Abstract: A food service tray, preferably formed of molded plastic, is particularly adapted to be used in a service cart which can heat food contained in a predetermined "hot" area of the tray. The tray has a generally flat planar portion from which the side walls of at least one dish-shaped recess extend both upwardly and downwardly. The said at least one dish-shaped recess preferably contains a disposable insert dish and has a bottom surface which is thinner than other portions of the tray in order to facilitate the transfer of heat to food contained in the dish. Integral ribs formed on the lower outer side walls of the recess serve to resiliently and frictionally engage the dish's cover after it has been removed and inverted. In the inverted position, the cover insulates the hot bottom of the tray during serving. The tray preferably also includes a second downwardly recessed portion for cold food, cups and utensils.

Abstract: Improved energy absorbing seat frame structure for an aircraft seat has leg structures which comprise a pair of generally U-shaped front and rear legs which are joined back to back in a generally X-shaped configuration. A curved die member is held in contact with the forward facing concave portion of the front leg by a strap member which surrounds the rear leg. In a crash situation, the front leg can bend about the die member to lower the center of gravity. In a preferred embodiment, strap type clamps on the upper ends of each leg permit the legs to rotate relative to the tubular stretcher members of the seat. The ability of the front legs to be deformed downwardly permits a portion of the excess loading on one front leg to be transferred through the front stretcher member to the other leg which is less heavily loaded.

Abstract: Emergency oxygen system of the type where masks are in compartments in the backs of aircraft seats uses an underseat compartment located under the plane of the seat cushion to house the large canister of chemicals which generate the oxygen when the canister is activated. A spring loaded cable connects the two compartments so that when any of the tether cords connected to each mask is pulled, a locking pin is pulled free from a release mechanism for the cable. Once released, the cable spring immediately moves the cable axially so its lower end can actuate another release mechanism in the canister compartment to activate the canister and produce oxygen. Since the canister can reach a temperature of over 500.degree. F., its removal from the seat back reduces any possibility of burns to passengers while allowing for a lower back height and less back thickness, thereby providing more passenger living space and less obstruction to viewing of visual entertainment.

Abstract: Dish for use with meal tray feeding system in which dish is lifted for heating by a heater shelf slid between the dish and the tray has improved retention to resist being jostled out of contact with heater. Two parallel runners on the dish bottom have downwardly extending foot portions at their ends which greatly enhance the retention of the dish relative to both a pair of guide rib portions on the tray and the heater shelf. The heater shelf is mounted by a bracket to the side wall of a cart within which the heater shelves are mounted and the foot portions straddle the bracket.

Abstract: Multipassenger aircraft seat has at least one seating position which can be converted from a seat to a cocktail table to increase the comfort of adjacent seat passengers. The headrest pivots about 180.degree. relative to the back cushion frame so that it becomes hidden under the back cushion frame and in compressed contact with the lower seat cushion when a cocktail table on the back cushion frame is deployed in a horizontal plane. Concealed locks inside the headrest permit the headrest and back cushion frame to be firmly locked to the reclinable main seat back frame.

Abstract: Convertible aircraft passenger seat can be quickly changed from a three-seating position configuration to a more spacious two-seating position configuration without the use of tools. Such a seat permits the seating capacity of an aircraft to be altered to match the expected passenger load in different classes, such as tourist and business class. In the three-position configuration, a pair of relatively narrow width armrests, which may contain recline lock control cables or audio cables, project vertically out of the lower seat cushion on either side of the center seating position but are pivotally mounted so that they will overlie the center position in a generally horizontal fashion in the two-position configuration, thus adding several inches of width to the adjacent end seating positions.

Abstract: Improved, lightweight multi-passenger aircraft seating unit utilizes an elongated, generally S-shaped, composite panel to provide the sole support for the seat cushions, the seat back and seat back tray table, the seat belt anchors and the armrests. Front legs and rear legs made of thin sheet metal can be attached directly to the panel by bolts passing through the panel. A downwardly projecting front portion of the panel and an upwardly projecting rear portion, in cooperation with channel-shaped members bonded to the panel's peripheral edges, enhance the rigidity of the panel. The unit provides cantilever support without the necessity for the front and rear tubular stretcher members and the fore and aft support members used in conventional seats. The composite panel has a honeycomb core and its top and bottom skin surfaces are formed of continuous layers of resin-impregnated fibrous material such as graphite fibers, with additional swatches of such material overlying and integrally bonded into the skin.

Abstract: Improved constructions for mounting seat back tray tables to the frames of vehicle seats permit the tables to be quickly removed and replaced by authorized persons without the use of tools. Small studs on each side of the seat pivotally support apertures in the lower ends of the tray table legs. The legs may be deflected toward each other to release their mounting engagement with the studs but means are provided to prevent such release by unauthorized persons. In one embodiment, release can only be accomplished when the seat back is in its forward "break-over" position. In such position, the legs can be lifted so that a frame-mounted stud having a cylindrical end interrupted by a pair of opposed flats will pass from a small opening in the leg through a slot narrower than the small opening to a larger opening. In a second embodiment, a torsion tube joining the leg ends has a spring-loaded pin and slot connection to one leg so that the leg can be slightly axially retracted along the tube to accomplish release.

Abstract: Legrest assembly for a passenger seat is pivotally mounted to the seat frame with a spring-loaded hydraulic lock mechanism which automatically lifts a leg or foot support panel to its generally horizontal use position when a control button on the armrest is actuated. The panel is pivotally moved to its storage position under the front edge of the seat cushion when the occupant forces it down with pressure from his or her legs against the upward biasing force exerted by its spring while actuating the control button on the armrest. For maximum comfort, the legrest pad is slidable through a range of fore and aft locations in its use position and can also be locked at any angle in its range of pivotal movement. A series of interconnected links cooperate with one another and with the seat frame in such a manner so as to substantially eliminate encroachment into the normal underseat storage area. A resettable mechanism prevents damage to the assembly from excessive downward loads on the suspended legrest pad.

Abstract: Support structure for a multi-passenger seating unit, especially in aircraft, which is mounted to a seat track in the vehicle floor, includes a transverse floor stretcher tube of less length than the seating unit which is adapted to lie on the floor at the rear of the seating unit and be attached to at least a pair of seat tracks by a track fitting. The rear seat legs extend downwardly from an upper seat frame portion and are mounted to the floor stretcher tube at selected locations which are spaced from the track fittings so as to generally equalize the luggage storage space under each seat. In a preferred embodiment, a tension bracing member is also attached to the lower ends of each of the rear legs and to the floor stretcher tube and extends forwardly and upwardly to a point where it is attached to portions of the upper seat frame at locations which are spaced transversely from the front legs of the seat.