GB673998A - Improvements in and relating to fuelling and servicing systems for airplanes - Google Patents

Abstract

673,998. Fuelling systems for aircraft.WATTS, A. E., and PARKER, J. R. Oct. 14, 1949, No. 26395/49. Class 116 In fuelling and servicing systems for aircraft of the type having submerged fuel storage tanks and piping leading to a number of fuelling and servicing units, each fuelling and servicing unit consists of a submerged pit casing, a cell unit containing fuelling and servicing equipment supported in said casing for vertical movement from an entirely submerged position to an elevated position above the ground, means located within the pit casing including a motor and a control therefor for raising and lowering the cell unit, and a plate closing the pit casing when the cell is submerged and having a handhole for access to said raising and lowering control. Fuel is fed from submerged tanks (not shown) through a pipe 28, Fig. 1, a valve 24, and a flexible hose to a hose reel 9, contained within the cell unit 1 and having a motor 11 for rewinding. A nozzle 12 on the end of the hose on the reel 9 is placed in a control box 34. On lifting the nozzle the valve 24 is opened electrically. The cell unit 1 also houses a fuel meter 8 in a window of the cell unit, carbon dioxide cylinders 6, and a motor 20, Fig. 3, which supplies fluid from a reservoir 19 to a telescopic ram 2 for raising the cell unit. When lowered, Figs. 1 and 3, the cell unit is within the pit casing 3, the floor of which is drained by a pump 27 controlled by a valve 23. The bottom of the cell unit has downwardly extending struts 45 carrying a plate 46 having a water seal friction ring engaging the pit wall. The top 41 of the cell 1 has pillars 13 secured to it and projecting through holes 13x in a pit cover plate 15. Hand rails 43x, Figs. 4 and 6, are joined by discs 43 to the pillars 13 and plate 15 is grooved at 44 and 15x to receive the discs 43 and rails 43x respectively when lowered to provide a flush uninterrupted surface. To raise the cell the operator opens a hand hole 42, Fig. 3, to reach a deadman's button 38 controlling motor 20 for raising the cell unit. When the handrails have risen, rubber buffers 22 on the cell unit top 41 abut cover 15 which then rises with the cell unit. In the raised position, Fig. 15, a platform 17, Figs. 4, 10, and 15, can be projected from under the top 41 out towards an aeroplane wing, the tip having a rubber buffer to avoid damage to the wing. Platform 17 is supported by vertical and horizontal rollers 49 and 49x from a plate 50 in the cell and is moved by a rack 51 and pinion 52 driven from a motor 53 controlled from the control box 34. A safety switch which is only closed when platform 17 is retracted, prevents operation of the motor 20 to move the unit vertically when platform 17 is extended. Cell 1 can be rotated with respect to the head of ram 2, on which it is supported by balls 62, by means of a motor 63 fixed to the ram head and also controlled from box 34, which drives a pinion 65 engaging an internal ring gear 61 on the cell unit. Specification 674,118 is referred to.