US2613822A - Weapons handling unit - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 14, 1,952

R. M. STANLEY mman HANDLING UNIT Oct. 14, 1952"' R. M. STANLEY 2,613,822

WEAPON HANDLING UNIT Filed Dec. 1949 4 sheets-sheet s I l I --J. l

ATTORNEYS' Oct. 14, 1952 R. MSTANLEY wnroN HANDLING UNIT 4 Sheets-sheet 4 Fnau nec. fa. 1949 v HQ. Q

' Patented Oct. 14, 1952 Robert Stanleuffalo, Y.,.`assig?nor to Stanley V Aviation Corporatiomeixialo, N'. Y,

Application December A8 1949;.S'erial`No. 131,727

invention. relatesl to AWeapons handlingl equipment, and more particularly torequipment for :transporting bombs, torpedoes, guided-missiles, andthe like from stock pilesV or .otherground stations and'to elevate such weapons into connection with 'bomber aircraft bomb bay or wing shackle devices.` l 1 f :Itt is one of theobjects ofthe invention to provide an improved device for picking up a bomb or missile or the `like for transporting Ait to abmber or `missile carrying aircraft, ,and

then elevating it'into'connection with theshackle devices of the: aircraft.'

Another object ofatheinventionis to provide a device ias aforesaid, which includes novel arrangements whereby as the load is eelvated for connection to, the aircraftrcarrying shackles, the'. load may.v be positionallymaneuvered relative to I.

the vload receiving-shackle deviceswth utmost facility and .in improved'manner.

Another object of the-.invention is to provide in 'a ,devicedof'` thev character-described 'an improved'load suspension arrangement whereby the.. load is supportedin improved mannerduringjtransport.

in la 'mechanismcf the character described improved means forpositionally maneuvering the z bomb or missile aslit'is elevatedinto shacklecom fleeting position-1' l f It is'another'lobjectfof the invention to lprovide guided'missiles andthe like.

Other objects yand-*advantages of theinvention Will i appear from' Vthe specification hereinafter. -1

"In the drawing: i

Fig. -1- is a s ideel'evatinai view 'paruyziri section-of -a devic'elo'fthe invention, showing by means of broken and solid line illustrations .relative positions Aof va loadm'emb'er of the bomb type during'different phases of! its handling operation; .Y

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of thelo'ad support'- ing truckvportion of thefequipmenm.- Y.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sideelevation, onfan enlarged scale, of a portion of-the load handling and positionall;r maneuvering mechanismV of the invention; y

Fig. 4` is -airont anism of Fie".A 3;;

Fig. 5 is va top plan view, partly' in y-section,`of

"elevationalV "view 'of the mechtherload lifting andihandling mechanism "of the.I

invention;I .A I

` Fig. 6 is'. a vertical; sc :ctirong4 talrenfalong line VIIIfVIII @Fig-L57; eind,-n I

v various attitudes of pitch and rollyand at' fm pd ,25; `Another object of the invention is toprovide" zwhereby theboorn device .is projec-table iritoe 1ig. .'7is a fragmentary vertical section in the plane of 6,-but showing details of the con-,I Y Structionizin1argersca1e; f l

Eig. k8A is a fragmentary section talen along Fig- 9, is -adiagrammatic illustration of the-. hydraulic. @011.12.1"01 ,System ,Qi the. meehenem- The :inventioncontemplates ,en improved .Q

means for pickingA Ai 1p, lf 1z indlingele'vating and., yloading Weapons of the .type referred `to here-.

inabove intouconnection with bomb bayer wing shackle devicesof carrying aircraft; and a1s`o fc u l handling such weapons during pre-iiightchec'l-L ing-procedures For example, with afmissile Amated;,intheam by the device ef gemeenten,

erete rates .ofi pitehn'e-end rolling 'by appropri t men-ipuletionef-ihe equipment O f the; -iVeefienf Aleefvthie ewes. .of the-missile mer be ,thus ease c S e d andthe missile servo mechanismresponse measured as the missile is given motions y`corr spending tofpitching rollingand kyawingv motions while in night; Ale'efin. eveniihemissile@11.1.-V cludesa seeker device .this may be cheeked/iin@ connection with. theeerve meehenieme .eindige l eyresrfto.determiee the-:Overall iunetienineef the-*miseile prier. .te ite efperldiiufeff: .,Alee. by suspending the,l missile vf roni a sling `at/tfachm .to the lifting boom of the device, the..cnte ererity,;.ef the-meeile-mey be. reedlrdeieflfned:

