AIRCRAFT ARRESTING BARRIER

• US 3,810,595 A
• Filed: 12/05/1972
• Issued: 05/14/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald B. Doolittle
• Original Assignee: Donald B. Doolittle
• Inventors: Doolittle, Donald B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Buchler, Milton
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sauberer, Paul E.
• Application Number:
  US05/312,254
• Time in Patent Office: 525 Days
• Field of Search: 244/11R,11A,11C,11E,11F,63
• US Class Current: 244/110.00C
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/027 using net or mesh

Abstract

An array of open loops having a maximum dimension slightly smaller than the wing spread of an aircraft to be arrested are laterally detachably hung from a pair of suspension lines stretched above and across the runway. A number of these arrays are staggered relative to each other to provide enough of the loops to securely engage and restrain an aircraft which penetrates any portion of the barrier. Slide connectors attach lower portions of the loop to a horizontal cross runway linear component attached to an energy absorbing device. When an aircraft impinges upon the barrier, the loops break away from the suspension line and freely move to engage stronger larger dimensional portions of the aircraft and apply the restraint of the energy absorbing device to the aircraft from behind and below it. The loops are conveniently deployed in a pentagonal configuration with their peaked tops connected to the suspension lines, their sides breakably connected to each other and bottoms attached by the slide connectors to the cross runway energy absorbing lines-one for each array. The lower cross runway lines are bunched together for optional engagement by a hook-equipped aircraft. The horizontal deployment of the slide connectors behind the vertically deployed loops permits the nose wheels of the aircraft to pass over and clear the cross runway lines before the engaging movement of the barrier is actuated. The upper suspension lines and loops are effectively made of relatively unyielding materials, such as a relatively inelastic textile or a textile covered metallic cable and the lower horizontal linear components are efficiently provided by an energy absorbing material, such as nylon.

Claims

1. An aircraft arresting barrier for an airport runway having an energy absorbing device installed alongside comprising a flexible horizontal linear component for disposition across and adjacent the surface of said runway, connecting means for attaching said horizontal linear component to said energy absorbing device, an array of flexible aircraft arresting loops for lateral disposition across said runway, each of said loops being large enough to permit free passage of protruding portions of said aircraft and small enough to engage larger dimensional portions of said aircraft when said aircraft impinges upon said barrier device, a suspension line for disposition across said runway a predetermined distance above the vicinity of said horizontal cross runway linear component, separable ties connecting said loops to said suspension line and to each other whereby said loops are deployed across said runway in position to be engaged by said aircraft, connectors attaching lower portions of said loops to said horizontal cross runway linear component to allow said loops to engage larger dimensional and stronger portions of said aircraft and to apply the restraint of said energy absorbing device to said stronger portion of said aircraft from behind and below it.

2. An aircraft arresting barrier device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said suspension line comprises upper and intermediate suspension lines, said upper suspension line sags in a catenary over said runway, said ties suspend said intermediate suspension line from said upper suspension line, and said detachable ties varying in vertical length for substantially aligning the tops of said loops with each other across said runway.

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein a pair of intermediate suspension lines are disposed below said upper suspension line, said separable ties attaching said intermediate suspension lines to said upper suspension line in a substantially straight horizontal line, and said tops of said loops being connected to said intermediate suspension lines by slide connectors.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said loops comprise a number of laterally connected arrays of loops disposed across said runway with said arrays being staggered relative to each other to provide a multiplicity of loops disposed across said runway, said horizontal linear component including a separate cross runway line for each of said arrays, and one of said connectors attaching each of said loops in an array to the same one of said cross runway lines.

5. A device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said loops are substantially vertically deployed and Said slide connectors are substantially horizontally deployed.

6. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said loops is deployed in a peaked configuration from said suspension line.

7. A device as set forth in claim 6 wherein said peaked configuration is pentagonal.

8. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said loops comprises a relatively strong flexible webbing.

9. A device as set forth in claim 8 wherein said flexible webbing is a substantially unyielding webbing.

10. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said horizontal linear element comprises a substantially elastic energy absorbing material.

11. A device as set forth in claim 10 wherein said energy absorbing material comprises a braided rope.

12. A device as set forth in claim 11 wherein said braided rope comprises nylon.

13. A device as set forth in claim 12 wherein said nylon braided rope comprises double braided nylon rope.

14. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein each of said connectors comprises a pair of bushings and an extension line joining said bushings to each other.

15. A device as set forth in claim 14 wherein said bushings have outer flanges and said extension line is a loop of webbing mounted about said bushings between said flanges.

16. A device as set forth in claim 15 wherein said flanges have inner overhanging edges locking said webbing between them.

17. A device as set forth in claim 16 wherein said metallic cable has a relatively soft sheath.

18. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said loops have a maximum dimension from about 60-90 percent of the wingspan of the aircraft to be arrested.

19. A device as set forth in claim 18 wherein said loops have a maximum dimension from about 75-85 percent of the wingspan of the aircraft to be arrested.

20. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said suspension line comprises a metallic cable.

21. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said connectors comprise slide connectors to facilitate adjusting movement of said loops whereby they are advantageously distributed upon said aircraft.