GB577353A - Landing and launching means for aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

577,353. Landing and launching aircraft. BRIE, R. A. C. Aug. 31, 1943, No. 14230. Convention date, Sept. 9, 1942. [Class 4] A landing and launching device for helicopters and gyroplanes comprises a frame rotatable about a substantially vertical axis at the centre of the frame or a substantial distance within its boundary, a number of spaced parallel flexible cables, rods, &c. being connected at their ends to the frame to support and cushion an aircraft on landing and to co-operate with means on the aircraft for automatically anchoring it. In some forms, in addition to or instead of the flexible cables &c., the frame is hinged at its rear end and elastically supported near its forward end. Fig. 1 shows a turntable 10 rotatable in a frame 11 on a ship's deck, two side. bars 13 of a rectangular frame being supported at their rear ends 14 on brackets carried by the turntable andnear their forward ends by shock-absorbers 16. Holes 19 in the rear supporting brackets enable the initial inclination of the frame to be adjusted to suit the inclination of analighting aircraft. A series of parallel cables, rods, &c. extend between a forward cross-bar and a central cross-bar on the frame and these cooperate with members 23 carried by a cross-bar 24 on the aircraft fuselage. The members 23 comprise each a fork 26, Fig. 3, having a spring detent 28 which allows the passage of a cable 25 and then closes behind it. A cable 31 enables the detent to be withdrawn when the aircraft is taking off. Two fins 20 keep the turntable head to wind. In a modification, an arrester wire is provided for the tail skid, and in another form the cables &c. 25 are arranged transversely. In still another form, a transverse rod on the aircraft directly engages the side-bars of the frame which have rearwardly directed forked members, similar to those shown in Fig. 3, for automatically securing the transverse rod. For taking off, the forked members are moved into a vertical position and cables connected to the lower parts of the shock - absorbers withdraw the detents 28 as the aircraft rises. In a further form, the cables &c. extend, in two lateral groups, from end to end of a rigid frame mounted upon a spring-supported rotatable member. The tail skid of the aircraft rests on a plate between the two groups of cables and a lead-in ramp for the tail skid may be provided. Specification 469,554 is referred to.