Abstract: A door assembly for covering an opening (12) formed in the body (26) of an aircraft including a door (10) with two gooseneck hinge arms (28) are rotatably connected at one end to the aircraft body above the door opening and rotatably connected at their other end to the door. An actuator (30) is provided to pivot the hinge arm about its rotatable connection to the body. Two mounting panels (106) are located between the two gooseneck hinge arms. A torque tube (104) is supported by the door and rotates by turning an interior door handle (100) that is located between the two mounting panels. The door assembly further includes a latching assembly (32), hinge guide assembly (34), and frame guide assembly (36) that cooperate to give the door a desired motion. The latching, hinge guide, and frame guide assemblies each include various rollers that engage with tracks.

Abstract: A handle assembly for controlling an aircraft door latch mechanism so that the door can be opened or closed from either inside or outside the aircraft. The assembly includes an inner shaft that is connected to the latch mechanism so as to control the opening and closing of the door, and an outer shaft that overlaps the inner shaft and that can be telescopically extended away from inner shaft. An inside handle is attached to the inner shaft so as to rotate the shaft. Rotation of the outer shaft is controlled by an outside handle attached thereto. An inner clutch half is attached, by splines, to the inboard end of the outer shaft. An outer clutch half is attached, by splines, to the outboard end of the inner shaft. The clutch halves are normally spaced away from each other. When the outside handle and the outer shaft are extended, the clutch halves interlock so that the shafts will rotate in unison. An actuator disarming assembly with a translating pivoting crank is attached to the outer shaft.

Abstract: A door latching and lifting mechanism for use on an aircraft as an escape hatch. The door (10) is an upwardly opening plug-type door. Its latching mechanism (12) consists of a torque tube (80) and handle (90), both of which are carried by the door (10). Pulling on the handle (90) rotates the tube (80) and causes door latch pins (113) to retract, thus releasing the door (10). A preloaded lift spring (48), connected to the door (10) by an overhead cable (18), automatically pulls the door upwardly as soon as the pins (113) retract.

Abstract: A hatch assembly for closing an overwing emergency exit opening formed in the body of an aircraft. The hatch (10) includes a plug-type hatch frame (24) and a pair of hinge arms (36) providing swinging movement of the hatch between a closed position and a fully open position that is spaced above and outboard of an opening (12) in the body (14) of an aircraft. Triggering movement of either an internal handle (62) or an external (106) disengages a latch (126) operable when the hatch is in the closed position, thereby placing the hatch in an unlatched condition. Further movement of either handle causes a pair of compression springs (50) coupled to the hinge arms to automatically drive the hatch slightly inward and upward from the closed position to an intermediate lifted position to clear a stop mechanism (32 and 34), and then outward to the open position.