Apparatus that supports an aircraft fuselage without exterior surface contact

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10723485-B2
Application number	US-201815956023-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 18, 2018
Priority date	Apr 18, 2018
Publication date	Jul 28, 2020
Grant date	Jul 28, 2020

Abstract

An airframe handling apparatus is operable to support and move a partially assembled aircraft fuselage. The aircraft fuselage is incomplete, lacking a wing and landing gear. The apparatus is attachable to the aircraft fuselage in place of the wing and landing gear, utilizing wing attachment structures on the aircraft fuselage that are designed for flight loads. With the aircraft fuselage attached to the apparatus, the entire fuselage is supported on the apparatus that can be operated to move and manipulate the aircraft fuselage as if the wing and landing gear were present. With the apparatus attached to the aircraft fuselage, movement of the fuselage by the apparatus imparts no handling-induced internal loads on the aircraft fuselage, and maximizes unobstructed access to the exterior surface of the fuselage for painting and other surface preparations.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. An airframe handling apparatus comprising:
a jig, the jig having means for removably attaching the jig to an aircraft fuselage in place of a wing of an aircraft; and,
a transport mechanism, the transport mechanism having means for supporting the jig on the transport mechanism, the transport mechanism having means for moving the jig.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
locators on the jig, the locators being positioned on the jig to coincide with wing attachment structures on an aircraft fuselage that are constructed to attach a wing of an aircraft to the aircraft fuselage.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
locators on the jig, the locators being positioned on the jig to coincide with wing attachment structures in an opening in an underside of an aircraft fuselage provided for a wing box of an aircraft wing.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
the transport mechanism being one of a pair of fuselage transport mechanisms, the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms being configured to removably attach to the jig on opposite sides of the jig, the fuselage transport mechanisms being operable to move the jig horizontally in multiple directions and to selectively raise and lower the jig vertically.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
when the jig is removably attached to an aircraft fuselage, and when the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms are removably attached to the jig, the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms do not obstruct access to an exterior surface of the aircraft fuselage.

6. The apparatus of claim 4 , further comprising:
a jig transport mechanism that is configured to support the jig on the jig transport mechanism, the jig transport mechanism being operable to move and transport the jig; and,
the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms being separate from the jig transport mechanism.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein:
the jig having a reinforcing framework with structural rigidity and a configuration that is operable to support a load of an assembled aircraft fuselage through wing attachment structures on the aircraft fuselage.

8. An airframe handling apparatus comprising:
a jig, the jig having means for removably attaching the jig to an underside of an aircraft fuselage at wing attachment structures on the underside of the aircraft fuselage; and,
a transport mechanism, the transport mechanism having means for supporting the jig positioned on the transport mechanism, the transport mechanism being operable to move the jig supported on the transport mechanism.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
locators on the jig, the locators being relatively positioned on the jig where securing a portion of an aircraft fuselage to each locator accurately positions the aircraft fuselage relative to the jig.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
each locator being configured to be secured to a bottom end of a rib of an aircraft fuselage.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
the locators being relatively positioned on the jig in a configuration where positions of the locators correspond with positions of the wing attachment structures on the underside of the aircraft fuselage.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 , further comprising:
the locators being relatively positioned on the jig in a configuration where positions of the locators correspond with positions of wing attachment structures in an opening in the underside of the aircraft fuselage provided by a wing box of an aircraft wing.

13. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
the jig having locators on the jig, the locators being removably attachable to an underside of an aircraft fuselage in place of a wing of an aircraft.

14. The apparatus of claim 8 , further comprising:
the transport mechanism being one of a pair of fuselage transport mechanisms, the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms being configured to removably attach to the jig and support the jig with an aircraft fuselage attached to the jig, the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms being operable to move the jig horizontally with an aircraft fuselage attached to the jig, and the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms being operable to move the jig vertically with an aircraft fuselage attached to the jig.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms being oriented vertically over opposite sides of the jig when the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms are removably attached to the jig; and,
the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms extending vertically over opposite sides of an aircraft fuselage removably attached to the jig with the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms being spaced horizontally from opposite sides of the aircraft fuselage removably attached to the jig.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , further comprising:
a jig transport mechanism, the jig transport mechanism being configured to support the jig positioned on the jig transport mechanism, the jig transport mechanism being operable to move the jig supported on the jig transport mechanism; and,
the jig transport mechanism being separate from the pair of fuselage transport mechanisms.

17. An airframe handling apparatus comprising:
a jig having a configuration that is attachable to an aircraft fuselage at wing attachment structures of the aircraft fuselage; and,
a transport mechanism having a configuration that removably supports the jig on top of the transport mechanism, the transport mechanism having drive wheel assemblies that are controllable to move the transport mechanism and move the jig supported on top of the transport mechanism.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:
locators on the jig, the locators being positioned on the jig in a configuration that provides the jig with the configuration that is removably attachable to an aircraft fuselage at wing attachment structures on the aircraft fuselage.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:
locators on the jig, the locators on the jig providing the jig with a configuration where the locators are attachable to wing attachment structures in an opening in an underside of the aircraft fuselage provided for a wing box of an aircraft wing.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:
the transport mechanism being one of a pair of fuselage transport mechanisms, each fuselage transport mechanism having a configuration that is removably attachable to the jig on opposite sides of the jig, each fuselage transport mechanism being operable to selectively move the jig supported on the fuselage transport mechanism vertically upwardly and downwardly.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Moore Matthew B
• Squires Lile P
• Stone Patrick B
• Zornes Jeffrey A

Classifications

• B05B13/0285

  Stands for supporting individual articles to be sprayed, e.g. doors, vehicle body parts · CPC title

• B64F5/10 Primary

  Manufacturing or assembling aircraft, e.g. jigs therefor · CPC title

• B05D1/02

  performed by spraying · CPC title

• B25J11/0075

  Manipulators for painting or coating · CPC title

• B05B13/0221

  characterised by the means for moving or conveying the objects or other work, e.g. conveyor belts (B05B13/0207 takes precedence; conveyors in general B65G) · CPC title