Folding pallet latch with integral rollout prevention

Abstract

A safety and restraint assembly allows transition of palletized cargo into a cargo bay and prevents the palletized cargo from inadvertently rolling backwards out through the cargo bay door. The assembly includes a wedge-shaped, spring-loaded, anti-rollout component that rotates downward as force from a pallet is applied to the anti-rollout component during loading of pallets, and the anti-rollout component returns to its original position after the pallet has traversed entirely over the anti-rollout component. The assembly also includes a folding restraint pawl for vertical restraint of adjacent pallets during transport. In an engaged position, the restraint pawl snaps into a slot in the anti-rollout component.

1 . A safety and restraint assembly for palletized cargo, the assembly comprising:
 a wedge-shaped, spring-loaded, anti-rollout component that rotates downward as force from a pallet is applied to the anti-rollout component during loading of pallets, and the anti-rollout component returns to its original position after the pallet has traversed entirely over the anti-rollout component; and   a folding restraint pawl;   wherein, in an engaged position, the restraint pawl snaps into a slot in the anti-rollout component.   
     
     
         2 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the anti-rollout component rotates downward in response to a force moving in the same direction as pallet travel during loading of pallets. 
     
     
         3 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , wherein, in its original position, the anti-rollout component has a height that is approximately equal to or exceeds a height of the pallet relative to a top surface of the assembly and, when rotated, the height of the anti-rollout component is level with or lower than the bottom surface of the pallet. 
     
     
         4 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the restrain pawl is spring-loaded. 
     
     
         5 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the restraint pawl is released from the slot in the anti-rollout component through the application of pressure to the anti-rollout component. 
     
     
         6 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a mechanical toggle that locks the anti-rollout component in a non-obstructing position in which a height of the anti-rollout component is level with or lower than a bottom surface of the pallet. 
     
     
         7 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is located within a cargo bay near a door of the cargo bay. 
     
     
         8 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the assembly allows transition of palletized cargo into the cargo bay and prevents the palletized cargo from inadvertently rolling backwards out through the door. 
     
     
         9 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is located within a cargo bay of a vehicle utilized for transport of palletized cargo. 
     
     
         10 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is located within an aircraft. 
     
     
         11 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is located on a trailer. 
     
     
         12 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the assembly is located within a boat. 
     
     
         13 . A safety and restraint assembly for palletized cargo, the assembly comprising:
 a frame having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein a pallet begins at the first side and travels to the second side during loading of pallets and, conversely, a pallet begins at the second side and travels to the first side during unloading of pallets;   an anti-rollout component disposed within the frame, the anti-rollout component having a sloped surface facing the first side of the frame, the anti-rollout component being spring-loaded such that, in a neutral non-weight-bearing position, the anti-rollout component has a height that exceeds a height of the frame, and the anti-rollout component rotates downward during loading of pallets such that, when rotated, the height of the anti-rollout component is reduced to being level with or lower than the bottom surface of the pallet, and the anti-rollout component returns to its neutral position once any downward force exerted by any pallets has been removed from the anti-rollout component;   a folding restraint pawl disposed within the frame, when the restraint pawl is in a neutral disengaged position, a latching end of the restraint pawl is positioned between the sloped surface of the anti-rollout component and the first side of the frame, and the latching end of the restraint pawl is level with or lower than the height of the frame;   wherein, in an engaged position, the restraint pawl snaps into a slot in the anti-rollout component.   
     
     
         14 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the slot in the anti-rollout component is formed between two substantially vertical walls each parallel with the first and second sides of the frame, a first wall that meets the sloped surface of the anti-rollout component and a second wall positioned between the first wall and the second side of the frame, the first wall being taller than the second wall. 
     
     
         15 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 14 , wherein a length of the restraint pawl, when parallel with a length of the slot, is greater than the length of the slot such that the restraint pawl extends above the slot. 
     
     
         16 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 14 , wherein the latching end of the restraint pawl is L-shaped and, in the engaged position, a distal end of the L-shaped latching end extends from above the second wall of the anti-rollout component toward or beyond the second side of the frame. 
     
     
         17 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the restraint pawl is spring-loaded. 
     
     
         18 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the restraint pawl is released from the slot in the anti-rollout component through the application of pressure to the anti-rollout component. 
     
     
         19 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 13 , further comprising a mechanical toggle that locks the anti-rollout component in a non-obstructing position in which the height of the anti-rollout component is level with or lower than the height of the frame. 
     
     
         20 . The safety and restraint assembly of  claim 13 , wherein the assembly is located within a cargo bay of a vehicle utilized for transport of palletized cargo.