f' illustrated in Figs.. 1 and 2,. the invention is illustrated to include two separate 4units.` com-5 prisme e tegels desienetedaeeeerellr et l0. 0. direetmeuetiee fthereen ,0fe.mise;1etorpes' or bomb suer; as is; designated. l2; vand a handling-)- unitfsenerelly*deeieneted I5. Whieli 'ieeeeeerefiee ef-boem leerie,eend Operative- Iieehenismftherefef.

gagementwith the .load truci; `fori,bfo 'd i1;;ri, lifting the truekendits loaden@-treneperfineeed e1e`` vatingthe vload asinto-the-b0mb bay of, anlai'rfg eraf-t orfieto .eenneeea Wthwne eheekle devieeezwhle ,maneuvering the-leed eeeeiriie. eef curate-alignment With-the. IneuntineA Sheekleea.' ee i will lee-explained hereinafter;

The load carrying-truck device I ll to"- .comprise e-freeterleulevr frame.

upon drectionally fixedv Wheels-1j 1 and castering wheels i8; therev being provided -a 'ca steringjfmo-V tion llocking pin device :19" for lockingeachfof the ,A l'

wheels against "castering," whenever" -required:A4

bn' 'Y "dirctionsfftransversely oflthe -1 longit'udia xis fi-thedcarriageQuint. l'. suitable` hy'fdrali flu niet-outletfonnectionsi are -pro-'f vided a opposite-end's'lofithe'ferss slide-cylinder sumas are 'adamant-.l:lzwtlsxrigreo;

'.:mhusei' ,Y weaponi loadeduponthe truck? f| Ulandithelbooml-t device'o'f-A thenni-t l5 is .loweredasl to .the7 broken-'nor cuponL::operationr iiither-booxnfv contrnlicylinderf. ,.theLrboomf-maybeelevated soif position ioftl'ie. Apartsas illstratedfins Fig.; La?. In

order'tofinsref positioningaof the .truck 10.20

upon'the iilifting. ,platform 1 .plates 611,1 :the: truck frame .will preferablyiincludeat .the under surface 1 thereotla .bo'xf'shapedA ange formation |41 iinto whiehiztheaplatformtop platel is adapted :to slip-'1:

lineiposition thereof i shown in :--;E.ig:.1f,. the unit l5.Y

may ,be towedby means offa tractor or :thelike :to

thie.-..position; ofvploadingnr testing; of the.y weapon.; 1 For-example; as illustrated inV Fig'. .1,.if theprob-f..

lem .is: to \'load:.the. weaponinto. connectionwithfv 30 carrying shackles 5.; extending ,from ithe under... side .of .an .airplaneaving'gasf. indicated..at...| I6, Athe i unit.1.|,5 :will .iirstpbe drawn. into. thetapproximate estimated i location thereof for. loading.. oi: the.

weapom andfthen.,.the 4boom device. .will fbe caused. 35

to, :elevate l. soi as .to 4bring .the i weapcnfeuprintof.. proximity with therairplane.fwingvvshackles'; 5 jAs the; .weapon ,is elevatedztoward; the position.7 of. the shackles: ||5,1; 1. the.positionalgalignment ofthe.

weapon yrelativetoi theshacklesgis checked, andarlo aligrnnent. corrections 4 effected- .as rfollows.. v.Minor fore. .anda/ft.- displacements of.y the. weapon.- in di-f. rectionslongitndinally thereofxnaybe effected by.: operation biz-the; platform Islide cynnder 194.-, while lateral displaceinents` o ffthegweapon-.may fbe. ;ef45

fected. by` operation, ofthe cros'skslilecylinder.; I 04'.

