Automatic locking pin retraction mechanism

In a loader having a mobile frame, including upwardly extending, laterally spaced side members;

• a boom structure, including a pair of arms pivotally mounted on said frame such that each of said pair of arms is moveable along a generally vertical path adjacent a corresponding side member;
• power means operatively associated with said boom structure for raising and lowering said arms along said path of movement;
• a pair of locking pins, each respective said locking pin being mounted on a corresponding said side member adjacent the path of movement of the respective said boom arm, each said locking pin being positionable between a retracted position in which said locking pin is retracted within the respective said corresponding side member out of said path of movement of said boom arm and an extended position in which said pin is projected from said side member into said path of movement to be engageable with the respecitve said boom arm, said boom arms being supportable on said locking pins when said locking pins are in said extended position to prohibit downward movement of said boom arms below said locking pins;
• and means interconnecting said locking pins for simultaneously actuating the movement of said pins between said retracted position and said extended position, the improvement comprising:
• automatic retraction means mounted on said side members below at least one of said locking pins and operatively connected to said means for simultaneously actuating said locking pins for automatically retracting said locking pins under conditions where said locking pins are in said locking position, said boom arms are positioned below said locking pins and said boom arms are moving upwardly toward engagement with said locking pins, said automatic retraction means retracting said locking pins before said boom arms can move upwardly into engagement with said locking pins.