CA1095462A - Mechanism for transfer of wheelchair confined passengers to and from aircraft at airport tarmacs - Google Patents
Mechanism for transfer of wheelchair confined passengers to and from aircraft at airport tarmacsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1095462A CA1095462A CA356,978A CA356978A CA1095462A CA 1095462 A CA1095462 A CA 1095462A CA 356978 A CA356978 A CA 356978A CA 1095462 A CA1095462 A CA 1095462A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- linkage
- pallet means
- pallet
- vehicle
- pivotal connections
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
- B66F—HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD
- B66F7/00—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts
- B66F7/06—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts with platforms supported by levers for vertical movement
- B66F7/0633—Mechanical arrangements not covered by the following subgroups
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
- A61G3/00—Ambulance aspects of vehicles; Vehicles with special provisions for transporting patients or disabled persons, or their personal conveyances, e.g. for facilitating access of, or for loading, wheelchairs
- A61G3/02—Loading or unloading personal conveyances; Facilitating access of patients or disabled persons to, or exit from, vehicles
- A61G3/06—Transfer using ramps, lifts or the like
- A61G3/063—Transfer using ramps, lifts or the like using lifts separate from the vehicle, e.g. fixed on the pavement
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
- B66F—HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD
- B66F7/00—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts
- B66F7/06—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts with platforms supported by levers for vertical movement
- B66F7/0625—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts with platforms supported by levers for vertical movement with wheels for moving around the floor
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
- B66F—HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD
- B66F7/00—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts
- B66F7/06—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts with platforms supported by levers for vertical movement
- B66F7/0641—Single levers, e.g. parallel links
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B66—HOISTING; LIFTING; HAULING
- B66F—HOISTING, LIFTING, HAULING OR PUSHING, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR, e.g. DEVICES WHICH APPLY A LIFTING OR PUSHING FORCE DIRECTLY TO THE SURFACE OF A LOAD
- B66F7/00—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts
- B66F7/06—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts with platforms supported by levers for vertical movement
- B66F7/08—Lifting frames, e.g. for lifting vehicles; Platform lifts with platforms supported by levers for vertical movement hydraulically or pneumatically operated
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Geology (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Vehicle Step Arrangements And Article Storage (AREA)
- Fittings On The Vehicle Exterior For Carrying Loads, And Devices For Holding Or Mounting Articles (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
This invention relates to a novel apparatus for use in boarding and deboarding wheelchair confined and other disabled passengers. One embodiment of the invention makes provision for boarding and deboarding such passengers at entrances to existing aircraft. A horizontal, moveable s platform, hereinafter referred to as pallet means, can be pivotally connected to a pair of spaced apart and opposed linkage means positioned on either side thereof, which are in turn pivotally connected to a vehicle. Each linkage means comprises three linkage sections which are so arranged as to define two co-operating parallelograms having one common side which is parallel to top surface of said pallet means. Motive means installed in said vehicle may be utilized in raising and lowering said pallet means between airport tarmac elevation and aircraft entrance elevation. Said pallet means includes means into which connections to a lifting mechanism can be advant-ageously inserted so that pallet means may be moved about when linkage means is not attached.
This invention relates to a novel apparatus for use in boarding and deboarding wheelchair confined and other disabled passengers. One embodiment of the invention makes provision for boarding and deboarding such passengers at entrances to existing aircraft. A horizontal, moveable s platform, hereinafter referred to as pallet means, can be pivotally connected to a pair of spaced apart and opposed linkage means positioned on either side thereof, which are in turn pivotally connected to a vehicle. Each linkage means comprises three linkage sections which are so arranged as to define two co-operating parallelograms having one common side which is parallel to top surface of said pallet means. Motive means installed in said vehicle may be utilized in raising and lowering said pallet means between airport tarmac elevation and aircraft entrance elevation. Said pallet means includes means into which connections to a lifting mechanism can be advant-ageously inserted so that pallet means may be moved about when linkage means is not attached.
Description
The present invention relates generally to mechanical devices which can be used for the transfer of wheelchair con-fined and other disabled passengers to and from aircraft.
