The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 09, 1998
Filed:
Apr. 04, 1997
Dennis E Ruzicka, Enumclaw, WA (US);
The Boeing Company, Seattle, WA (US);
Abstract
A weapons launching system (20) is located in an internal weapons storage compartment of an airplane, preferably a widebody aircraft. The system includes a monorail assembly (22) supported by a rail frame (24), and a number of carriage trucks (26) movably engaged with the monorail assembly (22). The carriage trucks (26) deliver weapons (27) via the monorail assembly (22) to a launch bay (28) located near one end of the storage compartment. The carriage trucks (26) include handling-release units (30) for picking up and moving weapons (27) within the storage compartment and for releasing the weapons (27) out the launch bay (28). A portion of the weapons are initially held by the handling-release units (30), while the remaining weapons are supported on stationary support units (34) located in the rail frame (24). An automatic launching control system (36) causes translation of the carriage trucks (26) along the monorail assembly (22) and activation of the handling-release units (30) and stationary support units (34). The carriage trucks (26) are used to quickly deliver weapons (27) to the launch bay (28) in an orderly, sequential manner. The carriage trucks (26) may also be used initially to load weapons (27) in the storage compartment.