초록 ▼

A quick release fitting for securing seating or other equipment to a section of aircraft floor track channel comprises a lower jaw member, an upper jaw member and multiple T-shaped cam members nested between locating dowels extending from the lower surface of the lower jaw member. The locating dowel

A quick release fitting for securing seating or other equipment to a section of aircraft floor track channel comprises a lower jaw member, an upper jaw member and multiple T-shaped cam members nested between locating dowels extending from the lower surface of the lower jaw member. The locating dowels are disposed in a plurality of adjacent cutouts in the floor track channel to locate the lower jaw member, and with it the rest of the quick release fitting. As the cam members are rotated to engage the aircraft floor track channel, the camming action draws the upper and lower jaw members together to squeeze a flange attached to the piece of equipment between the beveled facing surfaces of the upper and lower jaw members. Use of multiple T-shaped cams engaging the floor track channel adjacent a plurality of adjacent cutouts allows for better distribution of load along the floor track channel and the use of beveled jaws to support the equipment allows for angular misalignment of adjacent floor track channels.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A quick-release fitting for securing a mounting flange of a piece of equipment to a section of channel, the channel having an upper surface, an inverted T-shaped interior cross-section opening through the upper surface, and a plurality of circular cutouts extending from the u

What is claimed is: 1. A quick-release fitting for securing a mounting flange of a piece of equipment to a section of channel, the channel having an upper surface, an inverted T-shaped interior cross-section opening through the upper surface, and a plurality of circular cutouts extending from the upper surface of the channel into the interior of the channel at regularly-spaced intervals along a longitudinal axis of the channel, said quick-release fitting comprising: a lower jaw member having a beveled upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface of said lower jaw being adapted to bear against the upper surface of the channel, the lower surface of said lower jaw further including a locating dowel having a partially circular cross section projecting downward therefrom adapted to engage one of said plurality of circular cutouts, the beveled upper surface of said lower jaw adapted to bear against the lower surface of the mounting flange; an upper jaw member disposed above said lower jaw member, said upper jaw member having an upper surface and a beveled lower surface adapted to bear against an upper surface of the mounting flange; a cam member located adjacent to said locating dowel; said cam member having a generally inverted T-shaped profile, comprising a stem of generally cylindrical shape and a pair of radially extending arms having upper surfaces that slope outwardly and downwardly, the upper surfaces of the arms being adapted to provide a camming action against a lower surface of the interior cross-section of the channel as said cam member is rotated from a first position in which the arms of the cam member extend in a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the channel, to a second position in which the arms of the cam member extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the channel to engage the upper surface of the interior cross-section of the channel, the stem of said cam member passing through corresponding openings in said upper jaw member and said lower jaw member, said cam member further including a collar having a bearing surface that bears against the upper surface of said upper jaw member; and a bell crank member extending radially from the stem of the cam member for applying a torque to the stem of the cam member, whereby as said cam member is rotated by application of a force to said bell crank member, the upper surfaces of the radially extending arms engage the lower surface of the interior cross-section of the channel thereby drawing the lower jaw member against the channel locking the locating dowel into the circular cutout and simultaneously drawing together the upper and lower jaw members to lock the equipment mounting flange between the beveled surfaces of the upper and lower jaw members, thereby securing the equipment mounting flange to the channel while still permitting the equipment mounting flange to rock between the beveled surfaces of the upper and lower jaw members. 2. The quick-release fitting of claim 1, wherein, said locating dowel includes a relief opening concave outward toward the lateral surface of said locating dowel, the relief being adapted to provide clearance for an adjacent radially extending arm to rotate in an arc from said first position to said second position. 3. The quick-release fitting of claim 2, wherein: said lower jaw member comprises an elongate member, said lower jaw member further including at least one additional locating dowel projecting downward from the lower surface of said lower jaw member to form a plurality of locating dowels, said plurality of locating dowels being located at regularly-spaced intervals to correspond with plural of said circular cutouts. 4. The quick release fitting of claim 3, further comprising: at least one additional cam member and one additional bell crank member, which together with said first cam and bell crank members form a plurality of cam members adapted to engage the lower surface of interior cross-section and a plurality of bell crank members for exerting torque on said plurality of cam members; and a bar linkage attached to a free end of each of said plurality of bell crank members for moving said bell crank members in unison. 5. The quick release fitting of claim 4, further comprising: a latch for retaining said bar linkage in a position for holding said plurality of cam members in said second position. 6. An aircraft seat assembly having a mounting flange and a quick-release fitting for securing the aircraft seat to a section of channel, the channel being mounted to an aircraft floor and having an upper surface, an inverted T-shaped interior cross-section opening through the upper surface, and a plurality of circular cutouts extending from the upper surface of the channel into the interior of the channel at regularly-spaced intervals along a longitudinal axis of the channel, said quick-release fitting comprising: a lower jaw member having a beveled upper surface and a lower surface, the lower surface of said lower jaw being adapted to bear against the upper surface of the channel, the lower surface of said lower jaw further including a plurality of locating dowels projecting downward therefrom at regularly-spaced intervals to correspond with selected of the plurality of circular cutouts, each of said plurality of locating dowels having a partially circular cross section adapted to engage one of said plurality of circular cutouts, the beveled upper surface of said lower jaw member being adapted to bear against a lower surface of the mounting flange; an upper jaw member disposed above said lower jaw member, said upper jaw member having an upper surface and a beveled lower surface adapted to bear against an upper surface of the mounting flange; a plurality of cam members each of said cam members having a generally inverted T-shaped profile comprising a stem substantially cylindrical in shape and a pair of radially extending arms having upper surfaces that slope outwardly and downwardly, the upper surfaces of the arms being adapted to provide a camming action against a lower surface of the interior cross-section of the channel as each of said cam members is rotated from a first position in which the arms of the cam member extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the channel, to a second position in which the arms of the cam member extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the channel, the stem of each of said cam members passing through corresponding openings in said upper jaw member and said lower jaw member, each of said cam members further including a collar having a bearing surface that bears against the upper surface of said upper jaw member; a plurality of bell crank members, each of said plurality of bell crank members extending radially from the stem of one of the plurality of cam members outward to a free end, each of said plurality of bell crank members being capable of applying a torque to the stem of a cam member, and a bar linkage attached to the free end of each of said plurality of bell crank members; whereby as said bar linkage is moved, said plurality of cam members are rotated in unison by application of a force to said plurality of bell crank members, thereby causing the upper surfaces of the radially extending arms of said plurality of cam members to engage the lower surface of the interior cross-section of the channel, which draws the lower jaw member against the channel thereby locking the locating dowels into selected of said plurality of circular cutouts and simultaneously draws together the upper and lower jaw members to lock the mounting flange between the beveled surfaces of the upper and lower jaw members, thereby securing the seat assembly to the channel while still permitting the mounting flange to rock between the beveled surfaces of the upper and lower jaw members.