Dabico, Inc.

Eynon S Johnson

Craig Petersen

Michael Devlin

A subsurface aircraft servicing pit is provided with a hold down assembly that secures a pit lid mounting frame in position on a bearing seat at the top of a prefabricated pit enclosure. A frame mount latch ring is suspended in spaced relation beneath the underside of the pit lid mounting frame and inwardly from the walls of the pit enclosure. At least a pair of frame mount latches are provided on opposite sides of the pit. The latches have bases secured to the pit walls and hooks that extend over the top of the frame mount latch ring. The frame mount latches are constructed so as to exert a downward force on the frame mount latch ring, thus holding the peripheral margin of the pit lid mounting frame tightly against a peripheral bearing seat surrounding the pit opening. The necessary force exerted by the frame mount latches may be provided by a coil spring located within the structure of each frame mount latch.

Frame mount latch assembly for subsurface aircraft servicing pit

An aircraft servicing pit located beneath a surface across which aircraft travel while on the ground is provided with a ladder and a pair of reciprocally retractable handrails on each side of the ladder. Each of the handrails has an inverted 'J-shaped' configuration. With the lid open the handrails can be drawn up out of the pit and rotated so that their legs can rest upon the tarmac surface at the edge of the pit. Service personnel utilizing the pit are thereby provided with stabilizing hand grips which enhance their safety when entering and leaving the subsurface chamber within the pit. When the pit is to be closed the retractable handrails are lifted, rotated, and lowered to their fully retracted storage positions.

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Costa Mesa, CA, United States of America

Eynon S Johnson