CA1306382C - Apparatus for mounting aerial survey camera under aircraft wing - Google Patents

Abstract

APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING AERIAL SURVEY
CAMERA UNDER AIRCRAFT WING

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A removable adaptor mount for receiving a camera-carrying gimbal beneath an aircraft wing has a base plate with a clamp for removably engaging the diagonal wing strut. An anchor on the base spaced from the strut clamp can be secured to the wing. Holes on the base permit a conventional gimbal to be bolted to the mount.

Description

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APPARATUS ~OR MOUNTING AERIAL SURVEY
CAMERA UNDER AIRCRAFT WIN~

FIELD OF THE INvENTION
This invention relates to apparatus for mountlng aerial survey cameras on alrcraft, and particularly to a : mountlns apparatus for securing a camera-carrylng glmbal below an aircraft wing which ls supported by a diagonal wlng stru~.

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Aerlal survey by means of conventional film camera or videotape recordlng camera is ~ convenient and popular technique for permitting review of condLtlor.s over extended land areas. For example, the operators of sas trans~lssLon lines may utilize such techniq~es for producing a convenlent film or tape record which may ~e v~ewed to reveal conditions on, and immediately ad~ace-.-to, the pipeline easement. In this manner hundreds oS
mlles of pipel~ne may be easily and relatively qulc~ly reviewed at operatlonal headcuarters by approprlate personnel.
Conventional techniques for conductlng such surveys have included helicopter mounts and mounts for the '5 fuselage of fixed wing aircraft. I have discovered tha-video recordings of the best posslble quality and fidellty may be produced utilizing this lnvention, which permlts a vldeo camera-carrying gimbal to be mounted underneath the wlng of f~xed wlng aircraft, spaced from the fuselage. The mount ltself may be readily secured in positlon on the wlng, and is quickly removable when not needed.

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SUMMARY OF T~E INVENTION
In accordance ~ith my lnvention, there is provided a mount for securlng a camera carrying gimbal below an aircraft wlng whlch is supported by a dlagonal wlns s strut. The mount includes a base, and strut cla~plng means carried by the base for removably surrounding and engaging the dia~onal wing strut. The base carrles an a.~chor means spaced from t:~e strut clamoing means for securement to the airplane wing. The base also has gimbal attachment means for removably holdlng the glmbal below the base.
In a speclfic form of the lnven.lon, the s~rut clamping means ls formed by an upstanding saddle formed integrally on the base hav~ng a surface conforming to the strut when the base is substantially horl~ontal, and further includlng a generally U-shaped clamp plate secured by bolts faclng the saddle, whereby the clamp plate and saddle may snugly but removably engage the wing strut.
Speciflc anchorlng means which may be provided lnclude an arrangement of two upstandlng ears having allgned holes therethrough, whlch may be lnserted through the lower surface of the wlng and held firmly ln place by the wlng strut retalnlng bolt. Alternatlvely, the anchorlng means may include a flange with a hole therein for securement to the lower surface of the wing by a wlng tle down bolt.

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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGURE 1 is a perspective vlew of a mount embodying the inventlon;
FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the mount shown in FIGURE l;
FIGURE 3 is a perspectlve view of a second embodiment o~ the invention; and FIGURE 4 is a perspective vLew showlng the mount of FIGURES 1 and 2 lnstalled beneath an alrcraft wing, wlth gimbal attached.

