Retractable cargo deck entrance guide assemblies for palletized loads in cargo aircraft

A retractable guide assembly for guiding cargo load pallets onto a cargo deck of a cargo aircraft, the guide assembly comprising:

• a support subassembly comprising a recessed housing box and a latch pin;
• a moveable guide subassembly pivotally connected to the support subassembly so as to be pivotally moveable relative thereto;
• and
• an actuating subassembly operatively interconnecting the moveable guide subassembly and the support subassembly to allow the moveable guide subassembly to be pivotally moveable between (1) a releasably locked stowed condition, (2) a releasably locked deployed condition and (3) a freely moveable unlocked maintenance condition, wherein the actuating subassembly comprises:
• (i) a frame component;
• (ii) shaft pivotally connected to the frame component;
• and
• (iii) a latch lever and hook element each connected to the shaft for pivotal movement therewith;
• and wherein
• the moveable subassembly comprises a pivotally moveable operation handle having a distal end that is releasably engaged with the latch lever when the moveable subassembly is in the stowed condition, and wherein
• pivotal movement of the operation handle disengages the distal end thereof with the latch lever to allow the frame component to pivotally move from the stowed condition to the deployed condition, and wherein
• the hook element engages the latch pin when the frame component pivotally moves from the stowed condition to the deployed condition so as to establish the releasably locked deployed condition.