Patent ID: 11905038
Assignee: THE BOEING COMPANY
Field: Transport (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 12:
13. A fuselage assembly system that comprises:
a track configured to engage bearing edges of a half barrel section of a fuselage;
a drive unit configured to move the half barrel sections along the track;
a first arch that comprises a shape complementary to an inner mold line of the half barrel section;
a second arch that comprises a shape complementary to an outer mold line of the half barrel section; and
a plurality of wheels including a first portion of wheels disposed about said first arch and extendable with respect to said first arch to engage the inner mold line, and a second portion of wheels disposed about said second arch and extendable with respect to said second arch to engage the outer mold line the first portion of wheels configured to change their position with respect to a leading edge of the half barrel section and to extend away from the first arch and enforce a desired contour for the leading edge of the half barrel section.