The boarding and deboarding apparatus of this invention is designed to board and deboard wheelchair confined and other disabled passengers at entrances to existing aircraft.
The said mechanical devices are distinguished from other known wheelchair transfer devices in that they are applicable to aircraft and in that movement of a pallet means can be actuated through mechanical linkages by motive means in a vehicle. The linkage connections between said motive means and said pallet means are parallelogram linkages which have rotary motion about fixed pivotal axes induced by said motive means in said vehicle.
The apparatus of the present invention is intended as a safe, comfortable, convenient, confidence assuring and dignity preserving means of loading and off-loading the handi-capped at both present and future generation aircraft.
In general the apparatus of this invention comprises a device including a pallet means which can be lowered to rest position on an airport tarmac from where a wheelchair passenger can roll his wheelchair onto the pallet means and then be raised to an elevation where his wheelchair can be rolled off the pallet means and into the aircraft. Conversely, when said pallet means is at a position adjacent or in aircraft doorway a wheelchair confined passenger can be rolled onto pallet means and then lowered on said pallet means down to tarmac elevation from where the passenger can roll his wheelchair off and onto the tarmac itself`.
In accordance with one embodiment of this invention 3 which is particularly suited for boarding and deboarding wheel-chair confined passengers at entrances to aircraft there is~
provided a pallet means to which a pair of spaced apart and opposed linkage means may be attached on either side thereof.
The linkage means is employed to pivotally interconnect the pallet means to a multi-wheeled, steerable, power locomoted and driver operated vehicle. Each linkage means comprises three linkage sections which are so arranged as to define two co-operating parallelograms having one common side which is parallel to the top surface of the pallet means. A motive means installed in the vehicle actuates hydraulic, cylinder-piston mechanisms or reduction gear mechanisms which can beutilized in raising and lowering the pallet means between tarmac elevation and aircraft entrance elevation.
In this construction the first (outboard) linkage section and the second (inboard) linkage section in each of the linkage means are preferably each pivotally connected to the pallet means and the vehicle and are pivotally interconnected to each other by a third linkage section which forms the one common side of the two co-operating parallelograms. In order to maintain the pallet means horizontal during the raising and lowering movement and to retain the integrity of the parallelograms, the distance between the pivotal connections of the first and second linkage sections with the pallet means is equal to the distance between pivotal connections of the first and second linkage sections with the vehicle. Furthermore, the distance between pivotal connections of the first and second linkage sections with the third linkage section is also equal to the distance between the pivotal connections of the first and second linkage section to the vehicle and the first and second linkage section to the pallet means. In this configuration, relative to the ve~icle, 3 the pivotal connections of the first linkage section to the pallet means, to the vehicle and to`the third linkage section are outboard of the corresponding pivotal connection of the 1~9~462 second linkage section to the pallet means, to the vehicle and to the third linkage section, and when said pallet means is at tarmac elevation pivotal connections of the second linkage sections to the pallet means lie outboard of the pivotal connections of the fi~st linkage sections to the vehicle.
I have found that the first and second linkage sections may each be constructed in the form of a triangular frame, with the third linkage section pivotally interconnecting these frames. Indeed, the triangular frame sections can each define a right angle triangle with the third linkage section pivotally interconnecting the two right angle frames at their respective right angles.
In certain situations it may not be possible to employ identical first and second triangular linkage sections if full movement of the pallet means is to be achieved. In such instances I have found that the hypotenuse portion of the second linkage section can be advantageously deflected inwardly of its triangular configuration so that it is disposed above the pivotal connection of the first linkage section to the vehicleO This deflection facilitates complete lowering of the pallet means onto an essentially level tarmac in instances where the first linkage section is pivotally connected to a vehicle and the second linkage is constrained to overlie the first linkage pivotal connection to said vehicle.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, which is particularly suited to boarding and deboarding wheel-chair confined passengers at aircraft, there is provided a pentagonally shaped pallet means having two parallel sides, one end at right angles to the parallel sides and two sides of equal length at less than right angles to each other, each making the same angle with its adjacent parallel side, thus providing the pallet means with a symetrically pointed end. Said pointed end 109S~62 facilitates use of pallet means in conjunction with a mobile stairway (called "Passenger Stand" in the trade) when boarding and deboarding wheelchair confined passengers at aircraft.
