WO2013039409A1

WO2013039409A1 - An apparatus for lifting and moving a large object and a method of use

Info

Publication number: WO2013039409A1
Application number: PCT/NZ2012/000167
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christopher Charles in his capacity as a trustee of THE ORBIT LIFTER TRUST HAYNES; Christopher Charles Haynes
Original assignee: HAYNES, Lynda Helen, in her capacity as a trustee of THE ORBIT LIFTER TRUST
Priority date: 2011-09-15
Filing date: 2012-09-17
Publication date: 2013-03-21

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for moving a large stationery object, the apparatus including a chassis, wherein the chassis is provided with a plurality of ground engaging wheels, and a motor, wherein the motor drives at least one ground engaging wheel, and a support frame configured to support the object to be moved, characterised in that the support frame includes a raising means to raise and lower the support frame relative to the chassis, and wherein the apparatus includes a rotating means configured to allow rotation of the support frame relative to the chassis.

Description

AN APPARATUS FOR LIFTING AND MOVING A LARGE OBJECT AND A METHOD OF

USE

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an apparatus for lifting and moving a large object and a method of use. The invention has particular application to the lifting and moving of small aircraft, including fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.

BACKGROUND ART

Aviation is a popular pastime for many individuals, and as a consequence, many countries have large fleets of small propeller driven aircraft such as the Cessna, Beechcraft and Piper range of aircraft as well as microlights. Helicopters are also another form of aviation apparatus popular with both amateur and professional pilots.

For safety reasons, these smaller aircraft do not tend to use international airports or large domestic airports and instead are generally based at airfields and aerodromes where there is little or no sharing of the airfield with jet driven passenger aircraft. Most domestic airports or airfields have aircraft hangers or revetments in which small aircraft are parked for maintenance or storage.

Such facilities are often shared so there can be several aircraft in a single hanger. This can lead to problems in moving aircraft in or out of the hanger when there are already a number of aircraft present. Using the engine of the aircraft itself so that it may be driven out of the hanger is clearly not an option for safety reasons.

Generally, it is necessary for the pilot and/or ground crew to physically manhandle the aircraft by pushing and pulling on the wings or body of the aircraft. Even then, their task is made difficult by the need to confine movement of the aircraft to the available space.

Thus, it can be appreciated that it can be labour and time intensive to move an aircraft in or out of a crowded hanger as required. There are some mechanical apparatus that is available for moving aircraft, for example, that disclosed in United States Patent Application No. 2008/089766.

This patent application describes a small vehicle adapted for moving aircraft. The vehicle is provided with a lift carriage that includes chocks that engage with the nose wheel of the aircraft to be moved (chocks engage with the wheels to prevent them moving).

The nose wheel is lifted via the carriage and the vehicle can then tow the plane to the desired location. However, this apparatus is not always effective, particularly when used in a crowded aircraft hanger. For space considerations, particular in smaller hangers that are often found on airfields, aircraft are parked such that the wings extend in front of or behind neighbouring aircraft. This creates an interlocking effect, making it difficult to simply tow the aircraft out of the hanger.

Thus, the apparatus disclosed in United States Patent Application No. 2008/089766, or indeed those disclosed in United States Patent Application No. 2005/173163 or United States Patent No. 6,450,756 are not readily utilised in this situation.

All of these apparatus require the vehicle to tow the aircraft out of the hanger. This can be difficult to achieve when the wings of the aircraft have been interlocked as explained above. The path of movement of the aircraft is also partially determined by its footprint and wheel base, which must be allowed for by the operator of the towing vehicle. It is difficult for the aircraft to be turned within its own footprint, as the towing vehicle needs some forward momentum to achieve the necessary force to move the aircraft.

Furthermore, the use of apparatus which acts upon the nose wheel of the aircraft can place stress upon its undercarriage when the apparatus is moving sideways relative to the aircraft.

It is an object of the present invention to address the foregoing problems or at least to provide the public with a useful choice. Further aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the ensuing description which is given by way of example only.

