Abstract: A solder material that is especially suitable for the fluxless hard soldering of aluminum-based components consists of an aluminum-based alloy that especially contains about 10 to 50 wt. % of germanium, about 1 to 12 wt. % of silicon, about 0.1 to 3 wt. % of magnesium, and about 0.1 to 3 wt. % of indium. The solder material is useful at soldering temperatures in the range from 424.degree. to about 600.degree. C., and is therefore especially suitable for the fluxless hard soldering of components made of precipitation-hardened high-strength aluminum-based materials.

Abstract: An electrical and mechanical cable connector is constructed for maintaining an electrical grounding circuit in electrical installations on board of an aircraft. For this purpose the connector has two bodies positioned coaxially to each other and rotatable to each other but restrained against relative axial movement by a spring ring. One of the two bodies has a plurality of contact springs formed by cutting axial slots integrally into a portion of the one body. The body with the contact springs rests at least partly in or on the respective support body. Both bodies have a common central axis and contact pressures are effective radially inwardly or radially outwardly relative to the common central axis and are axially distributed along the central axis, whereby both bodies are electrically interconnected to maintain the grounding circuit.

Abstract: A decompression panel is releasably secured in a decompression opening of a partition structure by means of mounting elements that can release the panel in either a blow-in or a blow-out direction. A perimeter frame bridges the area at the perimeter of the panel and overlaps the edges of the panel and of the partition structure around the decompression opening. Respective pairs of mounting elements are arranged near the edge of the panel and the edge of the partition structure to releasably secure the perimeter frame to the partition structure and to the decompression panel. Each mounting element includes a bolt and a retaining device including two conical sleeves arranged one within the other. The bolt is screwed into the inner sleeve and the inner sleeve is releasably connected to the outer sleeve by frangible safety tabs, which break at a rated force to release the bolt and thereby free the decompression panel and allow it to be displaced out of the decompression opening.

Abstract: An apparatus for locking an aircraft door provided in the outer wall of an aircraft includes at least one locking shaft pin that locks the aircraft door in a fixed, closed position relative to the outer wall of the aircraft when the locking shaft pin is positioned or rotated into a locking position. The locking shaft pin is connected to a mechanical linkage forming a positioning arrangement. The positioning arrangement is coupled to a control element, which essentially includes a membrane connected to a control rod. The membrane is arranged within a housing so as to form an interior air chamber on one side of the membrane and an exterior air chamber on the other side of the membrane. The air pressure of the cabin interior is applied to the interior air chamber through an interior air pressure port, and the exterior ambient air pressure is applied to the exterior air chamber through an exterior air pressure port.

Abstract: A separation wall for dividing a cabin space inside a passenger aircraft is constructed of two wall elements rigidly connected to each other in an overlap area. The transition between the overlap area and a respective wall portion of the corresponding wall element is formed by an off-set (27B, 28B; 31B, 32B). The off-sets may slant in the same direction or in opposite directions. The wall elements have lateral edges facing either an aisle in the aircraft cabin or an aircraft body wall. For this purpose the respective lateral edge tapers or curves upwardly to accommodate the aisle or the curvature of the body wall. The overlap area provides an improved strength and wall extensions (28D or 31D) form a space (19) for storage of items or mounting of equipment.

Abstract: A wing gap closure flap is positioned in an aircraft wing so that a gap between the wing structure and the leading edge of a landing flap can be closed during normal cruising positions of the landing flap and opened when the landing flap is in a starting position or in a landing position. The gap is formed on the underside of the aircraft wing and the gap closure flap is operated by a positioning shaft which itself is driven through a drive lever linkage by the drive shaft for the landing flap. The wing gap closure flap is connected through a lever mechanism to the positioning shaft which is preferably divided into shaft sections where a plurality of wing gap closure flaps are used. Each shaft section is driven by the landing flap drive shaft. A defined motion of the wing gap closure flap or flaps is achieved in that the positioning of the wing gap closure flaps is synchronized in a limited angular range with the positioning of the landing flap by the cooperation of the respective drive mechanisms.

Abstract: A flexible pipe coupling is constructed for flexibly interconnecting pipe sections especially in a vacuum toilet system on board an aircraft. For this purpose each coupling member of a pair forming the coupling has a bushing for connection to a pipe end by a hose clamp, a flange integrally connected to the bushing, and a support ring for backing the respective flange but permitting the flange to retain a certain flexibility. Each support ring has a conical circumferential rim. The coupling also includes a clamp member encircling with radially inwardly facing conical surfaces the radially outwardly facing conical rim of both support rings to clamp the coupling members together. The clamp member has a threaded or snap device for applying the clamping force.

Abstract: Service panels such as passenger service panels in an aircraft or other passenger conveyance are equipped with fresh air outlets. The air outlets are connected to an air supply duct in such a way that the service panels can be adjusted in their position lengthwise relative to the longitudinal aircraft cabin axis. This purpose is accomplished by making the tap connection between the service panel and a fresh air supply duct adjustable in the axial direction along the air duct while maintaining the proper seal between a tap member and the air duct. The seal is maintained by providing the duct with a slot covered by at least one sealing lip and by providing the tap member with a sealing guide slide that adjustably seals the tap member in the duct.

