Wing lift system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-RE47361-E
Application number	US-201514946776-A
Country	US
Kind code	E1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Dec 16, 2009
Publication date	Apr 23, 2019
Grant date	Apr 23, 2019

Abstract

A method and apparatus may be present for moving a wing. A plurality of lifting assemblies may be attached to a first plurality of channels in a ring associated with the wing of an aircraft. A plurality of base assemblies may be attached to a plurality of fittings with a second plurality of channels associated with a fuselage of the aircraft. The plurality of lifting assemblies may be moved away from the plurality of base assemblies using a plurality of biasing systems such that the ring may move away from the fuselage.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus comprising:
a plurality of lifting assemblies configured to be attached to a first plurality of channels in a ring associated with a wing of an aircraft, a lifting assembly in of the plurality of lifting assemblies comprising a lifting bracket having a member configured to extend through a channel in of the first plurality of channels and a cap configured to engage the member to secure the lifting bracket to the channel in the ring;
a plurality of base assemblies configured to be attached to a plurality of fittings with a second plurality of channels associated with a fuselage of the aircraft; and
a plurality of biasing systems configured to move the plurality of lifting assemblies away from the plurality of base assemblies such that the ring moves away from the fuselage.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a base assembly in of the plurality of base assemblies comprises:
a base structure having a cavity configured to receive a fitting in of the plurality of fittings; and
a plate configured to be connected to the base structure such that the base assembly is connected to the fitting.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the base assembly further comprises:
a number of fasteners configured to connect the plate to the base structure.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of biasing systems comprises:
a plurality of hydraulic lift units.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 further comprising:
a hydraulic pump configured to be attached to the plurality of hydraulic lift units and to send fluid into the plurality of hydraulic lift units to move the plurality of lifting assemblies away from the plurality of base assemblies such that the ring moves away from the fuselage.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a plurality of measurement units configured to measure a displacement between the plurality of lifting assemblies and the plurality of base assemblies.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a locking system configured to prevent a rotation of the ring while the plurality of lifting assemblies is attached to the first plurality of channels in the ring associated with the wing of the aircraft, and the plurality of base assemblies is attached to the plurality of fittings with the second plurality of channels associated with the fuselage of the aircraft in which the first plurality of channels is aligned with the second plurality of channels.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the locking system comprises:
a plurality of pins configured to be placed through the first plurality of channels attached to the plurality of lifting assemblies corresponding to the second plurality of channels in the plurality of base assemblies.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the wing is a rotatable wing.

10. A lifting system to lift a rotatable wing away from a fuselage of an aircraft, the lifting system comprising:
a plurality of lifting assemblies configured to be attached to a first plurality of channels in a ring associated with the rotatable wing of the aircraft in which a lifting assembly in the plurality of lifting assemblies comprises a lifting bracket having a member configured to extend through a channel in the first plurality of channels and a cap configured to engage the member to secure the lifting bracket to the channel in the ring; a plurality of base assemblies configured to be attached to a plurality of fittings with a second plurality of channels associated with the fuselage of the aircraft in which a base assembly in the plurality of base assemblies comprises a base structure having a cavity configured to receive a fitting in the plurality of fittings, a plate configured to be connected to the base structure such that the base assembly is connected to the fitting, and a number of fasteners configured to connect the plate to the base structure; a plurality of hydraulic lift units configured to move the plurality of lifting assemblies away from the plurality of base assemblies such that the ring moves away from the fuselage; a hydraulic pump configured to be attached to the plurality of hydraulic lift units and to send fluid into the plurality of hydraulic lift units to move the plurality of lifting assemblies away from the plurality of base assemblies such that the ring moves away from the fuselage; a plurality of measurement units configured to measure a displacement between the plurality of lifting assemblies and the plurality of base assemblies; and a locking system configured to reduce a rotation of the ring while the plurality of lifting assemblies is attached to the first plurality of channels in the ring associated with the rotatable wing of the aircraft, the plurality of base assemblies is attached to the plurality of fittings with the second plurality of channels associated with the fuselage of the aircraft, and the first plurality of channels is aligned with the second plurality of channels in which the locking system comprises a plurality of pins configured to be placed through the first plurality of channels attached to the plurality of lifting assemblies corresponding to the second plurality of channels in the plurality of base assemblies.

11. A method for moving a wing of an aircraft, the method comprising:
attaching a plurality of lifting assemblies to a first plurality of channels in a ring associated with the wing of an the aircraft;
attaching a plurality of base assemblies to a plurality of fittings with a second plurality of channels associated with a fuselage of the aircraft while the first plurality of channels is unaligned with the second plurality of channels in the plurality of fittings associated with the fuselage of the aircraft; and
moving the plurality of lifting assemblies away from the plurality of base assemblies using a plurality of biasing systems such that the ring moves away from the fuselage.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
rotating the ring to align the first plurality of channels in the ring associated with the wing of the aircraft with the second plurality of channels in the plurality of fittings associated with the fuselage of the aircraft.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein a lifting assembly in of the plurality of lifting assemblies comprises:
a lifting bracket having a member configured to extend through a channel in of the first plurality of channels; and
a cap configured to engage the member to secure the lifting bracket to the channel in the ring.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein a base assembly in of the plurality of base assemblies comprises:
a base structure having a cavity configured to receive a fitting in of the plurality of fittings; and
a plate configured to be connected to the base structure such that the base assembly is connected to the fitting.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the base assembly further comprises:
a number of fasteners configured to connect the plate to the base structure.

16. The method of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of biasing systems comprises:
a plurality of hydraulic lift units.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein a hydraulic pump is configured to be attached to the plurality of hydraulic lift units and to send fluid into the plurality of hydraulic lift units to move the plurality of lifting assemblies away from the plurality of base assemblies such that the ring moves away from the fuselage.

18. A method for lifting a wing away from a fuselage of an aircraft using a wing lift system, the method comprising:
rotating a ring associated with the wi

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Rumberger Jr William Elmer
• Joyce Patrick F
• Scheerer David E

Classifications

• B64F5/40

  Maintaining or repairing aircraft · CPC title

• B64C3/56 Primary

  Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft · CPC title

• B64C29/0091

  Accessories not provided for elsewhere · CPC title

• B64C29/0033

  the propellers being tiltable relative to the fuselage · CPC title

• B66F11/00

  Lifting devices specially adapted for particular uses not otherwise provided for (ground-engaging vehicle fittings for supporting, lifting or manoeuvring the vehicle B60S9/00) · CPC title