GB957158A - A system for automatic computation of aircraft weight and load distribution - Google Patents

Abstract

957,158. Booking seats &c. STANDARD TELEPHONES & CABLES Ltd. March 15,1963 [March 21, 1962], No. 10371/62. Headings G4A and G4T. An arrangement for automatically computing the weight and load distribution of aircraft comprises a central program-controlled computer, a plurality of input devices each including a weighing device for supplying an electrical representation of the weight of an item to be conveyed by the aircraft, and means for sequentially connecting the input devices to the computer. As described, a plurality of agent sets 1, Fig. 1, and a master set (not shown) are connected to a central system including a computer 22 (not described). Each set 1 includes manual controls 2 and a luggage-weighing device 3 and provides information relating to passengers and their luggage. A distributer 9 tests cyclically the agent sets and when a set ready to transmit is sensed, the distributer is stopped by a corresponding control device 11, an output on line 15 causing the set to transmit information to a central buffer store 10, the output of which is in a 2-out-of-5 code. A device 19 selects the appropriate computer program. The information from the buffer 10 together with the identifying number of the agent set being dealt with supplied from the distributer 9, is converted to serial form by a converter 18. The output of the converter'18 is further converted at 21 to pure binary from for input to the computer 22, which is supplied by an input 24 with punched data relating to aircraft weight and load distribution supplied from other airports. The computer output is applied via a line 25 and buffer 26 to indicator lamps at the calling agent set. A further computer output is applied to puncher 32 which via a reader 33 is connected to a weight and load distribution list printer 34 and a teletyper 35 for preparing weight and load distribution data for the aircraft pilot and for the next airport. An alarm 30 is operated when the computer calculates a dangerous weight and load distribution. Weighing and ticket-printing. Each agent set includes a weighing device 3 for passengers luggage, movement of the scale pan adjusting a potentiometer 38, Fig. 2, to a corresponding potential Ux converted at 39 to digital form and stored in a buffer 40 for transmission to the central processor and to a ticket printer 45 adapted to print a twopart ticket (Fig. 4, not shown).