Dual purpose vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12447782-B2
Application number	US-202217740577-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 10, 2022
Priority date	May 10, 2022
Publication date	Oct 21, 2025
Grant date	Oct 21, 2025

Abstract

A jammer which eliminates the need for a bobtail in a forward deployment. The jammer has an outwardly extending boom with a table at the distal end of the boom. The table can mount upwardly extending cradles suitable for temporarily holding cargo, such as a munition, during transport and positioning on the underside of an aircraft wing. The table also holds an upstanding pintle hook. The pintle hook provides for attachment of the jammer to a trailer for towing. Using the jammer for both towing of a trailer and positioning of cargo using the boom eliminates the need for a bobtail, conserving both cargo space and payload weight during deployment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A vehicle suitable for loading/unloading a munition to/from an underside of an aircraft wing and comprising:
an articulable boom cantilevered from a proximal end to a distal end remote therefrom;
a table juxtaposed with said distal end of said boom, said table being configured to have an upwardly extending cradle mounted thereto; and
an upwardly extending pintle hook joined to said table.

2. A vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said pintle hook is removably joined to said table.

3. A vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein said table defines an XY plane and a Z direction perpendicular thereto, said pintle hook extending in said Z direction and further comprising an adapter having three trisections, a central trisection intermediate two outboard trisections, said outboard trisections being joined to said table and said central trisection being spaced apart from said table in said Z direction, said pintle hook being removably joined to said central trisection of said adapter.

4. A vehicle according to claim 2 , wherein said table has a top table surface defining an XY plane and a Z direction perpendicular thereto, said pintle hook extending in said Z direction and further comprising a bridge joined to said table, said bridge having at least two uprights and a joist therebetween, said joist being spaced apart from said top surface of said table and having a bottom joist surface facing said top table surface and a top joist surface opposed thereto, said joist being adapted to receive a cradle on said top joist surface and said pintle hook being directly joined to said table underneath said joist.

5. A table removably mountable to a distal end of a boom of a vehicle at four pivot points, said boom defining a longitudinal direction, said table comprising:
a generally horizontal top table surface and a bottom table surface opposed thereto, said top table surface defining an XY plane and a Z direction perpendicular thereto, said table having four pivot points, said pivot points being disposed in two pairs on opposed sides of said table; and
a pintle hook attached to said horizontal top table surface and extending upwardly therefrom in said Z direction, whereby said pintle hook is vertically and upwardly oriented when said table is horizontally mounted onto said boom of a said vehicle.

6. A table according to claim 5 further comprising an adapter having a cross section with three trisections, a central trisection and two outboard trisections extending symmetrically and outwardly therefrom, each said outboard trisection being joined to said outboard trisection, said central trisection being spaced outwardly from said top table surface in said Z direction, said pintle hook being attached to said central trisection of said adapter by threaded fasteners.

7. A table according to claim 6 wherein said table further comprises a plurality of table holes therethrough disposed in a pattern and said outboard trisections of said adapter having a plurality of adapter holes therethrough disposed in said pattern, whereby said adapter is removably attachable to said table by a plurality of threaded fasteners inserted through said holes and said pintle hook is attached to said adapter by a screw thread inserted into a tapped hole in said adapter.

8. A table according to claim 5 further comprising a bridge joined thereto, said bridge having at least two uprights and a joist therebetween, said joist being spaced apart from said top surface of said table and having a bottom joist surface facing said top table surface and a top joist surface opposed thereto, said joist being adapted to receive a cradle on said top joist surface and said pintle hook being directly joined to said table underneath said joist.

9. A table according to claim 8 wherein each said upright has an outwardly flange, said bridge being removably joined to said table by threaded fasteners through said flanges.

10. A table according to claim 9 wherein said joist has a top surface and an upstanding cradle joined thereto, said cradle being adapted to hold a munition.

11. A table according to claim 10 wherein said joist has a top surface and a plurality of upstanding cradles joined thereto, each said cradle being adapted to hold a munition.

12. A table according to claim 5 wherein said pintle hook is directly mounted onto said table and is generally parallel to said longitudinal axis.

13. A method of repositioning a trailer without the use of a bobtail, said method comprising the steps of:
providing a vehicle having an outwardly extending boom, said boom extending from a proximal end to a distal end remote therefrom;
extending said boom to a position ergonomically suitable for attaching accessories thereto;
attaching a table to said boom, whereby said table is juxtaposed with said distal end of said boom;
attaching a pintle hook to said table;
driving said vehicle to a trailer, said trailer being disposed at a first location;
attaching said trailer to said pintle hook; and
without using a bobtail, driving said vehicle to a second location while towing said trailer behind said vehicle.

14. A method according to claim 13 further comprising the step of attaching an upstanding cradle to said table and disposing a munition thereon.

15. A method according to claim 14 further comprising the step of detaching said trailer from said pintle hook at said second location.

16. A method according to claim 15 further comprising the steps of driving said vehicle to a location juxtaposed with an aircraft; extending said boom to a position ergonomically suitable for removing said munition from said and removing said munition from said cradle for subsequent deployment.

17. A method according to claim 16 further comprising the step attaching said munition to a first wing of said aircraft.

18. A method according to claim 14 comprising the steps of attaching plural upstanding cradles to said table, and disposing a munition on each said upstanding table.

19. A method according to claim 18 comprising the step repositioning said vehicle and said trailer to a location juxtaposed with a second wing of said aircraft; removing a munition from said cradle and attaching said munition to said second wing of said aircraft.

20. A method according to claim 13 wherein said step of attaching said trailer to said pintle hook comprises the step of attaching a tow bar to said pintle hook and to a tow bar on said trailer, whereby said tow bar tautly extends therebetween during towing.

Assignees

• Us Gov Air Force
• Us Air Force

Inventors

• Sands Isaac

Classifications

• B64D1/06

  Bomb releasing; Bomb doors · CPC title

• F41A9/87 Primary

  Ammunition handling dollies or transfer carts (F41A9/86 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60D1/28 Primary

  for preventing unwanted disengagement, e.g. safety appliances · CPC title

• B60D1/04

  Hook or hook-and-hasp couplings · CPC title

• B60D1/06

  Ball-and-socket hitches · CPC title