[0001] The object of this application of patent, called Self-Leveling Integrated Lifting
Device, is employed in the field of lifting devices. In particular, this lifting device
is used for lifting and lowering operations, for leveling purpose, for self-leveling
and weighing of: aircrafts, such as aeroplanes, helicopters, civil and military aircrafts,
watercraft, camping vehicles and similar, cars and trains, bridges, radar, and any
other structure and/or object to which it can be applied.
FORWARD
[0002] To the moment, the existing procedures are the following.
[0003] In the specific case of the lifting of aeroplanes, helicopters, civil and military
aircrafts, the procedure of lifting is made in the following way: are used for operation
of weighing, balancing, maintenance and leveling, hydraulic jacks or self assisted
for lifting, activated by manual methods. This manual operation is obtained by a minimum
of five operators which proceed to this lifting operation with much time of actuation:
moreover, could be possible a structural yielding of the hydraulic jack during the
operation of lifting and this may be cause of damages to persons and things.
[0004] It is in fact obvious that the manual operation causes instability and lack of precision
of the leveling, and consequently it is difficult to bring suitable corrections of
the same weight, corrections that are required for the safety of the flight. Moreover,
the operators move in a state of insecurity and dangerously, because they works under
the same aircraft for the proper maneuvers, and they find difficulty in transporting
the same hydraulic jacks for the attack upon the linking points of the aircraft; even
uncontrolled movements of this aircraft are taken place during lifting and lowering
operations, caused by suspensions of the main retractable undercarriages. This happens
very frequently, and after many years of verifications in this field, these problems
still remain caused to this empiric method of lifting above mentioned. Then, in the
specific field of airlines and transport aeroplanes, civil and military, of transport
and similar and however for aircrafts of big dimensions, for the operations of lifting,
for balance, for leveling, for maintenance and above all to centre the linking point
of the aircraft, are utilzed four hydraulic jacks or self assistant type, and that
is; the front one (secondary) two principal centrals, and the auxiliary rear: this
one is controlled manually, during the lifting for the proper correction of the weight,
because it must have respect of the maximum load allowed by the aircraft specifications
of construction and to avoid damages to the structure and at the same time to control
the exceeding weight: moreover, dangerous lateral movements of the aircraft load with
eventual structural damages of the aircraft can be verified during the operation of
lifting and lowering caused to the instability of its linking point and of the its
load. To the moment, the operators in order to avoid the disadvantage of lateral movements
of the cargo of the aircraft, throw a mineral oil on the ground to make so that the
movement of the axis of the linking point comes compensated from the forced sliding.
This kind of operation is really difficult. Moreover it is imperfect to foresee more
or less the exceeding load of the tail of the aircraft, which cannot exceed the established
load of safety. In many cases structural damages of aircrafts have been verified.
[0005] This Self-Leveling Integrated Lifting device brings the following improvements:
[0006] It is composed by three or more lifting groups (Fig. 01 and Fig. 10) that are all
manufactured with "nut-screw" system (Fig. 01, part. 1) : this lifting group works
everyone autonomous or in synchronous speed to have a self-leveling operation to reference
to a leveling cell (Fig. 05). The agglomerate of this Self Leveling Integrated Lifting
device in order to avoid that one of the jacks for effect of instability to the ground
doesn't guarantee one perfect adherence, ( as an example during the operations of
lifting may happens a separation from the linking points scheduled on the aircrafts
and helicopters, etc..), it assure the raising and therefore it allows a perfect weighing
and leveling to balance the weight; it is completely automatic only when the linking
points scheduled by the aircraft are perfectly adherent to the ground and its linking
points; The benefits of this innovation are: fully electronic management and at distance,
only with an operator who with this device operate by few time for the lifting and
lowering; to allow the lifting in emergency situations in which is indispensable in
few time to supply the apparatus and balance the weight upon the aircraft before the
takeoff; reduced maintenance and easy use owned to the considerable mobility of the
lifting groups; high safety owned by the use of "nut-screw" penetrable, self-blocking,
which at the end of the lifting operation, it avoid possible instabilities of the
attitutude obtained upon the aircraft, besides accidental lowering. Moreover, an absolutely
new feature is representated by the fact that lifting and, therefore, lowering can
be obtained in synchronism, with a special floating head for centring operation in
case of application to large-dimension aircraft. Another feature is the display of
partial and total weights and leveling measurement, this latter being possibly obtained
acoustically as well. Self-leveling is also useful to operate on mobile surfaces,
such as floating platforms, aircraft carriers, etc. In the specific case of various
camping vehicles, perfect internal attitude is required for electrical appliances
(refrigerators, etc.) and for people inside, independent of the ground the vehicle
rests on. At the moment, in order to obtain perfect attitude, either hydraulic or
electrical, manually-controlled jacks are used, which need to be stabilised and levelled
by the same user who surveys leveling from inside, through a visual level. It is clear
that balancing is not perfect in this case, in particular when the ground below is
unstable, which may bring about damages to the vehicle's structure because the jacks
are independent and non automatically controlled. The advantages of the Self-leveling
Integrated Lifting device include perfect load balance and attitude of people inside
the vehicle, in addition to increased stability of the vehicle itself, due to the
above-described characteristics, since self-leveling is performed automatically even
in the case of unstable conditions of the ground. Lifting of bridges for ordinary
maintenace, i.e. replacement of joints and support devices necessary to check regualrly
the bridge stability and capability to sustain load, is today performed by manually-operated
hydraulic jacks, with subsequent economic losses of manpower and working hours, in
addition to possible damage to people or things. The benefits of the Self-leveling
Integrated Lifting device include shorter time for automatic application, with the
above-reported characteristics but different capability of resistance to loads in
lifting and lowering, in addition to synchronous, automatic lifting of one or more
lifting groups, which avoids possible damage to the structure or users. The Self-leveling
Integrated Lifting device also allows to reduce time losses and overwork for operation
and is perfectly safe for the stability of the lifters used by an operator alone.
