Floating platform lock-down mechanisms for spooler troughs and doff trucks

Claim 1

A TEXTILE HANDLING APPARATUS INCLUDING A RECEPTACLE HAVING AN OPEN TOP, SIDE AND END WALLS AND BOTTOM FORMING MEANS, A FLOATING SUPPORT MEANS IN THE RECEPTACLE EMBODYING A FOLLOWER PLATFORM AND SUPPORTING SPRING MEANS FORM BEING MOVABLE FROM A FULLY ELEVATED POSITION TO AT LEAST TWO LOWERED POSITIONS AND BEING SECURABLE IN EACH OF SAID LOWERED POSITIONS, A LOCK-DOWN MECHANISM FOR THE SUPPORT MEANS COMPRISING COOPERATING LATCH AND KEEPER ELEMENTS, ONE ELEMENT BEING OPERATIVELY COUPLED WITH THE PLATFORM AND THE OTHER ELEMENT BEING SUPPORTED BY SAID BOTTOM FORMING MEANS, SAID ELEMENTS BEING ADAPTED TO MOVE RELATIVELY TO ONE ANOTHER INTO A COUPLED PLATFORM SECURING RELATIONSHIP UPON MOVEMENT OF THE PLATFORM TO A FIRST ONE OF SAID TWO LOWERED POSITIONS, MEANS FOR GUIDING ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS INTO SAID COUPLED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE OTHER ELEMENT WHILE THE PLATFORM IS MOVING DOWNWARDLY INTO SAID FIRST ONE OF SAID LOWERED POSITIONS, AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING UNCOUPLING OF THE LATCH AND KEEPER ELEMENTS WHILE THE PLATFORM IS MOVING DOWNWARDLY BEYOND SAID FIRST ONE OF SAID LOWERED POSITIONS TO THE SECOND ONE OF SAID LOWERED POSITIONS.