Aircraft servicing system and method

• US 5,893,398 A
• Filed: 06/27/1997
• Issued: 04/13/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Connie Hutchinson Distribution Co.
• Original Assignee: Connie Hutchinson Distribution Co.
• Inventors: Garrett, Detrolia Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): JACYNA, J CASIMER
• Application Number:
  US08/883,877
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 141/2, 141/86, 141/88, 141/94, 141/95, 141/98, 141/382, 222/108, 222/608, 222/626, 222/627, 137/312, 137/313, 137/351, 137/899, 137/899.4, 220/571, 280/834, 280/836-839
• US Class Current: 141/231
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/28 Liquid-handling installations specially adapted for fuelling stationary aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/5762 With leakage or drip collecting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/6855 Vehicle

Abstract

A system and method for servicing aircraft on a flight line away from a maintenance terminal comprises a first set of vehicles for servicing the aircraft directly and a second set of vehicles for servicing the service vehicles. The first set of vehicles requires fuel and oil in order to operate; the second set brings fuel and oil to the first set to make it unnecessary for the first set to halt aircraft servicing in order to return to the terminal. The second set of vehicles includes a trailer with three tanks, one for jet fuel, one for diesel fuel and one for oil. The tanks are placed on a catch basin carried on a trailer. Each has a tapered bottom with a drain and an inlet port at the top with a funnel-shaped collar. Each tank also carries its own transfer hose with a manual pump and has a sight guage, ground cable, lifting rings and lifting handles.

Claims

1. A vehicle for use in servicing aircraft in a flight line where said aircraft are serviced by a first set of servicing vehicles, said vehicle comprising:

a trailer having a catch basin thereon wherein said trailer includes a resilient layer under said catch basin;

a first tank carried in said catch basin and adapted for holding jet fuel;

a second tank carried in said catch basin and adapted for holding oil;

a third tank adapted for holding diesel fuel;

a first hose for transferring fuel to said first set of servicing vehicles; and

a second hose for transferring oil to said first set of servicing vehicles,

said catch basin formed to catch spills of jet fuel and oil from said first and said second tanks and formed to keep caught oil and fuel separate from each other.

2. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said first hose and said second hose include manual pumps for pumping said jet fuel and oil therethrough.

3. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and said second tanks have tops and bottoms, said bottoms of said first and said second tanks being tapered and having drain holes, said tops of said first and said second tanks having inlet ports.

4. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said first and said second tanks have lifting rings and lifting handles.

5. The vehicle as recited claim 1, wherein said first and said second tanks have inlet ports and funnel-shaped collars around said inlet ports.

6. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said vehicle further comprises a bracket for use in towing said trailer, said bracket having a first part and a second part pinable to said first part.

7. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, further comprising a grounding cable carried by and in electrical connection with said tank.

8. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said vehicle further comprises a bracket for use in towing said trailer and a grounding cable carried by and in electrical connection with said tanks.

9. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said first, said second and said third tanks have lifting rings, lifting handles, tops and bottoms, said bottoms of said first, said second and said third tanks having drain holes.

10. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said first, said second and said third tanks have lifting rings and lifting handles wherein said first, said second and said third tanks have tops and bottoms, said bottoms of said first, said tops of said first, said second and said third tanks having inlet ports.

11. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said first, said second and said third tanks have inlet ports and funnel-shaped collars around said inlet ports.

12. The vehicle as recited in claim 1, wherein said vehicle further comprises:

a grounding cable carried by and in electrical connection with said tanks; and

a bracket for use in towing said trailer, said bracket having a first part and a second part pinable to said first part.