[0007] After these general preliminary remarks, technical description and various designs
are reported below for preferred, non-restrictive, realisation of the device called
Self-leveling Integrated Lifting.
[0008] The lifting device is made of three or more groups of
ELECTRO-MECHANICAL LIFTERS (Fig. 01 and 04), a
CENTRAL GENERAL CONTROL (Fig. 12), and a
LEVELING CELL (Fig. 05). Each
ELECTROMECHANICAL LIFTER (Fig. 01) is constituted by the following elements: a load-bearing base and some
supports (Fig. 01, particular 6) equipped with moving wheels (Fig. 01, particular
4), each including the following parts: a jack with "nut-screw system", i.e. bronze-threaded,
penetrating, telescopic screws and bushings with one or more sectors (Fig. 1, particular
1), two accumulators (Fig. 01, particular 9), a battery charger (Fig. 01, particular
7), a reduction unit (Fig. 01, particular 2) a motor (Fig. 01, particular 3), a run-out
switch and synchronism control (Fig. 01, particular 5), electronic control of the
above elements (Fig. 01, particular 10), an adhesion sensor (Fig. 01, particular 8)
for automatic control of one or more lifting groups and for function of the self-leveling
mechanism with reference to the
LEVELING CELL (Fig. 05), and a keyboard (Fig. 02). Every lifting group is self-functioning, being
integrated with an electronic card apparatus (Fig. 01, particular 10) that can be
operated at various degrees of speed or in multiple, for control function in synchronism
of every lifting group, with automatic weight control that follows lifting by controlled
push of the load. This synchronous control function allows to perform lifting and
lowering operations. In case of lifting of large dimension aircraft, due to the impossibility
to know any rear-load excess - which cannot be greater than that fixed for safety
and centring operations of the aircraft, the lifting system is also provided with
an automatic sensor to avoid possible structural damage of the aircraft, also aimed
at overcoming difficulties in transport of the lifting system itself. This self-adhesion
automatic sensor is necessary for multiple control during the synchronous function,
and provides perfect lifting and weighing just as all points expected to link to the
vehicle are presently and perfecly attached with the liking points, so that any detachment
is avoided. Moreover, the lifting group is equipped with a tripod base, with the specific
shape and structure as shown in Fig. 10, and protective fairing which makes orbital
and axial movements automatically, and is formed by steel fifth-wheels for support
(Fig. 10, particular 2), suitable for acceptable load. This allows to perform the
automatic centring operation by means of a self-centring, floating head (Fig. 11),
for anchorage with the vehicle's link point and for automatic control of lifting -
both upward and downward - in order that exact centring is recovered on a real-time
basis to avoid any lateral shifting of the aircraft load.
[0009] The self-centring floating head (Fig. 11) for the specific lifting device at the
rear of the aircraft, functions as an automatic control (self-controlled version)
of the rear shift, by never exceeding the safety load limits given in the aircraft
specifications aflter proper calibration. In particular, during lifting and lowering,
the following actions take place: two main lifting devices together with the rear
lifting group (Fig. 10) start the aircraft detachment from ground. This rear lifting
group possesses an automatic weighing system that follows lifting with a controlled-load
push. If the load is exceeding or insufficient for aircraft attitude, as provided
for in the aircraft specifications, a load cell - suitably calibrated according to
load requirements - stops automatically the whole lifting system by displaying the
excess or defect load (safety threshold). After recovering regular attitude, the operation
may bee repeated. These lifting and lowering operations can be performed by a single
operation outside the aircraft, who uses a palmar remote control in perfect safety,
rapidly and with little energy, thanks to the easy handling of the device (Fig. 10,
particulars 6 and 4).
