Preconditioned air adapter chute

Abstract

A preconditioned air adapter chute for attachment to a ring connector of an aircraft has a body adapted at a first end to attach a hose for transmitting the preconditioned air. The body is provided at a second end with a flange for connecting to the ring connector. A compressive gasket is affixed to a surface of the flange which faces the ring connector. At least one clamp assembly, affixed to the body, has a handle and a clamp pivotably mounted in a housing. The handle and clamp are pivoted about separate pivot points, so that a cam action is obtained as the handle is moved from an open to a closed position. The clamp of each clamp assembly passes through a slot-like opening in the flange to allow engagement of the clamp in the connector.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An adapter chute for connecting an aircraft with a connector having slots to a preconditioned air unit external to the aircraft, the adapter chute comprising: 
 a cylindrical body with first and second ends, the second end having a radially extending flange, at least one slot-like opening formed through the flange;    a gasket fastened to the flange, the gasket having an axially facing channel defined by a pair of upstanding sides; and    at least one clamp assembly, each said clamp assembly having a housing, a handle and a clamp, the handle and clamp pivoting in the housing about separate pivot points to provide a cam action, the clamp of each clamp assembly positioned to pass through one of the at least one slot-like openings in the flange.    
     
     
         2 . A clamp assembly for connecting an adapter chute to an aircraft having a ring connector with slots, said assembly comprising: 
 a housing provided with means for attaching the clamp assembly to the adapter chute;    a handle; and    a clamp,    wherein the handle and clamp pivot in the housing about separate first and second pivot points to provide a cam action.    
     
     
         3 . The clamp assembly of  claim 2  wherein the housing comprises a latch body and a back plate, the latch body and back plate mating together to define a handle slot through which the handle extends and a clamp slot through which the clamp extends.  
     
     
         4 . The clamp assembly of  claim 2  wherein the cam action is provided by a contact between an arcuate surface at a first end of the handle and an arcuate surface at a first end of the clamp internal to the housing.  
     
     
         5 . The clamp assembly of  claim 4  wherein the handle end arcuate surface is convex and the clamp end arcuate surface is concave.  
     
     
         6 . The clamp assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the contact between the handle end and the clamp end is direct.  
     
     
         7 . The clamp assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the first pivot point pivots about a bushing held in place by the latch body and the back plate.  
     
     
         8 . The clamp assembly of  claim 3 , wherein the second pivot point pivots about a bushing held in place by the latch body and the back plate.  
     
     
         9 . The clamp assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the first end of the handle and the first end of the clamp are coplanarly aligned.