Abstract: A blowout latch is provided to latch a first panel to a second panel. The latch is coupled to the first panel and engaged with the second panel. The latch includes a biasing mechanism which is disengagable under pressure to move the first panel relative to the second panel. The latch may also be selectively disengaged with a lesser force than that required to overcome the biasing mechanism by bypassing the biasing mechanism. When manually disengaged, the latch maintains a biasing load on a bolt of the latch. A trigger of the latch is provided to bypass the biasing mechanism and disengage a roller assembly of the latch from the second panel.

Abstract: An extended latch mounted to a structure for securing an adjacent structure. The extended latch is a remotely-actuated latch mechanism that allows the adjacent structure to be released and moved apart from the structure, and later rejoined with the structure without disengagement of the latch mechanism from either structure. The extended latch includes a housing that has a first wall and a second wall that are aligned with and positioned parallel to each other. An extendable linkage is rotatably mounted to the housing. The extendable latch also includes a strut having a central axis and opposing ends. One end of the strut is rotatably mounted to the extendable linkage. The other end of the strut is rotatably mounted to a keeper bar. The extendable latch also includes a detent mechanism rotatably mounted to both the housing and the extendable linkage.

Abstract: Disclosed is a blowout latch for releasably securing an aircraft panel to an aircraft structure. The blowout latch includes a housing, a bolt, and a handle. The housing includes a bias section that has a plate, a block adjacent the plate, at least one coil spring having opposing ends, a roller mount, and a roller pin. The roller mount has a roller mount base. One end of the coil spring contacts the roller mount base. The opposing end of the coil spring contacts the block. The roller pin is rotatably mounted to the roller mount. The bolt is rotatably mounted to the housing and is used to engage the aircraft structure. The bolt has a secured position. The bolt is held in its secured position by the coil spring which biases the roller pin against the bolt. The handle is rotatably mounted to the bolt and is moveable between a latched position and an unlatched position, without the use of a tool. The handle provides an indicator when the blowout latch is in an open position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a keeper mechanism utilized with a latch having a hook. The keeper mechanism includes a housing, housing extension, clevis, adjusting nut, biasing spring, retaining ring, detent spring, indicator, and indicator spring. The housing includes exterior and interior surfaces, a mounting wall, and an adjustment slot adjacent the mounting wall. The mounting wall connects to one end of the housing and includes an opening. One end of the housing extension protrudes from the exterior surface of the housing while the other end includes an indicator opening. The clevis includes a clevis opening and clevis shaft which passes through the opening and extends inside the housing. The adjusting nut is threadably mounted to the clevis shaft and includes a plurality of grooves. One end of the biasing spring is adjacent the mounting wall while the other end interfaces the adjusting nut. The retaining ring connects to the interior surface of the housing between the adjustment slot and the housing extension.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cinch-up latch for securing an aircraft panel to a keeper. The cinch-up latch includes a bracket, a handle, a trigger lock, a hook, and a linkage. The handle is moveable between a closed and an open position and includes a handle base plate. The trigger lock is pivotably mounted to the handle so that when the handle is in the closed position, the trigger lock engages the keeper. When the handle is in the open position, the trigger lock is disengaged from the keeper. The hook is rotatably mounted to the handle and is used for engaging the keeper. The linkage is rotatably mounted to the bracket, the handle, and the hook. The linkage has an over-center position which prevents the hook from disengaging the keeper when the handle is in the closed position. The trigger lock engages the linkage when the handle is in the closed position.

Abstract: Disclosed is a latch assembly including sensor for releasably engaging an aircraft panel to a keeper. The latch assembly includes a latch housing and a latch mounted in the latch housing. The latch includes a hook rotatably mounted to the latch housing, and a linkage, moveable into and out of a locked position, rotatably mounted to the latch housing and the hook. The latch also includes a sensor, moveable between a blocking and unblocking position, mounted to the hook. In the blocking position, the sensor prevents the linkage from moving to its locked position and the latch assembly from closing. In the unblocking position, the sensor is moved away from the linkage allowing the linkage to move to its locked position and the latch assembly to close.

