Abstract: Apparatus particularly useful in aircraft for moving a container from a supporting surface on a lower level, e.g., cargo hold, to a higher level, e.g., passenger compartment, via a vertical lift shaft, includes: a lift member in the vertical lift shaft, a displaceable suspension member suspended from and below the lift member and displaceable in a horizontal direction from a normal position in precise alignment with the vertical lift shaft; and a spring urging the displaceable suspension member to its normal position.

Abstract: A portable container for receiving a plurality of article holders of the same size and external configuration, comprising: a plurality of outer walls defining a portable enclosure of a size and configuration to receive a plurality of the article holders in a two-dimensional matrix constituted of a plurality of longitudinally extending columns and transversely extending rows; a longitudinal shifting assembly within the enclosure for shifting a column of the article holders in the longitudinal direction; and a transverse shifting assembly within the enclosure for shifting a row of the article holders in the transverse direction.

Abstract: A portable container for receiving a plurality of article holders of the same size and external configuration, comprising: a plurality of outer walls defining a portable enclosure of a size and configuration to receive a plurality of the article holders in a two-dimensional matrix constituted of a plurality of longitudinally extending columns and transversely extending rows; a longitudinal shifting assembly within the enclosure for shifting a column of the article holders in the longitudinal direction; and a transverse shifting assembly within the enclosure for shifting a row of the article holders in the transverse direction.

Abstract: Apparatus for compactly storing and retrieving a plurality of movable devices of the same size and external configuration, particularly containers in an aircraft, includes a support for horizontally supporting the movable devices in the form of a two-dimensional matrix constituted of two columns and a plurality of rows of two devices in each row, with a vacant space for one device in each of the first and last rows of the matrix. The apparatus further includes longitudinal and transverse transfer assemblies for shifting the devices to permit them to be selectively stored or retrieved, and retainer members engageable with the outer faces of the devices for securing them against movement at all times except during an actual storing or retrieving operation.

Abstract: A stowage compartment to be mounted in an overhead supporting structure of an aircraft includes a lower compartment section for receiving articles to be stowed and an upper compartment section serving as an outer cover for the lower compartment section. One of the compartment sections is fixed to the supporting structure, and the other is pivotal to a closed position or to an open position with respect to the fixed compartment section. The compartment further includes an inner pivotal cover between the lower compartment section and the upper compartment section, and an inner cover locking mechanism having a handle which is manually accessible to a user, for releasing the inner cover locking mechanism to permit pivoting the inner cover with respect to the lower compartment section, only when the outer cover is in its open position.

Abstract: Transfer apparatus for transferring an article holder, particularly a cart carrier, from one location to another location in a compartment, includes a carriage movable longitudinally of a framework in the compartment, a drive for the carriage, a coupling device carried by the carriage, a locking device carried by the framework, and an actuator which actuates the coupling device and the locking device to either a locking position or to a released position with respect to the article holder. The actuator includes an actuator member movable to a plurality of positions when actuated, including: (a) a first position wherein the locking device is in its locking position and the coupling device is in its released position; (b) a second position, wherein the locking device is in its locking position and the coupling device is in its coupling position; and (c) a third position, wherein the locking device is in its released position, and the coupling device is in its coupling position.

Abstract: A vehicle cabin construction includes a storage Compartment in the space between the ceiling and outer cabin wall extending longitudinally of the vehicle cabin for storing article holders, an elevator for lowering the article holders from the storage compartment to the deck, and for raising the article holders from the deck to the storage compartment, and longitudinal transfer means engageable with the article holders for moving them longitudinally from or to different locations in the storage compartment on a plurality of roller transfer members.

Abstract: An aircraft cabin construction includes a cart-storage compartment in the space between the ceiling of the passenger compartment and the upper fuselage wall for storing food-serving wheeled carts; and an elevator having a platform and a drive for lowering the carts from the cart-storage compartment to the deck of the passenger compartment, and for raising the carts from the deck to the cart-storage compartment.

Abstract: An aircraft fuselage construction includes a track overlying and parallel to the aisle, a food carrier having wheels on its bottom engageable with the deck, and a guiding member engageable with the track for guiding the movement of the food carrier along the aisle.

Abstract: A food storage and delivery system for passenger vehicles having a plurality of seats separated by at least one aisle includes a rail mounted to the top of the vehicle and extending parallel to the aisle along its length, a carriage suspended from the rail, a food container on the carriage and movable along the length of the aisle, and a horizontal platform laterally of the rail for holding a plurality of the food containers, each alignable with the carriage for transferring the food container thereto.