Automatic locking movable bulkhead

Claim 2

In a freight vehicle having spaced sidewalls, a bulkhead assembly comprising a pair of lengthwise extending side rails mounted along each of said side walls and including a plurality of lengthwise spaced openings, a bulkhead extending transversely between said side walls, means movably supporting said bulkhead on said rails for lengthwise movement thereon, latch means mounted on said bulkhead for latching said bulkhead in a selective position lengthwise of said vehicle, said latch means including latch plate means freely pivotally mounted along the sides of said bulkhead so that the latch plate means are positioned by the force of gravity for latching engagement within said openings, and means on said bulkhead for overcoming the force of gravity to retain said latch plate means out of said latching position whereby said bulkhead may be moved lengthwise of said vehicle.

Claim 3

The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said rails each includes a plurality of lengthwise spaced openings, and said latch plate means includes noses seatable with in said openings.

Claim 4

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said bulkhead includes sprocket wheel means mounted thereon, and wherein said rails include a plurality of sprocket openings for receiving the sprockets on said sprocket wheels.

Claim 5

The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein there are a plurality of latch plates at each of said openings, spaced relative to the spacing of the openings in said rails to provide locking positions at each of said openings corresponding to the number of latch plates.

Claim 6

The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein there are two side-by-side latch plate means of which only one of said latch plate means is seatable within one of said openings, and wherein means connect said two side-by-side latch plates for movement relative to each other.

Claim 7

The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said connecting means comprises a lifting pin means slidable in elongated slots formed in each of said latch plate means so as to permit limited independent movement of said latch plate means between an aligned position out of seating engagement with said openings and a position wherein only one of said latch plate means is seated in a notch.

Claim 8

The invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said lifting pin is actuated by lifting means mounted for vertical movement along the sides of said bulkhead.

Claim 9

The invention as defined in claim 7 wherein said lifting means are simultaneously actuated by actuating linkage including an actuating handle mounted on the upper end of said bulkhead.

Claim 10

In a freight vehicle having spaced sidewalls, a bulkhead assembly comprising lengthwise extending rails mounted along the spaced sidewalls and including a plurality of lengthwise spaced openings, a bulkhead extending transversely between said sidewalls, means movably supporting said bulkhead for lengthwise movement of said vehicle, latch means mounted on said bulkhead to selectively position said bulkhead lengthwise of said vehicle, said latch means including side-by-side latch plate means freely pivotally mounted on said bulkhead so as to be movable under the influence of gravity to a position wherein one of said latch plate means is seatable within one of said openings and said other latch plate means is disposed adjacent thereto out of seating engagement with an opening, said latch plate means including a pair of alignable slots, and lifting pin means extending through said slots so as to permit said latch plate means to move relative to each other from an aligned position wherein said latch plate means are each maintained out of seating engagement with said openings, to another position wherein said one of said latch plate means is seated in an opening and said other latch plate means is located out of seating engagement with said opening.

Claim 11

In a freight vehicle having spaced sidewalls, a bulkhead assembly comprising lengthwise extending rails mounted along the spaced sidewalls and including a plurality of lengthwise spaced openings, a bulkhead extending transversely between said sidewalls, means movably supporting said bulkhead for lengthwise movement of said vehicle, latch means mounted on said bulkhead to selectively position said bulkhead lengthwise of said vehicle, said latch means including side-by-side latch plate means freely pivotally mounted on said bulkhead so as to be movable under the influence of gravity to a position wherein one of said latch plate means is seatable within one of said openings and said other latch plate means is disposed adjacent thereto out of seating engagement with an opening, said latch plate means including a pair of alignable slots, and lifting pin means extending through said slots so as to permit said latch plate means to move relative to each other from an aligned position wherein said latch plate means are each maintained out of seating engagement with said openings, to another position wherein said one of said latch plate means is seated in an opening and said other latch plate means is located out of seating engagement with said opening.

Claim 12

The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said latch plate means are located on the opposite sides of said bulkhead and wherein said latch plate means includes actuating linkage connected to said lift pins for simultaneously unseating and maintaining said latch plate means out of seating engagement with said openings.