Plane tractor

• US 9,085,374 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2014
• Issued: 07/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (Government of Israel)
• Original Assignee: Israel Aerospace Industries Limited (Government of Israel)
• Inventors: Decoux, Laurent, Enault, Eric, Vermalle, Nicholas
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAZZARA, ANNE MARIE
• Application Number:
  US14/325,513
• Publication Number:
  US 20140321960A1
• Time in Patent Office: 378 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/22 for handling aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/227 for direct connection to aircraft, e.g. tow tractors without towing bars
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/80 Energy efficient operational measures, e.g. ground operations or mission management

Abstract

The invention relates to a plane tractor which grips the nose gear of a plane, including: a chassis; wheel modules connected to the chassis, each wheel module including at least one actuator for inducing a vertical movement of the module in relation to the chassis; a gripping platform for gripping the nose gear of a plane, the platform together with the chassis having freedom of movement substantially in circular translation; and a damping and actuating means connecting the platform and the chassis.

Claims

1. A method for gripping a nose gear of an airplane using an airplane tractor, the airplane tractor including:

a chassis;

wheel modules connected to the chassis, each of the wheel modules including at least one actuator for inducing vertical movement thereof in relation to the chassis;

a gripping platform for gripping the nose gear of the airplane, the gripping platform being moveable in a substantially pendular movement in relation to the chassis, the platform gripping going from a retracted position to a gripping position by way of an equilibrium position; and

a damping and an actuating means connecting the gripping platform and the chassis;

the method comprising;

actuating the damping means and the actuating means to place the gripping platform in the retracted position;

lowering the chassis;

moving the tractor so as to place the retracted gripping platform in contact with at least one wheel of the nose gear of the airplane;

actuating the damping means and the actuating means to move the gripping platform from the refracted position toward the gripping position, while adjusting a height of the chassis by controlling the actuators of at least two of the wheel modules so as to slide the gripping platform under the at least one wheel;

raising the chassis;

bringing the platform back to the equilibrium position.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising closing a gate of the tractor when the gripping platform is in contact with the at least one wheel of the nose gear of the airplane.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising opening the gate of the tractor when the chassis raises.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, when the gripping platform has been slid under the at least one wheel, moving the tractor to bring the at least one wheel onto a locking device.

5. The method according to claim 4, further comprising:

setting the location of an abutment as a function of the type of airplane and/or the type of wheel;

bringing the at least one wheel onto the locking device against the abutment; and

bringing a tightening plate against the at least one wheel to maintain it against the abutment.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising inclining the platform in relation to a horizontal plane.

7. A method for pulling the airplane, comprising:

loading the airplane on the tractor according to the method of claim 1;

making the tractor travel at a constant speed; and

regulating the speed of the tractor as a function of the force measured by the damping means and the actuating means.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the speed of the tractor is checked when the measured force exceeds a dynamically determined threshold level.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein the gripping platform of the tractor includes a turret receiving the at least one wheel of the nose gear of the airplane, the turret freely rotating around a substantially vertical axis in relation to the gripping platform, the direction of the tractor being modified as a function of the rotation of the turret in relation to the gripping platform.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the rotation of the turret is induced by a rotational movement of the nose gear.