LUGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM

Abstract: A luggage handling system for unloading and loading a parked aircraft. An unloading conveyor (20) for incoming luggage and, arranged parallel thereto, a loading conveyor (30) for outgoing luggage are extended and jointly telescoping in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft and have opposite directions of travel, such that an inlet end (21b) of the unloading conveyor (20) and an outlet end (31b) of the loading conveyor (30) are jointly movable between a retracted parking position and an extended working position. A side conveyor (40) is extending and telescoping in a direction at an angle to the telescoping direction of the unloading and loading conveyors (20, 30). The side conveyor (40) has a first end (41a) adapted to be telescopically extended to the aircraft, and a second end (48b) which is movable between an unloading position, in which it connects with the inlet end (21b) of the unloading conveyor (20), and a loading position, in which it instead connects with the outlet end (31b) of the loading conveyor (30).

Description: LUGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM The present invention relates to a luggage handling system for unloading and loading a parked aircraft. When an aircraft has docked at a terminal building and is parked on the apron, it is, in terms of enono y, of primary importance that all the operations (such as board¬ ing of passengers, unloading and loading of cargo, main¬ tenance and service) to be carried out during the stay on the ground are performed as rapidly and as efficiently as possible. For the passengers, it is well known in the art to use telescoping bridges which before the docking of the aircraft are kept apart from the apron and which, after docking has been completed, are extended telescopically out to a passenger door. The inventive luggage handling system is based on the same idea, namely that the parts of the luggage handling system which in use are located on the apron can be remov¬ ed by telescoping, so that the movements of the aircraft are not hindered by the luggage handling system when this is not in use. Such a luggage handling system must be able to cope with all types of cargo or luggage, even such odd items as perambulators and skis. Further, it is desirable that it can be used together with different types of aircraft, for loading and unloading both rear and front cargo compart¬ men s. Thus, the invention aims at providing a luggage handling system which is characterised by an unloading conveyor for incoming luggage and, arranged parallel thereto, a loading conveyor for outgoing luggage, said conveyors being extended and jointly telescoping in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft and having opposite directions of travel, such that an inlet end of the un- loading conveyor and an outlet end of the loading conveyor are jointly movable between a retracted parking position and an extended working position. Further, the luggage handling system is characterised by a side conveyor which is extended and telescoping in a direction at an angle to the telescoping direction of the unloading and loading conveyors. The side conveyor has a first end adapted to be telescopically extended to a cargo compartment door of the aircraft, and a second end which is movable between an unloading position and a loading position. In the unload¬ ing position, the second end of the side conveyor connects with the inlet end of the unloading conveyor to form a continuous transport path from the cargo compartment door to the unloading conveyor via the side conveyor. In the loading position, the second end of the side conveyor instead connects with the outlet end of the loading conveyor to form a continuous transport path from the loading conveyor to the cargo compartment door via the side conveyor. Preferably, the unloading conveyor, the loading con¬ veyor and the side conveyor all are belt conveyors, a terminal or guide roller at the inlet end of the unloading conveyor and a guide roller at the outlet end of the load¬ ing conveyor being situated in one and the same vertical plane. In that case, the movable second end of the side conveyor can be made up of a belt curve which has a radius of curvature corresponding to said angle and which has a guide roller which is located adjacent to said vertical plane and which, in the unloading position, is situated opposite to the guide roller of the unloading conveyor and, in the loading position, is situated opposite to the guide roller of the loading conveyor. In an especially preferred embodiment, the two guide rollers of the unloading and loading conveyors are