Vehicle cargo restraint system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorWilliam R. Clos
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A cargo restraint system includes a cargo conveyor system, which has a plurality of rollers and a cargo restraint. The cargo restraint includes an inner pawl rotatably attached to the cargo conveyor system and an outer pawl rotatably attached to the cargo conveyor system. A lever is rotatably attached to the cargo loading system. A mechanical linkage connects the lever to the outer pawl and to the inner pawl, the outer pawl and the inner pawl being controlled by movement of the lever through the mechanical linkage.
Claims21
A cargo restraint system comprising:
- a cargo conveyor system including a plurality of rollers;
- an inner pawl rotatably attached to the cargo conveyor system;
- an outer pawl rotatably attached to the cargo conveyor system;
- a lever rotatably attached to the cargo conveyor system;
- a mechanical linkage connecting the lever to the outer pawl and to the inner pawl, the outer pawl and the inner pawl being controlled by movement of the lever through the mechanical linkage;
- and
- wherein the mechanical linkage comprises a lift linkage operably connected to the outer pawl, and the lift linkage includes a lift cylinder and a lift rod slidably disposed inside of the lift cylinder.
An aircraft cargo restraint system, comprising:
- a cargo conveyor system installed on a cargo floor of an aircraft, the cargo conveyor system including a plurality of rails and a plurality of rollers;
- an inner pawl rotatably attached to a first rail in the plurality of rails;
- an outer pawl rotatably attached to the first rail in the plurality of rails;
- a lever rotatably attached to the first rail in the plurality of rails via a central axis, wherein the lever includes a first end and a second end spaced from each other, with the central axis disposed between the first end and the second end, and wherein the lever includes a roller disposed along the first end;
- and
- a mechanical linkage connecting the lever to the outer pawl and to the inner pawl, the outer pawl and the inner pawl being controlled by movement of the lever through the mechanical linkage, wherein the mechanical linkage comprises a lift linkage connected to the second end of the lever at a first pivot point, and a retract linkage connected to the second end of the lever at a second pivot point spaced from the first pivot point such that the first pivot point and the second pivot point are off-center from each other along the second end.
A method of securing cargo in an aircraft, the method comprising:
- placing a cargo carrying platform on a roller of a cargo conveyor system;
- moving the cargo carrying platform over the roller;
- contacting a lever of a cargo restraint system with the cargo carrying platform;
- rotating the lever, which raises a cargo securing pawl;
- raising a cargo release pawl by the cargo securing pawl;
- and
- wherein rotating the lever causes movement of a lift linkage and a retract linkage independently of each other such that the lift linkage and the retract linkage move in different orientations relative to each other, wherein the lift linkage is connected to the lever at a first pivot point and connected to the cargo securing pawl, and the retract linkage is connected to the lever at a second pivot point and connected to the cargo release pawl, and wherein the first pivot point and the second pivot point are spaced from each other.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.