Abstract: The turret of a military vehicle such as a tank is locked in a predetermined position released from this position for installation in another position. The turret has a plurality of holes formed therein arranged in a circular configuration. A pair of lock pins are removably fitted within an adjacent pair of the holes. A single rod is pivotally connected to the lock pins with an operating handle pivotally attached to the rod. Retaining rings are installed on the ends of the rod to retain the lock pins on the rod. The lock pins are angled away from each other and slide on the rod to permit their free entry into adjacent holes. Movement of the handle in a first direction drives the lock pins into adjacent turret holes while movement in the opposite direction withdraws the lock pins from the holes for installation in another pair of holes to change the positioning of the turret.

Abstract: A device consisting of a short chain fitting is linked to the floor of a transportation vehicle, such as a flatbed trailer. The chain fitting has a cap on one end thereof, which is installed in a mating aperture formed in the vehicle floor. The cap is installed on the top side of the floor with a short chain piece attached thereto running through the aperture with a second cap at the lower end which is secured to the lower end of the chain. A length of securing chain is attached to the chain fitting, this length of chain running substantially vertical to the floor and attached to cargo to be restrained. The cap is partially beveled along its contact surface with the floor and engages the sides of the aperture on the top part of the floor. The cap itself and the beveled surface thereon facilitate detachment of the chain fitting when so required.

Abstract: A winch assembly is designed so that it can be slidably supported on the side rail of a vehicle. The winch assembly has side walls and a top plate. Slots are formed between the top plate and the side walls. A first bar runs between the side walls at substantially the same elevation as the top plate. A second bar runs between the side walls at an elevation below that of the first bar. A space is formed between the top plate and the first and second bars. The vehicle has a side rail running there around on which the winch assembly is supported. The side rail has a U-shaped bottom piece and a U-shaped top piece which run around the vehicle side walls. A cross member runs between the opposite sides of the cargo compartment The side frame has a U-shaped bottom piece with an arm extending there from, this arm being fitted into a slot in the deck of the vehicle located between the deck and the cross member.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for conveying cargo is provided, comprising a support base (105) and drive assembly (110) pivotably mounted to the support base (105) for vertical movement. The drive assembly (110) comprises a roller (120) and a first electronically controlled motor (125) for rotation the roller (120). A life assembly has a second electronically controlled motor (155) for moving the drive assembly (110) relative to the support base (105) from a retracted position to an extended position with the roller (120) in driving abutment against the cargo. An electronic controller (195) controls the first (125) and second (155) motors.

Abstract: A device for removably supporting a motorcycle on a vehicle for transportation is formed by a strap assembly which is attached to a pair of risers which support the handlebars on the front wheel of the motorcycle. The strap assembly has a first strap in a bowtie configuration with a pair of closed loops which are joined together at their closed portions. The assembly further has a second strap attached at its center to the closed portions of the loops. Each portion of the linear strap adjacent to a loop is wrapped around one of the risers and then passed through the adjacent loop. The free ends of the strap are firmly attached to the floor of the vehicle to hold the motorcycle in place.

Abstract: A beam for supporting a removable second deck for carrying cargo in a vehicle such as a truck trailer is supported between a pair of opposing tracks on opposite sides of the vehicle. The track has slots formed therein to which the beam is attached. The beam has an end foot on each end. Each foot has a keeper pivotally mounted thereon, the keeper being used to removably attach the foot to the slot. The foot has a notch formed in its bottom surface which engages the bottom edge of the slot. The keeper is spring urged against the foot portion to bring the top portions of the keeper and foot into abutment against each other so that the top of the keeper is in abutment against the top edge of the slot, thereby retaining the foot and keeper in the slot. The foot portion and keeper can be withdrawn from the slot by manually moving the keeper away from the foot against the spring tension.

Abstract: A mounting device has a base portion which is fixedly attached to a cargo load to be supported on a track having spaced apart cutout portions which are connected to each other by lip portions. The mounting device has spaced apart tension lugs which fit within the spaced cutout portions of the track. The mounting device further has a post and arms which fit within track cutout and lip portions. Attached to the tension lugs is a connector member for slidably connecting the tension lugs to the base portion. A pin member is installed in the base portion, this pin member preventing the tension lugs from being withdrawn from the base portion. A screw is installed in the base member, which retains the tension lugs in a fixed position when tightened down into a notch formed in the connector member.

Abstract: A plurality of rail assemblies are used for supporting cargo on the floor of a vehicle. Each rail assembly has two main parts, a cross track and a compression bar which are connected together. One free end of the compression bar has shear lugs which are fitted into a track having cutout portions separated from each other by lip portions which is attached to the vehicle floor. The other end of the cross track is attached to one end of the compression bar. The other end of the compression bar abuts against a tube member attached to the vehicle floor. Each rail assembly is attached at points between is ends to a pair of cross rails. Rollers along which the pallet on which the cargo is loaded and can be moved are attached to the cross tracks. The pallet is retained in position on the rail assemblies by mean of manually operable latch devices installed one each of the cross tracks of the rail assemblies which have tongues which fit into cavities in the pallet in response to manual actuation.