When top landing platform of passenger stand is in place at aircraft entrance, an edge of pointed end of pallet means can be brought adjacent to either side of said top landing platform. Sliding gate on appropriate side of top landing plat-form is then opened and wheelchair can be rolled from pallet means onto said top platform and hence into aircraft. Con-versely, wheelchair can be rolled from aircraft onto said topplatform and hence onto pallet means.
In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, it may be used to boa~d and deboard wheelchair confined passengers at aircraft without benefit of passenger stand by bringing an edge of the pointed end of the pallet means directly adjacent to the 8ill at an en$rance to the aircraft itself, or by inserting pointed end of pallet means over the sill directly into aircraft entrance.
In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, the edges of the pallet means that could come in contact with aircraft fuselage are fitted with appropriate bumping cushions.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the pallet means includes means into which the tines of a lifting mechanism, more particularly a fork lift truck, may be advantageously inserted so that pallet means may be raised, lowered and moved about when said linkage means is not connected to said pallet means.
As security for the wheelchair confined passenger is important from the standpoint of safety, the pallet means may 3 advantageously include a lever and lever actuated, retractable, wheel engaging means for releasably retaining a wheelchair whilst positioned on the pallet means. If required, the pallet means may also include one or more hand rails as well as retaining bars which can be closed before and behind the wheel-chair confined passenger while being transported on the pa]let means.
As another aspect of this invention, involving security for the wheelchair confined passenger which is important from the standpoint of safety, the pallet means may advantageously include an enclosure (shelter) consisting of a roof made of opaque material and walls and at least one door the bottom halves of which are also made of opaque material and the top halves of transparent material. Said enclosure can be removably fitted and locked onto said pallet means.
1~)95~6Z
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate various embodiments of my invention:
Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus which can be used in boarding and deboarding wheelchair confined and other disabled passengers at aircraft.
Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus depicted in Figure 1 when the pallet means is at tarmac elevation, wheelchair has been rolled on and chocks have been raised to engage wheels of wheelchair.
Figure 3 is a side view of the dev!ice depicted in Figures 1 and 2 when the pallet means has been raised to an elevation above tarmac elevation.
Figure 4 is an end view of the device depicted in Figure 3 in a raised position.
Figure 5 is an isometric view of the shelter that is shown in general outline form by check lines 16 in Figures 1,2, 3 and 4.
Referring in detail to the drawings of the present invention, Figure 1 and Figure 2 depict a pallet means and a lifting mechanism which may be used for transferring wheelchair confined passengers between airport tarmac and door sill of a parked aircraft.
Figure 1 shows a plan view and Figure 2 a side view of said pallet means and said lifting mechanism when pallet means 20 is at tarmac elevation in a position in which a wheelchair, generally indicated by broken lines 15, can be rolled onto and off of said pallet means. Said pallet means includes rear chocks 21 and front chocks 22 which may be controlled by chock lever 23 in suc~ a manner as to grip the ~9~4G2 large or the small wheels of wheelchair 15 and restrain their movement when said wheelchair is properly placed on said pallet means.
For additional safety and confidence assurance, removable hand rails indicated at 30 are fitted with retaining bars 43 which can be rotated from vertical to horizontal so as to be positioned in front of and behind wheelchair 15 while it is being transferred between tarmac and aircraft sill elevation.
So that the wheelchair passenger and attendant ma~
be protected from the elements, a shelter, indicated by broken lines 16 is removably fitted to pallet means 20 where it is maintained in a centred position by lock blocks 17 and tine pockets 19.
For further protection of passengers and attendants, guard rails may be removably inserted in socket holes 27 in surface of pallet means 20.
For ease in rolling a wheelchair onto said pallet means each side of pointed end of said pallet means has a ramped area indicated at 29.
So that pallet means 20 may be moved when linkage sections 26 and 28 are not connected, pallet means includes tine pockets 19 into which tines of a fork lift mechanism may be advantageously inserted.