coaxial and horizontal, and the belt curve, which constitutes the movable second end of the side conveyor, is displaceable in the telescoping direction of the side conveyor, in- dependently of the telescoping movement of the latter. Further characteristics of preferred embodiments of the luggage handling system are recited in the dependent claims. Since the inventive luggage handling system can be telescoped in two directions at an angle to one another, the system may serve to unload and load different types of aircraft. Since the inventive luggage handling system further comprises double conveyors up to the point where the transport path turns to follow the side conveyor out to the aircraft, it is possible to solve the problem of changing the direction of transport of odd luggage in a particularly efficient manner. As long as such odd luggage is transported on a substantially straight conveyor, there is normally no problem. Difficulties arise only when such luggage is to be transferred from one conveyor to another, regardless of whether the two conveyors are parallel or at an angle to one another. Since the end of the side con¬ veyor is optionally connectible to the inlet end of the unloading conveyor and the outlet end of the loading con¬ veyor, no difficulties are encountered at this point where the direction of travel of the luggage is altered. The reason why the inventive luggage handling system has two separate, parallel conveyors with opposite direc- tions of travel instead of a single conveyor used for both loading and unloading and having a reversible direction of transport, is as follows. To render the luggage handling at an airport as effective as possible, it is desirable not only that the luggage consigned at a check-in counter can be put directly on a conveyor belt and transported, without being lifted, all the way to the cargo compartment door of the aircraft, but also that the luggage unloaded from the aircraft can be put directly on a conveyor belt and transported, without being lifted, directly to a conventional circulating conveyor belt to be collected by the passengers. If the luggage handling system did not have double conveyors up to where the direction of travel is altered, but instead had a single conveyor along this stretch, some type of switching mechanism would be needed closer to the terminal building for switching between a loading position, in which said single conveyor connects with a conveyor belt from the check-in counter, and an unloading position, in which said single conveyor instead connects with a conveyor belt to where the passengers collect their luggage. As may be inferred from the above, such a switching mechanism would seriously complicate the handling of odd luggage. In addition, there is yet another important advan¬ tage of having double conveyors up to where the direction of travel is altered, this making it possible to fill the loading conveyor stepwise with outgoing luggage, as soon as the luggage has been put on a conveyor belt at the check-in counter, the outgoing luggage on the loading conveyor being not fed on to the side conveyor. When an aircraft is then docking, the luggage can be unloaded via the side conveyor and the unloading conveyor without being hindered by the outgoing luggage fed stepwise on the load¬ ing conveyor. Thus, much time is gained during the stay on the ground. The invention will be further illustrated below in an embodiment, reference being had to the accompanying draw- ings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an inventive luggage handling system during loading or unloading of an air¬ craft, Fig. 2 is a side view of an unloading conveyor in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an end view of an unloading conveyor and a loading conveyor in Fig. 1, Fig. 4, which from considerations of space is divided into two parts, is a side view of a side conveyor and a carriage in Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a top plan view of a switching mechanism of the luggage handling system in Fig. 1, and Fig. 6 is a schematic view illustrating the function of the luggage handling system in Fig. 1. Fig. 1 shows an aircraft 10, which is parked on an apron 12 adjacent to a terminal building (not shown). A luggage store 14 separate from the terminal building is located on the apron 12 at such a distance from the air¬ craft 10 that it does not prevent the movements thereof. The luggage handling system shown in Fig. 1 is substan¬ tially made up of an unloading conveyor 20 for incoming luggage, a loading conveyor 30 which is used for outgoing luggage and which is parallel to the unloading conveyor, a side conveyor 40 for both incoming and outgoing