GB1204615A - Canopy for airplane loading and unloading gangway or ramp - Google Patents

Abstract

1,204,615. Airplane loading and unloading ramps or gangways. STANRAY CORP. 7 Feb., 1968, No. 6115/68. Heading B7J. The canopy 40 of an airplane passenger ramp or gangway 10 (extending from a terminal building and being of swing and/or extensible type) comprises a flexible resilient bumper 42 engageable with the airplane fuselage 18 above a doorway therein and carried by independent pivoted arm means 46, 46 so as to be extendable to engage portions of the fuselage 18 located at different distances from the ramp 10. Each arm means 46 comprises arms 50, 52 pivoted at 54, 56 to the frame 20 of a cab 14 of the ramp 10, and at 62, 60 to a link 58 connected to the bumper 42. The links 58 are interconnected by spreaders 64, 66 bearing slotted plates engaging with free plug pins on the links 58, so that the arm means are independent (within limits). The canopy 40 has a flexible covering 80 secured to bumper 42 and spreader 66, and flexible sides 94 connected to the links 58 and to the floor 22. The canopy 40 is extended under gravity, or retracted, by rotation of a reversible electric motor 102 acting on a cable 106 secured at its free end to a member 122 connected by an elastic shock cord 124 and an adjustable chain 126 to the frame 20. The member 122 constantly engages or closes a motor switch 130 (when the canopy is not engaged with the airplane) so that operation of a master switch operates the motor until the canopy engages the airplane and the tension in the cable 106 is reduced and the switch 130 opens. Two retraction limit switches 132 in parallel stop the motor 102 only when both are opened by the arms 52.