Braking system for aircraft towing vehicle

US4923253A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• KraussMaffei GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Juergen Pollner · Munich, DE
• Gregor Trummer · Aschering, DE
• Peter Moelzer · Markt Indersdorf, DE
• Karl-Heinz Fichtner · Hanau, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 28, 1988
• Grant date: May 8, 1990
• Expiry date: Sep 28, 2008

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02T50/80
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A braking system for an aircraft towing vehicle which supports the nose wheel of an aircraft in a raised position and firmly clamps it to the vehicle. The braking force generated by the front wheels of the towing vehicle is greater by about 2:1 to 8:1 than the braking force at the rear wheels. The braking system has two hydraulic circuits employing identical braking cylinders at all four wheels of the vehicle. The number of cylinders per wheel are varied and different effective lever arms are used to generate like braking forces at each side of the vehicle, and the relatively greater braking force at the front wheels, even if one of the hydraulic circuits fails. The system limits the braking force at the front and rear wheels to maximum values to prevent excessive forces from damaging the nose gear of relatively smaller aircraft. The load carried by the vehicle is hydraulically sensed by tapping into the hydraulic leveling system to increase the braking forces that are generated when towing relatively heavier aircraft which is able to withstand such greater forces.