Mounting bracket for global positioning system antenna

• US 5,456,442 A
• Filed: 08/12/1993
• Issued: 10/10/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Sutton, Laurie D., Kleber, Ralph M.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHOTKOWSKI, KAREN
• Application Number:
  US08/108,132
• Time in Patent Office: 789 Days
• Field of Search: 248/534, 248/539, 248/511, 248/536, 343/878, 343/892, 343/888, 343/705, 343/707, 343/708, 343/713, 343/711
• US Class Current: 248/534
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/1207 for fastening a rigid aerial element
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 9/0407 Substantially flat resonant element parallel to ground plane, e.g. patch antenna dipole H01Q9/285; monopole H01Q9/40

Abstract

A mounting bracket for mounting a Global Positioning Antenna to the fusel of a fixed wing aircraft. The apparatus comprises a rectangular shaped mounting plate having a cylindrical shaped member positioned in the center of the mounting plate and extending from its bottom surface. There is an aperture extending through the cylindrical shaped member and the plate through which the antenna cable passes with the cable connecting the antenna to the receiver. The antenna mounting bracket is secured to the aircraft by inserting the cylindrical shaped member into the sextant port of the airframe so that the bottom portion of the cylindrical shaped member including a pinning aperture extends into the interior the aircraft. A quick release pin is inserted in the pinning aperture to tightly secure the antenna to the airframe.

Claims

1. A bracket for use in mounting, upon an airframe, an antenna including a coaxial electrical cable, comprising:

a rectangular shaped plate having a top surface and a bottom surface, said antenna being mounted on the top surface of said rectangular shaped plate;

a cylindrical shaped member attached to the bottom surface of said rectangular shaped plate, said cylindrical shaped member being positioned at the center of said rectangular shaped plate and extending from said rectangular shaped plate;

a first aperture extending through said rectangular shaped plate and said cylindrical shaped member, said first aperture being positioned to receive the coaxial electrical cable of said antenna;

said cylindrical shaped member having a second aperture at a bottom portion of said cylindrical shaped member, said second aperture being perpendicular to said first aperture and spaced apart from said first aperture;

said cylindrical shaped member extending through a port of said airframe, the bottom portion of said cylindrical shaped member extending beyond an inner surface of said airframe aligning said second aperture with the inner surface of said airframe;

a quick release pin inserted into said second aperture to secure said bracket to said airframe;

a pair of gaskets placed between the bottom surface of said rectangular shaped plate and an outer surface of said airframe, said pair of gaskets sealing said bracket to said airframe; and

a washer positioned around an outer surface of said cylindrical shaped member between the inner surface of said airframe and said quick release pin.

2. The mounting bracket of claim 1 wherein said rectangular shaped plate is fabricated from aluminum.

3. The mounting bracket of claim 1 wherein said cylindrical shaped member is fabricated from aluminum.

4. The mounting bracket of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of machine screws for securing said cylindrical shaped member to the bottom surface of said rectangular shaped plate.

5. The mounting bracket of claim 1 further comprising a gasket positioned around the outer surface of said cylindrical shaped member and located within the port of said airframe.