Abstract:
An aircraft is disclosed which is analogous to a tractor motor vehicle. In alternative fixed wing and helicopter embodiments, an airframe is adapted to transport different cargo modules. Some modules are adapted to carry freight and other modules are adapted to carry passengers. The aircraft arrives at a destination with an attached module, decouples from that module and attaches a different module to be transported to a different destination.

Description:
[0001]    This nonprovisional application is a continuation-in-part of my provisional application filed Mar. 28, 2011 under Ser. No. 61/468,282. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  0001 . The present invention relates to aircraft and, more particularly, an aircraft system that employs a tractor aircraft that can couple to a variety of bodies to increase versatility of a common prime mover. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In the past, aircraft have been designed so that the fuselage had mounted to it wings for lift and incorporated all of the features of the aircraft, including the command and control section. An aircraft was a fully integrated unit with all of the elements as parts of a whole. 
         [0005]    To adapt a single aircraft to a multiplicity of uses generally required the complete reconfiguration of the interior. While a passenger craft would have seats and other passenger amenities, converting the same aircraft to carry cargo would necessitate removal of the seats and all other passenger amenities and replacing them with, among other things, cargo tie downs, and anchor points for other cargo related modules. 
         [0006]    What is needed, and what is provided by the present invention is a flying analog to the tractor-trailer combination used in highway travel. The flying equivalent of a tractor would include all of the structure necessary for flight including the control cockpit. A plurality of modules adapted for different functions and usages would be coupled to the flying tractor and the combination would be airworthy. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    According to the present invention, a power module includes wings, a tail including rudder and elevators along a common spine which also has a command and control cockpit. Connected support arms terminate in landing gear which may be wheels, skis or even pontoons. 
         [0008]    Alternative cargo modules may be configured to carry passengers and, if so intended, would include all passenger amenities, including seats, overhead storage, lavatories, one or more galleys and accommodations for cabin crew. Some modules may be especially configured for sightseeing and would include transparent sections in the fuselage which would provide largely unobstructed views to the passengers. 
         [0009]    Other modules could be adapted to carry cargo. Yet other modules may be specially configured for special purposes such as fire fighting and could include tanks for fire retardant liquids or other fire fighting supplies. Yet other modules could be configured as medical air evacuation units with equipment to provide medical treatment in flight. 
         [0010]    A variety of structures could be used to couple the tractor portion to the cargo portion, including telescoping slides of the type found in drawers. Other connections can emulate door hinges such as barrel hinges or piano hinges. Yet other attachments could include claws which can engage the cargo portion. 
         [0011]    While the preferred embodiment of the “tractor” is a fixed wing aircraft, a helicopter equivalent is envisaged, much like the Sikorsky Skycrane which was designed to carry cargo suspended on cables. According to the present invention, cargo modules are attached to the frame and are locked in place. 
         [0012]    One advantage to the present invention is that modules could be loaded in advance and would be deployed on the tarmac. A tractor aircraft would drop off a module and pick up a new module to be transported to a destination. In the case of passenger modules, they could be preboarded and picked up. The dropped off module could then disembark passengers without delaying the aircraft tractor. 
         [0013]    The novel features which are characteristic of the invention, both as to structure and method of operation thereof, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be understood from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and they are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is an idealized frontal view of a tractor aircraft with a passenger module according to the present invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is an idealized side view of the tractor aircraft of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a frontal view of reinforcing support braces for the wings of the tractor aircraft of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 4  is a top view of the support braces of  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5  is a frontal view of mechanism for coupling modules to the tractor aircraft; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6 , including  FIGS. 6A and 6B  are views of the module coupling mechanism from the top of the module and the bottom of the airframe, respectively; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7 , including  FIGS. 7A to 7E  is a front and side view of a module securing system showing additional detail of the elements of the securing system; 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  is a side view of a rear landing gear assembly; and 
           [0022]      FIG. 9  including  FIGS. 9A and 9B  is a front sectional view and partial top view of a tractor aircraft in a helicopter embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0023]    Turning first to  FIG. 1 , there is shown, a partial frontal view of a hybrid tractor fixed wing aircraft  10 . Because the craft is symmetrical about a longitudinal axis, only a portion of a wing  12  is shown. It should be readily understood that the broken half of the wing illustrated here will be identical to the half that is shown. 
