Abstract: An aircraft servicing pit is provided that has a pit lid set within a supporting frame and hinged for rotation relative to a pit access opening. However, the pit lid is also completely detachable from the surrounding frame once it opened. The pit lid support has a flat deck surface with an access opening surrounded by a supporting rim located beneath the deck surface. A hinge pocket is defined in the structure of the pit lid support. A pair of hinge axle end slots are formed on the opposite sides of the pit lid support frame and are inclined upwardly and outwardly. The pit lid has a hinge leaf with a pair of hinge axle ends projecting transversely therefrom in opposite directions. The hinge axle ends engage the hinge axle end slots and are entrapped therein when the pit lid is closed.

Abstract: A latch assembly is provided for an aircraft service pit having a lid frame formed with an access opening encompassed within an upwardly facing bearing ledge. The pit lid has a flat upper surface and is hinged at one edge at a horizontal axis of rotation relative to the lid frame. The pit lid has an opposite, latching edge. A latch mechanism is mounted on the latching edge of the pit remote from the horizontal axis of rotation and includes a latch mount embedded in the structure of the pit lid. The latch mount defines a latch guide path inclined downwardly from the flat upper surface of the pit lid and outwardly toward the latching edge thereof. A latch bolt, preferably having a T-shaped handle, is reciprocally mounted for movement in the latch guide path. The latch bolt preferably has a gripping end formed as a T-shaped handle that is accessible from the flat upper surface of the pit lid. The latch bolt also has an opposite, distal, bearing ledge-engaging end.

Abstract: A pit lid assembly is formed for a subsurface aircraft servicing pit and includes a lid frame formed with a flat, upper deck, a pit access opening surrounded by the deck, and a hinge pocket defined in the structure of the frame. The hinge pocket extends radially outwardly from the pit access opening and defines mutually opposing and mutually parallel pocket side walls. The pocket has a floor and an end wall slopes upwardly from the pocket floor at an obtuse angle relative to the surrounding flat deck of the frame. A pit lid is seated in the frame upon a bearing ledge formed about the periphery of the access opening. The pit lid has a hinge leaf projecting outwardly away from the access opening. Straight, narrow, linear bores are defined through the structure of both the hinge frame and the hinge leaf.