All references, including any patents or patent applications cited in this specification are hereby incorporated by reference. No admission is made that any reference constitutes prior art. The discussion of the references states what their authors assert, and the applicants reserve the right to challenge the accuracy and pertinency of the cited documents. It will be clearly understood that, although a number of prior art publications are referred to herein, this reference does not constitute an admission that any of these documents form part of the common general knowledge in the art, in New Zealand or in any other country. Throughout this specification, the word "comprise", or variations thereof such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated element, integer or step, or group of elements integers or steps, but not the exclusion of any other element, integer or step, or group of elements, integers or steps.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for moving a large stationery object, the apparatus including: a chassis, wherein the chassis is provided with a plurality of ground engaging wheels, and a motor, wherein the motor drives at least one ground engaging wheel, and a support frame configured to support the object to be moved, characterised in that the support frame includes a raising means to raise and lower the support frame relative to the chassis, and wherein the apparatus includes a rotating means configured to allow rotation of the support frame relative to the chassis.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for moving a large stationery object, the apparatus including: a chassis, wherein the chassis is provided with a plurality of ground engaging wheels, and a motor, wherein the motor drives at least one ground engaging wheel, and a support frame wherein the support frame is configured to support the object to be moved, characterised in that the support frame is linked to the chassis via a raising means, and wherein the support frame includes a rotating means configured to allow rotation of the support frame relative to the chassis.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for moving a large stationery object, the apparatus including: a chassis, wherein the chassis is provided with a plurality of ground engaging wheels, and a motor, wherein the motor drives at least one ground engaging wheel, and a support frame configured to support the object to be moved, wherein the support frame includes a main body characterised in that the support frame includes a rotating means configured to allow rotation of the support frame relative to the chassis, and wherein the support frame includes a raising means to raise and lower a portion of the support frame relative to the main body of the support frame.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of using an apparatus to move a large stationery object, wherein the apparatus includes a chassis wherein the chassis is provided with a plurality of ground engaging wheels, and a motor wherein the motor drives selected ground engaging wheels, and a support frame wherein the support frame is configured to support the object to be moved, characterised in that the support frame includes a raising means to raise and lower the support frame relative to the chassis, and wherein the apparatus includes a rotating means configured to allow rotation of the support frame relative to the chassis. the method characterised by the following steps: a) positioning the apparatus under the object to be moved; and b) actuating the raising means such that the support frame engages and raises the object to be raised off the ground; and c) operating the apparatus to move the object to a desired location; and d) if required, moving the object to be carried on the turntable relative to the chassis; and e) lowering the object to the ground once the desired location is reached.

The present invention allows for the lifting, rotating and moving of a large object, where the object has a larger footprint than the invention. This means that at no time is the footprint of the object exceeded by the invention when it is used to move the object. Furthermore, the object can be moved horizontally in any direction (through the motion of the chassis wheels), rotated 360° relative to the chassis and/or ground, but also can be moved in a limited extent in a vertical direction. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the object to be moved is a light aircraft such as a Cessna, Beechcraft, Piper or similar aircraft that is often used by amateur and student pilots.

Although reference is primarily made throughout the remainder of the specification to fixed wing aircraft being used with the present invention, it should be understood that the invention can be readily used with micro-lights and helicopters with little or no modifications.

For example, the present invention is suitable for use with larger helicopters which have a wheeled undercarriage. The support frame may also be readily adapted for use with small helicopters having skids. However, this is not meant to be limiting, and with little or no modifications to the support frame, the present invention may be used with automobiles, pallets or any other large object that has at least part of its body partially elevated above the ground on which the object is placed.

The chassis should be understood to mean a load bearing structure or frame, and may take a variety of configurations. For example, in some embodiments of the present invention, the chassis is a metal plate which has a circular footprint in plan view.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the chassis is formed from a plurality of steel tubes welded together. These tubes may be circular or square in cross-section and preferably form a more conventional square or rectangular chassis when viewed in plan view. In some embodiments of the present invention, the chassis may be provided with a housing or outer shell for protection from inclement weather and for a more aesthetically pleasing finish. This also prevents the user or objects from coming into contact with the moving parts of the invention which may cause injury or damage. The housing may be removable from the chassis to allow easy access for the components of the chassis for maintenance purposes.

The chassis is provided with a number of wheels that engage with the ground and allow the chassis to move.

The wheels are preferably mounted to the underside of the chassis, although this is not meant to be limiting. For example, the chassis may be provided with "outrigger" arms to which the wheels are mounted. As discussed later in this specification, the invention is provided with one or more motorised drive wheels, so when outrigger arms are used, the motors and their ancillary equipment may be located on the outrigger arms.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, at least some of the wheels are castor wheels or the like, such that the axle of these wheels can be rotated about 360°. Wheels of this type are preferred, as they naturally orientate themselves in the direction of travel.