         [0024]    As shown, the aircraft  10  is fitted with four engines  14 , here shown with propellers  16  although in other embodiments, jet engines can be used, as well. Similar to the P-38 aircraft of World War II, twin booms  18  extend from the wing  12  to the tail assembly  20  which includes vertical and horizontal stabilizers  22 ,  24 , respectively. 
         [0025]    A reinforcing structure is added to add rigidity to the wing  12 . While such a structure may not be necessary on a suitably robust wing construction, for lighter, more fragile wings the reinforcement is useful. 
         [0026]    An arch  28  spans the center portion of the wing  12  and support struts  30  add rigidity. 
         [0027]    A command and control module  32  is permanently attached to the wing  32  and serves as a flight deck for the pilot  34  and flight crew. Mounted to the tractor aircraft  10  is a passenger bearing sightseeing module  36  which is optimized for tourists. Supporting the tractor aircraft  10  when on the ground are rotatable pylons  38  which terminate in landing wheels  40 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 2  is an idealized view of the tractor aircraft  10  from the side.  FIG. 3  affords a better view of the reinforcing assembly  26 . The arch  28  is anchored above the pylon  38  attachment point and the struts  30  are fastened to inner wing braces  42 . In  FIG. 4 , a top view of the reinforcing assembly  26  better illustrates the attachment points of the arches  28  and struts  30 . 
         [0029]      FIGS. 5 and 6  show, in idealized views, the latching mechanisms that couple the tractor aircraft  10  to the various passenger and/or cargo modules that the tractor aircraft is designed to transport. Interlocking rails  44 ,  46  on the wing  12  and passenger unit  36 , respectively, separate and come together to release and attach the elements. Appropriate ground based guides (not shown) assure that the tractor aircraft  10  and the transported modules are properly aligned for secure engagement. As shown in  FIG. 6 , both the wing rails  44  and the module rails  46  can be moved toward or away from each other. In one embodiment, a worm screw  48  driven by a servo motor  50  can cause the rails to engage each other for transport or release them at the destination for removal. 
         [0030]      FIG. 7  shows apparatus for securing the transported modules to the tractor aircraft  10 . A pair or tine  52  can rotate from the tractor aircraft and support the base of the transported module. Bracing cables  54  deploy downward and, with a post  56  engages the tine  52 . Servo motors  58  draw the cables  54  upward which locks the post  56  into the tine  52  and assures that the load will neither shift in flight nor overly strain the attachment. 
         [0031]    Turning next to  FIG. 8 , there is shown a deployable rear landing gear assembly  60  which includes a movable strut  62  that is housed adjacent the boom  18  and which terminates in a landing wheel  64 . The rear landing gear protects the integrity of the cargo modules whether they are freight bearing or carry passengers. 
         [0032]    Turning now to  FIG. 9 , there is shown an alternative embodiment of the present invention where the tractor aircraft is a helicopter  70 . In a preferred embodiment, the helicopter can resemble the Sikorsky Skycrane. As shown in  FIG. 9 , the helicopter  70  is provided with twin jet engines  72  which, through transmission  74  powers the rotor  76 . For added safety, a pair of rocket pods  78  are installed which can, in the event of an engine or rotor failure, provide lift and propulsion until a safe area to land can be provided. A pair of cargo modules  80  are shown in tandem. As with the fixed wing aircraft embodiment, the modules  80  can carry cargo or passengers. Appropriate means are provided to attach the modules  80  to the tractor helicopter  70 , and an be apparatus similar to that earlier described. 
         [0033]    In operation with either the fixed wing aircrft  10  or the helicopter  70 , the modules to be transported are placed in a pick up area. The tractor aircraft lands and, if transporting modules to the destination, these modules are decoupled and moved away from the aircraft. The new modules are then positioned to be attached to the craft which, when loaded, departs to a destination where these new modules can be deposited. Much as with tractor-trailer combinations, trailers and connected at a departure point and disconnected at a destination point. The tractor aircraft need only the barest of amenities. Such aircraft are ideal for tourism and sightseeing since the altitude and speeds need not be great. Obviously, if intended for long distance travel, modifications would be made to provide pressurization for higher altitude travel. However, it would seem that the basic configurations would be well suited for short haul utilization 
         [0034]    Others skilled in the art can provide yet other embodiments employing the concepts of the present invention. Accordingly, the breadth of the invention should only be limited by the scope of the claims appended hereto.