Ta Mfg Co.

Bruce S Fisher

Robert M Byerly

Kevin D Loveall

Ronald A Jackson

A grommet disposed in a panel hole to prevent a fire from spreading from one panel side to the other has a pair of flaps defining a socket for nesting in the panel hole in a closely fit relationship. Preferably one flap is longer than the other and is disposed against the panel surface. The grommet has an inner peripheral surface, preferably annular, defining a hollow central opening with a radius less than that of the cable so as to receive and retain the cable even with changes in cable positioning. The grommet has a fire resistant chemical composition which becomes resiliently flattened upon the cable disposition in the grommet opening. One flap is bent toward the other with the panel withdrawn from the socket and is resiliently pressed against the panel with the panel in the socket. The grommet includes, in the section with the larger flap, a fire resistant fabric (e.g. ceramic) impregnated and coated with the fire resistant chemical composition (e.g. silicone with an approximately 55 Rockwell hardness). The chemical composition of the grommet in the section with the larger flap preferably has a higher melting temperature than the chemical composition of the other section.

Gimballed grommet having sections with different melt temperatures

Apparatus seals holes in an airplane bulkhead and provides for the passage through such holes of members (e.g. electrical wires) furnishing utilities to the airplane. The apparatus includes: 1. A hollow sleeve made from a light, strong and stable material (e.g. titanium) to provide a conduit for the utility members; 2. A relatively hard (e.g. 90 durometer 'A') grommet having an internal opening and with an axially extending recess for disposition on the bulkhead with the bulkhead hole in the recess; and 3. A compliant (e.g. 55 durometer 'A') gasket with internal opening to receive the sleeve in tight fit relationship. The gasket is provided with first and second portions each having an external periphery with a diameter greater than the diameter of the internal opening in the grommet. The gasket has an external recess axially defined between the first and second portions to receive the grommet at the internal opening in the grommet. The first portion may have voids and an external diameter to provide for a compression to a diameter no greater than that of the external recess. This facilitates the disposition of the grommet on the gasket with the internal opening in the grommet disposed in the external recess in the gasket. The gasket may be cut radially between its external periphery and its internal opening to facilitate the disposition of the gasket on the sleeve. The grommet and the gasket are provided with novel compositions and are made by novel methods.

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Burbank, CA, United States of America

Bruce S Fisher