Reply Patent Number: us- 3,658,277
United
States Patent
[15] 3,658,277
Anderson
[45] Apr. 25, 1972
|
[54] AIRCRAFT ANTI-HIJACKING STRUCTURE |
[72] Inventor:
Charles I. Anderson, 7399 South Main
Street, Downers Grove, Ⅲ 60515 |
|
[22J Filed:
Dec. 11, 1970 |
[21] AppI. No.: 97,070 |
|
[52] U.S. Ct. ................ 244/1 R, 49/41,109/8,
244/119 |
[51] Int. CI...........B64c 1/00, E05g 3/00, E06b 3/34 |
|
[58] Field of Search......244/1 R, 119, I P;
52/106;
109/3, 6, 8; 49/41,263 |
[56] References
Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS |
|
883 10/1908 Great Britain
...................109/3 |
|
|
Primary Examiner--Edward A. Sroka |
Attorney--Davis, Lucas, Brewer & Brugman |
AIRCRAFT ANTI-HIJACKING
STRUCTURE
Aircraft anti-hijacking
structure
ABSTRACT
Normally inoperative walls in entrance
area of aircraft between passenger and pilot areas rendered operable by control
in pilot area and automatically actuated in response to downward pressure on
floor in entrance area for movement to operative position to trap within the
entrance area person or persons stepping on floor thereof. Such movable walls are segments of
hollow cylinder rotatable to operative position into edge-overlapping relation
with stationary walls comprising segments of coaxial hollow cylinder thereby to
block access from entrance area to exterior of aircraft and passenger and pilot
areas. Thus enclosed entrance area may be filled with temporarily effective
disabling gas and subsequently evacuated thereof, both under control from pilot
area.
Reply By Zhen-man
Lin
Anderson,
(US Pat. No. 3658277) the invention of Anderson is
a mechanical rotating space allowing only one person, which was designed 30
years ago, without the conception of a separate buffer space. The invention of
Anderson cannot prevent hijackers from entering the cabin together with crew
because it does not fix any automatic check device in the rotating space.
Us-3,658,277,
Anderson的發明是一個機械式璇轉空間，左右轉動對位開啟單一的門出或入，是一個30年前的設計，非有獨立空間為緩沖的概念，Anderson的發明不能阻止劫機者劫持機員一同經轉空間進入駕駛室，Anderson的發明并沒在璇轉空間設置自動檢測手段。
機械式璇轉空間結構并沒什麼有值得借鏡的地方，Us-3,658,277,Anderson的權力要求不能阻止Lin zhen-man的發明申請通過。
12
Claims, 10 Drawing Figures
1.
Field of the Invention
This
invention relates generally to aircraft, and more particularly to novel means
for preventing hijacking thereof.
2.
Description of the Prior Art
The problem of combating
hijacking of aircraft of late has become
peculiarly serious. As is well-known, aircraft hijacking
has been accomplished primarily by threat of force against a hostage to gain
access to the pilot area or to enforce hijacking demands against the pilot. The
prior art appears not to be pertinent to this problem since the only art known
relates to protecting banks, and the like, against robbers which comprises
structures not adapted to use in aircraft and having characteristics and
operating features incapable of accomplishing the end results here
contemplated.
This invention
provides a solution to the aircraft hijacking problem by automatically
confining a would-be hijacker in the entrance area as he sets foot therein and
preventing his exit there from. Such is accomplished by providing a wall
structure comprising normally inoperative vertical wall means defining the
entrance area, floor means in the latter, and actuating means rendered operable
by a control in the pilot area for subsequent automatic operation in response
to downward pressure on the floor means to move the wall means to operative
position to block access from the passenger area to the pilot area and trap
within the entrance area that which applied pressure to the floor means, it is
further contemplated that the thus enclosed entrance area may be filled with a
temporarily effective disabling gas if a hostage is involved and is trapped
with the hijacker and subsequently evacuated thereof under control from the
pilot area, whereupon the wall means may be returned to inoperative position to
enable removal of the person or persons trapped.
