Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Process and apparatus for maneuvering especially
a landed helicopter
.
D e s c r i D t i O n ;
The invention relates to a process for m~neuvering especi~ a
landed helicopter according to the generic part of claim 1.
Furthermore, the invention r~lates to d ~orresponding apparatus
according to the generic part of claim 2.
s
An apparatus for maneuvering a helicopter ~hicll has landed on a
platform is kno~n from European Patent No. O 518 405 Al. This
apparatus is provided wlth four transverse running gears and
t~o transverse gu~des spaced apart from one another. The ~wo
o respective transverse running gears located at the same side
are connected to one another by a longitudinal crosspiece. On
each longitudinal crosspiece there are arr~nged gripping means
which grip the landed helicopter at predetermined places of
both of its sides. The two longitudinal crosspieces are
connected to ~he transverse running gedrs in an articulated
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manner and are extendible in a teles~opic manner. As a r~sult,
it i5 possible to align the longitudinal crosspiece obliquely
relative to the longitudinal di rçct i on to be ab 1 e to gri p an
obliquely landed hel;copter. The longitudinal crosspieces and'
the gripping means are liftable for lifting thç wheels of the
main landing gear of the helicopter. As a result, it is ensured
that the no~-steerable wheels of the main landing gear do not
scrub on the platform during the traverse.
The known apparatus hds the disadvantage that it requires two
transverse guides and four in~ependently controllable
trans~erse runnlng gears with separate drives. Since the four
transverse running gears have to operate in coordination, d
great expenditure in terms of technical oontrol is requi~ed.
,~ Moreover, the longitudinal crosspieces must be provided with
lift;ng means which are suitable for lifting the entire
helicopter.
Therefore, the invention is based on the object to create a,
20 simple method for maneuvering preferably helicopters, and an
apparat~s of the generiç type ~h;ch has a simple and cost-
effective configuration and is easy to handle.
A process for attaining this object has the features of cla;m
2s 1 . As a result of the helIcopters ~eing p~shed onto runnlng
gears, the manipulators need not be configured for lifting the
helicopter. Furthermore, additional securing means which hold
the hel icopter on the running gea~s during the traverse become
unnecessary because the manipulators also take over this task
,0 and, consequently, fulfill m41tiple funet;ons
An apparatus for attaining the object of the inven~ion has the
features of claim 1, accordlng to which the apparatus only
needs to be provided wlth t~o transverse runnlng gears with one
3~ transverse guide. This simple configuration of the apparatus
allo~s a cost-effective production thereof. Apart from that,
the traverse of ~nly two transverse running gears is easier to
coordinate.
~,r~c
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Each transvers~ running gear is provided with a manipulator
~hich may be conf;gured in the kno~n manner and especially
operates accord;ng to the telescope principle or the
articulated-arm principle.
~he manipulators are only required to operate at low
penformance because they only need to displace and secure the
respective helicapter. Lifting the helicopter, on the other
hand, is not required ~ecause supporting surfaces are arranged
on the running gears onto which the wheels of the m~in landing
gear of the helicopter are pushed by the man;pulators, and on
which the wheels rest during the traverse of the helicopter by
the transvers~ ~unning gëars, the wheels being secured against
displacement by the manipulators.
~g
~xpedjent embod1ments of the invention result fro~ subclaims 3
to 12.
Preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained in
more detail hereinbelow with refenence to the drawings. In
these:
Fig. 1 sho~s a perspective view of an apparatus for
maneuvering a helicopter ~hich has landed on a
pl atform,
Figs
2 to 7 show a plan view of individ~al successive steps during
the maneuvering of the helicopter,
Fig. 8 shows a front vlew and partial sectional vie~ of a
gripping means of a manipulator engaged with a wheel
hub of the helicopter,
Fig. 9 shows a plan view of a longitudinal running gear, and
Fig. 10 shows a perspective vie~ of a sec~nd embodiment of a
transverse guide.
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rhe apparatus shown here is situated on board of a ship which
is only partly shown in Fig. 1. A part of the deck of the shlp
~erves as a platfor~ 2 for the landi~g of the helicopter 1.
Furthermore, two hangars 3 for accommodating helicopters 1 are
prov;ded in the shown embodiment. Uow~ver, the apparatus may
also ser~e for accommodating helicopters in only one hangar 3
or ;n more than two hangars 3.
