Abstract: An aircraft incorporates a lift system for guiding a lift cabin. The lift cabin 21 is capable of servicing several decks in the aircraft. A guiding structure is mounted inside the aircraft fuselage 1 by mounting it to the floor and deck structures, while allowing for strains between the floor and the deck in the vertical direction. The lift cabin is capable of travelling down to the ground if a door in the underside of the fuselage is provided. The lift cabin is arranged on the guiding structure using a bogie truck mounted on the lift cabin, and the bogie truck may be actively connected with profile rails of the guiding structure via roll blocks. The part of the bogie truck carrying the roll blocks or other guiding element may remain within the fuselage, when the cabin is positioned on the ground.

Abstract: An aircraft incorporates a lift system 2 for guiding a lift cabin 21, wherein the lift cabin 21 services several decks 11, 12 and 13 in the aircraft, and can traverse a guiding structure 3 mounted inside the aircraft fuselage 1. The lift cabin 21 can travel down to the landing strip 4 through an opening 16 on the fuselage underside. The lift cabin 21 is arranged on the guiding structure 3 by means of a bogie truck 24 situated above the lift cabin roof 23, and the bogie truck 24 is actively connected with profile rails 31 of the guiding structure 3 via guiding elements 25. The part of the bogie truck 24 carrying the guiding elements 25 remains in the fuselage 1 in the bottom lift position, while the lift cabin 21 is entirely removed from the fuselage 1. In particular, this configuration enables a ground-level lowering of the lift cabin 21 to the landing strip 4.

Abstract: The ingress to and egress from an access restricted compartment, such as the cockpit in an aircraft, is controlled by a revolving gate (1) rotatably mounted in a stationary gate frame (2). The revolving gate (1) has a single gate opening (11) and is rotatable about its central longitudinal axis through predetermined or preselected angular sectors to bring the gate opening (11) either into alignment with any one opening (21) of at least two frame openings (21) at a time, to provide ingress or egress, or to cause said single gate opening (11) to face a wall (2A) of said stationary gate frame (2) or a closed door (51) in said stationary gate frame (2) to close the gate (1). In the closed position of the gate (1) escape from the gate (1) is prevented by locking the gate in its closed position by at least one arresting bolt that is electrically controllable. The atmosphere in the revolving gate (1) is also controllable for incapacitating any unauthorized intruder.

Abstract: The ingress to and egress from an access restricted compartment, such as the cockpit in an aircraft, is controlled by a revolving gate (1) rotatably mounted in a stationary gate frame (2). The revolving gate (1) has a single gate opening (11) and is rotatable about its central longitudinal axis through predetermined or preselected angular sectors to bring the gate opening (11) either into alignment with any one opening (21) of at least two frame openings (21) at a time, to provide ingress or egress, or to cause said single gate opening (11) to face a wall (2A) of said stationary gate frame (2) or a closed door (51) in said stationary gate frame (2) to close the gate (1). In the closed position of the gate (1) escape from the gate (1) is prevented by locking the gate in its closed position by at least one arresting bolt that is electrically controllable, preferably from the cockpit.

Abstract: A baggage storage system especially for an aircraft passenger cabin includes a lowerable baggage compartment, a guide arrangement along which the motion of the baggage compartment is guided between an upper closed position and a lower open position, a powered drive unit, and a coupling arrangement that selectively couples or decouples the drive unit relative to the baggage compartment. With the drive unit coupled to the baggage compartment, a full powered raising and lowering of the baggage compartment is achieved. If the drive unit fails, it is decoupled from the baggage compartment, so that the baggage compartment can be manually raised and lowered. A locking latch arrangement securely latches the baggage compartment in the upper closed position.

Abstract: A baggage storage system especially for an aircraft passenger cabin includes a lowerable baggage compartment, a guide arrangement along which the motion of the baggage compartment is guided between an upper closed position and a lower open position, a powered drive unit, and a coupling arrangement that selectively couples or decouples the drive unit relative to the baggage compartment. With the drive unit coupled to the baggage compartment, a full powered raising and lowering of the baggage compartment is achieved. If the drive unit fails, it is decoupled from the baggage compartment, so that the baggage compartment can be manually raised and lowered. A locking latch arrangement securely latches the baggage compartment in the upper closed position.

Abstract: In order to reuse dishes, cutlery, glassware and other food service utensils onboard an aircraft, a washing apparatus is provided as a part of the food service system onboard the aircraft. The apparatus includes a service trolley and a washing unit that may be coupled together to form a washing chamber within the trolley. The washing unit is installed within a trolley parking bay in a galley of the aircraft and is connected to a water supply and a power supply. The trolley is equipped with racks for receiving the dirty utensils, and the washing unit is equipped with water spray arms that reach into the trolley into clearance spaces between the racks. The dirty utensils are collected from passengers directly into the service trolley, which is then wheeled into position in the trolley parking bay, and coupled to the washing unit. Thereby, the utensils may be collected, cleaned, stored, and reused, with only minimal handling, cost, and space requirements.

Abstract: A reading lamp system for passengers especially in an aircraft is equipped with at least one central light source preferably including a cool light lamp, the light of which is supplied through light guides such as fiber optical conductors, to individual reading lamps having a housing to which the respective light guide is connected. A liquid crystal film is positioned in the lamp housing between the light exit of the respective light guide and a lens that provides a light output from the reading lamp housing. The liquid crystal film is controllable in its light transparency by a passenger through a switch, whereby the passenger can make the liquid crystal film opaque to switch off the reading lamp or transparent to switch on the lamp. A dimmer may also be arranged to provide intermediate light level illuminations.

Abstract: A luggage compartment system especially for a passenger cabin of an aircraft is equipped with shells or bins (2) that are suspended from a support structure forming part of the aircraft body, by a four-bar or four-link system, the journals or pivots of which are substantially positioned in or above a reference plane defined by a top wall of the bin so that none of the links nor any of the journals take up space between end walls of longitudinally aligned bins. One journal may even be positioned below the reference plane, but not axially outside the end walls of the bin. Thus, additional space for luggage is gained.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided for removing stackable units containing food service items from a container having the form of a typical freight container, on board an aircraft. The apparatus cooperates with means for further transporting and then delivering the stackable units to an aircraft galley, and cooperates with a program controllable unit to allow the programmable handling of the stackable units. Arranged in the container (1) is a plurality of partition walls (10), each having a plurality of shelf ledges (15) to form a plurality of storage compartments (13) on the two opposite sides of an access alley (9). A handling unit (12) including a tower (22) on an undercarriage (12A) rides along rails (11) in the access alley (9). The tower (22) includes a plurality of receiver bins (19), with a motor driven engaging and entraining member (21) respectively arranged in each receiver bin (19).

Abstract: A conveyor system for transporting menu boxes (14) in an aircraft is equipped with at least one heater element (17) or groups of such elements (17/17A . . . ) which tilt automatically into spaces (16) between neighboring boxes (14) or pairs of boxes within the conveyor which is stopped during heating. When the heating is completed the elements (17) are again tilted into a rest position (17') outside the conveyor. Induction heating is preferably used.

Abstract: On board functions are performed in an aircraft with the aid of a central control computer connected to a plurality of input and output devices including data terminals for passengers and flight attendants, through a data bus system and through decoder/encoder units linking the data terminals to the data bus system for providing an operation with digital signals. Thus, digital signals are transmitted back and forth between the central control computer and the data terminals in such a way that computations initiated on a data terminal are performed by the central control computer and so that the computation results and any other information are displayed on a display field forming part of the data terminals, one of which is provided at each passenger seat. Modified terminals are provided at various other locations within the aircraft cabin for use by a flight attendant.