Abstract: A roller structure for supporting a boat on a trailer bed and having a pair of annular hubs in the form of a funnel-like insert member to mount the roller. Each insert member has an inner shaft engaging section and an outer roller engaging sections whereby the sections are axially offset from one another relative to the axis of rotation of the roller. The pair of insert members are snugged against the roller for support thereof in either of two alternative mirror image configurations. In one configuration the inner section pof the insert members are spaced apart and are remote of one another and the roller provides for generally non-gimbaling rotation on a supporting shaft. In the other configuration the inner sections are adjacent and substantially in abutment, and the roller achieves a gimbaling rotation on the shaft.

Abstract: An assembly is disclosed for retaining a boat hull centered on a boat trailer during launching and loading of the boat. The assembly includes a pair of guides each extending upwardly from the rear or loading and launching end of the trailer for engaging opposite sides of the hull and urging the hull to a centered position relative to the trailer. The guides may be covered with polyvinyl chloride to present a smooth, low friction surface for engaging the hull without marring it as the hull moves past the tubes. Lower ends of the tubes are curved inwardly with the vertical sides of the tubes being flattened to reduce flexing of the tubes transversely of the hull. The lower tubing ends are received in a snug fitting channel, with upper and lower faces of the tubes tightly clamped toward each other to expand the flattened sides into tight engagement with legs of the channel.

Abstract: A simplified loading mechanism for placing small boats onto a framework including front and rear roller means, the framework being attached to the upper surface of a vehicle, is described. The rear roller acts as a winch mechanism and line storage for a pair of parallel running lines extending forwardly about the lower surface of the front roller and then running rearwardly over the top of the front roller and top of the rear roller to a straddle or bail for attachment to the gunwales of a small boat. The front and rear straddle lines are attached at spaced-apart locations upon the gunwales of the boat at a location whereby the run of the rearward straddle line will engage the rear roller when the boat is tilted upwardly with the transom thereof resting on the ground behind the vehicle and the bow of the boat pointed upwardly.

Abstract: The invention is in an aircraft provided with a flexible rail roller construction adapted to be positioned on the deck of a cargo space to provide for movement of cargo thereover and arranged to be quickly and easily moved to a storage position below the deck. To accomplish this the rollers are provided in a flexible track movable through a 180.degree. arc at one end of the deck by engagement with a curved arcuate guide surface to extend in an inverted position beneath the deck. In a preferred embodiment roller supporting axles extended between midpoints of rigid plate-like links.

Abstract: A cargo pallet, pallet support and restraint system which distributes the supporting forces equally over the bottom of the cargo pallet, even though the cargo load forces are concentrated and unevenly distributed over the pallet. The pallet is supported by a system of multiple ball or roller assemblies acting in conjunction with an interconnected hydraulic pallet support system to produce a multiplicity of equal lifting forces acting over the bottom surface of the pallet. Rails located at the pallet periphery restrain the pallet's upward movement and thereby introduce forces opposing those of the hydraulic pallet support system. The force and torque interactions among the areas of load concentration, the interconnected hydraulic pallet support system, the restraining rails, and the pallet structure rigidity, distributes the concentrated load evenly over the bottom of the pallet by hydraulically maintaining an equal supporting force from each of the underlying pallet support ball or roller assemblies.