Pitch. adjustments: .otN tho,weapon.1mayr be; readily'. eiected by operation. Qi... the;nlatiormrptilting.: oylinderfffi and:.,a zi.1i.111fth;.y adjustments .tha

tudinal axis, ifl required ffonaooiirate alignment;

with; the...co.n.nooting f s1,1r.w.1. ;1es@A y.. manualoperaf tion oi the .truokrollor hanclcrank J24..; ...T huS. 55'.

theweapons. ,univorsallyimarient/creible .in atti:y tado. .Well @Sadisplaoemont relative. tov thereon:

nootingshaoklos oasrofibv; .thet airplane. wingor :order to. maintain tho loadffoaryie'. plate @o forminanapproximatelv horizontal. attitude. at

'airtimes during elevating and. lov/.orme .of the.`

.Carriage boom.. tho fplatformi ti1t oontrol..oy1i.r1:.. der- .;.is--- hydraulically. interconnected-. with. an,

pivotant .fixodat one, endftoa bracket l2 I oa1.r..l riad-bythe; vehicle iframe@ Thea-piston rod .|2211 oi tbezoylindor 12.0. pivotallvconnectent |23tof an f* intermediate portionotono otthestiff arm struts: f. 42.39 A thefboomepivots aboutthe aligned pins .3 37%33 Athe piston. rod- 22 'iis correspondinglyv displacedzrelaf tivettothe cylinderl2 0;. l Conduite interconne:zting .cppositeiends cf= the -cy1indersz60.andzl20 profs 11i.. te' fappreeiatedlthatnwhenever' at v :positionofftheicenter: ot'llgravity of 15;

- respectively to thehydraulic-.jack units |10',4 60, 194,;

60 coincident withadisplacem'ent. of fluidliwithin the cylinder 20.; and the connection'between the piston-rod |22 .andthefstrut arm 42 is so arranged that the cylinder |20 will control the cylinder 60.1 i* toautoma'tically"pivotzthedoad platform relative tothe .boom Isoras .to lat-.all times-maintain asube stantially horizontal. attitude,y coincident vwith elevating and lowering movements of the boom.

However, as .will .be explained morefully herein.- l

aftertathe operator. isat all .times in'possession ,of independent control of the .tilt control cylinder..

pwherebythe load maybe adjusted about the pitchaxis thereof by. manipulation .of the control.

system towbe .'described'hereinafter. J

As illustrated .at Figs'. l and5 of the' drawing.. aloading position indicator 4r'nay =be= provided .in

conjunction .with thetrailer unit; said indicator comprising a stiff wand |25 whichv is mountedby.. means of an uprightv |26. 'extending into=fLxed connection with any suitable bracket portionof i the vehicle frame. The wand and its mounting structure .is iso.' shaped anddimensionedr that. the ball=-tipf end portion |28 thereofzvindicatesfthei exact position to .which the: front4 bomb; .shackle lug-of-:the Weapon is .lifted when theboom is elevated.. as shown for example. in Fig; L: 4'-'lhus,:g the .trailer and it'sweaponfload:maybepmaneuvered around beneathifthaairplane. bomb: b-ayorf wing'. untilv thel .ball tipg end.' of;- .th'e fwand touches.; the front hook'A of thawing." shackle-.I` The trailer mayathen. be parked. with itsv brakes set,f:andtha- .Y

load :thenv elevated. with assurance that it will. ara;

riveoat. correct 4position vfor; connection with ithe.:

shackles on the. wing,I requiringionly; minimum. final vinoveifnentsof Vthe lifting platform relative.l to the boomas explained'hereinabove p gA "Asshown in Fig. .3, apullinghookwl 30;*may-@beconveniently mounted upon thel .platform structureso as `tobe .readily available .for :connection to.v

any-suitable towing device, whereby. the nnitmay bevemployed. for, miscellaneous towing purposes., Also; as shown in Figs. :3; and 6, a. lifting eyef` .|32 may be conveniently. mounted under 'tl'iegtopendfjI portionof .thev boom 32. for engagement 'with suit-J -able'hook or other .lift devices, whereby. theboom .f mayv be used for.. miscellaneous, lifting purposes.

aswell .las for 'initiallygrappling.;alweapomzand lifting it from ai stookepile or the likeiintQpDS-y" tion .upon thetruck. 0 for .subsequent vhandling as. y

draulic .control system for. .theactuator '..elements oftthefmechanism describedihereinabove.: .z'lhuS,`.-.

thediagram includes. a4 .fluid 'supply tank $1.34 agI Fig. 4, the control valveiactuator.,elementsmay;` beirconveni'ently mounted.upon Ya ``panel .carried adj acentg, the load platform, sol that.. thel operator;

l thereoflmay stand ata position v.providingatthe-f sameg'time convenientaccess to the control valves; and-tothe weapon shackling operation.. 1.55.

