Gondola bulkhead

Claim 2

A freight bracing bulkhead assembly adapted to brace freight at preselected positions in a cargo area comprising a freight bracing member, locking means carried by said freight bracing member, said locking means including a first member supported for pivotal movement between a released position and a locked position, said first member cooperating with cargo area locking means when in its locked position for retaining said freight bracing member against movement in a first direction relative to the cargo area, lifting means carried by said freight bracing member, said lifting means providing means adapted to receive a hook or the like for lifting of said freight bracing member, said lifting means being movable relative to said freight bracing member from a first position to a second position in response to the exertion of a lifting force thereupon, means interconnecting said lifting means with said first member of said locking means for moving said first member from its locked position to its released position in response to movement of said lifting means from its first position to its second position and a fixed locking member carried by said bracing member and cooperable with the cargo area locking means for precluding relative movement of said bracing member in a second direction.

Claim 3

A freight bracing bulkhead assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fixed locking member comprises a pin adapted to engage a hole in the cargo area locking means.

Claim 4

A freight bracing bulkhead assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the fixed locking member includes a plurality of teeth adapted to engage cooperating teeth formed on the cargo area locking means.

Claim 5

A freight bracing bulkhead assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein the lifting means is supported for pivotal movement between its first and its second positions.

Claim 6

A freight bracing bulkhead assembly as set forth in claim 4 further including biasing means for urging the locking means to its locked position.

Claim 7

A freight bracing bulkhead assembly adapted to brace freight at preselected positions in the open topped cargo area of a railway gondola car comprising a freight bracing member adapted to be supported in the car in a vertically oriented position, locking means carried by said freight bracing member at its respective uppermost corners, each of said locking means comprising a locking member movable between a released position and a locked position, said locking members cooperating with locking means carried by the gondola car when said locking members are in their locked position for retaining said freight bracing member in a selected position in the gondola car cargo area, a pair of lifting means carried by said bracing member at the uppermost corners thereof, each of said lifting means providing means adapted to receive a hook or the like for lifting of said freight bracing member, each of said lifting means being movable relative to said freight bracing member from a first position to a second position in response to the exertion of a lifting force thereon, and means interconnecting each of said lifting means with a respective of said locking members for moving said locking members from their locked position to their released position in response to movement of said lifting means from their first position to their second position.

Claim 8

A freight bracing bulkhead assembly adapted to brace freight at preselected positions in the open topped cargo area of a railway gondola car comprising a freight bracing member adapted to be supported in the car in a vertically oriented position, locking means carried by said freight bracing member at its respective uppermost corners, each of said locking means comprising a locking member movable between a released position and a locked position, said locking members cooperating with locking means carried by the gondola car when said locking members are in their locked position for retaining said freight bracing member in a selected position in the gondola car cargo area, a pair of lifting means carried by said bracing member at the uppermost corners thereof, each of said lifting means providing means adapted to receive a hook or the like for lifting of said freight bracing member, each of said lifting means being movable relative to said freight bracing member from a first position to a second position in response to the exertion of a lifting force thereon, and means interconnecting each of said lifting means with a respective of said locking members for moving said locking members from their locked position to their released position in response to movement of said lifting means from their first position to their second position.

Claim 9

A freight bracing bulkhead assembly as set forth in claim 6 further including fixed locking members carried at the respective lower corners of the bulkhead assembly and cooperable with cooperating cargo areA locking means.

Claim 10

A locking mechanism for a bulkhead assembly or the like comprising a corner casting adapted to form a portion of the bulkhead assembly, a first locking member, means supporting said first locking member upon said corner casting for pivotal movement between a locked position and a released position, said first locking member being adapted to coact with a cooperating locking member carried by a freight carrying vehicle when in its locked position for restraining the bulkhead assembly in a bracing position within the freight carrying vehicle, a lifting lug, said lifting lug having a portion adapted to receive a hook or the like for lifting of the associated bulkhead assembly, means supporting said lifting lug for pivotal movement upon said corner casting from a first position to a second position in response to the exertion of a lifting force upon said lifting lug, means interconnecting said lifting lug and said first locking member for moving said first locking member from its locked position to its released position in response to movement of said lifting lug from its first position to its second position, and a fixed locking member carried by said corner casting and cooperable with said first mentioned locking member for holding the associated bulkhead assembly in position.

Claim 11

A locking mechanism for a bulkhead assembly or the like comprising a corner casting adapted to form a portion of the bulkhead assembly, a first locking member, means supporting said first locking member upon said corner casting for pivotal movement between a locked position and a released position, said first locking member being adapted to coact with a cooperating locking member carried by a freight carrying vehicle when in its locked position for restraining the bulkhead assembly in a bracing position within the freight carrying vehicle, a lifting lug, said lifting lug having a portion adapted to receive a hook or the like for lifting of the associated bulkhead assembly, means supporting said lifting lug for pivotal movement upon said corner casting from a first position to a second position in response to the exertion of a lifting force upon said lifting lug, means interconnecting said lifting lug and said first locking member for moving said first locking member from its locked position to its released position in response to movement of said lifting lug from its first position to its second position, and a fixed locking member carried by said corner casting and cooperable with said first mentioned locking member for holding the associated bulkhead assembly in position.

Claim 12

A locking mechanism as set forth in claim 8 wherein the means interconnecting the lifting lug and the locking member comprises an actuated rod pivotally connected to said lifting lug and to said locking member.

Claim 13

A locking mechanism set forth in claim 9 further including biasing spring means energizing said actuating rod and biasing said lifting lug to its first position and biasing said locking member to its locked position.