US 11,731,788 B2
Method and apparatus for producing at least part of a structural frame of a vehicle
Gregory Warren Thompson, Preston (GB)
Assigned to BAE Systems plc, London (GB)
Appl. No. 17/607,626
Filed by BAE Systems plc, London (GB)
PCT Filed May 7, 2020, PCT No. PCT/GB2020/051119
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 29, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/234565, PCT Pub. Date Nov. 26, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19275069 (EP), filed on May 23, 2019; and application No. 1907299 (GB), filed on May 23, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0204183 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. B64F 5/10 (2017.01); B64C 1/06 (2006.01)
CPC B64F 5/10 (2017.01) [B64C 1/061 (2013.01); B64C 1/064 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of producing at least part of a structural frame of a vehicle, the method comprising:
providing a support structure, the support structure comprising:
a plurality of elongate members; and
one or more retaining members configured to retain the elongate members;
mounting a plurality of first structural components to the support structure by coupling the first structural components to the elongate members such that each of the first structural components occupies a different respective position along the elongate members; and
attaching a plurality of second structural components to the first structural components, thereby coupling together the first structural components to form the at least part of the structural frame of the vehicle.