carriers and is provided with lifting means, such that the front loading platform 14 can be vertically displaced between a raised transportation position, where it can be positioned above the cab 8 when the container body 10 is in a lowered position, and a lowered operative position, as shown in Figure 1, where the front loading platform 14 is level with the floor of the container body 10.

The scissor linkage 12 comprises first and second leg units 20,22, each leg unit 20,22 comprising a pair of transversely spaced parallel legs, said first and second leg units 20,22 being situated between the container body 10 and the vehicle chassis 2, the first and second leg units 20,22 crossing each other at an axis A and being pivotally interconnected at said axis A. Each leg of the first leg unit 20 is pivotally connected at one end to the vehicle chassis 2 adjacent the cab 8 by a respective first fixed pivot bearing 24 and provided at the other end with a respective first freely rotatable roller 26 engaging a respective first track 28 mounted on the underside of the container body 10.

Each leg of the second leg 22 unit is pivotably connected at one end to the underside of the container body 10 adjacent a forward end thereof by a respective second fixed pivot bearing 30 and provided at the other end with a respective second freely rotatable roller 32 engaging a respective second guide track 34 mounted on the vehicle chassis 2 adjacent a rear end thereof.

One or more hydraulic rams are provided to act upon the first and second leg units 20,22 in order to displace the container body 10 between its lowered and elevated positions.

A respective stop 36 is provided at a rear end of each second guide track 34, the second roller 32 of each leg of the second leg unit 22 engaging a respective stop 36 when the container body 10 is in its lowered position.

Each stop 36 comprises a hook opening in the direction of the cab 8 and being engageable by the respective second roller 32 when the container body 10 is in its lowered position to prevent displacement of the second roller 36 away from the respective second guide track 34 when the vehicle is moving with the container body in its lowered or transport position.

As shown in Figure 2, each hook shaped stop 36 comprises a base portion 37 having a curved surface 38 having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of each second roller 32 and an upper portion 39 having a lower face 40 extending tangentially from the surface 38 of the base portion 37 substantially parallel to the respective second guide track 34.

The lower face 42 of an outermost region of said upper portion 39 of each stop 36 diverges from the respective second guide track 34 in a direction away from the base portion 37 to provide a lead in to guide the respective second roller 32 into the hook shaped stop 36.

As shown in Figure 3, as the scissor linkage 12 is lowered to move the container body 10 to its lowered or transport position, the second rollers 32 enter into and engage the hook shaped stops 36, preventing the rollers 32 from being displaced away from the guide tracks 34 when the vehicle is moving.

A flange (not shown) may be provided on an outer side of each second roller 32 with respect to the chassis 2 of the vehicle, such that the flange of each second roller 32 is located on an outer side of the respective second guide track 34 upon which the respective second roller 32 is supported, in the manner of wheels on a railway track, to stabilise movement of the wheels 32 along the guide tracks 34.

The second rollers may be provided on a common axle extending between the legs of the second leg unit 22.

While the service vehicle in accordance with the present invention is described for transferring workers, cleaning provisions] catering supplies and other provisions between the container body and an aircraft, the service vehicle could also be used to transfer passengers between the container body and an aircraft, for example for wheelchair passengers or other disabled or able bodied passengers. The container body described above may be replaced by an open loading platform.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment(s) described herein but can be amended or modified without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A service vehicle for aircraft comprising a wheeled chassis having an operators cab at a forward end thereof, a loading platform or container body being mounted on the chassis behind the operators cab via lifting means enabling the loading platform/container body to be elevated with respect to the chassis between a lowered position and an elevated position to allow the loading platform/container body to be aligned with a service entrance of an aircraft, said lifting means comprising a scissor lift mechanism comprising first and second leg units, each leg unit comprising two or more of transversely spaced parallel legs, said first and second leg units being situated between the loading platform or container body and the vehicle chassis, the first and second leg units crossing each other at an axis and being pivotally interconnected at said axis, each leg of the first leg unit being pivotally connected at one end to the vehicle chassis adjacent the cab by a respective first fixed pivot means and provided at the other end with a respective first freely rotatable roller engaging a respective first track mounted on the underside of the loading platform/container body; each leg of the second leg unit being pivotably connected at one end to the loading platform/container body adjacent a forward end thereof by a respective second fixed pivot means and provided at the other end with a respective second freely rotatable roller engaging a respective second guide track mounted on the vehicle chassis adjacent a rear end thereof, ram means being provided to act upon the first and second leg units in order to displace the loading platform/container body between its lowered and elevated positions, a stop means being provided at one end of each second guide track, the second roller of each leg of the second leg unit engaging a respective stop means when the loading platform/container body is in its lowered position, wherein each stop means comprises a hook engageable by the respective second roller when the loading platform/container body is in its lowered position to prevent displacement of the second roller away from the respective second guide track.
2. A service vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each stop means is mounted on the respective second guide track.
3. A service vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein each stop means is integrally formed with the respective second guide track.
4. A service vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each stop means comprises a base portion, the base portion having a curved surface having a diameter substantially equal to the diameter of each second roller and an upper portion having a lower face extending tangentially from said base portion.
5. A service vehicle as claimed in claim 4, wherein the lower face of at least part of said upper portion of each stop means extends substantially parallel to the respective second guide track.
6. A service vehicle as claimed in claim 6, wherein the lower face of an outermost region of said upper portion of each stop means diverges from the respective second guide track in a direction away from the base portion to provide a lead in to guide the respective second roller into the base portion of the respective stop means.
7. A service vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each of said second rollers is provided with a flange on at least one side thereof arranged to be located to one side of the respective second guide track.
8. A service vehicle as claimed in claim 7, wherein said flange is provided on an outer side of each second roller with respect to the chassis of the vehicle, such that the flange of each second roller is located on an outer side of the respective second guide track upon which the respective second roller is supported.
9. A service vehicle as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein said second rollers are provided on a common axle.
10. A service vehicle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.