Overrideable guide and vertical restraint for an air cargo system
A centerline restraint includes a conventional center guide/restraint and a pair of a overrideable guide/restraint at either end. Each overrideable guide/restraint is lockable into one of three rotational positions about a common axis: a retracted position, an erect position and an overridden position. The overrideable guide/restraint has a yoke-shaped body with a pair of legs rotatably mounted on an axle which, in turn, is mounted on a base of the centerline restraint. Lift handles, each operatively connected to a spring-loaded plunger are used to adjust the overrideable guide/restraint between the three positions. A head of the spring-loaded plunger abuts one or more stops formed on the legs of the overrideable guide/restraint to lock the overrideable guide/restraint in various predetermined positions. Lift handles operatively connected to the plungers, when operated, cause the overrideable guide/restraint to switch between positions.
1. A centerline restraint for an air cargo system, comprising:
a base having a longitudinal axis (L); and
a first overrideable guide/restraint rotatably mounted on the base along a first rotational axis (A); wherein:
the first overrideable guide/restraint is rotatable around the first rotational axis between a retracted position, an erect position and an overridden position;
the retracted position is in an inboard direction of the base, relative to the erect position;
the overridden position is in an outboard direction of the base, relative to the erect position;
the first overrideable guide/restraint, when in the erect position or in the overridden position, is urged by spring force in the inboard direction of the base and towards the retracted position; and
the first overrideable guide/restraint is capable of being locked in place, when forced in the outboard direction and into the overridden position.
2. The centerline restraint according to claim 1 , wherein:
the first overrideable guide/restraint is configured to selectively either:
(a) lock in place, when forced into the overridden position, or
(b) spring back up, when forced into the overridden position.
3. The centerline restraint according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a second overrideable guide/restraint rotatably mounted on the base along a second rotational axis (B), the second rotational axis being spaced apart from the first rotational axis, wherein:
the second overrideable guide/restraint is rotatable around the second rotational axis between a second retracted position, a second erect position and a second overridden position;
the second retracted position is in a second inboard direction of the base, relative to the second erect position;
the second overridden position is in a second outboard direction of the base, relative to the second erect position;
the second overrideable guide/restraint, when in the erect position or in the overridden position, is urged by spring force in the second inboard direction of the base and towards the second retracted position; and
the first overrideable guide/restraint is capable of being locked in place, when forced in the second outboard direction and into the second overridden position.
4. The centerline restraint according to claim 1 , wherein:
a portion of a vertical restraint belonging to the overrideable guide/restraint enters a cutout formed in the base, when the overrideable guide/restraint is in the overridden position.
5. A centerline restraint for an air cargo system, comprising:
a base; and
a first overrideable guide/restraint rotatably mounted on the base along a first rotational axis, wherein:
the overrideable guide/restraint is rotatable around the first rotational axis between a retracted position, an erect position and an overridden position; and
the base comprises at least one side wall provided with two pairs of detents arranged around a hole, a first pair of said two pairs of detents having a first depth in the side wall and a second pair of said two pairs of detents having a second depth in the side wall.
6. A centerline restraint for an air cargo system, comprising:
a base; and
a first overrideable guide/restraint rotatably mounted on the base along a first rotational axis, wherein:
the overrideable guide/restraint is rotatable around the first rotational axis between a retracted position, an erect position and an overridden position; and
the overrideable guide/restraint comprises:
a guide body rotatable about the first rotational axis, the guide body having a first side and a second side that are axially spaced apart along the first rotational axis; and
a vertical restraint secured to the guide body, wherein:
the first side comprises a first channel having first and second stops that are spaced apart from one another; and
the second side comprises a second channel having a third stop.
7. The centerline restraint according to claim 6 , wherein:
an end portion of a vertical restraint belonging to the overrideable guide/restraint enters a cutout formed in the base, when the overrideable guide/restraint is in the overridden position.
8. The centerline restraint according to claim 6 , wherein:
when the centerline restraint is mounted on a cargo floor, the overrideable guide/restraint has a sufficiently low profile so as to not interfere with the passing of a unit load device thereover, when the overrideable guide/restraint is in either the retracted position or the overridden position.
9. The centerline restraint according to claim 6 , wherein:
the first side comprises a first leg; and
the second side comprises a second leg.
10. The centerline restraint according to claim 6 , wherein:
the first and second stops are at different axial depths and are spaced apart from one another along the first channel.
11. The centerline restraint according to claim 6 , wherein:
the first channel comprises a shallow first track terminating in the first stop and a deep second track terminating in the second stop.
12. The centerline restraint according to claim 11 , wherein:
the second stop is farther inward along the first rotational axis than the first stop.
13. The centerline restraint according to claim 11 , wherein:
the second channel comprises a shallow third track terminating in the third stop; and
the shallow third track and the shallow first track have approximately the same depth.
14. The centerline restraint according to claim 13 , wherein:
the third stop and the first stop are approximately the same distance inward along the first rotational axis from their respective sides.
15. The centerline restraint according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a first plunger configured to selectively abut the first and second stops depending on the position of the overrideable guide/restraint; and
a second plunger configured to selectively abut the third stop depending on the position of the overrideable guide/restraint.
16. The centerline restraint according to claim 15 , further comprising:
first and second lift handles operatively connected to the first and second plungers, respectively, the first and second lift handles, when operated, configured to cause the overrideable guide/restraint to switch between one position and another.