In the drawings:
FIG. I is an
elevational view of the forward portion of an aircraft illustrating the
location of the anti-hijacking means of this invention;
FIG. 2 is an
enlarged detail horizontal section taken substantially on the line 2--2 of FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a detail
vertical section taken substantially on the line 3--3 of FIG. 7;
FIG. 4 is an
exploded view in perspective of the movable wall means and its supporting
structure;
FIG. 5 is a
perspective view of one of the stationary wall members;
FIG. 6 is a
perspective view of the floor means, as seen from the bottom thereof;
FIG. 7 is a
horizontal section similar to FIG. 2 showing the movable wall members in
operative position;
FIG. 8 is a
schematic diagram illustrating an electrical circuit for one of the
pressure-responsive floor switches;
FIG. 9 is a
horizontal section similar to FIG. 2 showing a modified structure with the
movable wall members in normal inoperative position; and
FIG. 10 is a view
similar to FIG. 9 with the movable wall members shown in operative or closed
positions.
Referring more
particularly to FIG. 1, reference numeral 11 indicates in general an aircraft
having the usual fuselage and frame and an interior wall structure carried by
the frame and defining a passenger area 12 (FIG. 2), an entrance area 13and a
pilot area 14. The usual door 15 is interposed between the
entrance area 13 and the pilot area 14, and normal exit openings from
the interior area 13 at the sides of the aircraft are provided with standard
entrance doors 16.
The anti-hijacking
means of FIGS. 1-8 embodying the instant invention includes normally
inoperative vertical wall means comprising stationary wall members 17 (FIG. 5),
which with the previously noted wall structure within the fuselage define the
entrance area 13 (FIG. 2), and movable wall members 18. As best seen in FIG. 4,
the movable wall members 18 preferably are formed as segmental portions of a
hollow cylinder joined at their upper ends by a marginal ring 19 and at their
lower end~ by similar marginal ring 21 formed integrally with or attached to
circular spider means 22. The movable wall members 18 thus comprise segments of
a hollow cylinder defined by the marginal end rings 19 and 21 which is
coaxially disposed with an imaginary hollow cylinder similarly defined by
segmental portions which comprise the stationary wall members 17.
When the movable
wall members 18 are in their normal inoperative position of FIG. 2, doorways or
spaces are defined thereby and by the stationary wall members 17 between the
passenger area 12 and the entrance area 13, between the latter and the door 15
to the pilot area 14, and from the entrance area 13 to the spaces adjacent the entrance
doors 16. However, when the movable wall members 18 are rotated about the axis
of the hollow cylinder which they define in a manner later to be described,
they will be moved to their operative position of FIG. 7 in which they block
those several doorway spaces. In such operative position, the movable wall
members 18 and the stationary wall members 17 comprise adjacently overlapping
segments to form a completely enclosed capsule.
Floor means 23
comprising a circular plate (FIG. 6) is disposed interiorly of the movable wall
members 18. The plate 23 is provided with an axle or shaft portion 24 extending
downwardly from its center for vertical sliding engagement in a suitable
bearing race 25 mounted in the upper counter bored portion of a centrally disposed
recess 26 in the base or spider means 22 of the movable wall means (FIG. 3). A
coil spring 27 is disposed within the recess 26 for resiliently maintaining the
floor means 23 in its normal position of FIG- 3. The underside of the floor
means or plate 23 also is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced
apertures 28 slid ably cooperating with the upper ends of cylindrical posts 29.
These posts 29 extend upwardly from a base member 31 through segment ally
shaped slots 32 in the spider 22.
The base member 31, as best seen in FIG. 4, includes an
upwardly extending marginal flange on which roller bearings 33 are mounted in
well-known manner for cooperation with the lower surface of the marginal portion
of the spider 22 to support the latter and the movable wall members 18 and the
floor means 23. This base member 31 is supported in any suitable manner by the
frame of the fuselage of the aircraft 11, as by being welded to depending
brackets 34 (FIG. 3) forming a part of the fuselage frame. The base member 31
also is provided with a central aperture through which a depending central
shaft 35 on the spider means 22 freely extends.
Means are provided
for moving the wall means between normal inoperative and operative positions
which comprise a gear 36 mounted upon and secured to the lower end of the shaft
35 and a rack 37 engaging or meshing therewith and mounted in any suitable
manner for horizontal sliding movement. One end of the rack 37 is connected in
well-known manner to any suitable actuating means 38 (FIGS. 2 and 3), such as
to the piston of an hydraulic cylinder or the armature of an electric solenoid.
If an hydraulic cylinder is employed as the actuating means 38, it may be of
the two-way variety to selectively move the rack 37 in either direction or a
one-way type operable only to move the rack 37 from its normal rearward
position of FIG. 2 to its forward position of FIG. 7. Likewise, if the
actuating means 38 comprises a solenoid, it may be designed to move the rack 37
forwardly in similar manner and, as in the case of a one-way hydraulic
cylinder, a suitable spring 39 may be interconnected between a depending
bracket 34 and the rack 37 to return the latter rearwardly from its position of
FIG. 7 to that of FIG. 2 when the actuating means 38 is rendered inoperative or
deenergized.
