Inventors:
Henry A. Kuitems - Hacienda Heights CA
Assignee:
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air
Force - Washington DC
International Classification:
B64C 120
B61D 4500
Abstract:
A floor-mounted, retractable, energy absorbing pallet end stop assembly for use in cargo aircraft and the like is described. The pallet end stop assembly mounts in the forward portion of an aircraft to stop and hold in place rows of cargo pallets. The pallet end stop rotates from a stowed position level with the cargo deck to a released position above the cargo deck. A lower half of the pallet end stop includes a pair of arcuate slots. A shock absorber is mounted beneath the deck and is slidably attached at one end to the arcuate slots. A release mechanism is also mounted in the floor so that, when pressed down, the release mechanism rotates and an integral tooth slides a latch pin, through a notch in the latch pin, against a spring away from a lip on the pallet end stop to thereby free the pallet end stop from its stowed position. As the pallet end stop rotates, from the force of a torsion spring, the end of the shock absorber attached to the arcuate slots remains largely stationary while merely riding inside the slots. When the shock absorber end reaches the end of the slots, it begins to extend to absorb energy as the pallet end stop completes its opening rotation.