Patent US3885685A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3885685A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Transportable loader for aircraft
Assignee: Boeing Co
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Filing: 1974-01-17
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Granted: 1975-05-27
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Expires: 1994-01-17
Abstract
Abstract A transportable loader that is collapsible into a compact configuration suitable for storage and transportation beneath the cargo deck of an aircraft is disclosed. When expanded to its operative configuration, the loader provides an elevator mechanism attached to and counterbalanced by the aircraft. The elevator mechanism is suitable for raising and lowering large loads between ground level and the cargo deck of the aircraft, or any intermediate point therebetween.
Inventors
- 👤 Howard W Montgomery
- 👤 Charles R Stanley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:58
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64D; B64D9/00; B64C; B64C1/00; B64C1/22; B64F; B64F1/00; B64F1/32; B64F1/322
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
316 words
A collapsible transportable loader for raising and lowering cargo between the cargo deck of a nose-loading cargo aircraft having a nose wheel structure located rearwardly of a nose access opening allowing access to the cargo deck of the aircraft and some other predetermined level, said collapsible transportable loader comprising: a horizontal support member; first attachment means located at one end of said horizontal support member and suitable for attaching said horizontal support member to the nose wheel structure of a nose-loading cargo aircraft; a vertical support member rotatably attached to the end of said horizontal support member opposite to the end associated with said first attachment means; second attachment means for attaching the upper end of said vertical support member to the bulkhead of said nose-loading cargo aircraft in the region generally defined by the nose access opening; collapsing means associated with said horizontal and vertical support members for rotating said horizontal and vertical support members with respect to one another between a position whereat said vertical support member lies in a plane parallel to said horizontal support member and a position whereat said vertical support member lies at a right angle with respect to said horizontal support member; an elevator platform suitable for supporting cargo; elevator means associated with said vertical support member and said elevator platform for raising and lowering said elevator platform between the level of said cargo deck of said noseloading cargo aircraft and some other level; and, third attachment means for rotatably attaching said elevator platform to said elevator means on the side of said vertical support member opposite to said horizontal support member and in a manner such that said elevator platform is rotatable between a position whereat said elevator platform lies in a plane parallel to said vertical support member and a position whereat said elevator platform lies at a right angle with respect to said vertical support member.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
316 words
A collapsible transportable loader for raising and lowering cargo between the cargo deck of a nose-loading cargo aircraft having a nose wheel structure located rearwardly of a nose access opening allowing access to the cargo deck of the aircraft and some other predetermined level, said collapsible transportable loader comprising: a horizontal support member; first attachment means located at one end of said horizontal support member and suitable for attaching said horizontal support member to the nose wheel structure of a nose-loading cargo aircraft; a vertical support member rotatably attached to the end of said horizontal support member opposite to the end associated with said first attachment means; second attachment means for attaching the upper end of said vertical support member to the bulkhead of said nose-loading cargo aircraft in the region generally defined by the nose access opening; collapsing means associated with said horizontal and vertical support members for rotating said horizontal and vertical support members with respect to one another between a position whereat said vertical support member lies in a plane parallel to said horizontal support member and a position whereat said vertical support member lies at a right angle with respect to said horizontal support member; an elevator platform suitable for supporting cargo; elevator means associated with said vertical support member and said elevator platform for raising and lowering said elevator platform between the level of said cargo deck of said noseloading cargo aircraft and some other level; and, third attachment means for rotatably attaching said elevator platform to said elevator means on the side of said vertical support member opposite to said horizontal support member and in a manner such that said elevator platform is rotatable between a position whereat said elevator platform lies in a plane parallel to said vertical support member and a position whereat said elevator platform lies at a right angle with respect to said vertical support member.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
74 words
A collapsible transportable loader as claimed in claim 1, whereIn said elevator means comprises: a vertical carriage; a first elevator mechanism attached to said vertical support member and to said vertical carriage for raising and lowering said vertical carriage with respect to said vertical support member; and, a second elevator mechanism attached to said elevator platform and to said vertical carriage for raising and lowering said elevator platform with respect to said vertical carriage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
61 words
A collapsible transportable loader as claimed in claim 2, wherein said third attachment means comprises a hinge for attaching a corner of said elevator platform to said vertical carriage in a rotatable manner and an attachment mechanism located beneath said hinge for attaching said elevator platform to said vertical carriage so as to maintain said elevator platform in a horizontal plane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
32 words
A collapsible transportable loader as claimed in claim 3, including wheel means attached to said collapsible transportable loader to allow said collapsible transportable loader to be easily manually moved between predetermined positions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
142 words
A collapsible transportable loader as claimed in claim 4, wherein said wheel means comprises: a first pair of raisable and lowerable wheel means attached to the end of said horizontal support member remote from the end about which said vertical and horizontal support members rotate; and, a second pair of raisable and lowerable wheel means attached to the lower end of said vertical support member, said second pair of raisable and lowerable wheel means including a pair of wheels and lowering and raising means for rotating said pair of wheels with respect to said vertical support members between two positions, one of said positions being a position wherein said pair of wheels allow said loader to be easily maneuvered and the other of said positions being a position wherein said pair of wheels do not allow said loader to be easily maneuvered.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
A collapsible transportable loader as claimed in claim 5, including conveyor means located on the upper surface of said elevator platform and further including guiding means for guiding said cargo toward the center of said elevator platform.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
34 words
A collapsible transportable loader as claimed in claim 6, wherein said conveyor means comprises an array of roller elements and wherein said guiding means comprises rails located along two opposing sides of said platform.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
32 words
A collapsible transportable loader as claimed in claim 1, including wheel means attached to said collapsible transportable loader to allow said collapsible transportable loader to be easily manually moved between predetermined positions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
142 words
A collapsible transportable loader as claimed in claim 8, wherein said wheel means comprises: a first pair of raisable and lowerable wheel means attached to the end of said horizontal support member remote from the end about which said vertical and horizontal support members rotate; and, a second pair of raisable and lowerable wheel means attached to the lower end of said vertical support member, said second pair of raisable and lowerable wheel means including a pair of wheels and lowering and raising means for rotating said pair of wheels with respect to said vertical support members between two positions, one of said positions being a position wherein said pair of wheels allow said loader to be easily maneuvered and the other of said positions being a position wherein said pair of wheels do not allow said loader to be easily maneuvered.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-05-26 | 1978-11-25 | 1979-05-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-05-26 | 1982-11-25 | 1983-05-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-05-26 | 1986-11-25 | 1987-05-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |