Device for attaching a load to a helicopter

• US 6,533,220 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2002
• Issued: 03/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ECMS Aviation Systems GmbH
• Original Assignee: ECMS Aviation Systems GmbH
• Inventors: Schuster, Matthias
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Semunegus, Lulit
• Application Number:
  US10/127,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20020171008A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 Days
• Field of Search: 244/137.4, 244/137.1, 244/118.1, 244/127, 294/82.26, 294/81.S
• US Class Current: 244/118.1
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 1/22 Taking-up articles from earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/02 for overhead lines or cables

Abstract

A device for hanging a load on a helicopter has at least one load-bearing cable which has a first cable section, which is off-center in relation to a longitudinal axis of the helicopter, and a second off-center cable section located opposite. The load-bearing cable is connected to the helicopter, on the one hand, and to the load, on the other hand. Ends and of the load-bearing cable are fixedly attached to the helicopter, and the load-bearing cable is connected to the load in a manner in which it can be moved relative to the latter, such that the load can be displaced along the load-bearing cable.

Claims

1. A device for hanging a load on a helicopter, comprising at least one load-bearing cable having a first cable section which is off-center in relation to a longitudinal axis of said helicopter, and a second off-center cable section located opposite to said first cable section in relation to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein said load-bearing cable has two ends fixedly attached to said helicopter and said load-bearing cable is connected to said load in a manner in which it can be moved relative to said load, such that said load can be displaced along said load-bearing cable.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said load-bearing cable is connected to said load in a manner in which it is guided around a deflecting means at the load end.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein said load-bearing cable is guided, at the load end, by at least one deflecting roller which is attached to said load.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said deflecting roller is fitted in loss-proof fashion on said load-bearing cable and can be fastened in a removable manner on said load.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first cable section and said second cable section is in operative connection, at the helicopter end, with a stationary force-measuring device in order to measure a tensile load acting on said load-bearing cable.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein said first cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a first two-armed lever and said second cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a second two-armed lever, said levers each being fastened on said helicopter such that they can be pivoted about a pivot axis running approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein inner lever arms of said levers being connected to one another by a tie element.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said first lever and said second lever are arranged opposite one another on a landing frame of said helicopter.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein said first cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a first two-armed lever and said second cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a second two-armed lever, said levers each being fastened on said helicopter such that they can be pivoted about a pivot axis running approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein inner lever arms of said levers being connected to one another by a tie element and, in the loaded state, said outer lever arms project downward beyond skids of said helicopter by way of their free end, to which said respective first and second cable sections are attached.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein said first cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a first two-armed lever and said second cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a second two-armed lever, said levers each being fastened on said helicopter such that they can be pivoted about a pivot axis running approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein inner lever arms of said levers being connected to one another by a tie element, and said outer lever arms project laterally outward beyond skids of said helicopter.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein said first cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a first two-armed lever and said second cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a second two-armed lever, said levers each being fastened on said helicopter such that they can be pivoted about a pivot axis running approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein inner lever arms of said levers being connected to one another by a tie element, and ends of said inner lever arms of said two levers to which said tie element is attached are positioned in relation to said respective pivot axis such that, in the loaded state, said inner lever arms are subjected to loading in opposite pivoting directions.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein said first cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a first two-armed lever and said second cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a second two-armed lever, said levers each being fastened on said helicopter such that they can be pivoted about a pivot axis running approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein inner lever arms of said levers being connected to one another by a tie element, and ends of said outer lever arms to which said ends of said load-bearing cable are attached are at a lower level than said pivot axes of said levers.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first cable section and said second cable section is in operative connection, at the helicopter end, with a stationary force-measuring device in order to measure a tensile load acting on said load-bearing cable, and said first cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a first two-armed lever and said second cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a second two-armed lever, said levers each being fastened on said helicopter such that they can be pivoted about a pivot axis running approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein inner lever arms of said levers being connected to one another by a tie element, and said force-measuring device measures the tensile stressing of said tie element.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said first cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a first two-armed lever and said second cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a second two-armed lever, said levers each being fastened on said helicopter such that they can be pivoted about a pivot axis running approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein inner lever arms of said levers being connected to one another by a tie element, and said tie element is a cable.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein said first cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a first two-armed lever and said second cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a second two-armed lever, said levers each being fastened on said helicopter such that they can be pivoted about a pivot axis running approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein inner lever arms of said levers being connected to one another by a tie element, and, in the load-free state, said levers are preloaded into a position in which said outer lever arms and said inner lever arms do not project downward beyond skids of said helicopter.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said levers are subjected to spring force.

16. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first cable section and said second cable section is in operative connection, at the helicopter end, with a stationary force-measuring device in order to measure a tensile load acting on said load-bearing cable, and at least one of said first cable section and said second cable section is guided over a deflecting means in the region of a landing frame of said helicopter and acts directly on said force-measuring device.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one cutting device for cutting said load-bearing cable is arranged on said first cable section and on said second cable section, in the region where they are fastened on said helicopter.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein said first cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a first two-armed lever and said second cable section is attached to an outer lever arm of a second two-armed lever, said levers each being fastened on said helicopter such that they can be pivoted about a pivot axis running approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of said helicopter, wherein inner lever arms of said levers being connected to one another by a tie element, and at least one cutting device for cutting said load-bearing cable is arranged on said first cable section and on said second cable section, in the region where they are fastened on said helicopter, and said outer lever arms are of tubular design, said first cable section and said second cable section have their respective end introduced into said outer lever arms, and said at least one cutting device is integrated in said outer lever arms.

19. The device of claim 18, wherein at least two cutting devices are provided and said cutting devices can be triggered simultaneously.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein there are provided two load-bearing cables which are spaced apart from one another in longitudinal direction of said helicopter and are connected, independently of one another, to said helicopter and to said load.

21. The device of claim 1, wherein at least one pulling line is fitted on at least one of said first cable section and said second cable section.