Receptacles – Closures – Having means for securing or retaining closure in its closed...
Patent
1983-11-10
1985-07-23
Hall, George T.
Receptacles
Closures
Having means for securing or retaining closure in its closed...
B65D 4500
Patent
active
045304432
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
DESCRIPTION
1. Technical Field
The invention relates to access panels for fuel tanks and particularly, for aircraft wing tanks.
2. Background Art
Prior production access panels, as used for fuel bay access on aircraft wing tanks, are aluminum die cast and extensively machined. In addition to the high weight, there have been numerous in-service complaints concerning corrosion. The present panels have ribs which extend into the tank and form fuel pockets, the fuel therein not being available for use. These panels also require phenolic anti-fretting rings on their outer edges which would otherwise provide a metal-to-metal contact between the edge of the panel and an internal tank surface. Such a contact in a bending wing causes abrasion of the metal parts and ultimately damages the seal which is just inwardly of the panel edge. The present access panels utilize a non-standard sealing ring which is not readily replaceable.
A search of the patent literature has produced patents relating to the problems of access panels. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,572,401 illustrates covers for airplane fuel tanks, the covers being attached by a series of bolts arranged around the edges of the tank opening. The nuts are located inside the tank and the bolts are inserted exteriorally thereof. The nuts are positioned in a channel and they are confined laterally by dimples or indentations formed integrally with the walls of the channel. The nuts are confined to a definite longitudinal spacing and are prevented from rotating about the axis thereof. There is an elongated strip under the nuts, welded in place, to retain the nuts. The strip has holes to permit the passage of the bolts, the holes corresponding in spacing to that of the nuts. The holes are large enough to insure that the nuts can be aligned with the bolts. The nuts are sufficiently loosely confined to permit them to conform with the position of the corresponding bolts.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,597,682 discloses an access cover employing a sealing gasket arranged to prevent shearing or rupture the gasket. The cover is secured to a tank skin to provide metal-to-metal contact and to prevent relative movement. The gasket is provided to seal between the cover and the skin in an under cut extending about the edge of the cover. The outer edge of the gasket is continuously exposed to the contents of the tank. Because the cover is tightly clamped against the inside surface of the skin there is assurance that no shear stresses need be sustained by the gasket.
Nuts within the tank to receive the securing screws are in a holding cup for maintaining the nut in screw receiving position and for preventing the nut from rotating. Each cup is secured to the cover by a pair of rivets and the cups are sealed to the cover.
The following patents disclose prior art similar to that described above:
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
The invention is a unitary structure access panel for wet bay areas, and particularly for use on and in combination with aircraft wing tanks. A panel base is formed of molded reinforced hard plastic, such as nylon reinforced with fiberglass. The base has an external first face for fitting into the tank and has peripheral side portions extending from the first face. There is an external second face, opposite the first face and joining the peripheral side portions, for facing outwardly along the tank wall. The second face is formed of lightweight electrically conductive material.
A peripheral hard plastic portion of the base extends around the first face for extending into the tank and overlapping an inner marginal tank surface around and alone a tank opening. A high strength-to-weight core is in the base inwardly of the peripheral portion and extends between the faces and the peripheral side portions. There is a continuous groove in the peripheral portion for containing a seal for forming a seal between the peripheral portion and the marginal surface of the tank.
There are peripherally spaced inserts in the peripheral portion and means in the inserts to retain fastener nuts th
REFERENCES:
patent: 2370799 (1945-03-01), Kelley
patent: 2562609 (1951-07-01), Frohnapel
patent: 2565706 (1951-08-01), Thompson
patent: 2572401 (1951-10-01), Snow
patent: 2597682 (1952-05-01), Snow
patent: 2607302 (1952-08-01), Nystrom
patent: 2635785 (1953-04-01), Gross
patent: 2675252 (1954-04-01), Haines
patent: 2970347 (1961-02-01), Massopust
patent: 3329447 (1967-07-01), Hitz
patent: 3622430 (1971-11-01), Jurisich
patent: 3625390 (1971-12-01), Meginnis
patent: 4227561 (1980-10-01), Molina
patent: 4291816 (1981-09-01), Lamoureux
Barnard Delbert J.
Hall George T.
Heberer Eugene O.
The Boeing Company
LandOfFree
Unitary access panel for aircraft fuel tanks does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Unitary access panel for aircraft fuel tanks, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Unitary access panel for aircraft fuel tanks will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-631052