In some embodiments of the present invention, at least some of the wheels may be jockey wheels or the like mounted to the side of the chassis, but again configured so that the wheel can still be rotated about 360°. The chassis also includes at least one drive wheel, such that the chassis is self propelled. The drive wheel should be understood to have a fixed axle or driveshaft. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the chassis is provided with two drive wheels in axial alignment, each wheel being driven independently of each other.

This is so that when in motion, one side of the chassis does not favour the other. A chassis with a single driven motor can be unbalanced, and the undriven wheels can drag and be less responsive due to the uneven forward (or backwards) momentum applied to the invention if only a single driven wheel was provided.

Having two drive wheels, particularly when they are situated in pairs at the front or the back of the invention, ensures that the chassis (and the load being carried) is better balanced, and there is also less strain on the driving motor(s).

As discussed above, a preferred embodiment for the chassis is that where it has a circular plan view.

Placing the drive wheels at either end of the diameter of the chassis is a particularly preferred arrangement this means that driving one wheel in a first direction and the second wheel in the opposing direction allows the invention to turn within its own footprint. Thus the invention can turn 90° (or more) without requiring forward momentum. In fact, with the preferred arrangement, the invention is able to complete a full 360° rotation without forward or backwards movement. There is no need to drive the chassis forward and back to turn the chassis around to face a particular direction.

Because of the axial alignment of the fixed drive wheels, preferably the remaining (non- driven) wheels are arranged about the chassis to ensure the chassis, and any load carried by the chassis, is evenly distributed. For a circular chassis, maximum stability is achieved by placing the wheels every 90° in plan view, such that the chassis has four wheels (two driven, two not driven). However, the placement of both the driven and non- driven wheels may vary according to the requirements of the user and the four wheeled example described is not meant to be limiting.

The chassis may include more (or less) additional wheels. For example, the chassis may be provided with three wheels (two driven, one not driven) arranged in a tricycle configuration. In preferred embodiments of the present invention the wheels are constructed from rubber or a similar synthetic material so that the invention can be more easily driven over uneven terrain without significant jarring of the load being carried. However, ultimately, the materials from which the wheels are fabricated do need to take into consideration the load to be carried.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the wheels may be configured to move along a fixed track or rail. Some installations may be provided with fixed rails over which the present invention can travel. Such installations will have a clearly defined and constrained path of travel for the present invention. In some embodiments of the present invention, the wheels may be used with continuous tracks (also known as caterpillar tracks). This can be particularly useful on airfields where the ground is relatively soft and therefore the load being carried by the present invention needs to be distributed over a greater ground surface area.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the drive wheels are driven by an electric motor. While this is not meant to be limiting, an internal combustion motor may be undesirable in certain circumstances, particularly when the invention is being used in smaller hangers in which the exhaust fumes of an internal combustion engine are more likely to accumulate within the hanger.

Some embodiments of the present invention may be provided with a motor for each drive wheel. This makes it easier for the independent operation of each drive wheel.

While in preferred embodiments of the present invention the motors (and therefore the drive wheels) operate at the same speeds, in some embodiments of the present invention, speed controllers may be provided such that one drive wheel can selectively be operated faster (or slower) than the other. It will be appreciated that this means the invention can travel in an arcuate or curved path. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that in addition to the motor, the chassis may be provided with ancillary equipment for the motor such as a power source. This power source may be fuel cell of the like.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the power source is a battery. Use of commercially available batteries such as car batteries is preferred for longevity and power output. The battery may need to power associated ancillary equipment, depending on the configuration of the chassis.

Other ancillary equipment may include wireless control systems for the drive wheels and their associated motors to allow for the remote control of the present invention. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the motor is linked to a controller. Preferably the controller is a handheld unit, although this is not meant to be limiting.

A handheld unit allows the user to direct the movement of the present invention remotely.

Of course, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention may be arranged such that a user can crouch alongside the invention when in use, activating buttons, switches or other arrangements to operate the invention. Obviously, this may be awkward for the user, particularly if the invention is being used with aircraft or other objects that has minimal clearance from the ground.

The controller allows the user to activate the motor, select which wheel to drive and select all drive wheels to move the chassis and object to be carried in the desired direction. Preferably, the handheld unit is wirelessly linked to the motor or motors. In this embodiment, both the handheld unit and motor are provided with means for receiving and transmitting electromagnetic signals. However, in other embodiments of the present invention, the handheld unit may be permanently or temporarily hardwired to the motor or motors. The handheld unit may also include means to operate other paraphernalia associated with the present invention.

