Airfield tie-down with deployable talons

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11370558-B2
Application number	US-202016742841-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 14, 2020
Priority date	Jan 14, 2020
Publication date	Jun 28, 2022
Grant date	Jun 28, 2022

Abstract

In one embodiment, tie-down assembly is provided for securing a parked aircraft to a slab of an aircraft mooring area. The assembly includes a support structure having a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end cover coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall, and a second end cover coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall. The assembly also includes a connector rod coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall, a talon pivot rod coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall, a first talon rotatably coupled with the talon pivot rod, a second talon rotatably coupled with the talon pivot rod, a first depth adjustment mechanism coupled with the first talon, and a second depth adjustment mechanism coupled with the second talon.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tie-down assembly for securing a parked aircraft to a surface of an aircraft mooring area, the tie-assembly comprising:
a support structure;
a connector rod coupled with the support structure;
a first talon rotatably coupled with the support structure;
a second talon rotatably coupled with the support structure;
a first depth adjustment mechanism coupled with the first talon; and
a second depth adjustment mechanism coupled with the second talon.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the support structure comprises a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end cover coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall, and a second end cover coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a talon pivot rod coupled with the support structure, wherein the first talon and the second talon are coupled with the talon pivot rod.

4. The assembly of claim 3 , further comprising a first talon stop ring that secures the first talon in place on the talon pivot rod, and a second talon stop ring that secures the second talon in place on the talon pivot rod.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a first talon stop rod coupled with the support structure and a second talon stop rod coupled with the support structure.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the first depth adjustment mechanism comprises a first threaded tap bolt and the second depth adjustment mechanism comprises a second threaded tap bolt.

7. The assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a first threaded hex nut coupled with the first talon and a second threaded hex nut coupled with the second talon, wherein the first threaded tap bolt is in threaded cooperation with the first threaded hex nut and the second threaded tap bolt is in threaded cooperation with the second threaded hex nut.

8. The assembly of claim 6 , wherein the first talon comprises a first aperture that is tapped to match the threading of the first threaded tap bolt and the second talon comprises a second aperture that is tapped to match the threading of the second threaded tap bolt.

9. A method of installing a tie-down assembly in a slab of an aircraft parking area, the method comprising:
drilling a core hole through the slab of the aircraft parking area;
creating a base hole beneath the slab;
adjusting a first depth adjustment mechanism and a second depth adjustment mechanism of the tie-down assembly;
inserting the tie-down assembly into the core hole and the base hole;
deploying a first talon and a second talon of the tie-down assembly;
holding the tie-down assembly in place; and
securing the tie-down assembly in place relative to the slab.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of securing the tie-down assembly in place relative to the slab comprises placing a setting agent in the core hole and base hole and in contact with the tie-down assembly.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the setting agent comprises a member selected from the group consisting of a concrete and a grout.

12. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of holding the tie-down assembly in place comprises applying a lifting force to the tie-down assembly, so as to bring the first depth adjustment mechanism and the second depth adjustment mechanism against a bottom surface of the slab.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tie-down assembly comprises a support structure, wherein the first talon and the second talon are rotatably coupled with the support structure, wherein the first depth adjustment mechanism is coupled with the first talon, and wherein the second depth adjustment mechanism is coupled with the second talon.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the support structure comprises a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end cover coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall, and a second end cover coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the tie-down assembly comprises a support structure and a talon pivot rod coupled with the support structure, and wherein the first talon and the second talon are coupled with the talon pivot rod.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the tie-down assembly further comprises a first talon stop ring that secures the first talon in place on the talon pivot rod, and a second talon stop ring that secures the second talon in place on the talon pivot rod.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the tie-down assembly further comprises a first talon stop rod coupled with the support structure and a second talon stop rod coupled with the support structure.

18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first depth adjustment mechanism comprises a first threaded tap bolt and the second depth adjustment mechanism comprises a second threaded tap bolt, wherein the tie-down assembly further comprises a first threaded hex nut coupled with the first talon and a second threaded hex nut coupled with the second talon, and wherein the first threaded tap bolt is in threaded cooperation with the first threaded hex nut and the second threaded tap bolt is in threaded cooperation with the second threaded hex nut.

19. The method of claim 9 , wherein the first depth adjustment mechanism comprises a first threaded tap bolt and the second depth adjustment mechanism comprises a second threaded tap bolt, and wherein the first talon comprises a first aperture that is tapped to match the threading of the first threaded tap bolt and the second talon comprises a second aperture that is tapped to match the threading of the second threaded tap bolt.

20. A tie-down assembly for securing a parked aircraft to a surface of an aircraft mooring area, the tie-assembly comprising:
a support structure having a first side wall, a second side wall, a first end cover coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall, and a second end cover coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall;
a connector rod coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall;
a talon pivot rod coupled with the first side wall and the second side wall;
a first talon rotatably coupled with the talon pivot rod;
a second talon rotatably coupled with the talon pivot rod;
a first depth adjustment mechanism coupled with the first talon; and
a second depth adjustment mechanism coupled with the second talon.

Assignees

• Us Army

Inventors

• Hoffman Nolan R

Classifications

• B64F1/16 Primary

  Pickets or ground anchors; Wheel chocks · CPC title