Landing and launching device for aircraft

469,554. Load-handling machines. BRIE, R. A. C. Jan. 23, 1936, No. 2203. [Class 78 (iii)] [Also in Group XXXIII] A device for installation in a ship for facilitating the launching and landing of aircraft, in particular aircraft of the rotarywing type, comprises a platform, of which the overall plan dimensions are of the same general order of magnitude as those of the aircraft intended to operate therefrom, and means for mounting the platform in the ship so constructed that the platform can be oriented about a vertical eccentric axis located near the ship's side so that the platform can be swung from an inboard position to an outboard position and adjusted to suit the local relative wind. A pillar 15, Fig. 2, is supported on a bracket 16<1> secured to the structure of hull 16 of a ship and carries a bracket 14 on which is a resiliently mounted platform 13. The arrangement is such that platform 13 may be swung inboard over a hatchway 19, lowered to the level of upper deck 17 or to the level of lower deck 18. The platform may thus serve as a lift. In one form, Fig. 4, platform 13 is mounted on bracket 14 by spring means 20 and hydraulic damping device 21. Alternatively the platform may be mounted on gimbals and be gyroscopically stabilized. Bracket 14 is rotatably mounted on pillar 15 and carries driving means comprising a motor 27 driving spur gear 30 through bevel pinions 28, 29, spur gear 30 meshing with a gear wheel 31 fixed on the pillar. Pillar 15 is non-rotatably supported in a fixed cylindrical column 33 of which the lower part constitutes cylinder 34 of a hydraulic jack of which the ram element 35 is connected by a rod 36 passing through a gland 37 to the lower end of pillar 15. The jack is connected by pipe 39 to a pump comprising a cylinder 40 and piston 41, the latter being driven by piston rod 42 connected by a link 44 to a lever 45 on a worm-wheel 46 driven by a motor 48.