Abstract: A cargo handling system for a narrow body freighter aircraft employs caster rollers. The cargo handling system includes a horizontal panel disposed along a deck surface of the aircraft, and a plurality of caster rollers having a narrow body roller plane height. Each caster roller includes a roller bearing assembly for providing horizontal movement to a load along an axis of motion. A thrust bearing assembly aligns the roller bearing assembly with the axis of motion. A roller bearing support structure suspends the roller bearing assembly at an offset position at the narrow body roller plane height. The thrust bearing assembly includes a plurality of radially positioned needle bearings, and the roller bearing assembly uses roller bearings having a torus-like structure. The bearing assemblies are made of stainless steel to resist foreign object damage.

Abstract: A cargo handling system for a narrow body freighter aircraft employs caster rollers. The cargo handling system includes a horizontal panel disposed along a deck surface of the aircraft, and a plurality of caster rollers having a narrow body roller plane height. Each caster roller includes a roller bearing assembly for providing horizontal movement to a load along an axis of motion. A thrust bearing assembly aligns the roller bearing assembly with the axis of motion. A roller bearing support structure suspends the roller bearing assembly at an offset position at the narrow body roller plane height. The thrust bearing assembly includes a plurality of radially positioned needle bearings, and the roller bearing assembly uses roller bearings having a torus-like structure. The bearing assemblies are made of stainless steel to resist foreign object damage.

Abstract: A cargo restraint includes a support, a housing which is rotatable relative to the support about a first rotation axis, and a plunger which is slidable within the housing along a second axis normal to the first axis, the plunger having a portion serving as a restraint for cargo. A torsion spring connects the housing to the support such that the housing is automatically rotatably urged into a predetermined deployed or cargo-engaging position, and a compression spring automatically urges the plunger into an extended cargo-engaging position. The restraint is thus self-deploying, and can resiliently yield to both direct and indirect impacts.

Abstract: A device for guiding movement of cargo items during loading and unloading from a cargo compartment of an aircraft includes a housing defining a recessed well below an upper surface of the housing, a slider which slides within the recessed well, a pawl pivotally connected to the slider and pivotal from a stowed position in the well to a deployed position projecting above the upper surface of the housing, and compression springs connected to the slider for absorbing impact loads imposed on the pawl in the longitudinal direction along which the slider and pawl slide as a unit. The cargo-engaging end of the pawl includes chamfered surfaces which cause the pawl to be depressed down into the well when the pawl is subjected to transverse impacts.