GB833730A - Improvements in aircraft - Google Patents

Abstract

833,730. Ladders. BRISTOL AIRCRAFT Ltd. July 3, 1958 [June 6 1957] No. 18107/57. Class 20(2) [Also in Group XXXIII] In an arrangement of an aircraft gangway 16 which may be wholly stowed within the fuselage 10, the floor 11 is provided with a well 14 adjacent a side exit 12 and a housing 15 extends across the fuselage beneath the floor and the well. Opposed channel-section trackways 19 extend along the inner side walls of the housing 15 to terminate at their outer ends in downwardly curved extensions 20, and these are engaged by sets of rollers 26. 27 at the upper end of each side rail of the gangway portion 22, the lower end of portion 22 being connected by hinges 23b to an auxiliary portion 23. Handrails 30 are carried on the side members of the gangway by pivoted supports 31, 32, 33 so that the rails may be folded against the side members for stowage and they are interconnected by links. 34 to stays 29 supporting the door 13. A gear wheel 33a mounted near the lower end of each side member is partially rotated by a support 33 during movement of the gangway to its operative position, and this gear wheel meshes through an idler 33b with a gear wheel 33c fast with portion 23 whereby the portion 23 is rotated about hinge 23b from a folded position within well 14 where it forms a continuation of floor 11 (Fig. 2) to an extended position aligned with portion 22 (Fig. 1). The gangway is moved from one position to the other by a flexible connection 38 to an endless chain 37 driven by a motor 36, and this operation, through link 34 and arm 29 opens and closes door 13. If the gangway is not required on a particular flight a counter-balance for the door may be provided in housing 15 for attachment to the lower ends of stays 29. Door 13 may be of the sliding type with suitable operating connections to the gangway and the gangway instead of being suspended from the aircraft as shown in Fig. 1 may be provided at its lower end with rollers to rest on the ground.