Machine for handling aircraft brake assemblies

Claim 1

In a device for removing or replacing aircraft brake assemblies elevated from the ground on an aircraft and to turn and lower same to ground level and vice versa: a. a wheeled frame having a pair of simultaneously movable clamp arms thereon extending forwardly on said frame whereby said frame may be wheeled adjacent the aircraft and the arms moved into position on the brake assembly thereon, b. clamp means on said frame comprising a respective clamp movably mounted on each respective clamp arm whereby each clamp is movable to turn from approximately horizontal to vertical position for the purpose of turning said brake assembly for removal or installation from the ground as for example in a protective container, c. means on said wheeled frame for elevating or lowering said clamp means for alignment with an elevated aircraft brake assembly and there being alignment means on said wheeled frame for aligning said clamps with the brake assembly after elevation, and means for selectively releasing said clamps, said clamps being movable on said respective arms from the approximate upright position to clamp a brake assembly while on the aircRaft and in approximate upright position, said arms being lowered with said clamped brake assembly therein to a position below the front of said wheeled frame and said clamps moved to approximate horizontal position to turn said brake assembly approximately horizontal for placing same at ground level as for example in a protective container, and said arms also being positionable to clamp a brake assembly on the ground as for example when in a protective container and raise it to aircraft installation level and turn it by moving said clamps to align the brake assembly on the aircraft, d. the clamp consists of a pair of arcuate clamp members, e. the means for elevating and lowering the clamp means consists of an elongated clamp frame member, f. said clamp members being pivotally mounted near the end of said clamp frame member, g. an actuating means for adjusting said clamp frame member, h. the mounting for said clamp arms on the frame is a common support pivotally attached to one end of the clamp frame member, i. said other end of the clamp frame member being near the front end of said wheeled frame and there being means for moving said end of said clamp frame member near the front end of said frame.