Apparatus for repairing a hole in a structural wall of composite material

For use in the repair of a tension carrying wall of composite material which has been damaged by the formation of a hole in the wall, said composite material comprising layers of structural fibers within a matrix;

• a load carrying insert having end portions which in use are situated on opposite sides of the hole along a line which extends in the direction of tension loads in said wall, and a central portion which is substantially narrower than the end portions, said end portions having tension load transfering edges, so that a cavity conforming in size and shape to the insert can be formed in the wall, to span across the opening in the direction of tension loads in said wall, and the insert can be positioned in said cavity and secured in place, to interlock with edges of the cavity and transmit tension loads across the hole;
• an overlay patch of a load carrying metal having an inner surface, a recess in said inner surface corresponding in plan form to the insert, so that the overlay patch can be placed over the insert, with an outer portion of the insert situated within said recess, said overlay patch including a border portion generally encircling the recess, and fastener receiving openings in said border portion, spaced about the recess;
• and
• mechanical fastener means extendible through said opening, for securing the overlay patch to the wall.

In combination with a structural wall of composite material, said composite material comprising layers of structural fibers within a matrix, which has been damaged by the formation of a hole in the region of the wall which must in use carry tension loads, a repair system comprising:

• an insert constructed from a material which is capable of carrying tension loads, and which is dimensioned to span across the hole and extend a substantial distance beyond the hole on at least two opposite sides of the hole, said insert having a relatively narrow central portion and substantially wider end portions;
• a cavity formed in the wall which is sized and shaped to snugly receive said insert, said cavity being positioned so that the relatively narrow central portion of the insert will span across the hole in the wall and the substantially wider end portions of the insert will be embedded into the wall on opposite sides of the hole in a direction coinciding with the direction of tension loads in the wall, so that the end portions of the insert will interlock with end portions of the cavity in the wall and tension loads will be carried by the insert from a region of the wall on one side of the hole, across the hole, to a region of the wall on the opposite side of the hole;
• and
• means for securing the insert in the cavity.