Cargo Aircraft Rail System
AssigneeCapewell Components Company, LLC
InventorsStephen T. Parkinson, Adam J. Fitzgerald
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A rail system for retaining cargo payload has a longitudinal inboard rail and an opposing longitudinal outboard rail. The inboard rail has a recess extending longitudinally for sliding receipt of a lip on a payload. A latch plate extends at least partially into the recess for engagement with the payload. The latch plate is pivotable from an engaged position retaining the payload in a fore-and-aft position to a disengaged position releasing the fore-and-aft retention optionally by a lever system.
Claims19
A cargo rail system for retention of a payload comprising:
- an inboard rail extending longitudinally from a front end to a rear end and having a longitudinally extending recess therein for slidably receiving a lip on a payload;
- a longitudinally extending outboard rail laterally spaced from said inboard rail in the direction opposite from the recess;
- at least one latch mounted on said inboard rail and having a latch plate extending into said recess for engagement with said payload, said latch being pivotally mounted for movement between an engaged position and a disengaged position;
- and
- a lever system for moving said latch plate from said engaged position to said disengaged position, wherein
- the latch plate retains said payload in a fore-and-aft position in the engaged position and releases the fore-and-aft retention of said payload when moved to the disengaged position.
A cargo rail system for a payload comprising at least one rail unit with
- an inboard rail extending longitudinally from a front end to a rear end and having a longitudinally extending recess therein for slidably receiving a lip on a payload;
- an outboard rail spaced from said inboard rail, said inboard and outboard rails being pivotally attached to inboard and outboard hinges respectively for movement between an upright position and a flat position;
- at least one latch mounted on said inboard rail and having a latch plate extending into said recess for engagement with said payload, said latch being pivotally mounted for movement between an engaged position retaining said payload via mechanical forces and a disengaged position releasing said payload;
- and
- at least one latch mechanism configured to hold said rails in their respective upright positions and respective flat positions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.