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
A mount constructed in accordance with this inventlon is generaily designated by the reference numeral 10 in FIGURES 1 and 2. Mount 10 is particularl~
suited for adapting a Cessna 182 alrcraft for receivins a camera-carrying gimbal under its wlng. The mo~nt has a base plate 12 including a flat lower surface 14.
Gimbal mounting holes 16 are formed in base 12. An upstanding C-shaped saddle 18 ls formed at one end of base 12 to provide one p2rt of a strut clamp. Separate clamping plate 20 cooperates with the saddle 18 to complete the clamp. The complementary confronting surfaces o~ saddle 18 and clamping plate 20 are shaped to snusly and surroundlnsly engage a wlng strut. Saddle 18 and plate 20 may be removably secured together by means of bolts 22 extendlng through holes 24 in the plate and holes 26 in the saddle. The the other end of base 12 opposite the saddle 18 ls provided wlth anchoring means which in this embodlment are upstanding ears 28. The ears 28 are each provlded with holes 30 aligned for receivlng a strut bolt to secure the anchoring ears 28 in the aircraft wing. Base 18 ls also provided wlth upstandlng reinforclng webs 32 to strengthen the assembly and stablllze the platform 2~ provided by mount 10.
The mount 10 may be formed into a unitary structure combinlng the base 12, saddle 18, anchors 28 and webs 32 by means of welding.
The mount 10 as illustrated ln FI~URE 4 ls secured in position to an aircraft wing 34 and diagonal wlng strut 36. As illustrated in FIGURE 4, the saddle 18 and clamplng plate 20 are securely held in positlon surrou~ding the strut 36 by bolts 22. At its opposite end, the device is anchored to wing 34 by means of ears -. ' 2~ which cooperate wlth the convent~onal structure of the wing (not shown~ which secures st~ut 36 to the s of win~ 3~. That is, the senerally horizontal strut bolt that secures the strut 36 ln the interior of wing 34 also extends throush anchors 2~ and sec~res them to the strut and wing.
It will be appreclated that the adaptor mount deplcted can readlly be installed on an alrcraft wins, and just as readily removed when not needed. In position, the device provldes a stable horizontal platform provlded by the mountlng surface 14 for receiving a conventlonal camera-carrying gimbal 3~.
optionally, addltlonal stability may be provlded to the assembled structure by a rea~-~ardly and upwardly extendlng anchor from the base where the slmbal ls secured to a rear portlon of the wlng.
An alternate embodiment of the lnvention ls lllustrated ln FIGURE 3. For the most part, the elements of the device are the same as those deplcted in FIGURES 1 and 2, but the means for anchoring the mount directly to the wlng are modified. As shown in FIGURE

3, the anchor 50 spaced from saddle 18 on base 10 ls provided wlth a wing engaglng flange 52 havlng a hole s4 formed therein. This embodiment may be anchored to the wlng by means of a plane tie-down eyebolt conventionally secured to the lower surface of the wlng. By removing the bolt, the hole 54 may be placed ln posltlon against the wlng, and secured thereto by replacing the bolt in its normal posltlon.
It will be appreclated that the appllcations of this lnventlon permlt a convenient and simple way of adaptlng fixed wlng alrcraft for aerlal survey work.
The mountlng of a conventlonal glmbal utillzlng this . -.
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-lnvention under the wing spaced from the fuselage has been found to produce good quality survey records.
Although a preferred embodlment of the lnventlon has been described ln the foregolng dcta~led descriptlon and illustrated in the accompany drawlngs, lt wlll be understood that the lnventlon ls not llmlted to the embodiments disclosed, but ls capable of numerous rearrangements, modlflcatlons, and substltutlons of parts and elements wlthout departing from the splrlt o~
the lnYentlon. The present lnventlon ls therefore 1ntended to encompass such rearrangements, modiflc~tlons and substitutions of parts and elements as fall wlthln the splrit and scope of the inventlon.

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Claims (4)

1. A mount for securing a camera-carrying gimbal below an aircraft wing supported by a diagonal wing strut comprising:
(a) a base;
(b) strut clamping means carried by the base for removably surrounding and engaging the diagonal wing strut;
(c) anchor means on the base spaced from the strut clamping means, and adapted to securement to the airplane wing; and (d) gimbal attachment means carried by the base for removably holding the gimbal below the base.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the strut clamping means comprises:
(a) an upstanding saddle formed integrally on the base having a surface conforming to the strut when the base is substantially horizontal; and (b) a generally U-shaped clamp plate secured facing the saddle by bolts and its extremities, whereby the clamp plate and saddle may snugly but removably engage the wing strut.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the anchor means includes two upstanding ears with holes therein, whereby the ears may be inserted through apertures in the lower surface of the wing and held firmly in place by the strut retaining bolt.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein the anchor means includes a flange having a hole thereon for securement to the lower surface of the wing by a wing tie-down bolt.