Patent ID: 8702036

Claim:
An apparatus for carrying cargo in an aircraft, said apparatus comprising: a rack assembly mounted in an upper part of a fuselage of said aircraft so as to define a cargo area in an upper lobe thereof, said rack assembly comprising: a plurality of transverse rack frames mounted at intervals to frames of said fuselage of said aircraft, said transverse rack frames each comprising: a lower frame member that extends substantially horizontally across a lower side of said cargo area; first and second suspension frame members that extend generally upwardly from said horizontal frame member towards locations on said frames of said fuselage from which said rack assembly is suspended; crossbeam members mounted to said upper ends of said suspension frame members and having upper and lower ends; and pivotable link members interconnecting said upper and lower ends of said crossbeam members to said frames of said fuselage so as to support said upwardly extending suspension frame members of said rack frames from said frames of said fuselage, said pivotable link members being aligned to transmit loads from said frame of said rack assembly to said frame of said fuselage in a generally radial direction; and at least one lengthwise member that supports a plurality of cargo containers arranged longitudinally on said rack assembly within said cargo area in said upper lobe of said aircraft.