초록 ▼

An apparatus for moving parked aircraft with an omni-directional tractor via an aircraft lift dolly that is revolvably coupled thereto which includes a hinged gate to entrap the aircraft nose gear. The aircraft lift dolly may be removably detachably coupled to the omni-directional tractor or may be

An apparatus for moving parked aircraft with an omni-directional tractor via an aircraft lift dolly that is revolvably coupled thereto which includes a hinged gate to entrap the aircraft nose gear. The aircraft lift dolly may be removably detachably coupled to the omni-directional tractor or may be integral to it through two attachment points via attachment members. The aircraft lift dolly includes a lift mechanism having a lift carriage which is selectively elevated. The lift carriage includes a fixed forward chock and a rear chock that it repositioned longitudinally with respect to the forward chock and is hingedly coupled. The chocks are positioned about the aircraft nose gear without movement of the aircraft. Elevating the lift cradle elevates the chocks and the nose gear cradled therebetween.

대표청구항 ▼

1. An aircraft transport dolly (100) for detachable connection with an omni-directional vehicle (8), said omni-directional vehicle (8) having first and second independently powered drive wheels (12R, 12L) rotatably disposed along a horizontal axis (18) and designed and arranged to revolve 360 degree

1. An aircraft transport dolly (100) for detachable connection with an omni-directional vehicle (8), said omni-directional vehicle (8) having first and second independently powered drive wheels (12R, 12L) rotatably disposed along a horizontal axis (18) and designed and arranged to revolve 360 degrees about a central vertical axis (16) which intersects said horizontal axis (18) between said first and second drive wheels (12R, 12L), said omni-directional vehicle (8) having a ring (9) encircling said omni-directional vehicle (8) and revolvably coupled thereto by a plurality of engaging elements (44, 46, 47), said omni-directional vehicle (8) having at least one attachment member (70R, 70L)) affixed to said ring (9),said dolly (100) comprising:a frame (101) having front and rear ends (102, 104) and defining a frame longitudinal axis (105) intersecting said front and rear ends (102, 104);at least one wheel (110R, 110L) rotatively coupled to said frame (101) for supporting at least a portion of the weight of said frame (101);at least one complementary attachment member (74R, 74L) attachable to said at least one attachment member affixed to said ring of said omni-directional vehicle, said at least one complementary attachment member positioned at said frame (101) at said front end and adapted to contact said omni-directional vehicle (8) at two points separately and equally laterally distant from said frame longitudinal axis (105) of the dolly (100);a lift carriage (202) vertically movably connected to a rear portion of said frame (101);a lift actuator (208R) coupled between said lift carriage (202) and said frame (101) for selectively raising and lowering the elevation of said lift carriage (202) with respect to said frame (101);a first arm (210R) carried by said lift carriage (202);a second arm (210L) carried by said lift carriage (202);a first chock (230) carried by said lift carriage (202); anda second chock (232) hingedly coupled to said first arm (210R) and detachably coupled to said second arm (210L);whereby said first chock (230) and said second chock (232R) may be selectively disposed on opposite sides of an aircraft nose gear (900) and said lift carriage (202) may be raised, elevating said first and second chocks (230, 232R) and said nose gear (900). 2. The dolly (100) of claim 1 wherein: said first arm (210R) defines a first arm longitudinal axis and is disposed such that said first arm longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to said frame longitudinal axis (105);said second arm (210L) defines a second arm longitudinal axis and is disposed such that said second arm longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to said frame longitudinal axis (105); andsaid second chock (232) arranged to move in a direction substantially parallel to said frame longitudinal axis (105) with respect to said first arm (210R). 3. The dolly (100) of claim 2 further comprising said first arm (210R) horizontally moveable substantially transversely to said frame longitudinal axis (105) with respect to said lift carriage (202). 4. The dolly (100) of claim 1 further comprising: a first chock actuator (234R) coupled between said second chock (232) and said first arm (210R) for selectively moving said second chock (232). 5. The dolly (100) of claim 4 further comprising: a first arm actuator (212R) coupled between said first arm (210R) and said lift carriage (202) for selectively moving said first arm (210R) with respect to said lift carriage (202);a horizontally-oriented rail (220) carried by said lift carriage (202), said first arm (210R) horizontally movably carried by said rail (220);said second arm (210L) horizontally moveable substantially transversely to said frame longitudinal axis (105) with respect to said lift carriage (202); anda second arm actuator (212L) coupled between said second arm (210L) and said lift carriage (202) for selectively moving said second arm (210L) with respect to said lift carriage (202). 6. The dolly (100) of claim 1 wherein: said frame (101) includes a rail (130R) oriented longitudinally with respect to said frame longitudinal axis (105) and disposed between said front end (102) and said rear end (104), said rear end (104) selectively longitudinally telescopically movable with respect to said front end (102) along said rail (130R). 7. The dolly (100) of claim 1 wherein: said each complementary attachment member (74R, 74L)is arranged to uncouple from each said attachment member (70R, 70L) when said front portion of said frame (101) is elevated with respect to said tractor (8); andsaid dolly (100) further includes a dolly handling mechanism (118) coupled to said front portion of said frame (101) and arranged to lift said front portion of said frame (101) for uncoupling said dolly (100) from said tractor (8). 8. The dolly (100) of claim 7 wherein: said dolly handling mechanism (118) includes a handling wheel (120R) oriented perpendicularly to said frame longitudinal axis (105), whereby said handling wheel (120R) can be lowered with respect to said frame (101) to raise said at least one wheel (110R, 110L) to allow said dolly (100) to be moved in a direction perpendicular to said frame longitudinal axis (105). 