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Plane tractor

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

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