Patents Assigned to Air-A-Plane Corporation
  • Conduit on passenger loading bridge
    Patent number: 4715077
    Abstract: An extensible loading bridge for aircraft having an inboard end connected to a terminal and an outboard end adapted for connection to a parked aircraft. A heat exchanger on the outboard end supplies warm or cold air to the aircraft. Hot or cold liquid is supplied to the outboard heat exchanger from a source at the terminal end of the bridge and extensible flexible supply and return lines convey the hot or cold glycol to or from the outboard heat exchanger. A means is provided for maintaining the supply and return lines under tension and to take up and give slack to the lines when the bridge is retracted or extended.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1986
    Date of Patent: December 29, 1987
    Assignee: Air-A-Plane Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Shepheard
  • Pipe coupling
    Patent number: 4623172
    Abstract: A pipe joint has a pair of latching hooks pivotal on opposite sides of a tubular coupling member, which hooks engage into slots in an annular plate and, when pivoted, lock over the slot ends. The hooks are simultaneously actuated by levers having free ends connected to a ring which surrounds the tubular member and is manually rotatable in the circumferential direction thereof so as to pivot the hooks to or from locking engagement with the annular plate at the ends of the slots.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 18, 1986
    Assignee: Air-A-Plane Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Shepheard
  • Combined passenger loading bridge and utilities conduit between airport terminal and parked aircraft
    Patent number: 4620339
    Abstract: An extensible loading bridge for aircraft having an inboard end connected to a terminal and an outboard end adapted for connection to a parked aircraft. A heat exchanger on the outboard end supplies warm or cold air to the aircraft. Hot or cold liquid is supplied to the outboard heat exchanger from a source at the terminal end of the bridge and extensible supply and return lines convey the hot or cold glycol to or from the outboard heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 1985
    Date of Patent: November 4, 1986
    Assignee: Air-A-Plane Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Shepheard
  • Combined passenger loading bridge and utilities conduit between airport terminal parked aircraft
    Patent number: RE32687
    Abstract: An extensible loading bridge for aircraft having an inboard end connected to a terminal and an outboard end adapted for connection to a parked aircraft. A heat exchanger on the outboard end supplies warm or cold air to the aircraft. Hot or cold liquid is supplied to the outboard heat exchanger from a source at the terminal end of the bridge and extensible supply and return lines convey the hot or cold glycol to or from the outboard heat exchanger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1987
    Date of Patent: June 7, 1988
    Assignee: Air-A-Plane Corporation
    Inventor: Thomas E. Shepheard