For protection of aircraft fuselage, which could be impacted by pallet means 20, said pallet means is fitted with appropriate bumping cushions 18.
Figures 1 and 2 depict the disposition of linkage sections 26, 28 and 34, which form two co-operating parallel-ograms and which connect pallet means 20 at pivotal shafts 24 i~)9S~62 and 25 to vehicle 33 at pivotal shafts 31 and 32, when said pallet means is at rest position on tarmac. Motor or engine driven hydraulic pump and traction power unit in vehicle 33 is indicated at 36 and hydraulic cylinder-piston mechanisms which rotate linkage sections 26 and 28 about their respective pivot points 31 and 32 are indicated at 37. Said cylinder-piston mechanisms are connected to vehicle 33 through shaft 38 and to linkage sections 28 through shaft 39.
Figure 3 shows pallet means 20 when it has been raised to an elevated position by rotation of linkage sections 26 and 28 about their respective pivot points 31 and 32, such rotation being induced by cylinder-piston mechanism 37.
(Note: For purposes of clarity, bumping cushions 18 are not shown in Figure 3.) Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is an isometric drawing of a shelter that can be fitted to and removed from pallet means 20 at will. The roof 44 of said shelter is made of opaque material. The bottom half 45 of the walls and doors is also made of opaque material and the upper half 46 of the walls and doors is made from transparent material. Lifting handles 47 are fixed to the lower half of the walls 4~ and a bench 48 is indicated at the inboard end of the shelter.
The boarding and deboarding apparatus of this invention is designed to board and deboard wheelchair confined and other disabled passengers at entrances to existing aircraft.
The said mechanical devices are distinguished from other known wheelchair transfer devices in that they are applicable to aircraft and in that movement of a pallet means can be actuated through mechanical linkages by motive means in a vehicle. The linkage connections between said motive means and said pallet means are parallelogram linkages which have rotary motion about fixed pivotal axes induced by said motive means in said vehicle.
The apparatus of the present invention is intended as a safe, comfortable, convenient, confidence assuring and dignity preserving means of loading and off-loading the handi-capped at both present and future generation aircraft.
In general the apparatus of this invention comprises a device including a pallet means which can be lowered to rest position on an airport tarmac from where a wheelchair passenger can roll his wheelchair onto the pallet means and then be raised to an elevation where his wheelchair can be rolled off the pallet means and into the aircraft. Conversely, when said pallet means is at a position adjacent or in aircraft doorway a wheelchair confined passenger can be rolled onto pallet means and then lowered on said pallet means down to tarmac elevation from where the passenger can roll his wheelchair off and onto the tarmac itself`.
In accordance with one embodiment of this invention 3 which is particularly suited for boarding and deboarding wheel-chair confined passengers at entrances to aircraft there is~
provided a pallet means to which a pair of spaced apart and opposed linkage means may be attached on either side thereof.
The linkage means is employed to pivotally interconnect the pallet means to a multi-wheeled, steerable, power locomoted and driver operated vehicle. Each linkage means comprises three linkage sections which are so arranged as to define two co-operating parallelograms having one common side which is parallel to the top surface of the pallet means. A motive means installed in the vehicle actuates hydraulic, cylinder-piston mechanisms or reduction gear mechanisms which can beutilized in raising and lowering the pallet means between tarmac elevation and aircraft entrance elevation.
In this construction the first (outboard) linkage section and the second (inboard) linkage section in each of the linkage means are preferably each pivotally connected to the pallet means and the vehicle and are pivotally interconnected to each other by a third linkage section which forms the one common side of the two co-operating parallelograms. In order to maintain the pallet means horizontal during the raising and lowering movement and to retain the integrity of the parallelograms, the distance between the pivotal connections of the first and second linkage sections with the pallet means is equal to the distance between pivotal connections of the first and second linkage sections with the vehicle. Furthermore, the distance between pivotal connections of the first and second linkage sections with the third linkage section is also equal to the distance between the pivotal connections of the first and second linkage section to the vehicle and the first and second linkage section to the pallet means. In this configuration, relative to the ve~icle, 3 the pivotal connections of the first linkage section to the pallet means, to the vehicle and to`the third linkage section are outboard of the corresponding pivotal connection of the 1~9~462 second linkage section to the pallet means, to the vehicle and to the third linkage section, and when said pallet means is at tarmac elevation pivotal connections of the second linkage sections to the pallet means lie outboard of the pivotal connections of the fi~st linkage sections to the vehicle.