Abstract: Disclosed is a latch for releasably engaging a keeper to secure two members, such as, aircraft cowlings, to one another. The latch includes a handle moveable between closed and open positions and a hook pivotally connected to the handle for engagement with the keeper. When the handle is in the closed position, the hook engages the keeper to secure the members. When the handle is in the open position, the hook is disengaged from the keeper and the members are no longer secured. The latch includes a sensor pivotally mounted to the handle. The sensor provides a visual indication, via the position of the handle, whether the hook has engaged the keeper. If the hook does not engage the keeper, the sensor prevents the handle from closing, providing a visual indication that the latch has not closed.

Abstract: An improved hydraulic strut (30) for mounting a moveable structure (24) to a support structure, the strut having an outer telescoping member (20) and an inner telescoping member (32). The outer telescoping member defines a first hydraulic chamber (402) and a second hydraulic chamber (400), connected by a fluid flow restrictor (100). The inner telescoping member includes a main piston (200) that translates within the second hydraulic chamber between a closed position, where the inner telescoping member is fully retracted into the outer telescoping member, and an open position, wherein the inner telescoping member is fully extended from the outer telescoping member.

Abstract: A remotely actuated latch mechanism for securing a cowling to an aircraft structure including a handle having a closed and an open position which is connected to a remote latch. The remote latch comprises a housing, a linkage mounted to the housing, and a strut connected to the linkage at a first end and to a keeper at a second end. The handle is connected to the linkage of the remote latch by a push/pull cable. The actuation of the handle from the closed position to the open position causes the push/pull cable to move the linkage of the remote latch such that the strut moves from a closed to an open position relative to the keeper allowing the cowling of the aircraft to then be pivoted open. The strut and the keeper are securely engaged in both the open and closed position insuring that when the latch is remotely opened and closed that the keeper is always properly engaged and that the latch properly closes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a front-mounted hinge for mounting a door to a vehicle structure. The hinge includes a housing, a translating base, a hinge strap, and a cover assembly. The housing mounts to the exterior surface of the vehicle structure, and the hinge strap mounts to the exterior face of the door. The translating base is slidably mounted to the interior surface of the housing. The translating base moves relative to the housing between an abutting position, in which the translating base abuts a mounting plate of the housing, and an elevated position, in which the translating base is moved away from the mounting plate. The hinge strap is pivotally connected to the translating base so that when the hinge strap is pivoted, the translating base is caused to move between the abutting and elevated positions and the door moves between closed and open positions.

Abstract: Disclosed is an increased strength dogging mechanism operable by a handle for releasably securing a door on each side of the door to a structure. The dogging mechanism includes a plurality of dog keepers each having a ramp portion and a seating portion mounted to each side of the door. A dog having a roller is rotatably mounted to engage a cooperatively associated dog keeper. A mounting bolt extends through the structure and through the approximate center of each dog. A drive assembly which is movable by the handle between open and closed positions moves each dog, simultaneously, between unlocked and locked positions. As the dog is rotated to the locked position, the roller of each dog engages the ramp portion of its associated dog keeper and rolls upon the ramp and into the seating portion.

Abstract: Disclosed is a translating handle assembly that actuates a latch mechanism to releasably secure a door to a structure. The handle assembly includes an interior handle, an exterior handle, and a translating shaft. The translating shaft is connected between the interior handle and the exterior handle. The interior handle is rotatable between closed and open positions and the exterior handle rotates in unison with the interior handle between closed and open positions. In the closed position, the exterior handle is disposed within the recess of an exterior handle housing. Rotation of the interior handle between closed and open positions causes the translating shaft to move axially between non-extended and extended positions displacing the exterior handle axially out of the recess of the exterior handle housing.

