Mobile aircraft launcher
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A mobile aircraft launcher comprising:
- a wheeled trailer adapted to be towed by a land vehicle and to be tilted to launch an aircraft;
a launch beam mounted on the trailer, the launch beam comprising a plurality of beam sections hinged to one another, the launch beam being movable between a folded, transport condition, in which the beam sections are generally side-by-side, and a launch condition, in which the beam sections are colinear to define a continuous rectilinear beam;
an aircraft-engaging shuttle mounted on the launch beam for movement along the length of the launch beam;
a shuttle-moving drive arrangement mounted on the trailer; and
at least one jack secured to the trailer and adjustable between a) a first adjustment condition, in which the jack supports the launch beam in a horizontal attitude to facilitate the movement of the launch beam between its folded, transport condition and its launch condition, and b) a second adjustment condition, in which the wheeled trailer tilts, and the launch beam is in an inclined position for launch, wherein the launch beam has a portion extending forward of the trailer with respect to the direction of launch when the beam sections are colinear, said portion being supportable entirely through the trailer when the beam sections are colinear.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A mobile aircraft launcher includes a towable, tiltable, wheeled trailer, a launch beam comprising a plurality of sections hinged to one another, an aircraft-engaging shuttle mounted on the launch beam, and a shuttle-moving drive arrangement mounted on the trailer. The launch beam is mounted on the trailer and is movable between a folded, transport condition, in which the beam sections are generally side-by-side, and a launch condition, in which the beam sections are colinear. In the colinear arrangement, a portion of the launch beam extends forward of the trailer, that portion being supportable entirely through the trailer.
97 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A mobile aircraft launcher comprising:
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a wheeled trailer adapted to be towed by a land vehicle and to be tilted to launch an aircraft;
a launch beam mounted on the trailer, the launch beam comprising a plurality of beam sections hinged to one another, the launch beam being movable between a folded, transport condition, in which the beam sections are generally side-by-side, and a launch condition, in which the beam sections are colinear to define a continuous rectilinear beam;
an aircraft-engaging shuttle mounted on the launch beam for movement along the length of the launch beam;
a shuttle-moving drive arrangement mounted on the trailer; and
at least one jack secured to the trailer and adjustable between a) a first adjustment condition, in which the jack supports the launch beam in a horizontal attitude to facilitate the movement of the launch beam between its folded, transport condition and its launch condition, and b) a second adjustment condition, in which the wheeled trailer tilts, and the launch beam is in an inclined position for launch, wherein the launch beam has a portion extending forward of the trailer with respect to the direction of launch when the beam sections are colinear, said portion being supportable entirely through the trailer when the beam sections are colinear. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A mobile aircraft launcher, comprising:
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a wheeled trailer adapted to be towed by a land vehicle and to be tilted to launch an aircraft;
a launch beam mounted on the trailer, the launch beam comprising a plurality of beam sections hinged to one another, the launch beam being movable between a folded, transport condition, in which the beam sections are generally side-by-side, and a launch condition, in which the beam sections are colinear to define a continuous rectilinear beam;
an aircraft-engaging shuttle mounted on the launch beam for movement along the length of the launch beam;
a shuttle-moving drive arrangement mounted on the trailer; and
means secured to the trailer for selectively a) supporting the launch beam in a horizontal attitude to facilitate the movement of the launch beam between its folded, transport condition and its launch condition, and b) permitting the launch beam to move to an inclined position for launch, wherein the launch beam has a portion extending forward of the trailer with respect to the direction of launch when the beam sections are colinear, said portion being supportable entirely through the trailer when the beam sections are colinear. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A method of deploying from a folded, transport condition to a launch condition a mobile aircraft launcher having
a launch beam defined by a plurality of beam sections hinged to one another, the beam sections being generally side-by-side in the folded, transport condition, and the beam sections being colinear to define a continuous rectilinear beam in the launch condition; -
an aircraft-engaging shuttle mounted on the launch beam for movement along the length of the launch beam; and
a shuttle-moving drive arrangement, the method comprising;
supporting the launch beam in a horizontal attitude;
pivoting the beam sections relative to one another from their generally side-by-side positions to their colinear positions in which a portion of the launch beam extends forward of the trailer with respect to the direction of launch while the launch beam is supported in the horizontal attitude;
during the step of pivoting, supporting said portion of the launch beam entirely through the trailer; and
moving the launch beam to an inclined position for launch. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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Specification