Cover means for navigational instruments and radio equipment mounted on panel of aircraft

Claim 2

In an aircraft including fixed aircraft structure such as an instrument panel provided with navigational instruments and other equipment mounted on said panel, cover means for such instruments and equipment which comprises an elongated concave cover that is constructed to enclose such instruments and equipment mounted thereon and lock means for securing said cover to said panel including at least one adjustable locking device mounted on said cover adapted to be adjusted to a predetermined position where said at least one adjustable locking device coacts with a fixed lock receptacle mounted on the structure of the aircraft to secure said cover to said panel and adjustable to other positions than said predetermined position where said locking device is ineffective to secure said cover to said panel; at least one said adjustable locking device includes a plurality of lock pins that are actuated from a spring biased unlocking position to a locking position in engagement with said fixed locking device by a cam means.

Claim 3

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said cam means is actuated by a mechanical movement that is actuated by a key-operated tumbler located within a tumbler housing.

Claim 4

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said lock means for securing said cover to said aircraft panel includes a plurality of spaced adjustable locking devices that coact, respectively, with a plurality of fixed lock receptacles housing and a key-operated tumbler secured within said tumbler housing and said adjustable locking devices each further include a plurality of lock pins that are actuated from a spring biased unlocking position to a locking position in engagement with said fixed locking device by a cam means.

Claim 5

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 3 wherein said cam means is actuated by a mechanical movement that is actuated by a key-operated tumbler located within a tumbler located within a tumbler housing.

Claim 6

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 1 wherein said cover is formed of a plastic resin in which is embedded inside and outside layers of woven fiber glass mesh and an in-between layer of steel wire screen.

Claim 7

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 5 wherein the top and bottom edges of the cover are provided with circumferential flanges which fit within a recess in the instrument panel making prying off of said cover more difficult.

Claim 8

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 9 wherein said plastic resin in the immediate area of the steel wire screen 11 is formed of only partially cured plastic

Claim 9

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 6 wherein said cover is provided with longitudinally extending molded indentations which form strengthening ribs.

Claim 10

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 1 wherein the fixed lock receptacle mounted on the structure of the aircraft comprises an externally threaded elongated tubular member which extends through an opening in the instrument panel of the aircraft and is secured to said panel by jam nuts that are threaded on said externally threaded tubular member on opposite sides of said pAnel.

Claim 11

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 9 wherein said fixed lock receptacle includes a panel reinforcing element that bears on the forward face of said instrument panel.

Claim 12

A cover means for an aircraft as defined in claim 1 wherein said lock receptacle is secured in openings provided in plates that are, respectively, secured to the instrument panel of the aircraft and overlap unused instrument receiving openings formed in the instrument panel of said aircraft.

Claim 13

A cover means for an aircraft as defined in claim 11 wherein each of said plates is provided with a face portion that contacts the instrument panel and an axially extending portion that is of a dimension to completely contact the entire edge of an unused opening in the aircraft panel.

Claim 14

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 1 wherein the lock means for securing said cover to said aircraft panel includes a plurality of spaced adjustable locking devices that coact, respectively, with a plurality of fixed lock receptacles; wherein each of said adjustable locking devices includes a tumbler housing having a key-operated tumbler secured within said housing a locking pin housing having a plurality of lock pins that are actuated from a spring biased unlocking position to a locking position in engagement with said fixed lock receptacle by a cam means which is actuated by a mechanical movement that is actuated by the key-operated tumbler; wherein said cover has top and bottom circumferential flanges that fit within a recess in the aircraft panel; wherein said cover is formed of a plastic resin in which is embedded inside and outside layers of woven fiber glass mesh and an in-between layer of steel wire screen; and wherein the plastic resin in the immediate area of the steel wire screen is only partially cured.