5..Referringagain.A to 1Fig.; 9, the control valves |3.1,..|38, |39;;1|'4u areof the. ffounwayfcrreverse direction :type .and 'are lhydraulically connected a and'. |04 --by .means .of .suitable conduits.. .soV A.that-..-

' thezcontrolvalves may vbie .selectively operateditof.. the -boom..t.russ.st1uoturo,whereby-whenever 7o.

provide .controlled actuation of .thejackfdevices gina. eitherdirecton of operation thereof as arequired.

' for; vtlie .weapon .maneuvering operation'sireferred to. hereinabove; Aireturnvconduit I 4 2J issarranged.y .1

to zconveygthe:returningiuidiito@ the'. supply: tank...

asi-tassa@- acfuatedsequauzeastaccata-'rio isahydrauupf cally fintercomiectedffwith thefactuator jackV 60V for.' th'e automatic platform--control operation-ex,- plainedhereinabove;A y

Itzwill of'course be;.appreciated` that actual. practice the; hydraulic' controlzsystem' of Fig. ,I 9.

maypreferably be supplemented` bysuitable pressureA accumulator and :overload relief devices...'as

well asfluidafilter and other such .suitable acces#y sories'fas'are welldrnown'inthe hydraulic operator art;..and.. that; "the'fpump .mechanismvof the. unit. Y, Y

understood .that thervariousoperations of the elementsofthe .unit fof.- the invention may. be.. otherwisepoweredy by anysuitable: power supply means,.'and.that.al1.or any of the motion actuator mechanisms maybe'either manually or mechanicallyor-'electrically powered.. as may be preferred..

I claim: 1'. A.' weapons .handling unit. comprising '.a mobile.;r boom vdevice-having.v a; load lifting' end pore-- tiem a: platform mounted upon said boo-m portion' for rotationthereon about a pitch; change axis parallel lto the axisof'. boom elevatioma hydraulic.

jack. device.- interconnecting; said boom and said.

platformxfor rotating the Alatter 'relative lto said boom," a. second hydraulic.: jack device connected tozsaid" boom forfelevating the; latter.. a.. thirdhy.-

draulic...jack.,4 device. interconnecting said frame and-said boomiforiactuationin response. to movement of sai'dqboom'.and-.hydraulically .interconv necte'dff: wthil said first? .-mentioned jack device whereby displa'cementxcf uidlwithin said third jack device causes'.y Vautomatic operation. of said Ilrstvjack device .to maintain .said platform sub-y stantially horizontal throughout. all elevating movementsiof said boom, acarriage. comprising a u frame supported upon'groundiwheels and .adapted to` beloadedwithaweapon and towed from place to pla'ce'and to vmountupon ,said platform inposif tionally rigid attitudefthereon, said .carriage in-w clu'ch'ngf pairedlrollerf.devices adapted to receivev in cradled relation. therebetween a; generally cylindrical weapon, means for rotatingsaid' roller,

means: for. rolling said: weapon' relative .to said carriage-about the. longitudinal. axis.. of saidweapon.: `memsior. rotating. said. platform. relative to said boom independentlyxof'actuation.of

said' platform. vin..responseto. operation'. of .said third vjack "dev-cef.A meansrfor' rotating" said :platform in azimuth relative. to saidboom, meansif'orA displacing'said platform` in directions horizontal.`

longitudinally of. said boom, and means for displacinggisald. platform relative vto said. boomy in. horizontal directions'v transverse Vto the longitudif'"v nal'directionvof saidb'oomzl 2. 'Ai weapons handling unit; comprising a mo!V bile boom devicehavingraload lifting end portiom. azplatform'mounted upon said boom portion for... rotation thereon. about'a'. pitchv change' axis: parzallel to theraxisof boom' elevation;4 a hydraulic."

jackldevicey interconnecting saidf boom andy said platformv 'forrotating' thev latter relative tosaid boom,` asecond' hydraulic :jack device connected;

to'said boom? for elevating the latter, a. third hyH draulic 'jack' devicer .interconnectingsai'd framel and saldboom' for actuation in' response to movement zof :said boom. andY hydraulically interconnected' with said fusti-mentioned jack device: whereby displacement-'of fluid Within. said .third jackxdevicef. causes; automatic operation fof." said r' nrst'. jack' vdevice to maintain'. said. platform:sub.-.. stantially horizontal'. throughoutxall... elevating; 75?

mortemenfasi-cf.saidn boom.ar-.carriage..mounted., upon said platform in'gzpositionallyrrigid attitude thereon and..y includingg; paired.. roller;` devices.: adanted'to ,receive in #cradled relation. -tl'ierebea Y tween a.v generally cylindrical.. weapon-means for..

