Flight deck barrier apparatus

A device, comprising:

• a frame having a header, the frame including:
• a first side;
• a second side opposite to the first side;
• a first jamb at the first side, the first jamb including:
• a top end and a bottom end opposite to the top end;
• and
• a top first jamb striker at the top end of the first jamb and a bottom first jamb striker at the bottom end of the first jamb;
• a second jamb at the second side, the second jamb including:
• a top end and a bottom end opposite to the top end;
• and
• a top second jamb striker at the top end of the second jamb, a bottom second jamb striker at the bottom end of the second jamb, and an intermediate second jamb striker between the top end of the second jamb and the bottom end of the second jamb;
• a foldable barrier including:
• a stowed position;
• and
• an expanded position;
• an edge beam mechanically coupled to foldable barrier and in mechanical cooperation with a track of the header;
• and
• a pulley system configured to distribute a load applied to the edge beam at a location along the edge beam offset from a center of the edge beam between a top end of the edge beam and a bottom end of the edge beam inversely proportional to distances the location is from the top end of the edge beam and bottom end of the edge beam,
• wherein the top first jamb striker and the bottom first jamb striker are in mechanical cooperation with the edge beam when the foldable barrier is in the stowed position, and
• wherein the top second jamb striker, the bottom second jamb striker, and the intermediate second jamb striker are in mechanical cooperation with the edge beam when the foldable barrier is in the expanded position.

A flight deck barrier apparatus of an aircraft having an aisle, comprising:

• a frame having a first side and a second side opposite to the first side, the frame including:
• a first jamb at the first side and coupled to a structure of the aircraft, the first jamb including one or more first jamb strikers;
• a second jamb at the second side and coupled to the structure of the aircraft, the second jamb including one or more second jamb strikers and one or more notches;
• and
• a header at top ends of the first jamb and the second jamb and coupled to the structure of the aircraft, the header extending from the top end of the first jamb to the top end of the second jamb, wherein the first jamb, the second jamb, and the header delimit the aisle of the aircraft;
• a foldable barrier including reinforced materials sized and shaped to resist breakage of the foldable barrier to restrict access to a flight deck of the aircraft, the foldable barrier further including a plurality of folds in an accordion structure, such that the plurality of folds are configured to fold up when the foldable barrier is in a stowed position and are configured to extend when the foldable barrier is in an expanded position;
• an edge beam mechanically coupled to the foldable barrier, the edge beam including:
• a handle including an opening sized and shaped to enable gripping of the foldable barrier to move the foldable barrier between the stowed and expanded positions;
• a lock configured to lock the foldable barrier when the foldable barrier is in the expanded position such that access to the flight deck is restricted;
• a latch that is moveable between a first position and second position, the latch configured to engage the one or more notches of the second jamb when the foldable barrier is in the expanded position and to disengage the one or more notches of the second jamb when the foldable barrier is to be moved to the stowed position;
• wherein the latch is in mechanical cooperation with one or more of the first jamb strikers when the foldable barrier is in the stowed position, and
• wherein the latch is in mechanical cooperation with one or more of the second jamb strikers when the foldable barrier is in the expanded position.