US 12,459,667 B2
System for transporting airplanes on an airport apron
Slawomir Malicki, Gora Kalwaria (PL)
Filed by Slawomir Malicki, Gora Kalwaria (PL)
Filed on Mar. 29, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/707,452.
Application 17/707,452 is a continuation in part of application No. 16/674,518, filed on Nov. 5, 2019, granted, now 11,299,291.
Application 16/674,518 is a continuation of application No. 15/351,524, filed on Nov. 15, 2016, granted, now 10,486,829, issued on Nov. 26, 2019.
Claims priority of application No. 414811 (PL), filed on Nov. 16, 2015.
Prior Publication US 2022/0219835 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. B64F 1/00 (2024.01); B64F 1/227 (2024.01); B64F 1/228 (2024.01); B64F 1/26 (2006.01)
CPC B64F 1/002 (2013.01) [B64F 1/227 (2013.01); B64F 1/228 (2013.01); B64F 1/26 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system operative to move an aircraft supported on an airport apron, comprising:
an elongated driving channel, wherein the driving channel
extends along a channel direction,
extends below the airport apron,
has an upper surface that is generally flush with the airport apron,
a carriage, wherein the carriage
is positioned below the airport apron in the driving channel,
is selectively movable along the channel direction within the driving channel,
a basket, wherein the basket
is in operative connection with the carriage
is configured to engage and disengage from at least one front wheel of an aircraft by the at least one front wheel and the basket relatively moving in generally aligned relation with the channel direction,
at least one actuator, wherein the at least one actuator
is in operative connection with the basket,
is selectively operative to move at least one portion of the basket upward and downward relative to the carriage,
wherein movement of the at least one portion from a downward position to an upward position responsive to the at least one actuator is operative to cause the basket to be in a configuration in which at least one front wheel in engagement with the basket and in generally aligned relation with the channel direction is caused to be held engaged with the basket,
wherein with the basket in the configuration and with the at least one front wheel held engaged with the basket, the aircraft is movable along the channel direction responsive to movement of the carriage in the channel, and
wherein movement of the at least one portion from the upward position to the downward position is operative to cause the basket to be in a further configuration,
wherein with the basket in the further configuration the at least one front wheel in engagement with the basket is not held engaged with the basket, and the at least one front wheel is enabled to disengage from the basket by movement of the at least one front wheel along the channel direction relative to the basket.