I have found that the first and second linkage sections may each be constructed in the form of a triangular frame, with the third linkage section pivotally interconnecting these frames. Indeed, the triangular frame sections can each define a right angle triangle with the third linkage section pivotally interconnecting the two right angle frames at their respective right angles.
In certain situations it may not be possible to employ identical first and second triangular linkage sections if full movement of the pallet means is to be achieved. In such instances I have found that the hypotenuse portion of the second linkage section can be advantageously deflected inwardly of its triangular configuration so that it is disposed above the pivotal connection of the first linkage section to the vehicleO This deflection facilitates complete lowering of the pallet means onto an essentially level tarmac in instances where the first linkage section is pivotally connected to a vehicle and the second linkage is constrained to overlie the first linkage pivotal connection to said vehicle.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, which is particularly suited to boarding and deboarding wheel-chair confined passengers at aircraft, there is provided a pentagonally shaped pallet means having two parallel sides, one end at right angles to the parallel sides and two sides of equal length at less than right angles to each other, each making the same angle with its adjacent parallel side, thus providing the pallet means with a symetrically pointed end. Said pointed end 109S~62 facilitates use of pallet means in conjunction with a mobile stairway (called "Passenger Stand" in the trade) when boarding and deboarding wheelchair confined passengers at aircraft.
When top landing platform of passenger stand is in place at aircraft entrance, an edge of pointed end of pallet means can be brought adjacent to either side of said top landing platform. Sliding gate on appropriate side of top landing plat-form is then opened and wheelchair can be rolled from pallet means onto said top platform and hence into aircraft. Con-versely, wheelchair can be rolled from aircraft onto said topplatform and hence onto pallet means.
In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, it may be used to boa~d and deboard wheelchair confined passengers at aircraft without benefit of passenger stand by bringing an edge of the pointed end of the pallet means directly adjacent to the 8ill at an en$rance to the aircraft itself, or by inserting pointed end of pallet means over the sill directly into aircraft entrance.
In accordance with a further aspect of this invention, the edges of the pallet means that could come in contact with aircraft fuselage are fitted with appropriate bumping cushions.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the pallet means includes means into which the tines of a lifting mechanism, more particularly a fork lift truck, may be advantageously inserted so that pallet means may be raised, lowered and moved about when said linkage means is not connected to said pallet means.
As security for the wheelchair confined passenger is important from the standpoint of safety, the pallet means may 3 advantageously include a lever and lever actuated, retractable, wheel engaging means for releasably retaining a wheelchair whilst positioned on the pallet means. If required, the pallet means may also include one or more hand rails as well as retaining bars which can be closed before and behind the wheel-chair confined passenger while being transported on the pa]let means.
As another aspect of this invention, involving security for the wheelchair confined passenger which is important from the standpoint of safety, the pallet means may advantageously include an enclosure (shelter) consisting of a roof made of opaque material and walls and at least one door the bottom halves of which are also made of opaque material and the top halves of transparent material. Said enclosure can be removably fitted and locked onto said pallet means.
1~)95~6Z
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate various embodiments of my invention:
Figure 1 is a plan view of an apparatus which can be used in boarding and deboarding wheelchair confined and other disabled passengers at aircraft.
Figure 2 is a side view of the apparatus depicted in Figure 1 when the pallet means is at tarmac elevation, wheelchair has been rolled on and chocks have been raised to engage wheels of wheelchair.
Figure 3 is a side view of the dev!ice depicted in Figures 1 and 2 when the pallet means has been raised to an elevation above tarmac elevation.
Figure 4 is an end view of the device depicted in Figure 3 in a raised position.
Figure 5 is an isometric view of the shelter that is shown in general outline form by check lines 16 in Figures 1,2, 3 and 4.