The motor and/or the battery may include an emergency cut out system in the event there is a malfunction in the invention. This may be in the form of an emergency stop button on the handheld unit or chassis itself. Alternatively, the motor may be provided with a lanyard rope which, when activated, disengages the drive chain to the driven wheels.

The support frame should be understood to mean a portion of the invention that physically engages with the object to be carried. Its configuration may ultimately depend on the object to be carried, regardless of whether the object is a fixed wing aircraft, helicopter, automobile or another large object that has at least part of its body partially elevated above the ground on which the object is placed.

The support frame has a main body which may engage with the load to be carried. Alternatively, the support frame includes a main body, with separate components of the support frame engaging with the load to be carried. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the support frame is the housing or shell for the chassis. Portions of the housing are configured to engage with the load to be carried.

In embodiments of the invention intended for use with fixed wing aircraft, the housing will be configured with supports for the wheels of the aircraft to be moved, the placement of the wheel supports corresponding to the points of a T.

In other embodiments of the invention, the support frame is formed from lengths of steel tubing or the like such that the support frame has a T-shape in plan view. This may be preferred in some instances for ease of manufacture due to the relative simplicity of construction of such support frame. These supports should be understood to be chocks, and may be integral with the main body of the support frame or separate components connected to the main body of the support frame.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that configuring the support frame configuration with chocks corresponding to the points of a T complements the tricycle undercarriage that is used for many light fixed wing aircraft and larger helicopters, regardless of whether the aircraft has a nose wheel (as is the case, for example, with a Cessna 182 Skylane) or a tail wheel.

At the ends of the horizontal stroke of the T are chocks that engage with the main wheels of the aircraft, which are usually positioned on the underside of the wing or perhaps on the lower outer edges of the main body of the aircraft (as is the case with a Cessna 182 Skylane).

At the end of the vertical stroke of the T, chocks engage with the nose (or tail) wheel of the aircraft. Although the present invention is intended for use with aircraft having main wheels and a nose wheel, persons skilled in the art will appreciate that with suitable modifications (in particular, increasing the length of the support frame), the invention may also be used with aircraft having tail wheels.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the invention may only support the main wheels of the aircraft, and a separate dolly or trolley may support the tail wheel.

It will also be recognised that the support frame may be adapted according to the specific load to be carried or otherwise transported. For example, while preferred embodiments of the invention use chocks to engage with the wheels of aircraft, other configurations are envisaged for engaging with the skids of a helicopter. For example, when being used to move helicopters (many of which do not have wheels), the support frame may need to be adapted to engage with the skids of the helicopter, and thus does not require a nose wheel support (not present in most helicopters).

In embodiments of the invention that is to be used with helicopters, the skids of the helicopter preferably sit on or otherwise engage with the sides of the support frame. This may involve the use of clamping mechanisms or the like to temporarily secure and lock the helicopter relative to the support frame.

Alternatively, in some embodiments of the present invention, the upper surface of the support frame may be configured to engage with the belly of the helicopter. As the preferred use of the invention is with aircraft, reference shall now be made to the portions of the invention that engage with the load to be carried as being chocks, although as noted above, the invention should not be considered to be limited to use with aircraft.

The chocks of the present invention may take a variety of configurations.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the chocks are fabricated from rails, beams or the like into a square or rectangular frame in plan view. The leading and/or rear edge of the frame of the chocks may be temporarily held in place using lock pins or the like.

When the invention is being used with an aircraft, the leading or rear edge (depending on whether the invention is approaching the aircraft from the front or rear) of the chocks are moved or otherwise removed from the path of travel. The invention is then driven such that the wheels of the aircraft are located within the chocks. The leading or rear edge frame member is then replaced and secured, trapping the wheels of the aircraft within the chocks.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the chocks may be formed from pairs of tines or forks extending from the appropriate side of the frame. Each fork contacts and bears against the wheel of the aircraft, one fork the leading side of the wheel, the other fork the rear side of the wheel.

The forks may be configured to move up and down either in a linear orientation (keeping the forks horizontal) or tilting (for storage). The forks may also be mounted to the support frame such that they may pivot side to side.

However, the examples of chock configurations provided are not meant to be limiting and persons skilled in the art will appreciate there a number of alternative configurations that may be employed to support the wheels of the aircraft (or whatever object is to be moved.)

As noted above, the chocks may include a locking system. This may be necessary to ensure the chocks, bearing the load of the aircraft, do not spread apart under the weight of the aircraft.