Abstract: A central tube has a rectangular cross section and is attached to an end piece which abuts against a wall of a compartment or the side of an object to be held in place. The other end of the central tube is telescopically fitted within a second rectangular tube. One surface of the central tube is ratcheted and a handle operated ratchet drive mechanism is mounted on the end of the second tube towards the end piece. The second tube is telescopically fitted within a third tube having a rectangular cross section. The remote end of the third tube is fixedly attached to a second end piece which abuts against either a compartment wall or an object to be held in place. The second tube is joined to the third tube at any one of three extension positions of the third bar relative to the second bar thereby setting the jack bar at a predetermined length. This length can then be increased to hold the cargo in position by actuating the ratchet mechanism.

Abstract: A buckle which is used to removably fasten two pieces of webbing, strap or the like together requires two distinct actions for its opening and thus is “double locking.” A latch member is pivotally supported on a frame by means of a support shaft. A first strap end is fixedly attached to one end of the frame. A second strap end to be attached to the first strap end is removably attached to one end of an adjuster member. The other end of the adjuster member is T-shaped. The frame has a pair of opposing ledge portions which extend opposite the base portion of the frame, opposing slots being formed between these portions. The top of the “T” of the adjuster member fits into the slots to retain the adjuster member to the frame when tension is placed on the second strap end portion thereby providing a first locking action. The latch member has a detent formed thereon which engages a detent on the end of the ledge portion of the frame.

Abstract: A roller tray assembly has a plurality of roller wheels mounted on the floor of a loading platform of a vehicle such as an aircraft or truck. The roller wheels are free to roll either in the loading or unloading directions to permit cargo to be loaded or unloaded on such wheels. Braking rollers are installed on the loading platform floor, the cargo load being moved over such braking rollers. Each braking roller has a central hub supported on unidirectional clutch bearings such that the roller is free to rotate in one direction but locked by the bearings against rotation in the opposite direction. The outer wall of the central hub is covered with an elastomer. The roller has an outer cylindrical wall against which the cargo abuts. The ends of the cylindrical wall have end covers between which a plurality of rods are mounted. These rods abut against the elastomer with sufficient pressure to deform the elastomer. The central hub is rotatably mounted on a fixed shaft.

Abstract: A wheel chock is formed from a bar which is bent to form opposing bottom arms; a first pair of opposing side arms which run above the bottom arms and are slightly upturned therefrom: a second pair of opposing side arms which run upwardly from the first pair of side arms; and cross arms forming a top portion which runs between the second pair of side arms. A base plate is attached to the bottom arms, this base plate having studs attached thereto and extending from the bottom thereof. The studs fit into a track fixedly attached to the floor of a transporting vehicle which may be an aircraft or a truck. A central plunger latching member which is spring loaded also extends from the bottom of the base plate and latches the plate to the track. The chock can thus be installed in and removed from the track merely by manually positioning the latching member.

Abstract: A braking device for braking the motion of cargo in a roller system for use in loading and unloading cargo has its main frame mounted on the loading floor. An arm assembly having a pair of opposing arms is pivotally supported on a shaft supported on the main frame near the center thereof, this shaft extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the frame. A substantially flat brake pad made of a friction material is pivotally supported on the arms on one side of the longitudinal axis of the shaft. A roller wheel is pivotally supported between the arms on the side of the longitudinal axis of the shaft opposite to that on which the brake pad is supported.

Abstract: A retractable roller system has a main channel mounted on the floor of a vehicle into which cargo is to be loaded. A pneumatically actuated bladder is mounted along the bottom of the channel and a roller tray on which a plurality of roller members are rotatably supported is mounted in the channel above the bladder. Flange members extend inwardly from the side walls of the channel at different vertical levels. Flange members extend outwardly at different vertical levels from the opposing side walls of the roller tray. The rollers are raised to handle the loading of cargo by inflating the bladder and lowered to recess the rollers below the level of a cover plate to keep the cargo in a desired location. The cover plate utilizes a minimum number of screws in conjunction with a mating coupler plate and slots and for adjacent units which engage pins on the channel to provide secure retention of the plate yet facilitating ready removal when the roller tray needs to be removed for repair or replacement.

Abstract: A beam assembly is formed from a hollow beam member which has a pair of slidable channel units installed therein and extend from the opposite ends thereof. The ends of the channel units have guide shoes forming latching assemblies pivotally supported thereon, each guide shoe having a spring loaded lock key mounted pivotally mounted thereon. A pair of tracks are spaced from each other in opposing relationship by a distance equal to the longitudinal extent of the beam member. The tracks have a plurality of aligned apertures and C-shaped runners running along their longitudinal extent. The lock keys of the beam member each has a pair of fingers extending therefrom which fit into a pair of adjacent track apertures. The fingers may be locked in place in the opposing track apertures by the spring action of their associated springs and may be withdrawn from the apertures by way of a tab formed thereon.