[0010] The
CENTRAL GENERAL CONTROL (Fig. 12) is composed of a remote control for self-leveling and manual operations
(Fig. 12, particular 4) plus a system with electrical command card for self-leveling,
linked with the lifting groups (Fig. 12, particular 1) by means of wires or radio
control. The central general control (Fig. 12) is aimed at receiving and processing
signals coming from the leveling cell (Fig. 05) through wires linked with the IN-connector
of the level (Fig. 12, part. 2). As soon as received, the signals are co-ordinated
by the electrical command card. By a series of accumulators (Fig. 01, part. 9) placed
within the lifting group, this card supplies the energy necessary for the lifters
to start and drives them to their self-leveling operation, either in synchronism or
singularly. The whole apparatus is enclosed in a portable metal case that allows the
user to control and operate the different lifting groups by means of a keyboard (Fig.
12).
[0011] The
LEVELING CELL (Fig. 05) is an integrated, compact, airtight device with fluid-controlled oscillation
that represents constant reference for the whole system, placed within the aircraft
by means of a telescopic sustaining pole (Fig. 07), directly linked with the central
general control (Fig. 12) or with the electronic command apparatus (Fig. 01, part.
10) through electric multipolar wire. It is made of the following components: a mechanical
pendulum (Fig. 05, sect. C, part. 2) placed on a suitable, highly sensitive, wedge
pin (Fig. 05, sect. B, part. 1) enclosed in an airtight methacrylate cell (Fig. 5,
sect. B, part. 2), submerged in antifreeze fluid for antishock effect. The leveling
cell is enclosed in a suitable container (Fig. 06) together with the following components:
external reading sensors (Fig. 05, sect. B, part. 4 - description of mortise positioning
of the sensor inside the container Fig. 06), with infrared, photoelectric, or similar
power of interception of the mechanical pendulum shifts (Fig. 05), LED for sensor
interception and sensitivity regulators for leveling calibration. The leveling cell
is equipped with supports appropriate for every kind of means to be lifted and self-levelled.
Fig. 07 shows a sustaining telescopic pole with a spherical sector that operates in
reference to the leveling cell (Fig. 05) whose container (Fig. 06) is placed below
the telescopic pole itself in order to make possible amplification of the sensitivity
of pendulum shift and, therefore, to attain further leveling precision. The whole
system is designed to obtain centring and/or self-leveling and/or leveling as a substitute
for the currently used plumb line. At the basis of the whole device (including telescopic
pole and leveling cell container) there is a "goniometric" support (Figs. 08 and 09).
The goniometric support (Figs. 08 and 09) is part of the Self-leveling Integrated
Lifting device and acts by means of an electronic control device for triangulation,
which makes easier the shifting of the longitudinal axis for targeting purposes or
aircraft attitude simulation. This goniometric support (Figs. 08 and 09) interferes
with micrometrical shift by either manual or servo-controlled rotation of a knob (Fig.
08, part. 05; Fig. 09, part. 1) placed at the basis of the graduated goniometre to
perform manual simulation maneuvers. In fact, by means of the triangulation system
for aircraft survey that is present in the goniometric support, which utilizes three
special control cells, it allows a single user to perform centring operations automatically,
in the shortest operational time and with utmost accuracy. The leveling cell (Fig.
05) is placed inside the aircraft by means of its support telescopic pole (Fig. 07)
and connected through multipolar electric wire to either the electronic command apparatus
including an electronic card (Fig. 01, part. 10) placed inside each lifting group
(Fig. 01) for autonomous function, or the IN-connector of the level in the central
general control (Fig. 12, part. 2) also provided with electric command card for function
in synchronism of the various lifting groups.
[0012] Every shift of the mechanical pendulum in the level cell is translated by the external
reading sensors into electrical impulses, which in turn are sent to the electronic
command system or central general control (Fig. 01, part. 10) through wires and therefore
translated into shifts by the electronic card for signal control that interprets them
as lifting and/or lowering and moves the lifters.
[0013] Figure 01 shows a top-view design of the whole lifting group apparatus without its
upper cover. It includes 11 particulars: 1) lifting jack sectors; 2) reduction units;
3) motor; 4) wheels; 5) run-out switch; 6) bearing base and supports; 7) battery-charger;
8) adhesion sensor; 9) accumulators; 10) electronic command system; 11) steering rod.