Claim 15

In an aircraft including fixed aircraft structure a cover means for the navigational instruments and other equipment mounted on the panel of the aircraft which comprises an elongated concave cover that is shaped to enclose said instruments and equipment mounted thereon and lock means for securing said cover to said panel including at least one adjustable locking device mounted on said cover adapted to be adjusted to a predetermined position where said locking device coacts with a fixed lock receptacle mounted on the structure of the aircraft to secure said cover to said panel and adjustable to other positions than said predetermined position where said locking element is ineffective to secure said cover to said panel; said fixed lock receptacle mounted on the structure of the aircraft includes an externally threaded elongated tubular member which extends through an opening in the instrument panel of the aircraft and is secured to said panel by jam nuts that are threaded on said externally threaded tubular member on opposite sides of said panel; said fixed lock receptacle includes a panel reinforcing element that bears on the forward face of said instrument panel and comprises a central annular portion and a plurality of radially extending ribs fixedly secured to said central annular portion; the aft edges of said central annular portion and aft edges of said radially extending ribs abut the forward face of said instrument panel.

Claim 16

In an aircraft including fixed aircraft structure a cover means for the navigational instruments and other equipment mounted on the panel of the aircraft which comprises an elongated concave cover that is shaped to enclose said instruments and equipment mounted thereon and lock means for securing said cover to said panel including at least one adjustable locking device mounted on said cover adapted to be adjusted to a predetermined position where said locking device coacts with a fixed lock receptacle mounted on the structure of the aircraft to secure said cover to said panel and adjustable to other positions than said predetermined position where said locking element is ineffective to secure said cover to said panel; said fixed lock receptacle mounted on the structure of the aircraft includes an externally threaded elongated tubular member which extends through an opening in the instrument panel of the aircraft and is secured to said panel by jam nuts that are threaded on said externally threaded tubular member on opposite sides of said panel; said fixed lock receptacle includes a panel reinforcing element that bears on the forward face of said instrument panel and comprises a central annular portion and a plurality of radially extending ribs fixedly secured to said central annular portion; the aft edges of said central annular portion and aft edges of said radially extending ribs abut the forward face of said instrument panel.

Claim 17

In an aircraft including fixed aircraft structure, a cover means for the navigational and other instruments mounted on said panel of the aircraft which comprises an elongated concave cover that is shaped to enclose said instruments and equipment mounted thereon and lock means for securing said cover to said aircraft panel that includes a plurality of spaced locking devices that coact, respectively, with a plurality of fixed lock receptacles mounted on the structure of the aircraft; said lock receptacles each comprising an externally threaded elongated tubular member which extends through an opening in the instrument panel of the aircraft and is secured to said panel by jam nuts that are threaded on said externally threaded tubuLar member on opposite sides of said panel; and a panel reinforcing element comprising a central annular portion and a plurality of radially extending ribs fixedly secured to said central annular portion having aft edges that abut the forward face of the instrument panel.

Claim 18

In an aircraft including fixed aircraft structure, a cover means for the navigational and other instruments mounted on said panel of the aircraft which comprises an elongated concave cover that is shaped to enclose said instruments and equipment mounted thereon and lock means for securing said cover to said aircraft panel that includes a plurality of spaced locking devices that coact, respectively, with a plurality of fixed lock receptacles mounted on the structure of the aircraft; said lock receptacles each comprising an externally threaded elongated tubular member which extends through an opening in the instrument panel of the aircraft and is secured to said panel by jam nuts that are threaded on said externally threaded tubuLar member on opposite sides of said panel; and a panel reinforcing element comprising a central annular portion and a plurality of radially extending ribs fixedly secured to said central annular portion having aft edges that abut the forward face of the instrument panel.

Claim 19

A cover means for an aircraft panel as defined in claim 15 wherein the lock means for securing said cover to said aircraft panel includes a plurality of spaced adjustable locking devices that coact, respectively, with a plurality of fixed lock receptacles; wherein each of said adjustable locking devices includes a tumbler housing having a key-operated tumbler secured within said housing, a locking pin housing having a plurality of lock pins that are actuated from a spring biased unlocking position to a locking position in engagement with a fixed lock receptacle by a cam means that is actuated by a mechanical movement that is actuated by the key-operated tumbler; wherein said cover has top and bottom circumferential flanges that fit within a recess in the aircraft panel; wherein said cover is formed of a plastic resin in which is embedded inside and outside layers of woven fiber glass mesh and an in-between layer of steel wire screen; and wherein the plastic resin in the immediate area of the steel wire screen is only partially cured.