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US 5,950,368 AGranted
Waterproof pit cover
AssigneeDabico, Inc.
InventorLarry Bradford
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
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AssigneeDabico, Inc.
InventorLarry Bradford
Estimating the term…
An improved access lid assembly is provided for a subsurface chamber used to service aircraft. A lift assembly is provided for elevating the lid upwardly from an opening in a surrounding mounting frame disposed atop the subsurface chamber while maintaining the lid in a horizontal disposition. A hinge assembly connects the lift assembly to the lid at a peripheral location thereon on the underside of the lid, without any connection to the peripheral edge of the lid. The hinge assembly allows the lid to rotate about a horizontal axis to an open position through an arc of at least ninety degrees. By avoiding any connection to the peripheral edges of the lid, an elastomeric, annular seal can be mounted to completely encircle the lid and provide a water-tight barrier about the access opening. The seal is mounted between the upper and lower surfaces of the lid within a groove, preferably with a dovetail connection, to securely grip and hold the seal upon the edge of the lid. Nevertheless, the use of an adhesive is avoided so that the seal can be easily removed and replaced when necessary. Also, the lift assembly is provided with a damper mechanism so as to protect the lift assembly from impacts and shocks that would otherwise result when the lid falls under the weight of gravity from an opened position to a horizontal disposition atop the access opening.
In a rigid access lid for a subsurface chamber used to service aircraft and having an annular mounting frame defining an access opening therein and located atop said subsurface chamber wherein said lid has a peripheral edge defined about its circumference and comprising an annular seal formed as a band of a liquid-impervious, resilient, elastomeric material removably engaged with said peripheral edge of said lid and forming a seal with said annular mounting frame when said lid is disposed in said access opening therein, the improvement wherein said band is elastically distended and releasably engaged to said peripheral edge by means of an interlocking connection therebetween that extends about the entire perimeter of said peripheral edge and employing an annular groove in the peripheral edge having a floor that is exposed radially throughout the circumference of said peripheral edge and having lateral retaining walls extending outwardly from said floor and which are shaped to provide shoulders overhanging said floor, and said band including a bead having a radially interior portion that has the same configuration as said shoulders of said groove and which is compressible so as to pass between said shoulders to allow said bead to be removably seated in said groove and said lateral retaining walls constrain relative lateral movement between said bead and said groove.
In a pit for servicing aircraft located below a surface across which aircraft travel and having an access opening frame located at said surface and a lid capable of withstanding the weight from the tires of an aircraft traveling thereacross removably seatable in said frame, the improvement wherein said lid has a peripheral edge into which a radially inwardly directed channel is formed to extend about the entire circumference of said lid, and wherein said channel is formed with a floor that is exposed radially throughout the entire circumference of said lid and with lateral side walls extending outwardly from said floor and which are shaped to provide shoulders overhanging said floor, a seal formed as a resilient, annular liquid-impervious, elastically distended band formed as a bead and including a radially interior portion that conforms to the configuration of said channel and which is compressible so as to pass between said shoulders to allow said band to be removably captured in said channel by interlocking engagement with said shoulders and an outer surface of said band has at least one sealing flap that extends outwardly and into sealing contact with said frame when said lid is seated in said frame.
In an access lid assembly having a lid of rigid construction throughout that is able to withstand the weight applied by the tires of an aircraft traveling thereacross, an annular mounting frame located atop a subsurface chamber used to service aircraft and defining an opening therewithin in which said lid is seatable in a horizontal seated disposition, and the improvement comprising a lift assembly for elevating said lid upwardly from said opening while maintaining it in a horizontal disposition, and a hinge assembly defining a horizontal axis and joining said lid at a peripheral location thereon on an underside thereof to said lift assembly for rotation about said horizontal axis to an open position through an arc of at least ninety degrees.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.