Patent ID: 8317132

Claim:
A fastening system comprising: an overhead stowage compartment including a first end spaced apart from a second end along a longitudinal axis defined by the overhead stowage compartment, the first end having a first hook and a second hook and the second end having a first fastening element and a second fastening element, the first fastening element comprising a bolt having a first opening at a distal end and the second fastening element comprising a bolt having a second opening at a distal end; a bearing block that includes a bearing bolt and a pair of outer webs and an intermediate middle web, with the bearing bolt received through the outer webs and middle web such that the bearing bolt defines a first bearing element portion and a second bearing element portion, the second bearing element portion couplable to the first hook and the first bearing element portion couplable to a respective hook of a second overhead stowage compartment; a locking block that includes a base plate comprising a first opening for inserting the first fastening element into locking block and a second opening for inserting a respective fastening element of a second overhead stowage compartment, and a first web and a second web each slidable between a first locked position and a second release position, the locking block including a first spring that biases the first web into the first position and a second spring that biases the second web into the first position, the first fastening element insertable in the first opening of the locking block such that the second web engages the first opening at the distal end of the first fastening element to couple the first fastening element to the locking block in the first position, wherein the overhead stowage compartment includes a releasing mechanism having an actuation device and a releasing mechanism comprising a deflection in interconnected by a mechanical wire connection, such that the releasing mechanism when actuated by the mechanical wire connection releases the affixation between the first fastening element and the locking block by the deflection in engaging and deflecting the second web from the first position to the second position.