Receiver device for engaging a landing gear adapter with a tug
First Claim
1. A receiver device mountable on a tug and engaged with a landing gear adapter unit, the landing gear adapter unit including a tow bar with a central portion connecting a pair of spaced-apart arm portions, the receiver device comprising:
- a central boundary surface portion defining a boundary of a travel path for the central portion of the tow bar;
a mounting portion for mounting the receiver device on the tug in an operative configuration with a landing gear-receiving base operably attached to the mounting portion; and
at least one releasable locking portion movable, by the central portion of the tow bar travelling along the travel path, between an unlocked position where the central portion of the tow bar is distal to the central boundary surface portion and a locked position where the central portion of the tow bar is proximal to the central boundary surface portion and the mounting portion is locked in the operative configuration.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A receiver device for engaging a landing gear adapter unit with a tug. In exemplary embodiments, the adapter may include a tow bar with a neck portion between a pair of spaced arm portions. The receiver device forms a travel path boundary for the neck portion and is configured to be complementary with and to engage the neck portion. A mounting portion is provided for mounting the receiver device on the tug in an operative configuration relative to a landing gear-receiving base thereon. At least one releasable locking member is positioned along the travel path to interrupt travel of the neck portion. The locking member is movable between a first unlocked position and a second locked position. Further, in the second locked position, the locking member is configured to lock the mounting portion in the operative configuration.
14 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A receiver device mountable on a tug and engaged with a landing gear adapter unit, the landing gear adapter unit including a tow bar with a central portion connecting a pair of spaced-apart arm portions, the receiver device comprising:
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a central boundary surface portion defining a boundary of a travel path for the central portion of the tow bar; a mounting portion for mounting the receiver device on the tug in an operative configuration with a landing gear-receiving base operably attached to the mounting portion; and at least one releasable locking portion movable, by the central portion of the tow bar travelling along the travel path, between an unlocked position where the central portion of the tow bar is distal to the central boundary surface portion and a locked position where the central portion of the tow bar is proximal to the central boundary surface portion and the mounting portion is locked in the operative configuration. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A latching assembly for latching a front landing gear unit to a tug, the latching assembly comprising:
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a tow bar adapter with a neck portion joining a pair of spaced-apart arm portions for engaging opposite sides of the front landing gear unit; a receiver for engaging the tow bar adapter with the tug, the receiver including a channel portion with a central boundary surface, the channel portion being open to receive the neck portion of the tow bar adapter and defining a boundary of a travel path for the neck portion, the channel portion of the receiver including a pair of lateral boundary surfaces extending along the central boundary surface for locating the neck portion of the tow bar adapter relative to the central boundary surface of the channel portion; a mounting portion for mounting the receiver on the tug in an operative configuration with a landing gear-receiving base operably attached to the mounting portion; and at least one releasable locking member positioned along the travel path to interrupt travel of the neck portion, the at least one releasable locking member being movable between an unlocked position and a locked position as the neck portion of the tow bar adapter approaches the central boundary surface of the channel portion to lock the mounting portion in the operative configuration.
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15. A receiver device mountable on a tug and engaged with a landing gear adapter unit, the landing gear adapter unit including a tow bar with a neck portion connecting a pair of spaced-apart arm portions, the receiver device comprising:
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a central boundary surface defining a boundary of a travel path for the neck portion and configured to be complementary with and to engage a corresponding abutment surface on the neck portion; a pair of lateral boundary surfaces extending along the central boundary surface, each lateral boundary surface defining an additional boundary of the travel path for the neck portion of the tow bar; a mounting portion for mounting the receiver device on the tug in an operative configuration with a landing gear-receiving base operably attached to the mounting portion; at least one exterior surface; and at least one pair of anchor formations on the at least one exterior surface for receiving and storing a corresponding pair of adapter coupling elements. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification