Patent ID: 8061035

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a shell structure, the method comprising: positioning a first composite skin in edgewise alignment with a second composite skin; attaching a first end of a fitting to the first composite skin and a first stiffener on the first composite skin, wherein the first stiffener has a first flange portion attached to the first composite skin and a first raised portion projecting away from the first composite skin; and attaching a second end of the fitting to the second composite skin and a second stiffener on the second composite skin to join the first composite skin to the second composite skin, wherein the second stiffener has a second flange portion attached to the second composite skin and a second raised portion projecting away from the second composite skin, wherein attaching the first end portion of the fitting to the first stiffener includes attaching the first end portion to the first flange portion, and wherein attaching the second end portion of the fitting to the second stiffener includes attaching the second end portion to the second flange portion.