Underground protection for active aricrafts

Abstract

In an airfield with a short bi-directional runway and a long bi-directional runway intersecting with each other perpendicularly a system for storing and launching a plurality of airplanes includes a plurality of platforms, a plurality of rectangular cages and a frame. Onto each platform one airplane may be placed. Each cage has an opening into which one platform and one airplane are inserted through the opening. The frame has a plurality of slots and is disposed in ground beneath the airfield. One rectangular cage may be inserted into one of the slots. An elevator is disposed adjacent to the frame and has a bottom platform and an opening which may be aligned with the opening of one of the slots.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . In an airfield with a short bi-directional runway and a long bi-directional runway intersecting with each other perpendicularly a system for storing and launching a plurality of airplanes comprising:
 a. a plurality of platforms onto each of which one of the airplane may be placed;   b. a plurality of cages each of which has an opening and into each of which one of said platforms and one of the airplanes is inserted through said opening;   c. a frame having a plurality of slots and disposed in ground beneath the airfield whereby one of said rectangular cages may be inserted into one of said slots;   d. an elevator disposed adjacent to said frame and having a bottom platform and an opening which may be aligned with said opening of one of said slots; and   e. a plurality of moving mechanisms disposed within each of said cage whereby one of said moving mechanisms moves one of said platform and one of the airplanes through said opening in one of said slots into said elevator onto said bottom platform wherein said elevator elevates one of said platform and one of the airplanes to ground level of the airfield.   
     
     
         12 . In an airfield a system for storing and launching a plurality of airplanes according to claim  1 , said system includes a catapult launcher disposed on the short bi-directional runway. 
     
     
         13 . In an airfield a system for storing and launching a plurality of airplanes according to claim  1  the airplane nose landing gear has a mechanism that allows for catapult launching of the airplane. 
     
     
         14 . A lift arrangement according to claim  1 , the elevator is a lift arrangement for conveying a load between at least two levels in a lift shaft, said lift arrangement including two platform means each mounted for movement within said lift shaft between one level and the other, each platform means being changeable between a load-carrying configuration in which it extends across a substantial extent of the lift shaft, and a bypass configuration in which it allows the other platform means to pass it when in a load carrying configuration, wherein each platform mechanism includes two floor elements moveable between a generally co-planar load-carrying configuration and a bypass configuration in which they lie adjacent the periphery of the lift shaft, wherein said floor elements of each platform means are pivotally mounted for separate movement about generally horizontal pivotal axes adjacent the edge of the shaft. 
     
     
         15 . A lift arrangement according to claim  1 , the elevator is a lift arrangement for conveying a load between at least two levels in a lift shaft, said lift arrangement including two platform means each mounted for movement within said lift shaft between one level and the other, each platform means being changeable between a load-carrying configuration in which it extends across a substantial extent of the lift shaft, and a bypass configuration in which it allows the other platform means to pass it when in a load carrying configuration, wherein each platform means comprises two planar floor elements moveable between a generally co-planar load-carrying configuration and a bypass configuration in which they lie adjacent the periphery of the lift shaft. 
     
     
         16 . A lift arrangement according to claim  5  wherein said floor elements are pivotally mounted on a support structure movable mounted within said lift shaft. 
     
     
         17 . A lift arrangement according to claim  5  wherein wherein said floor elements are pivotally mounted for movement about generally horizontal pivotal axes adjacent the edge of the shaft. 
     
     
         18 . A lift arrangement according to claim  5  wherein said lift arrangement includes a control mechanism which controls and sequences the configuration and movement of said platform means. 
     
     
         19 . A lift arrangement according to claim  5  wherein said control mechanism is operable to effect reciprocal movement of said platform means whereby one platform means moves from one level to the other in a load-carrying configuration as the other platform means moves from the other level to said one level when in said bypass configuration. 
     
     
         20 . A lift arrangement according to claim  8  wherein said control means is also operable to cause the respective floor means to move from said load carrying configuration to said bypass configuration as required to allow the platform means to pass each other in the lift shaft.