Abstract: A handle assembly used for actuating the latch mechanism of an aircraft door to control the opening and the closing of the aircraft door. The handle assembly includes an interior handle, an exterior handle, an actuator, and an exterior housing having a recess. The interior handle and the exterior handle each have an open and a closed position, respectively, and are connected to the actuator. The actuator is rotatably mounted within the exterior housing and the exterior housing is mountable within the aircraft door. The actuator may be secured to the latch mechanism of the aircraft door and the latch mechanism may be operated by the actuator. The rotation of the interior handle to the open position moves the actuator such that the latch mechanism is actuated to the open position allowing the aircraft door to be opened. A cam is connected to the interior handle and is rotatably mounted relative to the exterior handle.

Abstract: A double jaw latch mechanism for releasably securing a moveable structure to a keeper. The moveable structure may be an aircraft cowling and the keeper may be mounted to an aircraft structure. The double jaw latch includes a handle rotatably mounted to a housing. The handle has an open position, a closed position, and a pre-catch position. The handle is connected to a double jaw assembly which likewise has an open position, a closed position, and a pre-catch position. The double jaw assembly includes a first jaw and a second jaw mounted in pivoted relation for movement to and from each other to engage the keeper. When the double jaw latch is in the open position, the jaws are spaced apart to permit disengagement with the keeper. In the closed position, the jaws are trapped within the housing and rigidly retain the keeper.

Abstract: An extended reach latch for an engine cowling and the like, including a housing having a housing slot, a hook pin carried in the housing, a hook having a hook slot, with the hook pin in the hook slot for sliding of the hook relative to the housing, first, second and third links, a first link pin joining the hook and the first link and sliding in the housing slot, a second link pin joining the first and second links, a third link pin joining the second and third links, with the third link pivoting on the hook pin, an outer handle pivotally mounted on the first link pin for movement between an open position and a closed position, and having an outer handle slot for the second link pin, and an inner handle pivotally mounted on the first link pin for movement between an open position and a closed position, and having an inner handle slot for the third link pin, with movement of the inner handle from its open position to its closed position moving the hook into the housing a first distance, and with movement of th

Abstract: A latch having a housing, a bolt sliding in the housing along a first axis, a handle pivoting in the housing along a second axis parallel to the first axis between a handle latched position and a handle unlatching position, a drive mechanism for driving the bolt by the handle between a bolt latched position and a bolt unlatching position, a first spring for urging the handle to the handle latched position and a second spring for urging the bolt to the bolt latched position, a cam plate sliding in the housing along a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes, a first drive carried by the handle for translating the cam plate along the third axis, and a drive link mounted in the housing for pivoting about a fourth axis perpendicular to the first, second and third axes, the drive link including a drive pin for engagement by the cam plate in driving relation and for engaging the bolt along the cam surface of the bolt in driving relation.

Abstract: A quick release fastener having a pin and a retainer, with the pin having a shaft of a diameter A with a head at one end of the shaft, and having a T-shaped tip at the other end of the shaft, the T-shaped tip having a stem in line with the shaft and opposed transverse arms, with the stem of the tip of a diameter B less than the diameter A, and with the distance across the transverse arms greater than the diameter B, and with the stem of a length C, the retainer having a body with an opening for the tip of the pin, the body having an inner end for passing the tip of the pin and an outer end with transverse notches for receiving the arms of the tip, the body having a ramp adjacent each of the notches, with the length D of the body between the inner end and the ramp not greater than the length C.

Abstract: A pressure relief latch for latching a first panel to a second panel and for release under pressure, including a housing for mounting on the first panel, a spring loaded detent carried in the housing, and a bolt having a pivot axis and pivotally mounted on the housing for latching engagement with the second panel, with the detent including a free roller and a compression spring positioned along a central spring axis perpendicular to the pivot axis, and with the bolt having a curved exterior shape with a detent notch for receiving the roller. The housing is closed about the spring except for a threaded opening at one end and a roller opening at the other end, and a threaded plug is positioned in the threaded end for loading adjustment. The roller may be spherical or cylindrical.