The locking system may be achieved in a number of different ways. In preferred embodiments of the invention, a rail and guide system is used to prevent lateral movement of one or both chocks. Other examples of a locking system may include spring loaded bolts or pins to fix the chocks relative to the support frame. Other ways to lock the chocks relative to the support frame will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the art. The preferred embodiments of the present invention should be understood to have a front chock (to support the nose or tail wheel of the aircraft) and side chocks (to support the main wheels of the aircraft).

In some embodiments of the present invention, the chock that supports the nose wheel of the aircraft is telescopically extendable or otherwise adjustable. This allows the invention to be adapted to different aircraft regardless of their wheel base and control the centre of gravity of the load being carried.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the front chock is defined as a recess in the housing of the invention, the recess defining a U-shape in plan view. A tine or fork is provided proximate the open portion of the U and is pivotally moveable relative to the housing.

It will be appreciated that the U defines a cavity, which acts as a receptacle for the nose wheel of the aircraft with which the invention is to be used, the tine controlling access to the cavity. The cavity may be opened by swinging the leading edge of the tine via a hinge to open the cavity. This allows the invention to be moved up to the nose wheel of the aircraft. When the leading edge of the front chock is closed, the wheel is trapped within the front chock.

The depth of the cavity of the front chock may be controlled by a bar or the like extending across the cavity. The bar may be moved manually along a rail structure or alternatively is linked to an electric drive mechanism manipulated via the handheld unit previously described. Adjusting the depth of the cavity allows the user to adjust the centre of gravity of the load being carried relative to the invention to ensure maximum stability.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the side chocks are formed from pairs of forks or tines. In some embodiments of the present invention, the chocks may be hinged or otherwise pivotable relative to their mounting point on the support frame. This allows them to be temporarily swung up or swung to the side when the invention is not in use, reducing its size for storage.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the forks of the side chocks are mounted to rails on the sides of the support frame and are slideably moveable along the rails. The forks may be moveable manually or by being linked to a driving means such as an electric motor operable by the handheld unit. Ways of configuring the support frame to allow the use of the present invention with helicopters or other types of objects (automobiles, pallets or the like) will be readily envisaged by persons skilled in the art.

The support frame is configured to rotate relative to the chassis. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the support frame includes a rotating means which engages with the chassis. However, this is not meant to be limiting and persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the chassis may include the rotating means to engage with the support frame.

The rotating means should be understood to mean a structure being configured to rotate about a vertical axis. This allows the object being carried by the invention to be rotated about 360°, effectively within its own footprint.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that this means the object being moved can be picked up, rotated to a desired orientation if necessary, then moved to the desired location using the chassis, which itself can be directed in any direction due to its wheel configuration, and lowered to the ground.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the rotating means may be a turntable platform or the like mounted to the upper surfaces of the chassis. In other embodiments, the rotating means is a circular bearing ring or track mounted to the underside of the support frame. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the rotating means are ball transfer units. The ball transfer units may be mounted to the chassis, the underside of the support frame or another bearing surface and positioned at various contact points between the chassis and support frame.

A ball transfer unit should be understood to be a spherical ball partially encapsulated within a housing such that the ball is omni-directional. This arrangement allows the support frame to move relative to the chassis.

In some embodiments, the rotating means is configured to be powered such that a user can move the support frame relative to the chassis via operation of the handheld unit. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that this can be achieved in a number of ways. For example, in preferred embodiments of the present invention the balls of the ball transfer units may be powered to drive in a direction selected by the user.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the rotating means interacts between the support frame and the chassis. However, this is not meant to be limiting and persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the rotating means may be part of an intermediate frame between the chassis and support frame.

The apparatus includes a raising means to allow the load to be carried to be lifted up and away from contact with the ground.

The raising means may be any suitably adapted device that engages with the load to be carried or with the support frame carrying the load to be carried.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the raising means is a scissor or screw jack mounted to the chassis and engaging with the support frame (or in some embodiments, the rotating means which in turn engages with the support frame). The jack may be operable via a torque handle. In these embodiments, a plurality of bottle jacks are provided to ensure a stable platform as the support frame is raised and lowered. The jacks should be understood to be linked by a common drive motor, such that they all move up and down at the same time.

