Overhead stowage bin mechanism

Claim 1

In combination with a stowage bin assembly of the type comprising a fixed supporting structure and a stowage bin having a pair of spaced generally parallel sidewalls, said bin being supported from said structure by first and second pivotal mounting means with said first and second pivotal mounting means each including (i) a first arm pivotally secured adjacent its outboard end to said supporting structure and pivotally secured adjacent its inboard end to the outer surface of a respective one of said spaced generally parallel bin sidewalls, (ii) a second arm pivotally secured adjacent its inboard end to the outer surface of said respective one of said spaced generally parallel sidewalls at a point spaced from and below the point of pivotal connection of said first arm to said bin sidewall, and (iii) interconnecting means pivotally secured to the outboard end of said second arm and to said first arm at a point intermediate its inboard and outboard ends whereby said first arms, second arms, interconnecting means, and the associated bin sidewalls define a pair of four-bar linkage assemblies interconnecting said bin to said supporting structure with freedom for relative pivoting movement with respect thereto about the points of pivotal connection of said outboard ends of said first arms to said support structure between a first stowed upper position and a second lower open accessible position permitting of loading and/or unloading of material to be stowed in said bin; an improved self-aligning bearing assembly means for pivotally yet removably interconnecting the inboard ends of at least said first arms to respective different ones of said bin sidewalls whereby said bearing assembly means may be readily assembled and/or disassembled from the interior of said bin so as to permit ease of installation and/or removal of said bin from said supporting structure, said improved self-aligning bearing assembly means comprising: a housing mounted on the interior of each of said bin sidewalls and extending laterally through said sidewalls, said housings carrying needle bearing elements defining an elongated axle hole passing through each of said bin sidewalls; an axle bolt having a threaded end portion extending laterally and outwardly through each of said axle holes defined by said needle bearing elements; and, a self-locking threaded bolt mounted on the inboard end of each of said first arms cooperating with, and removably fastened to, the threaded portion of said axle bolt so as to form a pair of self-aligning bearing assemblies pivotally interconnecting the inboard ends of said first arms to the outer surfaces of respective different ones of said bin sidewalls and permitting of disassembly and/or reassembly of said self-aligning bearing assemblies by unthreading and/or threading said axle bolts from said self-locking bolts from the interior of said bin.