[0014] Figure 02 shows the front-view design of a lifting group with upper cover, including
the keyboard , movement wheel and stering rod. It includes 11 particulars; 1) voltage
LED; 2) manual/automatic switch; 3) signal entry; 4) up/down knob; 5) ON/OFF key;
6) lifting jack head; 7) battery disconnecter; 8) battery indicator; 9) steering rod;
10) movement wheel; 11) wheels.
[0015] Figure 03 shows te rear-view design of a lifting group with upper cover including
support bases, plus lateral view with upper cover. It includes 5 particulars: 1) lifting
jack head; 2) cover; 3) supports; 4) wheels; 5) steeing rod and movement wheel.
[0016] Figure 04 shows the top-view of a lifting group with its upper cover. It includes
6 particulars: 1) guidance knob and movement wheel ; 2) keyboard; 3) cover; 4) lifting
jack head; 5) wheels; 6) supports.
[0017] Figure 04-1(a shows the lifting group assembly.
[0018] Figure 05 shows the level cell. It includes:
Section A: 1) cover.
Section B: 1) wedge pin; 2) antishock case of the methacrylate cell; 3) projection of the cell
antishock case; 4) sensors.
Section C: 1) wedge pin slot (sect. B, part. 1); 2) mechanical pendulum; 3) projection of the
swaying bell.
[0019] Figure 06 shows the leveling cell container. It includes 3 particulars, i.e. LED,
signal entry, tightening.
[0020] Figure 07 shows the support telescopic pole. It includes 3 particulars: 1) plumb.line
reference thrust rod; 2) approach knob; 3) lifting/lowering regulation cursor.
[0021] Figure 08 shows model "A" of the goniometric shift system. It includes 5 particulars:
1) clutch of the leveling cell container; 2) threaded internal screw; 3) reference
push rod; 4) positioning push rods; 5) regulation knob.
[0022] Figure 09 shows model "B" of the goniometric shift system. It includes 3 particulars:
1) regulation knob; 2) clutch of the leveling cell container; 3) reference index of
degree shifting.
[0023] Figure 10 shows the lifting group with tripod base for large-dimension aircraft.
It includes 6 particulars: 1) anti-vibrant supports of the tripod base; 2) fifth wheels
with balls; 3) self-adhesion automatic sensor; 4) wheels ; 5) lifter housing; 6) motor
sterring rod.
[0024] Figure 11 shows self-centring floating head. It includes 5 particulars: 1) aircraft
link point; 2) pin and springs for centring; 3) fifth-wheel with balls; 4) sensors;
5) centring reference pin.
[0025] Figure 12 shows the central general control front panel, including 4 particulars:
1) IN-connector for signals from lifters; 2) IN-connector of the level; 3) IN-connector
of palmar control; 4) manual control.
1. The device called Self-Levelling Integrated Lifting may be employed to lift aircraft
such as airplanes, helicopters, civil and military aircraft, watercraft, camping vehicles,
cars, trains, bridges, radar and any other structure and/or object loaded or not,
to which it can be applied.
2. The reference goniometrical indication for degree shifting (Figure 09 model B) is
either mechanical, or digital, or servo- controlled.
3. Possibility to connect the central general control (Figure 12) to a computer by the
relevant software, according to the operating instructions of the Self-Leveling Integrated
Lifting device.
4. The jacks or lifters are operated through hydraulic, electromechanical and/or pneumatic
mechanism, by central control.
5. The movement of the lifting group (Figure 01) is safety performed by steering-controlled
rubber wheels and pirouetting wheels and can be motor-assisted for easier positioning.
6. The Leveling cell (Fig. 05) can be operated not only by inductive sensors, but also
by switches and/or mechanical deflectors and/or potentiometers.
7. The lifting group with tripod base (Figure 10) has an atomatic weight-control system
for controlled load thrust.
8. The central general control (Figure 12) is fed by direct current coming from either
internal battery or exernal voltage transformers.
9. The lifting group with tripod base of the Self-Leveling Integrated Lifting device
shown in figure 10 is built up by the same integrated components as the lifting group,
as shown in figure 01.
10. As indicated in claim n. 4) above, the Self-Leveling Integrated Lifting device is
characterized by its capability to be operated by computer and electronic systems (PLC, microprocessor,
ect...).
11. As indicated in claim n. 6) above, the leveling cell is characterized by the use of pendulum-like oscillanting systems.
12. The lifting group is characterized by its capability of self-leveling without any aid from the leveling cell, autonomously
and manually, because each lifting device is provided with an electronic control card.
13. Claim is laid to the whole device, including every particular indicated in the patent
request.
14. The levelling cell is characterized by its capability to be connected to the central general control (Figure 12) to operate
in synchronism with the lifting groups, and to the electronic control system (Figure
01, particular 10) equipped with an electronic card for autonomous function of each
lifting group.