However, this is not meant to be limiting, and the support frame may be raised or lowered using other types of raising means, such as hydro-pneumatic actuators or the like. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the forks, or the mounting points of the forks to the support frame, are moveable in a vertical direction while keeping the forks substantially parallel to the ground. This provides the raising means. The vertical movement of the forks may be dependent on the movement of the other forks or may be independent of each other.

Independent movement is preferred as it allows the height of each chock to be individually adjusted, a useful feature if the invention is being used over uneven ground. However, it will be appreciated that this may mean that each chock is provided with its own lift motor, and thus may add to the complexity of manufacture of the present invention. A person skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many ways in which the support frame or portions of the support frame can be raised and lowered relative to the chassis.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the side chocks are formed from an elongate rail to which the forks are slideably mounted, substantially perpendicular to the rail. The rail itself may be mounted to vertical tracks provided on the sides of the housing (in some embodiments of the invention, one or both of the forks may be slideably mounted to the vertical tracks rather than a rail).

Linked to a motor, it is the elongate rail that is being raised up and down the tracks of the housing, rather than the forks. This provides greater support and strength to the overall chock structure. The motor may be operable via the handheld unit. As discussed above, in preferred embodiments of the present invention, the handheld unit is operable on the raising means. This allows operation of the raising means to be achieved remotely rather than manually. Obviously, this will require the raising means to be linked to an electric motor or the like. Persons skilled in the art will readily appreciate how this is to be achieved In some embodiments of the present invention, the support frame may be provided with a lock pin or the like that engages with a complementary recess in the chassis such that the support frame can be locked to the chassis if so desired. This may be useful when the invention is travelling over uneven ground, and the weight of the object being carried may inadvertently cause undesired movement of the support frame. In the inventor's experience, aircraft can have differing centres of gravity depending on not only the type and size of the aircraft but also the load or cargo that may be carried by the aircraft.

Accordingly, in some embodiments of the present invention, the support frame may be moved forward or back on the chassis. This acts as an adjustment mechanism for the centre of gravity of the invention.

It is preferable to locate the centre of gravity of the invention with the balance point of the aircraft being carried. This maximises the stability of the aircraft when being moved by the invention.

Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that this adjustment mechanism can be achieved in a number of ways. For example, the rotating means may be provided with a rail or guide which co-operates with guide wheels provided on the support frame to act as the adjustment mechanism.

Alternatively, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the adjustment mechanism of the support frame may be a series of slots through which fasteners may pass.

Forward and rearwards movement of the support frame can be limited by a centre pivot shaft extending through the support frame from the chassis. This allows for the adjustment of the centre of gravity of the load being carried. The manipulation of the centre of gravity may also be achieved using the forks of the present invention. Being able to adjust the support frame relative to the chassis is a useful feature as it allows centre of gravity of the invention to be aligned with the balance point of the aircraft to be carried prior to lifting and carrying the aircraft.

The present invention is particularly advantageous when manoeuvring aircraft (fixed wing or otherwise) into or out of the hanger that already has a number of aircraft parked within.

The apparatus can be driven to and under the aircraft to be moved. The frame is raised using the bottle jacks (or whatever raising means has been fitted) until the aircraft is clear of the ground. The apparatus can then be driven forward. If necessary, the frame can be raised (or lowered) to clear any obstacles in the path of travel. These obstacles may be the wingtips or fuselages of other aircraft.

The vertical movement of the invention is entirely linear. There is no lateral movement. This means that there is less risk that parts of the aircraft will contact nearby objects.

Alternatively, the aircraft can be rotated using the rotating means to clear any obstacles which may be in the path of travel. For example, when entering an aircraft hangar, the aircraft could be rotated to present its smallest dimension to the hangar doors.

As persons skilled in the art will appreciate, the wing span (or in the case of helicopters, the main rotor blades) of most small aircraft is typically greater than the length of its fuselage. Having the ability to allow the aircraft enter the hangar side on means the width of the opening of the hangar doors need only approximate the length of the fuselage rather than its wingspan.