luggage, and a mobile carriage 50, at which the conveyors 20 and 30 can connect with the side conveyor 40. The unloading and loading conveyors 20 and 30 each consist of four telescopic elements 21-24 and 31-34, respectively, (see also Figs 2 and 4) and can be tele- scoped in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft 10 between a retracted parking position and an extended work¬ ing position shown in Fig. 1. The unloading conveyor 20 and the loading conveyor 30 pass into the luggage building 14 through an opening 15 therein. The side conveyor 40, which in the embodiment shown extends perpendicular to the conveyors 20 and 30, also consists of four telescopic elements 41-44 and is adapted to be telescopically extended to a cargo compartment door 11 of the aircraft 10. The side conveyor 14 is cantilever- ed, having a vertically adjustable pair of wheels 45, which is mounted on the telescopic element 44 closest to the carriage 50 and which is vertically adjustable by means of two piston-cylinder units 46. The carriage 50, which is equipped with wheels 51, is mobile in the telescoping direction of the unloading and loading conveyors 20 and 30. At one long side, the car- riage 50 is joined to the outermost telescopic element 21 of the unloading conveyor 20 and the outermost telescopic element 31 of the loading conveyor 30. Further, the car¬ riage 50 supports the side conveyor 40 at the inner tele- scopic element 44 thereof. The unloading conveyor 20, the loading conveyor 30 and the side conveyor 40 all are belt conveyors, the conveyor belt of the unloading conveyor being traced with broken lines at 25 in Figs 2 and 3, the conveyor belt of the loading conveyor being traced with broken lines at 35 in Fig. 3, and the conveyor belt of the side conveyor be¬ ing shown, e.g. in Fig. 1, at 47. As is apparent from Figs 2 and 3, the unloading con¬ veyor 20 and the loading conveyor 30 are equipped with telescoping rain covers 21 ' -23' and 31 ' -33 ' , respectively, the side conveyor 40 of this embodiment being not equipped with such protective covers. Thus, it is possible, also when the weather is bad, to place outgoing luggage on the loading conveyor 30 far in advance. Each of the telescopic elements 21-23 and 31-33 of the unloading conveyor 20 and the loading conveyor 30, respectively, is supported at its front end by a frame structure 61-63 which is provided at the bottom with supporting wheels 64 running on rails 65 countersunk in the apron 12. The side viewi of Fig. 4 and the top plan view of Fig. 5 both illustrate the side conveyor 40 and the carriage 50. The free, telescopically extendable end 41a at the outermost telescopic element 41 of the side conveyor 40 supports a short roller conveyor 66, which is adapted to be introduced through the cargo compartment door 11 of the aircraft 10, as shown in Fig. 1. The inner telescopic element 44 of the side conveyor 40 is, at a pivot shaft 52 indicated in Fig. 4, pivotably mounted on a runner 53 for movement in the vertical plane. By means of the piston- cylinder units 46 and the supporting wheels 45, it is thus possible to raise and lower the entire side conveyor 40, depending on the type of aircraft. The inner telescopic element 44, at its end 43a located in the carriage 50, connects with a first end 48a of a 90°-belt curve 48. This curve 48 forms part of the side conveyor 40, which thus comprises two separate conveyor belts 47 and 49. The belt curve 48 is rigidly mounted on the runner 53, as shown in Fig. 4. Via wheels 54, the runner 53 is displaceably mounted on the carriage 50 for movement in the telescoping direc- tion of the side conveyor 40. The runner 53 is displaced by means of a motor 55, schematically illustrated in Fig. 5, and a chain 56, also schematically illustrated, which passes over two end rollers 57 (Fig. 4) mounted on the carriage 50. Owing to the runner 53, and consequently the entire side conveyor 40, being displaceable in relation to the unloading conveyor 20 and the loading conveyor 30, whose outermost telescopic elements 21 and 31 are fixedly con¬ nected to the carriage 50, the second end 48b of the belt curve 48 can be optionally set in different positions, depending on which function the luggage handling system is to perform. Fig. 5 illustrates the side conveyor 40 with the curve 48 in a loading position. In this position, the second end 48b of the belt curve 48 connects with the outlet end of the loading conveyor 30, i.e. to the free end 31b of the telescopic element 31. Fig. 6 illustrates at the centre the loading posi¬ tion, as well as two other positions of the side conveyor 40, namely a parking position and an unloading position. In the parking position, the carriage 50 