Patent ID: 7337584

Claim:
A ceiling hatch comprising: a frame having an upper edge and a lower edge and a passage bounded by a sidewall passing therebetween, said passage extending from said lower edge to said upper edge and having its minimum cross section at said lower edge; a block of insulation bounded by a top surface, a bottom surface and a side surface which is configured such that said block of insulation is positionable substantially within said passage and substantially fills the same, assuring that said side surface resides in close proximity to said sidewall of said frame, thereby impeding air flow between said side surface and sidewall; a hinge operably attached to said frame and to said block of insulation, providing pivotable action between said block of insulation and said frame about a pivot axis, said hinge being so positioned and said side surface of said block of insulation and said passage through said frame being so configured as to allow said block of insulation to be swung out of said passage on an interference free path; and means for maintaining said bottom surface of said block of insulation in a horizontal plane when said block of insulation resides substantially within said passage.