Referring in detail to the drawings of the present invention, Figure 1 and Figure 2 depict a pallet means and a lifting mechanism which may be used for transferring wheelchair confined passengers between airport tarmac and door sill of a parked aircraft.
Figure 1 shows a plan view and Figure 2 a side view of said pallet means and said lifting mechanism when pallet means 20 is at tarmac elevation in a position in which a wheelchair, generally indicated by broken lines 15, can be rolled onto and off of said pallet means. Said pallet means includes rear chocks 21 and front chocks 22 which may be controlled by chock lever 23 in suc~ a manner as to grip the ~9~4G2 large or the small wheels of wheelchair 15 and restrain their movement when said wheelchair is properly placed on said pallet means.
For additional safety and confidence assurance, removable hand rails indicated at 30 are fitted with retaining bars 43 which can be rotated from vertical to horizontal so as to be positioned in front of and behind wheelchair 15 while it is being transferred between tarmac and aircraft sill elevation.
So that the wheelchair passenger and attendant ma~
be protected from the elements, a shelter, indicated by broken lines 16 is removably fitted to pallet means 20 where it is maintained in a centred position by lock blocks 17 and tine pockets 19.
For further protection of passengers and attendants, guard rails may be removably inserted in socket holes 27 in surface of pallet means 20.
For ease in rolling a wheelchair onto said pallet means each side of pointed end of said pallet means has a ramped area indicated at 29.
So that pallet means 20 may be moved when linkage sections 26 and 28 are not connected, pallet means includes tine pockets 19 into which tines of a fork lift mechanism may be advantageously inserted.
For protection of aircraft fuselage, which could be impacted by pallet means 20, said pallet means is fitted with appropriate bumping cushions 18.
Figures 1 and 2 depict the disposition of linkage sections 26, 28 and 34, which form two co-operating parallel-ograms and which connect pallet means 20 at pivotal shafts 24 i~)9S~62 and 25 to vehicle 33 at pivotal shafts 31 and 32, when said pallet means is at rest position on tarmac. Motor or engine driven hydraulic pump and traction power unit in vehicle 33 is indicated at 36 and hydraulic cylinder-piston mechanisms which rotate linkage sections 26 and 28 about their respective pivot points 31 and 32 are indicated at 37. Said cylinder-piston mechanisms are connected to vehicle 33 through shaft 38 and to linkage sections 28 through shaft 39.
Figure 3 shows pallet means 20 when it has been raised to an elevated position by rotation of linkage sections 26 and 28 about their respective pivot points 31 and 32, such rotation being induced by cylinder-piston mechanism 37.
(Note: For purposes of clarity, bumping cushions 18 are not shown in Figure 3.) Figure 4 is an end view of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is an isometric drawing of a shelter that can be fitted to and removed from pallet means 20 at will. The roof 44 of said shelter is made of opaque material. The bottom half 45 of the walls and doors is also made of opaque material and the upper half 46 of the walls and doors is made from transparent material. Lifting handles 47 are fixed to the lower half of the walls 4~ and a bench 48 is indicated at the inboard end of the shelter.
Claims (11)
PROPERTY OF PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. A device which can be used for boarding and deboarding wheelchair confined and other disabled passengers at entrances to aircraft, comprising in combination a horizontal pallet means, a removable shelter means, a pair of spaced apart and opposed linkage means arranged on either side of said pallet means for pivotally connecting said pallet means to a vehicle, wherein each of said opposed linkage means comprises three linkage sections which define two co-operating parallelograms having one common side parallel to top surface of said pallet means, and wherein motive means installed in said vehicle is associated with at least one of said linkage means for pivotally raising and lowering said pallet means between airport tarmac elevation and aircraft entrance elevation.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vehicle is a multi-wheeled, steerable, power locomoted and driver operated apparatus carrying motive power means for raising and lowering said pallet means by rotation of said linkage means.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said pallet means presents a pentagonally shaped configuration having two parallel sides of equal length, one end at right angles to said parallel sides and two sides of equal length at less than right angles to each other, forming a symetrically pointed end.
4. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pallet means includes a lever and lever actuated retractable wheel engaging means for releasably retaining a wheelchair placed thereon in a fixed position.
5. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pallet means further includes at least one removable hand rail and at least one retaining bar.
6. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pallet means further includes a removable shelter and centering lock blocks to control the position of said removable shelter.
7. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein said pallet means further includes means into which connections to a lifting mechanism may be advantageously inserted.
8. The device as claimed in claim 3, wherein two trans-versely extending shaft means, rotatively mounted in said pallet means, provide pivotal connections between said pallet means and said pair of spaced apart and opposed linkage means.
9. A device as claimed in claim 1. wherein the first and second linkage sections are pivotally connected to said pallet means and to said vehicle and are pivotally interconnected to each other by the third linkage section which forms the said one common side and wherein distances between the pivotal connections of the first and second linkage sections with the pallet means, between the pivotal connections of the first and second linkage sections with the vehicle and between the pivotal connections of the first and second linkage sections with the third linkage sections are equal, and relative to said vehicle the pivotal connections of the first linkage section to said pallet means, to said vehicle and to said third linkage section are outboard of the corresponding pivotal connections of the second linkage sections to the pallet means, said vehicle and said third linkage section, and when said pallet means is at airport tarmac elevation pivotal connections of second linkage sections to pallet means lie outboard of pivotal connections of first linkage sections to said vehicle.
10. The device as claimed in claim 9, wherein said first and second linkage sections each define a triangular frame and said third linkage section pivotally interconnects said triangular frames.
11. The device as claimed in claims 9 and 10, wherein pivotal connections of first and second linkage sections to vehicle are through bearings mounted interior of said vehicle and wherein the hypotenuse portion of the second linkage section is deflected inwardly of the triangular frame so as to be dis-posed above the pivotal connection of the first linkage section to said vehicle.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA356,978A CA1095462A (en) | 1980-08-04 | 1980-08-04 | Mechanism for transfer of wheelchair confined passengers to and from aircraft at airport tarmacs |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA356,978A CA1095462A (en) | 1980-08-04 | 1980-08-04 | Mechanism for transfer of wheelchair confined passengers to and from aircraft at airport tarmacs |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1095462A true CA1095462A (en) | 1981-02-10 |
Family
ID=4117507
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA356,978A Expired CA1095462A (en) | 1980-08-04 | 1980-08-04 | Mechanism for transfer of wheelchair confined passengers to and from aircraft at airport tarmacs |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1095462A (en) |
Cited By (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4971510A (en) * | 1989-01-03 | 1990-11-20 | Houle Handi-Lift Manufacturing Ltd. | Wheelchair passenger device |
| US5154569A (en) * | 1989-10-17 | 1992-10-13 | 2535701 Manitoba Limited | Wheelchair loading device for aircraft |
| US5322408A (en) * | 1992-09-21 | 1994-06-21 | Handi-Loft, Inc. | Device for raising and lowering an impaired person |
| US5595470A (en) * | 1994-03-07 | 1997-01-21 | American Airlines, Incorporated | Lift for physically-challenged passengers and method of operation |
| US5730236A (en) * | 1994-02-04 | 1998-03-24 | Miller; Fritz Wendell | Adjustable powered wheelchair |
-
1980
- 1980-08-04 CA CA356,978A patent/CA1095462A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4971510A (en) * | 1989-01-03 | 1990-11-20 | Houle Handi-Lift Manufacturing Ltd. | Wheelchair passenger device |
| US5154569A (en) * | 1989-10-17 | 1992-10-13 | 2535701 Manitoba Limited | Wheelchair loading device for aircraft |
| US5322408A (en) * | 1992-09-21 | 1994-06-21 | Handi-Loft, Inc. | Device for raising and lowering an impaired person |
| US5730236A (en) * | 1994-02-04 | 1998-03-24 | Miller; Fritz Wendell | Adjustable powered wheelchair |
| US5595470A (en) * | 1994-03-07 | 1997-01-21 | American Airlines, Incorporated | Lift for physically-challenged passengers and method of operation |
| US6062809A (en) * | 1994-03-07 | 2000-05-16 | American Airlines Incorporated | Lift for physically-challenged passengers and method of operation |
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