Once the destination has been reached, the rotating means can be used to orientate the support frame, and therefore the aircraft, to the desired orientation without having to further manipulate the drive wheels. The aircraft can then be lowered, the chocks cleared and the apparatus driven clear. This operation can all be achieved with a single person, in contrast to the several individuals that may be required to manhandle an aircraft from the hanger. The ability to rotate the aircraft within its own footprint is also useful, as this minimises the space necessary to move the aircraft. The invention may also allow for more aircraft to be stored within an individual hangar, as each aircraft can be positioned without having regard to having to allow for sufficient room to push or otherwise move adjacent aircraft around the hangar. Instead, each aircraft can be raised or lowered and moved forward (or backwards) as required.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Further aspects of the present invention will become apparent from the following description which is given by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates a perspective view of the exterior of one embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 2 illustrates a perspective view of the interior of the embodiment of the invention depicted in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 illustrates a second perspective view of the interior of the embodiment of the invention depicted in Figure 1 ;

Figure 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the present invention;

Figure 5 illustrates a top view of yet another alternative embodiment of the present invention; and

Figure 6 illustrates a second top view of the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5; Figure 7 illustrates a perspective view of the present invention in use. BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The exterior of one embodiment of the present invention (generally indicated by arrow 1 ) is illustrated in Figure 1. The invention includes a housing (2) configured with wheel chocks on the left and right (3) sides of the housing. These chocks (3) support the main wheels of the aircraft (not shown) when the invention is in use.

The nose wheel of the aircraft is accommodated by chocks (not shown) in the recess (4) provided at the front of the housing (2) of the present invention (1 ). Extending through the housing (2) is a centre pivot shaft (5). This limits the forward and rearwards movement of the housing (2) relative to the chassis (not shown)

Turning now to Figure 2, in which the housing (2) has been made transparent, it can be seen that the invention (1 ) also includes a chassis (6) in a substantially circular form.

The chassis (6) is provided with a pair of drive wheels (7) and secondary wheels (8 - only one secondary wheel can be seen in this view). The drive wheels (7) are driven by electric motors (9), while the secondary wheels (8) provide support for the chassis.

On the upper surface of the chassis (6), there are provided a number of raising means in the form of bottle jacks (10). The upper ends of the bottle jacks are fixed to a plate (not shown for sake of clarity) which in turn is connected to a bearing ring (11 ) mounted to the underside of the housing (2).

The bearing ring (11 ) allows the housing (2) of the invention (1 ) to be rotated relative to the chassis (6). The centre pivot shaft (5) ensures that the housing's (2) linear movement is limited. Figure 3 shows the underside of the present invention (1 ). In this view, it will be appreciated that as well as the pair of drive wheels (7), a pair of secondary wheels (8) are provided.

The secondary wheels (8) are castor wheels, and are able to rotate about a vertical axis, and thus essentially follow the direction of travel of the chassis.

The drive wheels (7) have a fixed vertical axis, and are driven by the electric motors (9). In this instance, each drive wheel has its own motor. This allows the drive wheels to be operated independently of each other.

The placement of the wheels on the chassis (6) is important for maximum stability. It will be appreciated that each wheel, driven or not, is located at 90^° about the circumference of the chassis (6). Depending on the load being carried, it is possible that additional castor wheels are provided.

The drive wheels (7) are in axial alignment. By operating one drive wheel such that it is driven forwards, and operating the other drive wheel so that it is driven backwards, the chassis, and therefore the present invention can rotate within its own footprint.

Also apparent in this view of the invention is that the housing (2) is a relatively complex form and includes the chocks (3) that support the aircraft being carried. These chocks (3) are hinged relative to the housing (2), such that they can be folded away when not in use.

Returning to Figure 2, a small motor (11 ) is provided for motorising the movement of the chocks. The chocks (3) includes a front bar (3a) which is moveable relative to the fixed rear bar (3b). This compensates for aircraft wheels of varying sizes..

An alternative embodiment of the invention is illustrated in Figure 4.

In this embodiment (12), the housing is simply a basic T-shaped frame (13) with chocks (14) on the points of the T. In this embodiment, the raising means is a scissor jack arrangement (15), linking the chassis (16) to the turntable (17) on which the frame (13) sits.

This embodiment is more cost effective to manufacture than the previous embodiment described due to the absence of a housing. Another embodiment ( 8) of the invention is illustrated in Figures 5 and 6. In contrast to previous embodiments described, this more complex embodiment is configured to allow independent vertical movement of the chocks (19, 20).

The chocks (19, 20) are arranged to the side (21 ) and front (22) of the housing (23) in a manner similar to that previously described. However, rather than the entire housing (23) being raised and lowered, only a portion of the housing, the chocks (19, 20), needs to be raised.

It will be noted that the side chocks (19) are formed from open pairs of forks (24, 25), with one end of at least one fork (25) being pivotally mounted to an elongate rail structure (26). The forks (24, 25) are configured to be able to move along this rail (26) to compensate for differing size aircraft wheels.

