MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT
An aircrew safety equipment mounting arrangement ( 31 ) for attachment to an item worn on the body of an aircrew member is disclosed. The mounting arrangement includes a mounting plate ( 33 ), a backing plate ( 52 ), pivotal attachment means ( 55 ) for coupling the mounting plate to the backing plate, and locking means 61 for locking the mounting plate and the backing plate in a closed position. The mounting arrangement is moveable by the pivotal attachment means between the closed position, in which the mounting arrangement is arranged to clamp the item worn on the body of an aircrew member between the mounting plate and the backing plate, and an open position in which the item worn on the body of an aircrew member is released.
1 . An aircrew safety equipment mounting arrangement for attachment to an item worn on the body of an aircrew member, the mounting arrangement including a mounting plate, a backing plate, a pivotal attachment coupling the mounting plate to the backing plate, and a lock configured to lock the mounting plate and the backing plate in a closed position, the mounting arrangement being moveable by the pivotal attachment between the closed position, in which the mounting arrangement is arranged to clamp the item worn on the body of an aircrew member between the mounting plate and the backing plate, and an open position in which the item worn on the body of an aircrew member is released.
2 . The mounting arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate includes a mounting plate tubular pivot portion and the backing plate includes a backing plate tubular pivot portion, and wherein the pivotal attachment comprises a pivot pin that passes through the mounting plate tubular pivot portion and the backing plate tubular pivot portion to enable relative rotation between the mounting plate and the backing plate around the pivot pin.
3 . The mounting arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate includes a mounting plate tubular locking portion and the backing plate includes a backing plate tubular locking portion, and wherein the lock comprises a locking pin that is configured to pass through the mounting plate tubular locking portion and the backing plate tubular locking portion to prevent rotation between the mounting plate and the backing plate around the pivot pin.
4 . The mounting arrangement of claim 3 , wherein the lock further comprises a compression spring fitted between the locking pin and tubular locking portion of one of the mounting plate and the backing plate so that the compression spring urges the locking pin into the tubular locking portion of the other of the mounting plate and the backing plate for locking the mounting plate and the backing plate in the closed position.
5 . The mounting arrangement of claim 4 , wherein the locking pin is configured to be manually moveable relative to the mounting plate and the backing plate so that the locking pin withdraws from the tubular locking portion of the other of the mounting plate and the backing plate to enable the mounting arrangement to move into the open position.
6 . The mounting arrangement of claim 2 , wherein the mounting plate tubular pivot portion and the backing plate tubular pivot portion are at an opposite end of the mounting arrangement to the mounting plate tubular locking portion and the backing plate tubular locking portion.
7 . The mounting arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the mounting plate includes at least one formation configured to mechanically engage aircrew safety equipment to couple the aircrew safety equipment to the item worn on the body of an aircrew member.
8 . The mounting arrangement of claim 7 , wherein the least one formation comprises two oppositely inclined channels configured to engage a tapered connecting plate of the aircrew safety equipment.
9 . The mounting arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the aircrew safety equipment comprises a crew regulator unit.
10 . The mounting arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the item worn on the body of the aircrew member includes a strip of material to which the mounting arrangement is arranged to clamp when closed in use.
11 . The mounting arrangement of claim 1 , wherein the item worn on the body of the aircrew member includes a part of a harness, lifejacket or a load-carrying garment.
12 . The mounting arrangement of claim 11 , wherein the load-carrying garment is a MOLLE load-carrying garment comprising at least one row of webbing that is attached to a backing at attachment sections at spaced apart intervals.
13 . A method of facilitating attachment aircrew safety equipment to an item worn on the body of an aircrew member, the method including:
providing a mounting arrangement including a mounting plate, a backing plate, a pivotal attachment coupling the mounting plate to the backing plate, and a lock configured to lock the mounting plate and the backing plate in a closed position;
when the mounting arrangement is in an open position, passing the backing plate behind the item worn on the body of an aircrew member;
rotating the mounting plate about the pivotal attachment to the closed position, in which the mounting arrangement clamps the item worn on the body of an aircrew member between the mounting plate and the backing plate; and
locking the mounting plate to the backing plate in a closed position.
14 . The method of claim 13 , including mechanically attaching the aircrew safety equipment to the mounting arrangement to couple the aircrew safety equipment to the item worn on the body of an aircrew member to thereby locate the aircrew safety equipment on the body of the aircrew member.
15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the mounting arrangement is as claimed in claim 1 .
16 . An aircrew safety equipment mounting arrangement for attachment to an item worn on the body of an aircrew member, the mounting arrangement including a mounting plate, a backing plate, pivotal attachment means for coupling the mounting plate to the backing plate, and locking means for locking the mounting plate and the backing plate in a closed position, the mounting arrangement being moveable by the pivotal attachment means between the closed position, in which the mounting arrangement is arranged to clamp the item worn on the body of an aircrew member between the mounting plate and the backing plate, and an open position in which the item worn on the body of an aircrew member is released.
17 . The mounting arrangement of claim 16 , wherein the mounting plate includes a mounting plate tubular pivot portion and the backing plate includes a backing plate tubular pivot portion, and wherein the pivotal attachment means comprises a pivot pin that passes through the mounting plate tubular pivot portion and the backing plate tubular pivot portion to enable relative rotation between the mounting plate and the backing plate around the pivot pin.
18 . The mounting arrangement of claim 16 , wherein the mounting plate includes a mounting plate tubular locking portion and the backing plate includes a backing plate tubular locking portion, and wherein the locking means comprises a locking pin that is configured to pass through the mounting plate tubular locking portion and the backing plate tubular locking portion to prevent rotation between the mounting plate and the backing plate around the pivot pin.
19 . The mounting arrangement of claim 18 , wherein the locking means further comprises a compression spring fitted between the locking pin and tubular locking portion of one of the mounting plate and the backing plate so that the compression spring urges the locking pin into the tubular locking portion of the other of the mounting plate and the backing plate for locking the mounting plate and the backing plate in the closed position.
20 . The mounting arrangement of claim 19 , wherein the locking pin is configured to be manually moveable relative to the mounting plate and the backing plate so that the locking pin withdraws from the tubular locking portion of the other of the mounting plate and the backing plate to enable the mounting arrangement to move into the open position.