Folding pallet latch with integral rollout prevention
AssigneeDrs C3 Systems, Inc
InventorEdward Dugic
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A safety and restraint assembly allows transition of palletized cargo into a cargo bay and prevents the palletized cargo from inadvertently rolling backwards out through the cargo bay door. The assembly includes a wedge-shaped, spring-loaded, anti-rollout component that rotates downward as force from a pallet is applied to the anti-rollout component during loading of pallets, and the anti-rollout component returns to its original position after the pallet has traversed entirely over the anti-rollout component. The assembly also includes a folding restraint pawl for vertical restraint of adjacent pallets during transport. In an engaged position, the restraint pawl snaps into a slot in the anti-rollout component.
Claims20
A safety and restraint assembly for palletized cargo, the assembly comprising:
- a wedge-shaped, spring-loaded, anti-rollout component that rotates downward as force from a pallet is applied to the anti-rollout component during loading of pallets, and the anti-rollout component returns to its original position after the pallet has traversed entirely over the anti-rollout component;
- and
- a folding restraint pawl;
- wherein, in an engaged position, the restraint pawl snaps into a slot in the anti-rollout component.
A safety and restraint assembly for palletized cargo, the assembly comprising:
- a frame having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein a pallet begins at the first side and travels to the second side during loading of pallets and, conversely, a pallet begins at the second side and travels to the first side during unloading of pallets;
- an anti-rollout component disposed within the frame, the anti-rollout component having a sloped surface facing the first side of the frame, the anti-rollout component being spring-loaded such that, in a neutral non-weight-bearing position, the anti-rollout component has a height that exceeds a height of the frame, and the anti-rollout component rotates downward during loading of pallets such that, when rotated, the height of the anti-rollout component is reduced to being level with or lower than the bottom surface of the pallet, and the anti-rollout component returns to its neutral position once any downward force exerted by any pallets has been removed from the anti-rollout component;
- a folding restraint pawl disposed within the frame, when the restraint pawl is in a neutral disengaged position, a latching end of the restraint pawl is positioned between the sloped surface of the anti-rollout component and the first side of the frame, and the latching end of the restraint pawl is level with or lower than the height of the frame;
- wherein, in an engaged position, the restraint pawl snaps into a slot in the anti-rollout component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.