The shown apparatus serves for maneuvering a helicopter
~o landed on a platfo~m 2. The object, in particular, is to move a
respective landed helicopter 1 into a corresponding hangdr 3
and, if required, back out of said hang~r.
The apparatus shown hene ls provided with two longitudinal
" guides 21 which extend in the longitudinal diroction of the
ship and each 1ead into a d;fferent hangar 3. The ends of the
two longitud~na~ guides 21 pointing out of the hangar 3 are
assigned a common transverse guide 11 whioh e~tends
transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ship. One
zo single transverse guide thus serves both longitudinal guides
21. The transver5e guide 11 i5 provided with two transverse
r~nn;ng gears 10. A displaçeable longitudinal running gear ~0
is arranged alang each longitudinal gujde Zl. However, the
Figures only show the longitudinal running gear 20 of a
25 longit~dinal guide ~1.
One manipulator 12 is arranged, specifically stationarily, on
each transverse running gear 10. Each man;puldtor lZ i5
provided with a movable gripping means 13 by means of which d
30 helicopter can be grasped on its two longitudinal sides. Since
a helicopter cannot land precisely on a predeterlnined spot the
gripping mean~ 13 are horizontally and longitudinally
displaceable on each manipulator 12 about a cert~in l~ngth.
This length corresponds to at least twice the radius of the
3~ wheels 5 of the ~ain landing gear of the helicopter 1. On each
transverse landing gear 10 are arranged s~pporting surfaees 16
onto which the wheels 5 of the main landing gear of the
helicopter l can be mo~ed, preferably pushed, by the
man;pulator 12.
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Fig. 1 shows an apparatus in which the transverse guide 11 i5
stationarily arranged on the platform 2. Alternatively, the
trans~erse guide ~1 of the transverse running gear 10 may also
be a~ranged on the platform Z so as to be longitudinally
s displaceable, as shown in fig. 10. The longitudinal guides 21
may also be used for this purpose. Oue to the longitudinal
displaceability of the transverse guide 11 and a simultaneo~s
use of manipulators lZ with a great telescopic or lifting range
it is also possible to use the apparatus for maneuv~rin3
~o helieopters 1 for other purposes, e.g. for transport;ng loads.
Fig. 8 sho~s that the gripping ~eans 13 arranged on each
manipulator 12 is provited with a coupling bushing 14 which can
be engaged with a coupling head 26 arranged on a wheel hub of
the main landing gear of the helicopter 1. A cylinder 17 which
can be subjected to a pressure ~edium serves for lo~king the
coupling head 26 with the coupling bushing 14. A s~nsor 15 is
arranged on each coupling bushing 14 which controls the
coupling process, especially determines the end of the coupling
20 proçess As a result, it is possible to ;ndependently stop the
lateral advance Or the transverse running gears 10 towards the
helicopter 1 with a corresp~nding control. Furthermore, the
locking of the coupling bushing 14 with the coupling head 26
can be auto~ated by means of the cyl; nder.
~7~
The respective longitudinal running gear 20 is provided with
support~ng surfaces 23 for the wheels 5 and with supporting
surfaces 22 for the wheels ~ of the nose landing gear of the
he1icopter 1. Furthermore, the longit~dinal running gear 20 is
30 provided with a grid 24 with hotes. ~elicopters 1 which are
usually equipped ~ith gripping devices (so-called harpoons) can
be arrested on the longitudinal runn;ng gear 20 by means ~f
this grid 24, specifically at different positions.
9~ Fig. 9 shows the longitudinal running gear 20. this
longitudinal ~unning gear is designed in such a ~anner that the
supporttng surfaces 2~ of the ~heels 4 of the nose landing gear
are longitudinally displaceable relative to the supporting
surfaces ~3 of the wheels 5 of the main landing gear (Fig. 1~.
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As a result, the longitudinal running gear can be quickly and
edsily adapted to the dif~erent wheelbases of the different
t~pes of helicupters.
From a constructive point of view the solution provides that
the supporting surfaces 23 for the ~heels 5 of the main landing
gear are fixedly attached to a travers;ng cable extending in a
longitudina~ guide, whereas the s~pporting surface 22 for ~he
~heels of the nose landing gear is clampable to any place of
the traversing cable extending in the long;tud;nal guide Z1 if
required, specific~l1y when a corresponding distance between
the supporting su~faces 22 and the supporting surfaces 23 i 5
formed Instead of a traversing cable other pulling members may
be used, e.g. chains o~ rods.
