Cargo handling apparatus

Claim 1

IN A CARGO HANDLING SYSTEM FOR USE IN THE TRANSPORTATION OF PRELOADED PALLETS, IN A CARRIER HAVING A CARGO SUPPORTING FLOOR STRUCTURE EQUIPPED WITH ATTACHING MEANS AND AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH SAID PALLETS MAY BE LOADED INTO SAID CARRIER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF LATERALLY SPACED TRACKS CARRIED BY SAID FLOOR STRUCTURE AND EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY THEREALONG, EACH OF SAID TRACKS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE ELONGATED ROLLER CONVEYOR, MEANS DETACHABLY SECURING SAID TRACKS TO SAID FLOOR STRUCTURE TO COACT THEREWITH AS A COMPLEMENTARY PART OF SAID STRUCTURE, A PLURALITY OF PALLET SUPPORTING LOW FRICTION ROLLERS CARRIED BY EACH OF SAID CONVEYORS AND SPACED APPROXIMATELY EQUIDISTANTLY THEREALONG FOR SUPPORTING EACH PALLET FOR MOVEMENT TO A POSITION FOR TRANSPORTATION ON SAID CARRIER, A CARGO RETAINING DEVICE CONTAINING SAID CARGO ON EACH OF SAID PALLETS, SAID DEVICE INCLUDING SUBSTANTIALLY VERTICALLY DISPOSED MEMBERS HAVING SECURING RINGS AT THE LOWERMOST TERMINAL ENDS THEREOF, LOCKING MEANS FOR SECURING EACH OF SAID PALLETS AGAINST SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT ON SAID TRACKS FROM SAID POSITION, AND SAID MEANS ALSO INCLUDING LOCKING MEANS ENGAGING SAID SECURING RINGS AND FIRMLY HOLDING SAID CARGO ON SAID PALLET TO SAID FLOOR STRUCTURE OF SAID CARRIER AGAINST VERTICAL MOVEMENT, WHEREBY MOVEMENT OF SAID CARGO DURING ALL CONDITIONS OF TRAVEL OF SAID CARRIER IS PREVENTED.