An assembly system for assembling a gas turbine engine including a support beam defining a horizontal plane for assembly of engine components along a horizontal axis substantially parallel with the support beam. A forward arm is supported on the support beam for supporting a forward portion of an engine component. An aft arm is supported on the support beam for supporting an aft portion of the engine component. An aft mounting ring is attachable to an aft end of an engine assembly. A forward mounting ring is attachable to a forward end of the engine assembly. A drive is mounted to the aft arm engageable to the aft mounting ring for rotating the engine assembly about the horizontal axis. A roller is supported on the forward arm and engageable to the forward mounting ring to support the first end of the engine assembly during rotation about the horizontal axis. A method is also disclosed.

A lift unit docking system includes a docking rail, a docking rail adapter, and a locking mechanism. The docking rail is configured to provide ingress and egress of a lift unit to and from an overhead rail, and includes a body defining a channel and an adapter receiving opening within the body. The docking rail adapter is repositionable relative to the adapter receiving opening of the docking rail and is configured to transport the lift unit into and out of the channel of the docking rail. The locking mechanism is repositionable between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein the locking mechanism extends into the channel to block movement of a mounted lift unit toward the adapter receiving opening of the docking rail when in the locked position.

A load assembly for use with an aircraft includes a support sub-assembly and a lifting sub-assembly. The support sub-assembly is configured for removable coupling to a structural member of the aircraft. The structural member has a first interior position and a second interior position. The support sub-assembly extends between the first interior position and the second interior position. The lifting sub-assembly is movably coupled to the support sub-assembly. The lifting sub-assembly is movable along the support sub-assembly between the first interior position and the second interior position and configured to lift or lower a load, and to support the load as the lifting sub-assembly moves along the support sub-assembly between the first interior position and the second interior position.

A load assembly for use with an aircraft includes a support sub-assembly and a lifting sub-assembly. The support sub-assembly is configured for removable coupling to a structural member of the aircraft. The structural member has a first interior position and a second interior position. The support sub-assembly extends between the first interior position and the second interior position. The lifting sub-assembly is movably coupled to the support sub-assembly. The lifting sub-assembly is movable along the support sub-assembly between the first interior position and the second interior position and configured to lift or lower a load, and to support the load as the lifting sub-assembly moves along the support sub-assembly between the first interior position and the second interior position.

Methods and apparatus are provided for constructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and/or glass furnace structures formed of refractory components, by positioning opposed pairs of vertically oriented base beams on respective opposite sides of the refractory structure and having a lower end rigidly attached to a foundation of the refractory structure and an upper end which extends vertically above the refractory structure, and attaching cross-support beams to respective ones of the base beams at the upper end thereof so as to latitudinally span the refractory structure. An overhead crane assembly may thus be supported by the cross-support beams.

Methods and apparatus are provided for constructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and/or glass furnace structures formed of refractory components, by positioning opposed pairs of vertically oriented base beams on respective opposite sides of the refractory structure and having a lower end rigidly attached to a foundation of the refractory structure and an upper end which extends vertically above the refractory structure, and attaching cross-support beams to respective ones of the base beams at the upper end thereof so as to latitudinally span the refractory structure. An overhead crane assembly may thus be supported by the cross-support beams.

A method of automatically conveying an object, using a suspending moving device and a robot having an arm configured to hold the object, the suspending moving device including a suspender and a moving mechanism configured to move the suspender, and the suspender including a coupler configured to be coupled to the object and a suspending member configured to suspend the coupler, is provided. The method includes a step for locating the coupler of the suspender at a given first position, a step for locating the object at a given second position, a step for causing the robot to hold the coupler located at the first position and coupling the held coupler to the object located at the second position, and a step for causing the suspending moving device to move, by the moving mechanism, the object coupled to the coupler together with the suspender.

A method of automatically conveying an object, using a suspending moving device and a robot having an arm configured to hold the object, the suspending moving device including a suspender and a moving mechanism configured to move the suspender, and the suspender including a coupler configured to be coupled to the object and a suspending member configured to suspend the coupler, is provided. The method includes a step for locating the coupler of the suspender at a given first position, a step for locating the object at a given second position, a step for causing the robot to hold the coupler located at the first position and coupling the held coupler to the object located at the second position, and a step for causing the suspending moving device to move, by the moving mechanism, the object coupled to the coupler together with the suspender.

A load assembly for use with an aircraft includes a support sub-assembly and a lifting sub-assembly. The support sub-assembly is configured for removable coupling to a structural member of the aircraft. The structural member has a first interior position and a second interior position. The support sub-assembly extends between the first interior position and the second interior position. The lifting sub-assembly is movably coupled to the support sub-assembly. The lifting sub-assembly is movable along the support sub-assembly between the first interior position and the second interior position and configured to lift or lower a load, and to support the load as the lifting sub-assembly moves along the support sub-assembly between the first interior position and the second interior position.

A load assembly for use with an aircraft includes a support sub-assembly and a lifting sub-assembly. The support sub-assembly is configured for removable coupling to a structural member of the aircraft. The structural member has a first interior position and a second interior position. The support sub-assembly extends between the first interior position and the second interior position. The lifting sub-assembly is movably coupled to the support sub-assembly. The lifting sub-assembly is movable along the support sub-assembly between the first interior position and the second interior position and configured to lift or lower a load, and to support the load as the lifting sub-assembly moves along the support sub-assembly between the first interior position and the second interior position.