1~
figs 2 to 7 show individual steps during the maneuvering of the
helicopter 1. f~rthermore, the broad arrows lndicate the
~ovement of the helicopter 1, whereas the narrow arrows clarify
the adjustment of the trans~erse running gears lO.
~o
The maneuvering of a helicopter 1 with the apparatus takes
place in the following manner-
Fig. 2 shows a hellcopter immediately after landing. ~or2~ secùring the helic~pter 1, it is anchored with its harpoon on a
grid (not shown in the Figure) arranged on the p~atform 2. Due
to the movement of the shlp and the influence of the wind, the
heli~opter 1 according to the representat;on does normally not
land exactly in the direction of the longitudinal running ~ears
~o Z1 (Fig. 1) extending in the direction of the longitudinal dXi5
of the ship~ In case of a great angular deviation, the
helicopter 1 is rotated with its tail rotor about its an~hored
hdrp~on until it is roughly aligned in the longitudinal
direction. Afterwards, the harpoon o~ the hellcopter 1 is
3- released because the helicopter is now secured by the
manipulators 12 or the gripping means 13 of the transverse
running gears 10.
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As shown in fig. 3, the helicopter l ;s now rctated such that
its longitudinal direction is parallel to the direction of the
longitudinal guide 21 (Fig. 1). To this ~nd the gripping ~eans
13 of the adiusted uppçr transverse running gear 10 is
extended, whereas the gripp;ng means 13 of the lower transverse
runn;ng gear 10 is retracted. During the rotation of the
helicopter 1, the wheels 4 of the nos~ landing gear are
situated in a trans~erse position.
According to F;g. 4, the helicopter 1 is displaced in the
longitudinal direc~ion such that the wheels 5 of the main
landing gear o~ the helicopter 1 st~nd on the supporting
surfaces 16 o~ the transverse running gears 10 (Fig. 1).
According to the invention, the wheels 5 of the main landing
gear of the helicopter 1 are pushed onto the supporting
surfaces 16 of the transverse running gears 10 for this
purpose. The manipulators lZ serve for this purpose by
correspondingly displacing, esp~cially retract;ng, the gripping
~eans 13 of the manipulators 12. The position assumed in this
20 manner is shown in Fig. 5. When the wheels 5 of the main
landing gear of the helicopter 1 are pushed onto the supporting
surfaces 16 of the trans~erse running gears 10, the wheels 4 of
the nose landing gear are al;yned in the longitudinal
direttion.
2~
After the wheels 4 of the nose landing gear have again been
transversely aligned, the helicopter 1 is displaced in the
transv~rse direction until its longitudinal axis is aligned
with the longitudinal axis of one of the two longitudinal
30 guides ~1 (Fig. 1). This transverse displacement of the
helicopter is carried out by traversing both transverse running
gears 10 on the transverse guide 11. The helicopter 1 is
secured on the transverse running gears 10, especially on the
suppo~ting surfaces 16 thereof by the manipulators 12 and their
95 gripping means 13.
After the displace~ent of the helicopter 1 in the transverse
direction, the helicopter 1 is pushed onto the previously
cor~espondingly posit;oned longitudin~l running gear 20 after
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the ~heels ~ of the n~se landing gear have been adjuste~ in the
straight direction by means of the two manipulators 12 or
gripping means 13 of the transverse running gears 1~. This
position is shown in Fig. 6.
A~ter the helicopter 1 has been pushed onto the longitudinal
runn;ng gear 20, the wheels 4 of the nose landiny gear stand on
the supporting surface 22 of the longitudinal runn;ng gear 20,
and the wheels 5 of the main landing gear stand on the
supporting surfaces ~3 of the longitudinal running gear 20
(Fig. l) After~ards, the harpoon i5 anchored in the grid 24 to
secure the helicopt~r I on the longitudinal runn;ng gear 20.
Finally, as shown in Fig. 7, the gripping means 13 ~re released
from the helicopter 1 and the transverse running gears 10 are
moved ;nto their starting position. furthermore, the tail p~rt
of the helicopter 1 is folded to enable the accommodation of
the helicopter in the hangar 3. Afterwards, the longitudinal
running gear 20 moves the helicopter 1 which stands on the
2c supporting surfaces 22 and 23 of said longitudinal running ~ea~
20 a~ong said longitudinal guide Z1 into th~ hangar into which
the corresponding longitud;nal guide 21 leads.
For starting t~e helicopte~, it is moved out of the hangar 3
zs back onto the platform 2 by the longitudinal running gear 20.
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