Whatever specific
type of actuating means 38 is employed, the same may be controlled in
well-known manner by an electric valve 41 (FIG. 8) inter connectable with a
suitable source of electrical energy 42 through pressure-responsive switch
means 43. This switch means 43 may comprise a sing/e switch mounted on the
upper end of one of the posts 29 or a similarly disposed switch on each of the
posts 29 connected in parallel with each other. Such switch means 43 is normally
open and is closed in response to downward pressure exerted on the floor means
or plate 23 to cause energization of the electric valve 41 to initiate
operation of the actuating means 38. This results in sliding movement of the
rack 37 from its position of FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 7 which, through the agency
of the gear 36, shaft 35 and spider means 22, rotates the movable wall members
18 to their operative position of FIG. 7 to trap within the entrance area 13
that which applied downward pressure on the floor means 23.
It will be
appreciated that during the usual loading and unloading operations it is
necessary to maintain the movable wall members in their normal inoperative
position and to prevent operation thereof in response to pressure on the floor
means 23. To this end, a suitable control switch 44 (FIG. 8) is inter- 2(posed
in the circuit to the electric valve 41 which is disposed in a control unit 45
(F1G. 1 ) in the pilot area 14. The pilot may thus render the floor means 23
inactive by moving the control switch 44 to its open position of FIG. 8. After
a loading operation has been completed, he may then render the floor means 223
active by closing that control switch 44. Thereafter, any time that any
downward pressure is exerted on the floor means 23, the movable wall members 18
will automatically be moved to their operative position of FIG. 7 to entrap
within the entrance area 13 that which applied the downward pressure to 3(the
floor means and to effectively prevent any person so trapped from reaching the
pilot area 14, returning to the passenger area 12 or having access to the
entrance doors 16.
The movable wall
members 18 may be returned to their normal inoperative positions of FIG. 2
thereafter only in response to manipulation of the control unit 45 in the pilot
area 14. This may be effected by reversely actuating the two-way hydraulic
cylinder, if such is used as the actuating means 38, or by moving the control
switch 44 to open position if the actuating means comprises a one-way hydraulic
cylinder or electric solenoid. In the latter case, such will permit the spring
39 to return the rack 37 to its normal position of FIG. 2 to move the
wall members 18 to provide free access from entrance area 13 to the
passenger area 12 and the outside entrance doors 16. Access to the pilot area
14, of course, will continue to be controlled by the door 15.
It is appreciated
that in order to render this anti-hijacking means foolproof, it may be
necessary to have the usual Telephonic communication devices for talking to
those in the pilot area 14 located only in the entrance area 13. This simple
expedient would avid the possibility of a hijacker communicating with the pilot
area from some other part of the aircraft. If thus required to enter the
entrance area in order to attempt to communicate with the pilot area, the
hijacker would be trapped by the instant device in the manner previously
described.
If the
hijacking attempt involves one or more hostages, it will be apparent that the
hostage or hostages also may be trapped in the entrance area 13 with the
hijacker. In order to avoid any physical harm to a hostage, it is contemplated
that
the enclosed entrance area may be filled with a temporarily effective
disabling gas under control from the pilot area 14. If, thereafter, it is
desired to remove the hostage or hijacker thus disabled, the disabling gas
first may be evacuated from the enclosed entrance area, after it has rendered
the occupants thereof unconscious, and the wall means Ig returned to normai inoperative
position in response to operation of the control means in the pilot area.
To this end, a
cannister 46 (FIG. 1) containing suitable disabling gas under pressure may be
mounted in the fuselage above, and with an outlet extending downwardly through,
that portion of the fuselage forming a ceiling for the entrance area 13 which
is under the control, in well-known manner, of a
switch forming part of the control unit 45 in the pilot area 14. Also
mounted adjacent the cannister 46 is an exhaust fan 47, also controllable by a
switch forming a part of the control unit 45, and having an inlet communicating
with the entrance area 13 and an outlet discharging exteriorly of the fuselage.
A modification of the
anti-hijacking means hereinbefore described is illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10.
