US 12,330,775 B1
Swivel nose caster for aircraft floats
Daniel W. Garrett, Woodbury, MN (US)
Filed by Daniel W. Garrett, Woodbury, MN (US)
Filed on Jul. 19, 2024, as Appl. No. 18/778,500.
Int. Cl. B64C 25/66 (2006.01); B64C 25/00 (2006.01); B64C 25/54 (2006.01); B64C 25/58 (2006.01)
CPC B64C 25/66 (2013.01) [B64C 25/54 (2013.01); B64C 25/58 (2013.01); B64C 2025/008 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A float assembly mountable to an aircraft, the float assembly comprising:
a float extending lengthwise between a bow of the float and a stern of the float;
a nose wheel being coupled to the bow of the float, the nose wheel being rotatable about a wheel axis and being able to swivel about a swivel axis; and
a bifluidic strut being coupled to the nose wheel, the bifluidic strut containing a liquid and a gas, the bifluidic strut having a strut longitudinal centerline, the bifluidic strut having selectively a compressed state and an extended state, the bifluidic strut being longer in the extended state than in the compressed state, the strut longitudinal centerline being at a first angle to the swivel axis when the bifluidic strut is in the compressed state, the strut longitudinal centerline being at a second angle to the swivel axis when the bifluidic strut is in the extended state, and the first angle being different than the second angle.