Tailhook for testing and exercising an aircraft arresting cable

Abstract

A tailhook with a telescopic lever, a fixed jaw, a sliding jaw, a pivot arm, and a cam arm. The lever has a second lever and a first lever end attached to a ring to which a pulling force can be applied, which allows the tailhook to test and exercise an arresting cable. The sliding jaw and the fixed jaw communicate such that the arresting cable can be accepted and clamped. The second lever end is attached to the fixed jaw, while the fixed jaw includes a thumb screw that provides tension adjustment for the fixed jaw. The pivot arm provides a clamping force, and the cam arm provides a mechanical linkage between the fixed jaw and the sliding jaw such that when force is applied to the pivot arm, the cam arm moves the sliding jaw to clamp together or unclamp the fixed jaw and the sliding jaw.

Claims

1. A self-restricting transverse slip reducing tailhook for testing and exercising an aircraft arresting cable, the tailhook comprising: a telescopic lever having a first lever end and a second lever end, the first lever end attached to a ring to which a pulling force can be applied, which allows the tailhook to test and exercise the arresting cable; a fixed jaw and a sliding jaw, the sliding jaw and the fixed jaw communicating such that the arresting cable can be accepted and clamped to prevent arresting cable slippage, the second lever end attached to the fixed jaw, the fixed jaw including a thumb screw that provides tension adjustment for the fixed jaw; a pivot arm for providing a clamping force; and, a cam arm for providing a mechanical linkage between the fixed jaw and the sliding jaw such that when force is applied to the pivot arm, the cam arm moves the sliding jaw to clamp together or unclamps the fixed jaw and the sliding jaw.

Description

DRAWINGS

(1) These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims, and accompanying drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the tailhook for testing and exercising an aircraft arresting cable;

(3) FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the tailhook;

(4) FIG. 3A is a side view of the tailhook in the closed or clamped position;

(5) FIG. 3B is a rear view of the tailhook in FIG. 3A;

(6) FIG. 4A is a side view of the tailhook in the open or unclamped position; and,

(7) FIG. 4B is a rear view of the tailhook in FIG. 4A.

DESCRIPTION

(8) The preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by way of example below and in FIGS. 1-4. As seen in FIG. 1, a self-restricting, transverse slip reducing tailhook for testing and exercising an aircraft arresting cable 50 includes a telescopic lever 100, a fixed jaw 200, a sliding jaw 300, a pivot arm 400, and a cam arm 500. The lever 100 has a first lever end 105 and a second lever end 110, with the first lever end 105 attached to a ring 600 to which a pulling force can be applied, which allows the tailhook to test and exercise the arresting cable 50. The pulling force can, but without limitation, be a tractor, a vehicle, or any type of apparatus that can apply a pulling force on the tailhook. The sliding jaw 300 and the fixed jaw 200 communicate such the arresting cable 50 can accepted and clamped to prevent arresting cable 50 slippage. As seen in FIG. 2, the second lever end 110 is attached to the fixed jaw 200, while the fixed jaw 200 includes a thumbscrew 205 that provides tension adjustment for the fixed jaw 200. The pivot arm 400 is for providing a clamping force, and the cam arm 500 is for providing a mechanical linkage between the fixed jaw 200 and the sliding jaw 300 such that when force is applied to the pivot arm 400, the cam arm 500 moves the sliding jaw 300 linearly to clamp together or unclamp the fixed jaw 200 and the sliding jaw 300. The cam arm 500 permits enough rotation of the pivot arm 400 such that the dead center position (points of the joint in a line) is exceeded in the clamped position, providing self-restricting clamping force.

(9) In the description of the present invention, the invention will be discussed in a military aircraft environment; however, this invention can be utilized for any type of application that requires use of a clamp.

(10) As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the preferred embodiment, the fixed jaw 200 and sliding jaw 300 are contoured such that the two jaws 200, 300 conform around the arresting cable 50. Each jaw 200, 300 may include semi-circular sections that conform around the arresting cable 50, such that in the closed or clamped position, the sections create a tight fit around the arresting cable 50 that does not allow slippage of the arresting cable 50 (shown in FIG. 3A). Each jaw 200, 300 is fabricated from a material that is softer than the arresting cable 50, in order to avoid damage to the arresting cable 50. The pivot arm 400 may further include a handle 405 with a gripping surface 410 such that a user can easily clamp or unclamp the two jaws 200, 300. Additionally, the pivot arm 400 may be rotationally attached to the cam arm 500 so that the sliding jaw 300 moves either toward the fixed jaw 200 to clamp the arresting cable 50 (shown in FIG. 3A) or away from the fixed jaw 200 to unclamp the arresting cable 50 (shown in FIG. 4A).

(11) In operation, when the tailhook is in the open or unclamped position, an arresting cable 50 is positioned between the fixed jaw 200 and the sliding jaw 300, then force is applied on the pivot arm 400 via the handle 405. This causes the cam arm 500 to be actuated and pivot around a bolt, and translating the force to linear motion and causing the sliding jaw 300 to move toward the fixed jaw 200 via the telescopic lever 100 and secure the arresting cable 50 between the jaws 200, 300. The thumbscrew 205 can adjust the fixed jaw 200 to account for slight variations in the arresting cable 50 size, in order to ensure a tight fit. A pulling force apparatus, such as but without limitation, a towing vehicle, is then attached to the ring 600 by, but without limitation, a hitch or any other apparatus or method practicable. The pulling force is then applied to the tailhook to test and exercise the arresting cable 50.

(12) When introducing elements of the present invention or the preferred embodiment(s) thereof, the articles “a,” “an,” “the,” and “said” are intended to mean there are one or more of the elements. The terms “comprising,” “including,” and “having” are intended to be inclusive and mean that there may be additional elements other than the listed elements.

(13) Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments thereof, other embodiments are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred embodiment(s) contained herein.