`'and meanafor displacing'said platform relatives-to said4 boomin :horizontal .directionstransverse tof-.1 the longitudinal.directionfof.said boom. and along@ an axis: coincident. torsaid pitchichangefaxisgj 3. A weaponszhandling.A unitcomprising amo-f bile frame carryinglthereonf-a pivotedzboom dev-leeg. having a:loadliftingendportion, means for'pivob-f ing.y said`y boomfrelative. to' said`w frame, `a' platform. mounted upon.' said: boomy forzrotation thereon. about afrst axsparallelzto a secondaxisofiboom..

f *.fpivoting.. arst: hydraulic; actuator interconnect-l ing saidv boom. and. saidplatform forrotatingther: latter: relative tosaid boomA about's'aid first-axis;v asecond.v hydraulicfactuatori interconnecting, said:y frame; and saidboomfor: actuation thereby'inresponsesto movement. .ofzsai'd boom and intercomr nected.. with said'. rstf'hydraulic.; actuator.' .bya' means of.a1' closed'.v hydraulic'. conduit.V -circuitl'lwhereby pivoting;` of.: said boom'. causes automation.v operation'v of .said first actuatoriftc maintain` said. platform. substantially horizontal ,throughoutA all.. movements-ofgsa'id .boom,.ai base plate.4 pivoted to. said platform for rotationthereonin. azimuth,.a:.l carriage. adapted, to mountgsaid base plate and.in' cluding. roller.:l devices. `radapted to receive.. in rcradled relation .therebetween a. generally cylin-' djrical'. shaped` weaponrmeans for rotating one of, said roller .'devic'es. for rolling: saldweapon rela-1vk tive .to' saidV carriage. about the. longitudinal -axisfi ofsaid weapongfmeanslforrotating'said base plate'l .inazimutha relativeY to. saidy platform, means.A- for4 displacingsaidlplatform relativeftosaidboom in* horizontal directions;longitudinallyfot said boom. andlzmeans'-l for displacing said` platform' relative:y to-'Lsa-idlboomnin-horizontal .directions transverses to :the longitudinal direction of: said. boom.

4. A Weapons handling .unit comprising-amo'- bile` boomdevice-` having 'az load'Av -liftingend portion, -afpla-tforrnfmounted upon .said boom portion.- for 1 rotation thereon` abouta..pitch. change. axis.' parallel to the axis of boom-elevation,y an'actuator' device interconnectingsaid boom and-said plat-- form-'for -rotating the 'latter relative to said boom', asecond actuator connected to'said boom for-ele-v vating the latter, a thirdactuator'interconnect-d ing-said frame andV said boom for actuation in responsefto movementof said boom and intercon-Y nected' with said nrstmentioned actuator wherebytocauseautomatic operation of said rstactu@ ator tomaintain said platform substantially horl'- zont'althroug-houtall elevating vmovements of" incradled relation vtherebetween' a generally cyl lindricalweapon, means fori rotating' said rollermeansfor rolling said-weaponrelative to. said carriagevabout` thel longitudinal' axis of said weapon.' j means for.- rotating: said platform. relative. to said j boom' independentlyV of` actuation of said platform im responsefto; operation of saidtthird: actuator-,'-

means for rotating said platform in azimuth relative to said boom, means for displacing said platform in horizontal directions longitudinally of said boom. and means for displacing said platform relative to said boom in horizontal directions transverse to the longitudinall direction of said boom and along an axis coincident to said pitch change axis.

ROBERT M. STANLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record inthe file of this patent:

Number UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Brown June 8, 1915 Trimbach` Aug; 8, 1944 Maxon, Jr. June 26, 1945 Gorsuch Apr. 1, 1947 Fraga fSept. 14, 1948 Ryan Nov. 30, 1948

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