is completely retracted towards the luggage store 14, the runner 53 is completely retracted in relation to the carriage 50, such that the second end 48b of the belt curve 48 is entirely removed from both the unloading conveyor 20 and the load¬ ing conveyor 30, and the telescoping side conveyor 40 is completely retracted. In the unloading position, the unloading and loading conveyors 20 and 30 are telescopically extended to a suit¬ able degree, and the runner 53 is so displaced in relation to the carriage 50 that the end 48b of the belt curve 48 instead connects with the unloading conveyor 20 at the free end 21b of the telescopic element 21. The luggage handling system illustrated in Figs 1-6 operates as follows. Telescopic Extension to Working Position Initially, the carriage 50 is in its parking position in front of the luggage store 14, the side conveyor 40 and the runner 53 being completely retracted. If the carriage 50 is too far from the luggage store 14, a warning lamp suitably is lit, indicating that the carriage 50 must be further retracted. Suitably, the docking system gives the go-ahead for advancing towards the aircraft 10. The travelling movements and the speed of the carriage 50 are, for instance, manually controlled by means of a suspended control mounted on the carriage. Further, the carriage 50 is powered by a motor 58, schematically illustrated in Fig. 5. Advantageously, the system is controlled in such a manner that the carriage 50 can move only when the runner 53 is completely retracted, as illustrated at "parking" in Fig. 6, and the supporting wheels 46 are also retracted. When advancing towards the aircraft 10, a narrow light beam may be directed at the aircraft for positioning the carriage 50 in relation to the cargo compartment door 11. Optionally, an alidade and/or marks on the apron 12 may be used as well. When the carriage 50 has been correctly positioned in relation to the aircraft 10, the supporting wheels 45 are lowered, whereupon the side conveyor 40 is telescopically extended, at the same time as the belt curve 48 is placed in its unloading position by means of the runner 53, i.e. the end 48b connects with the free end 21b of the un¬ loading conveyor 20. These movements are, for instance, brought about by means of a suspended control mounted on the side conveyor 40. Simultaneously, the side conveyor 40 is vertically adjusted by means of the supporting wheels 45 and the piston-cylinder units 46. Arriving Luggage - Unloading After the conveyors 20, 30, 40 have been positioned as above, the belts 47 and 49, and optionally the unload¬ ing conveyor 20, are set in motion. However, the latter is suitably not started until the incoming luggage reaches the end of the belt curve 48. Departing Luggage - Loading Before and/or during the unloading of incoming lug¬ gage, the outgoing luggage may be intermittently advanced on the loading conveyor 30, as schematically illustrated by an arrow 80 in Fig. 6. However, it should not be advanced further than the end 31b of the telescopic element 31. As soon as the belt curve 48 is free, i.e. when all incoming luggage has arrived on the unloading conveyor 20, the stepwise feed is stopped, the belt curve 48 is dis- placed by means of the runner 53 to the loading position illustrated in Fig. 6, and continuous operation of the loading conveyor 30 is started, at the same time as the direction of travel of the belts 47 and 49 of the side conveyor 40 is reversed. If some or all of the outgoing luggage is to be load¬ ed in the luggage store 14, the luggage handling system may be controlled in such a manner that the outgoing luggage on the loading conveyor 30 remains inside the luggage store 14, instead of being transported to the end of this conveyor. Parking After the aircraft 10 has been loaded, the side con¬ veyor 40 is telescoped to its inner position, the runner 53 with the belt curve 48 is maximally retracted in the carriage 50, the supporting wheels 45 are raised, the carriage 50 is retracted, and the unloading and loading conveyors 20 and 30 are maximally retracted towards the luggage store 14 to the parking position illustrated in Fig. 6. However, the travelling movements of the carriage 50 towards the luggage store 14 may be restricted if there is still any incoming luggage on the unloading conveyor 20. The invention has been described above with reference to an exemplifying embodiment, but it goes without saying that several modifications thereof are conceivable within the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A luggage handling system for unloading and load- ing a parked aircraft (10), c h a r a c t e r i s e d by an unloading conveyor (20) for incoming luggage