Vehicle for moving aircraft

Claim 1

A parking carriage for lifting and conveying fixed wing aircraft in a generally lateral direction comprising: a carriage chassis including a frame for supporting and conveying an airplane; a first set of wheels including a pair of steerable wheels and at least one powered wheel mounted from the carriage chassis frame and deployed to support and convey the carriage chassis relative to a second set of wheels; the second set of wheels deployed generally at an angle to the first set of wheels and used to maneuver the carriage chassis to address landing gear of an airplane of interest, the second set of wheels being mounted from the carriage chassis frame and arranged to alternatively support and convey the carriage frame in lieu of the first set of wheels when the second set of wheels is deployed in a supporting position; mechanized steering means connected to the pair of steerable wheels for steering the carriage chassis when supported by the first set of wheels; mechanized wheel deployed means using a single operating means for modulating the relative vertical position of the first and second sets of wheels to automatically change carriage chassis support between the first and second set of wheels; load lifting means comprising a pair of vertically pivoting hook means, one located on either side of and associated with the carriage chassis, the hook means engaging and vertically displacing desired spaced portions of the landing gear of an airplane of interest, the hook means further raising and lowering the airplane of interest thereby shifting support of the airplane of interest between the landing gear and the carriage chassis; power-operated mechanical means for operating each of the mechanized; and control means for controlling the power operating mechanical means.