GB773896A - Improvements in or relating to means for moving or conveying aircraft to and from a stored or parked position - Google Patents

Abstract

773,896. Aircraft runways. KING, Ltd., G. W. Aug. 3, 1955 [Aug. 4, 1954], No. 22660/54. Class 4. Means for moving aircraft comprises a carrier adapted to accommodate the landing wheels and normally housed in a pit in a runway with its upper surface substantially flush with the runway surface, a plurality of lifting devices being located in the pit to raise or lower the carrier from or into its normal position, so that when the carrier is raised it is brought into a position wherefrom it may be traversed across the runway surface. In Fig. 2, the carrier comprises three bogie elements 14, 15 and 16, the former carrying the nose wheel, and the two latter the main undercarriage, the bogies being-interconnected by beams 17. Each bogie has rollers 18 adapted to run on trackways 22, 23 from the runway to a parking position or vice versa. Flaps 19 and 20 may be pivotally raised to act as chocks for the main wheels. As in Fig. 5, a platform 13 having tracks 24 is disposed beneath each bogie in its pit, and may be raised or lowered by hydraulic jacks 21. When an aircraft taxies onto the bogies, its wheels contact the flaps 19, whereupon the flaps 20 are automatically raised, and if necessary moved forwardly. The jacks 21 are operated to raise the platforms 13 and the bogies, so that the latter project above the runway and each platform surface becomes flush with the runway, the tracks 24 registering with tracks 22 or 23. A rope drive 25 running on pulleys 26 is then operated to move the bogies and aircraft laterally, preferably on an arcuate track so that the final position of the aircraft axis is at 45 degrees to the runways. The rope drive is enclosed in a channel beneath the runway, having a slot to allow connection between the drive and bogies. Two sets of bogies may operate from a single pit and platform, one working to and from each side of the runway.