Internal rotating fast-rope system and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12503229-B2
Application number	US-202117184270-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2021
Priority date	Feb 24, 2021
Publication date	Dec 23, 2025
Grant date	Dec 23, 2025

Abstract

A fast-rope system for use with a rotary aircraft includes a tubular housing attached to an interior portion of a cabin and adjacent to an upper portion of an exit door opening of the rotary aircraft and a fast-rope frame structure rotatably coupled to the tubular housing. The fast-rope frame structure includes a cylindrical pipe contained partially within the tubular housing and operable to rotate within the tubular housing and a cantilever beam structure fixedly connected to the cylindrical pipe and configured to have a fast rope attached thereto and move in response to rotation of the cylindrical pipe within the tubular housing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A fast-rope system for use with a rotary aircraft, the fast-rope system comprising:
a tubular housing attached to an interior portion of a cabin and adjacent to an upper portion of an exit door opening of the rotary aircraft; and a fast-rope frame structure rotatably coupled to the tubular housing, the fast-rope frame structure comprising:
a cylindrical pipe contained partially within the tubular housing and operable to rotate within the tubular housing; and
a cantilever beam structure having a first end fixedly connected to the cylindrical pipe and a second end distal from the first end; and
a fast rope attached to an attachment point of the cantilever beam structure, the attachment point being closer to the second end than the first end; and wherein the cantilever beam structure moves between a stowed position and an operation position in response to rotation of the cylindrical pipe within the tubular housing.

2 . The fast-rope system of claim 1 , wherein each of the stowed position and the operation position dependent on a rotational position of the cylindrical pipe.

3 . The fast-rope system of claim 2 , wherein, in the stowed position, a substantial portion of the cantilever beam structure is adjacent a ceiling of the cabin.

4 . The fast-rope system of claim 2 , wherein, in the operation position, an outermost portion of the cantilever beam structure is outboard of an outermost portion of the rotary aircraft beneath a rotor of the rotary aircraft.

5 . The fast-rope system of claim 1 , wherein the cantilever beam structure comprises an attachment loop for attachment of the fast rope thereto.

6 . The fast-rope system of claim 1 , wherein the tubular housing and the cylindrical pipe are coaxial.

7 . The fast-rope system of claim 1 , wherein the cantilever beam structure comprises:
a pair of beams interoperably coupled to the cylindrical pipe; and a loop-attachment beam connected between the pair of beams.

8 . The fast-rope system of claim 7 , wherein the cantilever beam structure comprises a fast-rope attachment loop connected to the loop-attachment beam.

9 . A fast-rope system for use with a rotary aircraft, the fast-rope system comprising:
a tubular housing attached to an interior portion of a cabin of the rotary aircraft; a fast-rope frame structure rotatably coupled to the tubular housing, the fast-rope frame structure comprising:
a pipe operable to rotate within the tubular housing; and
a rigid cantilever beam structure fixedly connected to the pipe; and
a fast rope attached to an attachment point of the rigid cantilever beam structure opposite a connection point of the rigid cantilever beam structure to the pipe; wherein the cantilever beam structure rotates in response to rotation of the cylindrical pipe within the tubular housing.

10 . The fast-rope system of claim 9 , wherein the fast-rope frame structure is positionable in a stowed position and an operation position, each of the stowed position and the operation position dependent on a rotational position of the pipe.

11 . The fast-rope system of claim 10 , wherein, in the stowed position, a substantial portion of the cantilever beam structure is adjacent a ceiling of the cabin.

12 . The fast-rope system of claim 10 , wherein, in the operation position, an outermost portion of the cantilever frame structure is outboard of an outermost portion of the rotary aircraft beneath a rotor of the rotary aircraft.

13 . The fast-rope system of claim 9 , wherein the cantilever beam structure comprises an attachment loop for attachment of the fast rope thereto.

14 . The fast-rope system of claim 9 , wherein the housing and the pipe are coaxial.

15 . The fast-rope system of claim 9 , wherein the cantilever beam structure comprises:
a pair of beams interoperably coupled to the pipe; and a loop-attachment beam connected between the pair of beams.

Assignees

• Bell Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Cillessen Craig
• Bayerlein Marco
• Baisch Ansgar Hannes
• Kassner Ralf

Classifications

• A62B1/06

  by making use of rope-lowering devices (capstans, winches B66D) · CPC title

• B64D9/00 Primary

  Equipment for handling freight; Equipment for facilitating passenger embarkation or the like · CPC title

• B64D1/22 Primary

  Taking-up articles from earth's surface · CPC title