and, arrranged parallel thereto, a loading conveyor (30) for outgoing luggage, said conveyors (20, 30) being extended and jointly telescoping (21-24, 31-34) in the longitudinal direction of the aircraft (10) and having opposite direc¬ tions of travel, such that an inlet end (21b) of the un¬ loading conveyor (20) and an outlet end (31b) of the loading conveyor (30) are jointly movable between a retracted parking position and an extended working posi- tion, and a side conveyor (40) which is extended and tele¬ scoping (41-44) in a direction at an angle to the telescoping direction of the unloading and loading con¬ veyors (20, 30), said side conveyor (40) having a first end (41a) adapted to be telescopically extended to a cargo compartment door (11) of the aircraft (10), and a second end (48b) which is movable between an unloading position, in which it connects with the inlet end (21b) of the unloading conveyor (20) to form a continuous transport path from the cargo compartment door (11) to the unloading conveyor (20) via the side conveyor (40), and a loading position, in which it instead connects with the outlet end (31b) of the loading conveyor (30) to form a continuous transport path from the loading conveyor (30) to the cargo compartment door (11) via the side conveyor (40). 2. The system of claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the unloading conveyor (20), the loading conveyor (30) and the side conveyor (40) all are belt conveyors (25, 35, 47, 49), that a guide roller at the inlet end (21b) of the unloading conveyor (20) and a guide roller at the outlet end (31b) of the loading conveyor (30) are situated in one and the same vertical plane, that the movable second end of the side conveyor (40) has a belt curve (48) which has a radius of curvature corresponding to said angle and which has a guide roller (at 48b) which is located adjacent to said vertical plane and which, in the unloading position, is situated opposite to the guide roller of the unloading conveyor (20) and, in the loading position, is situated opposite to the guide roller of the loading conveyor (30). 3. The system of claim 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the guide rollers at the inlet and outlet ends (21b, 31b) of the unloading and loading conveyors (20, 30), respectively, are coaxial and horizontal, and that the belt curve (48), which constitutes the movable second end of the side conveyor, is displacable in the telescop¬ ing direction of the side conveyor (40), independently of the telescoping movement of the latter. 4. The system of claim 3, c h a r a c t e r i s e d by a carriage (50) which is mobile in the telescoping direction of the unloading and loading conveyors (20, 30) and which is joined to and adapted to accompany the inlet end (21b) of the unloading conveyor (20) and the outlet end (31b) of the loading conveyor (30), and that the belt curve (48) is movably mounted on the carriage (50) by means of a runner (53), which is displaceable independent¬ ly of the telescoping movement of the side conveyor (40) . 5. The system of claim 4, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the telescoping side conveyor (40) is pivotably mounted (at 52) in the runner (53) for vertical adjust¬ ment. 6. The system of any one of claims 3-5, c h a r a c- t e r i s e d in that the belt curve (48) that is movable in the telescoping direction of the side conveyor (40) can be set not only in said unloading and loading positions, but also in a retracted parking position, in which the guide roller of the belt curve (48) is completely removed from both the unloading conveyor (20) and the loading conveyor (30) . 7. The system of any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the angle between the telescoping direction of the unloading and loading con¬ veyors (20, 30) and that of the side conveyor (40) is about 90°. 8. The system of any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d by a luggage store (14) which is separate from a terminal building and situated in the vicinity of the parked aircraft (10), the unloading and loading conveyors (20, 30) extending through said luggage store. 9. The system of any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i s e d by a means which is arranged, before the loading of outgoing luggage on board the aircraft (10), to feed out the outgoing luggage stepwise on the loading conveyor (30) not farther than its outlet end (31b), such that loading via the side conveyor (40) can begin as soon as the latter is free after the incoming luggage has been unloaded.

Inventors: JOHNSSON LEIF, JOHNSSON, LEIF
Applicants: MOVING AB
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B64F1
IPC codes: B64F1