9. An aircraft transport dolly (100) for use with a vehicle, comprising: a frame (101) having front and rear ends (102, 104) and defining a frame longitudinal axis (105) intersecting said front and rear ends (102, 104);two attachment members (74R, 74L) positioned at said front end of said frame separately and equally laterally distant from said frame longitudinal axis (105) said two attachment members (74R, 74L) adapted to couple to said vehicle;a plurality of wheels (110R, 110L) at said rear end (104) rotatively coupled to said frame (101) for supporting a portion of the weight of the vehicle (10);a lift carriage (202) vertically movably connected to a rear portion of said frame (101);a lift actuator (208R) coupled between said lift carriage (202) and said frame (101) for selectively raising and lowering the elevation of said lift carriage (202) with respect to said frame (101);a first arm (210R);a second arm (210L);a first chock (230) carried by said lift carriage (202); anda second chock (232)hingedly(232) hingedly coupled to said first arm (210R) and detachably coupled to said second arm (210L) whereby said first chock (230) and said second chock (232R) may be disposed on opposite sides of an aircraft nose gear (900) and said lift carriage (202) may be raised, elevating said first and second chocks (230, 232R) and said nose gear (900). 10. The dolly (100) of claim 9 wherein: said first arm (210R) defines a first arm longitudinal axis and is disposed such that said first arm longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to said frame longitudinal axis (105); andsaid second chock (232R arranged to move in a direction substantially parallel to said frame longitudinal axis (105) with respect to said first arm (210R). 11. The dolly (100) of claim 10 wherein: said first arm (210R) horizontally moveable substantially transversely to said frame longitudinal axis (105) with respect to said lift carriage (202). 12. The dolly (100) of claim 9 further comprising: a first chock actuator (234R) coupled between said second chock (232R) and said first arm (210R) for selectively moving said second chock (232R). 13. The dolly (100) of claim 12 further comprising: a first arm actuator (212R) coupled between said first arm (210R) and said lift carriage (202) for selectively moving said first arm (210R) with respect to said lift carriage (202);a horizontally-oriented rail (220) carried by said lift carriage (202), said first arm (210R) horizontally movably carried by said rail (220). 14. The dolly (100) of claim 9 wherein: said frame (101) includes a rail (130R) oriented longitudinally with respect to said frame longitudinal axis (105) and disposed between said front end (102) and said rear end (104), said rear end (104) selectively longitudinally telescopically movable with respect to said front end (102) along said rail (130R). 15. The vehicle (10) of claim 9 wherein: first and second of said plurality of wheels (12R, 12L) are independently powered drive wheels disposed about a common horizontal axis (18) that bisects a vertical axis (16), said first and second of said plurality of wheels (12R, 12L) arranged to revolve 360 degrees about said vertical axis (16) with respect to said lift carriage (202). 16. The vehicle of (10) claim 9 wherein: a front portion of said vehicle (10) is selectively disconnectable from said rear portion; andsaid front portion defines a tractor (8), said tractor (8) having two attachment members (70R, 70L), said each of said attachment members attachable to said complementary attachment members (74R, 74L). 17. A service vehicle (10) including an omni-directional vehicle (8) characterized by having first and second independently powered drive wheels (12R, 12L) rotatably disposed along a horizontal axis (18) and designed and arranged to revolve 360 degrees about a central vertical axis (16) which intersects said horizontal axis (18) between said first and second drive wheels (12R, 12L), the improvement comprising: an aircraft transport dolly (100) having a frame (101), said frame (101) including at least one wheel (110R, 110L) rotatively coupled to said frame (101) for supporting at least a portion of the weight of the frame (101); said frame having a front end (102) revolvably connected to said omni-directional vehicle (8) at two separate points, and a rear end (104) having and least one dolly wheel (110R, 110L) and carrying an aircraft lift mechanism (200) designed and arranged for receiving a nose gear (900) of an aircraft and selectively elevating said nose gear (900) with respect to said service vehicle (10), said aircraft lift mechanism having a lift carriage and having a first arm, said lift carriage (202) vertically movably connected to a rear portion of said frame (101) and includes a first chock (230) carried by said lift carriage (202), a second chock (232R) hingedly coupled to a first arm (210R) and detachably coupled to a second arm (210L), and a first chock actuator (234R) coupled between said second chock (232) and said first arm (210R) for selectively moving said second chock (232);said dolly (100) defining a frame longitudinal axis (105) intersecting said front and rear ends (102, 104);whereby said first chock (230) and said second chock (232R) may be disposed on opposite sides of said aircraft nose gear (900) and said lift carriage (202) may be raised, elevating said first and second chocks (230, 232R) and said nose gear (900). 18. The vehicle (10) of claim 17 wherein: said first arm (210R) defines a first arm longitudinal axis and is disposed such that said first arm longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to said frame longitudinal axis (105);and said second chock (232R) is arranged to move in a direction substantially parallel to said frame longitudinal axis (105) with respect to said first arm (210R). 19. The vehicle (10) of claim 18 wherein: said first arm (210R) is arranged to move substantially transversely to said frame longitudinal axis (105) with respect to said lift carriage (202). 20. The vehicle (10) of claim 17 further comprising: said second arm (210L) horizontally movably carried by said lift carriage (202);a second arm actuator (212L) coupled between said second arm (210L) and said lift carriage (202) for selectively moving said second arm (210L) with respect to said lift carriage (202);a third chock (232L) movably carried by said second arm (210L); anda second chock actuator (234L) coupled between said third chock (232L) and said second arm (210L) for selectively moving said third chock (232L);whereby said first chock (230) may be disposed on a forward side of said aircraft nose gear (900), said second chock (232) may be disposed on the aft side of said aircraft nose gear (900), cradling said aircraft nose gear (900) between said first chock (230) and said second chock (232), and said lift carriage (202) may be raised, elevating said first and second chocks (230, 232) and said nose gear (900).