# US 4,393,997 A · Removable secondary aircraft fuel enclosure

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- Number: US 4,393,997 A
- Document ID: US4393997A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 06/368,785
- Filed: 1982-04-15
- Granted: 1983-07-19
- Earliest claimed: 1982-04-15
- Assignees: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
- Inventors: David L. Gibler; Daniel J. O'Connell
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US4393997A

## CPC

- B64D 37/32: Safety measures not otherwise provided for, e.g. preventing explosive conditions
- Y10T 137/5762: With leakage or drip collecting
- B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT
- Y10T: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION

## Abstract

A removable secondary aircraft fuel tank enclosure is provided which comprises a pair of substantially flat panels supported within the aircraft fuselage beneath the center wing tank and joined to each other to form a drip pan having a shallow trough for collecting liquid seepage from the tank. A drain line communicates with the trough for discharging liquid collections overboard. An upright removal panel attached to the aircraft structure sealably joins the drip pan fore and aft and means adjacent the enclosure seal the sides of the drip pan against the aircraft structure. Sponge rubber provides a peripheral seal on the flat panels and a plurality of peripheral overcenter fasteners support the drip panel and seals it to the end panels and aircraft structure.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A removable enclosure for sealing an aircraft fuel tank against fuel leakage into aircraft fuselage compartments, comprising:
a. a drip pan disposed beneath said tank within said fuselage, said pan defining a shallow trough for collecting liquid from said tank;
b. a peripheral seal on the surface of said pan;
c. means defining a drain line, communicating with said trough, for draining said liquid accumulations overboard said aircraft;
d. first and second upright panels, attached to said aircraft, at respective opposite ends of said pan; and
e. means for releasably sealing said ends of said pan to said upright panels and the sides of said pan to said fuselage at said peripheral seal, said means including a plurality of overcenter fasteners spaced around the periphery of said pan releasably interconnecting said pan with said aircraft and said upright panels.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The enclosure as megited in claim 1, wherein said shallow trough is formed by a pair of substantially flat panels joined dihedrally.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The enclosure as recited in claim 2, wherein said flat panels and said upright panels comprise fiberglass honeycomb panels.