Abstract: A single or twin spacer mounting permits the rapid and efficient installation of elongated elements for example in an aircraft. Such elements include, for example, electrical cable bundles, pipes, hoses, cables and the like, whereby these elongated elements must be maintained at a precise spacing from one another and/or from a support. Additionally, the elongated elements may need to be arranged at an angle relative to each other. For this purpose, substantially identical interlocking spacer mounting members are used. Each spacer mounting member has a saddle to which the elongated element is secured, for example, by a cable binder or hose clamp. The saddle is connected to an interlocking section that either includes a female plug-in socket or a male plug. In another embodiment interlocking pins with locking heads are used to hold two identical spacer mounting members to each other.

Abstract: An air conditioning system for a pressurized aircraft body includes an air flow closed loop into which fresh air may be introduced either through a fresh air treatment unit or through a trim valve or through both. A first series connection of system components includes a fresh air intake (FA), a closed loop controlled volume flow control valve (FCV) (11, 11.1, 11.2), an air-conditioner (8, 8.1, 8.2), an air mixer (9), and the space (10) to be air-conditioned interconnected by air ducts. A cabin pressure closed loop control (1) controls the air volume through the (FCV) valve. The air-conditioner unit (8) is controlled by an air conditioning closed loop control (2). A second series connection includes a filter (7), a blower (6), and a heat exchanger (4) and preferably a CO.sub.2 adsorber (5) series connected between the blower (6) and the heat exchanger (4). This second series connection forms a recycling circuit flow connected in parallel to the air mixer (9) and to the space (10).

Abstract: A cooling system is provided for cooling food in an aircraft while the food is stored in known catering trolleys that are stowed at prescribed stowage locations, preferably for example at least one on-board galley (3A to 3E) within the aircraft cabin. The cooling system includes at least one central cooling plant (4) located below the cabin floor of the aircraft. Heat exchanger units (9A, 9B, 17A, 17B) are provided in the galleys (3A to 3E). A distribution conduit system, including a supply conduit (5) and a return conduit (6) as well as connector conduits (10A, 10B, 11A, 11B), couples the central cooling plant (4) with the respective heat exchangers (9A, 9B, 17A, 17B) arranged in the galleys (3A to 3E). Connector adapters are provided at various locations along the supply conduit (5) and the return conduit (6), and the connector conduits (10A, 10B, 11A, 11B) include quick connectors that are connectable to the adapters.

Abstract: Fiber reinforced structural components, such as panels with honeycomb cores sandwiched between at least two outer skin layers are dried to remove moisture that may have entered into the interior of the structure. For this purpose the component is cooled in a cooling environment below the freezing point to about -5.degree. to -20.degree. C. and then exposed to a reduced pressure of less than 0.5 mbar. Under these drying conditions moisture is driven out of the component by sublimation so that the moisture does not pass through the liquid phase. The drying time may be reduced by a temperature increase to 80.degree.-100.degree. C. while maintaining the low pressure. The freezing increases the capillary action for the moisture removal. However, for an increased efficiency in the moisture removal small diameter holes, e.g. 0.1 mm bores, may be drilled into the component to facilitate the moisture escape. After drying is complete the holes are closed again e.g. by laminating further cover sheets to the component.

Abstract: A system for storing and transporting food and beverages on board of an aircraft is equipped with a centrally arranged container having the configuration of a freight container for holding menu boxes and beverage boxes with at least one distribution station or pantry, and with a transport channel that communicates with the container and the pantry. The transport channel includes at least one vertical conveyor so that the container may be placed on a lower freight deck while the pantry is positioned on the passenger deck. Such a system can handle more menu and beverage boxes of standardized sizes than trolley based systems without sacrificing space for passenger seats.

Abstract: Food stuffs transported in trolleys are cooled on board of an aircraft directly in the trolley which has a heat exchange surface connected to a secondary coolant flow circuit in the trolley. When the trolley is parked in a parking space for example in an aircraft galley, the heat exchange surface of the trolley is in heat exchange contact with a heat exchanger connected to a central primary refrigerant circuit including a refrigerating unit (4). The heat exchange surface of the trolley and a heat exchange surface of the heat exchanger are connected to separate refrigerant circulating circuit, whereby leaks are avoided while the direct surface contact between the two heat exchange surfaces assures a substantially improved efficiency in the heat exchange.

Abstract: In air- and spacecraft and where drinking water supplies are scarce it is necessary to reuse the available water due to the limited tank volume available for the water supply. Such reuse calls for a water treatment. For this purpose a freeze concentration stage or preferably two such stages are integrated into a sequential waste water treatment system, including mechanical filters followed by the freeze concentration stage, which in turn is followed by micro- and ultrafiltration, reverse osmosis, and charcoal filter stages. A final stage includes a disinfection by ultraviolet radiation. The operation of the system is monitored by measuring the electrical conductivity of the water being treated. The use of one or two freeze concentration stages provides a universal cleaning capable of handling waste water of any composition. The selection of stages downstream of the freeze concentration stages is variable, depending on the degree of purification required.