Being pivotally mounted to the rail, one or both forks are able to move from a closed state (substantially parallel to each other, the wheel of the aircraft being supported between the forks), as illustrated in Figure 5, or an open state as in Figure 6.

The elongate rail (26) is provided with a lift motor (27) to raise and lower the rail, and therefore the forks (24, 25) mounted to the rail.

The front chock (20), like the side chocks, is able to move vertically up and down as required. It too is provided with a pair of elongate rails (28), one for each side to which at least the front fork (29) is pivotally mounted. Like the front fork (29), the rear fork (30) of the front chock is configured to be slidably moveable along the rails (28) to adjust for differing size aircraft wheels.

The independent movement of the chocks (19, 20) is useful when the invention is being used over uneven ground, as it provides a means of ensuring the aircraft remains substantially horizontal and stable. In another difference from previous embodiments described, the turntable (not shown) is now in the form of a plurality of ball transfer units (not shown) arranged about the chassis (not shown) and engaging with the underside of the housing (23) (although other bearing surfaces may be used).

Linked to a motor (not shown) via a slipring (not shown), the turntable (not shown), and therefore housing (23) is able to be remotely controlled using the same remote control (not shown) that drives the main drive motors of the chassis (not shown).

Figure 7 illustrates how the invention (1 ) illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 supports an aircraft (18). Designed for use with aircraft having a tricycle undercarriage, the left and right chocks (3) support the main wheels (19) of the aircraft, while the nose wheel (20) is supported by the front chock (4).

The use of the rotating means allows the aircraft (18), when placed upon the invention (1 ) to be rotated about its own footprint. This rotational movement is independent of the movement that is achieved through the drive wheels (not shown) of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of example only and it should be appreciated that modifications and additions may be made thereto without departing from the scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

Claims

WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. An apparatus for moving a large stationery object, the apparatus including: a chassis, wherein the chassis is provided with a plurality of ground engaging wheels, and a motor, wherein the motor drives at least one ground engaging wheel, and a support frame configured to support the object to be moved, characterised in that the support frame includes a raising means to raise and lower the support frame relative to the chassis, and wherein the apparatus includes a rotating means configured to allow rotation of the support frame relative to the chassis.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support frame is linked to the chassis via the raising means.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the support frame includes a main body.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the raising means is configured to raise and lower a portion of the support frame relative to the main body of the support frame.

5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the support frame includes at least one chock.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the support frame includes at least three chocks.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the chocks are arranged about the support frame to correspond with the points of a T.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the chock is in the form of a pair of forks arranged in parallel.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the forks are configured to be moveable such that the space between the forks may be altered.

10. An apparatus as claimed in either claim 8 or 9, wherein one of the forks is pivotally moveable relative to the other fork.

11. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 10, wherein the chocks are provided with a lift motor.

12. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein at least one ground engaging wheel is a castor wheel.

13. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12 wherein the rotating means is a turntable.

14. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 wherein the rotating means includes a plurality of ball transfer units. 5. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 14 wherein the rotating means is powered by a motor.

16. An apparatus as claimed in claim 15 wherein the rotating means is linked to the motor via a slip ring.

17. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 16 wherein the motor for the ground engaging wheel is operable via a remote control.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 17 wherein the motor for the rotating means is operable via the remote control.

19. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18 wherein the support frame is a housing for the chassis.

20. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein the large stationary object is an aircraft.

21. An apparatus as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19 wherein the large stationary object is a helicopter.

22. A method of using an apparatus to move a large stationery object, wherein the apparatus includes a chassis wherein the chassis is provided with a plurality of ground engaging wheels, and a motor wherein the motor drives selected ground engaging wheels, and a support frame wherein the support frame is configured to support the object to be moved, characterised in that the support frame includes a raising means to raise and lower the support frame relative to the chassis, and wherein the apparatus includes a rotating means configured to allow rotation of the support frame relative to the chassis. the method characterised by the following steps: a) positioning the apparatus under the object to be moved; and b) actuating the raising means such that the support frame engages and raises the object to be raised off the ground; and c) operating the apparatus to move the object to a desired location; and d) if required, moving the object to be carried on the turntable relative to the chassis; and e) lowering the object to the ground once the desired location is reached.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the large stationary object is an aircraft.

24. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein the large stationary object is a helicopter.

25. An apparatus for moving a large stationery object substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying figures.

26. A method of using an apparatus to move a large stationery object substantially as herein described and with reference to the accompanying figures.