Aeronautics and astronautics – Aircraft structure – Passenger or cargo loading or discharging
Patent
1988-03-08
1991-09-10
Barefoot, Galen
Aeronautics and astronautics
Aircraft structure
Passenger or cargo loading or discharging
198250, 198841, 414527, 414515, B64D 900
Patent
active
050466909
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a device for moving goods in the cargo space of an aircraft, comprising a transport path which is substantially parallel to the floor of the cargo space and on which the goods is to be placed, and a drive assembly for driving the transport path forwards and backwards.
Many transports in and between different countries are today carried out by air, which means that substantial quantities of goods and luggage are loaded and unloaded every day from the cargo spaces of aircraft. In large aircraft, such as jumbo jets and DC 10s, this is no major problem since these have large cargo spaces and the goods can be loaded and unloaded from the aircraft by means of roller conveyors. In smaller aircraft typically having cargo spaces of a length of about 3-5 m and a height of about 1 m, loading and unloading of goods is a problem to which no satisfactory solution has yet been suggested. In these types of aircraft, loading is carried out manually in that the personnel climb into the cargo space and receive the goods through the entrance opening and move it into the cargo space where it is piled up. This is most unsatisfactory from working environment aspects. The working space is confined, work is heavy and involves turning and twisting of the body. When the weather is cold, the loading personnel will have to choose a suitable outfit, bearing in mind that heavy clothes are embarrassing when loading and unloading. Further, this loading technique is time- and labour-consuming.
Thus, it would be desirable to have access to a mechanical device capable of carrying out this heavy work and of shortening the time required for the loading operations. Such a device is however difficult to design since there are many requirements and regulations to be complied with. For instance, the device must not be heavy, because each additional kilo will raise fuel costs, but yet should be so stable and sturdy that it can handle heavy goods, such as newspapers. Further, the walls and the floor of the cargo space should be easily accessible for inspection. Finally, it is also of importance that the device be so designed that the goods cannot slip underneath or beside the device and make a hole in the floor or the walls.
For transporting goods on trucks, it is known from U.S. Pat. specification No. 4,345,869 to use a technique for moving the goods in the cargo space of the truck which involves a conventional motor-powered endless conveyor which is arranged in a recess in the floor of the cargo space and the length of which can be shortened and extended by means of flaps that can be folded over or removed from the conveyor. During transport, the goods is piled on that part of the floor of the cargo space which is not occupied by the conveyor and on the flaps folded over the conveyor During transport, the conveyor is thus not supporting any cargo.
This technique is however not applicable to aircraft since it is not possible to mount a conveyor in a recess in the floor of the aircraft fuselage and since a conventional conveyor is far too heavy to comply with current weight specifications for airline transports.
The object of the present invention thus is to provide a device for moving goods in the cargo space of an aircraft, which improves the working environment for the personnel charged with the loading and unloading of goods, and which shortens the time required for the loading and unloading operations while fully complying with all requirements and safety regulations on aircraft equipment. According to the invention, this object is achieved by means of a device of the type stated in the introduction to this specification, which is characterized in that it comprises a wall extending vertically transversely of the cargo space and serving as a stop for the goods placed on the transport path, said wall being connected to the transport path and movable together therewith between one end position adjacent the opening of the cargo space through which the goods is loaded and unloaded, and another end position at a far e
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