This may include the same stationary wall members 17 and movable wall members
18 and the operative mechanism previously described. In addition, or in lieu
thereof, it comprises stationary wall members 48 dividing the entrance area 13
from the pilot area 14 and the passenger area 12 and normally inoperative,
movable wall members ,19. The stationary wall members 48 are mounted as two
pairs of laterally aligned walls each defining a doorway. The movable wall
members 49 are disposed inwardly, respectively, of those stationary wall
members 48 and are mounted in any suitable manner for lateral sliding movements
relative thereto. Thus, when the movable wall members 49 are outwardly disposed
as in FIG. 9, they are in an inactive or inoperative position, and when they
are slid inwardly therefrom to their operative positions of FIG. 10, the
associated movable wall members 49 engage abuttingly or in edge-overlapping
relationship to effectively block the doorways defined by the stationary wall
members 48.
Each movable wall member 49
is provided with an actuating member 51 which, as in the case of the actuating
means 38, may comprise either a two-way or a one-way hydraulic cylinder or an
electrically operable solenoid. It will be understood that these actuating
members 51 will be controlled automatically in response to downward pressure on
the floor of the entrance area 13 in the same manner as previously described
with respect to the actuating means 38. And if both the wall means 17, 18 and 48,
49 are employed as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, it will be readily apparent
that the control unit 45 in the pilot area 14 may include controls for
selectively actuating either such set of wall means. Thus, if a hijacker has
been entrapped within the entrance area, the inner wall members 18 may be
returned to inoperative position after the aircraft has been landed and
suitable police forces are available 40 exteriorly thereof to effect
apprehension without giving free access to the passenger area 12 from the
entrance area 13. It will be understood, of course, that the several wall
members 17, 18, 48 and 49, the floor means 23 and the ceiling for the entrance
area 13 are constructed from suitable bullet-proof, lightweight, fire-proof
material or materials.
It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant advantages
will be understood from the foregoing description, and it will be apparent that
various changes may be made in the form, construction, and arrangement of the
parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or
sacrificing all of its material advantages, the forms hereinbefore described
and shown in the drawings being merely preferred embodiments thereof.
What
is claimed is:
1. in an aircraft
having a fuselage including a frame and a wall structure carried by said frame
defining passenger and pilot areas with entrances there between and from the
exterior into said passenger area; anti-hijacking means carried by said frame
between said passenger and pilot areas, comprising normally inoperative
vertical wail means, floor means disposed interiorly of said wall means, and
actuating means automatically operable in response to downward pressure on said
floor means to move said wall means to operative position to block access from said passenger area to said
pilot area.
2. An aircraft according to claim 1, wherein said wall
means includes stationary wall members defining an entrance area between said
passenger and pilot areas and said entrances thereto, and normally inoperative
movable wall members moved by said actuating means to operative position to
block the latter said entrances to cooperate with said stationary wail members
to trap within said entrance area that which applied downward pressure on said
floor means.
3. An aircraft according to claim 2, wherein said wall means includes
laterally disposed wall members movable by said actuating means to block said
entrances from the exterior of the aircraft.
4. in an aircraft according to claim 1, control means operable from said
pilot area for rendering said actuating means operative or inoperative.
5. An aircraft according to claim 4, wherein said control means is
selectively operable to effect return of said wall means to normally inoperative
position.
6. Anti-hijacking means in an aircraft according to claim 2, wherein
said stationary and movable wall members, respectively, comprise segments of
coaxial hollow cylinders, with adjacent said segments overlapping when said
movable members are in operative position to form a completely enclosed
capsule.
7. Anti-hijacking means according to claim 6, wherein said movable wall
members are connected to spider means having a central shaft with a gear
thereon, and said actuating means comprises a power-actuated rack meshing with
said gear.
8. Anti-hijacking means according to claim 7, wherein said spider means
is at the lower end of said movable wall membetrs, and roller bearing means
supported by said frame for supporting said spider means.
9. Anti-hijacking means according to claim 8, wherein said floor means
is spring-supported on said spider means.
10. Anti-hijacking means according to claim 9, wherein said actuating
means comprises normally open pressure-responsive switch means interposed
between said spider and said floor means automatically closed in response to
downward pressure on the latter.
11. In an aircraft according to claim
2, a supply of disabling gas under pressure mounted in said fuselage with a
discharge extending into said entrance area, and control means in said pilot
area for causing discharge of gas from said supply into said entrance area.
12. In an aircraft according to claim 11, means mounted in said fuselage
with control means in said pilot area for evacuating gas from said entrance
area and discharging the same exteriorly of said fuselage.