Container supporting pedestal for cargo-carrying vehicles

Claim 2

a lower base portion (34, 36) seated on the upper surface of said floor bed means above said longitudinal and cross slots, said base portion having a rounded forward edge (66);

Claim 3

Pedestal means for supporting at least one corner of a container at a level above the horizontal floor of a cargo-carrying vehicle, said floor containing a continuous longitudinal slot (24), a plurality of longitudinally spaced cross slots (26) in communication with said longitudinal slot, and a well opening (68) at one end of said longitudinal slot, said pedestal means comprising a unitary pedestal housing (10) including a. a lower base portion (34, 36) seated on the upper surface of said floor above said longitudinal slot, said base portion having a rounded forward edge (66); b. the upper portion of said housing containing orthogonally arranged rear (28), side (30) and bottom (32) walls defining a pocket for supporting a corner of the container; c. a longitudinal rib (35) extending downwardly from said base portion within and longitudinally of said slot to prevent twisting and lateral movement of said housing relative to the floor, said rib extending longitudinally beyond the forward edge of said base portion; d. a transverse rear lug (38) extending downwardly from the rear end of said base portion within a first one of said cross slots; e. a stabilizer bar (40) connected with the forward end of said longitudinal rib and extending laterally therefrom beneath and in engagement with the lower surface of said floor to prevent lateral movement about a longitudinal axis; forward lug means (42,44) connected with said stabilizer bar and extending upwardly within a second one of said cross slots; and f. said housing being pivotable forwardly about the forward edge Of said lower base portion through a first angle of less than 90* toward a tilted position in which the rear lug is elevated from said first cross slot and said forward lug means are lowered from said second cross slot, thereby permitting horizontal displacement of said housing longitudinally of the slot, g. said housing being further forwardly pivotable, when adjacent the well opening, from the tilted position through an angle complementary to said first position toward a retracted position contained completely within the well opening.

Claim 4

Pedestal means for supporting at least one corner of a container at a level above the horizontal floor of a cargo-carrying vehicle, said floor containing a continuous longitudinal slot (24), a plurality of longitudinally spaced cross slots (26) in communication with said longitudinal slot, and a well opening (68) at one end of said longitudinal slot, said pedestal means comprising a unitary pedestal housing (10) including a. a lower base portion (34, 36) seated on the upper surface of said floor above said longitudinal slot, said base portion having a rounded forward edge (66); b. the upper portion of said housing containing orthogonally arranged rear (28), side (30) and bottom (32) walls defining a pocket for supporting a corner of the container; c. a longitudinal rib (35) extending downwardly from said base portion within and longitudinally of said slot to prevent twisting and lateral movement of said housing relative to the floor, said rib extending longitudinally beyond the forward edge of said base portion; d. a transverse rear lug (38) extending downwardly from the rear end of said base portion within a first one of said cross slots; e. a stabilizer bar (40) connected with the forward end of said longitudinal rib and extending laterally therefrom beneath and in engagement with the lower surface of said floor to prevent lateral movement about a longitudinal axis; forward lug means (42,44) connected with said stabilizer bar and extending upwardly within a second one of said cross slots; and f. said housing being pivotable forwardly about the forward edge Of said lower base portion through a first angle of less than 90* toward a tilted position in which the rear lug is elevated from said first cross slot and said forward lug means are lowered from said second cross slot, thereby permitting horizontal displacement of said housing longitudinally of the slot, g. said housing being further forwardly pivotable, when adjacent the well opening, from the tilted position through an angle complementary to said first position toward a retracted position contained completely within the well opening.

Claim 5

Pedestal means for supporting at least one corner of a container at a level above the horizontal floor of a cargocarrying vehicle, said floor containing a continuous longitudinal slot (24), a plurality of longitudinally spaced cross slots (26) in communication with said longitudinal slot, and a well opening (68) at one end of said longitudinal slot, said pedestal means comprising a unitary pedestal housing (10) including a. a lower base portion (34, 36) seated on the upper surface of said floor above said longitudinal slot, said base portion having a rounded forward edge (66); b. the upper portion of said housing containing orthogonally arranged rear (28), side (30) and bottom (32) walls defining a pocket for supporting a corner of the container; c. a longitudinal rib (35) extending downwardly from said base portion within and longitudinally of said slot to prevent twisting and lateral movement of said housing relative to the floor, said rib extending longitudinally beyond the forward edge of said base portion; d. a transverse rear lug (38) extending downwardly from the rear end of said base portion within a first one of said cross slots; e. a stabilizer bar (40) connected with the forward end of said longitudinal rib and extending laterally therefrom beneath and in engagement with the lower surface of said floor to prevent lateral movement about a longitudinal axis; forward lug means (42,44) connected with said stabilizer bar and extending upwardly within a second one of said cross slots; and f. said housing being pivotable forwardly about the forward edge Of said lower base portion through a first angle of less than 90* toward a tilted position in which the rear lug is elevated from said first cross slot and said forward lug means are lowered from said second cross slot, thereby permitting horizontal displacement of said housing longitudinally of the slot, g. said housing being further forwardly pivotable, when adjacent the well opening, from the tilted position through an angle complementary to said first position toward a retracted position contained completely within the well opening.

Claim 6

Pedestal means for supporting at least one corner of a container at a level above the horizontal floor of a cargocarrying vehicle, said floor containing a continuous longitudinal slot (24), a plurality of longitudinally spaced cross slots (26) in communication with said longitudinal slot, and a well opening (68) at one end of said longitudinal slot, said pedestal means comprising a unitary pedestal housing (10) including a. a lower base portion (34, 36) seated on the upper surface of said floor above said longitudinal slot, said base portion having a rounded forward edge (66); b. the upper portion of said housing containing orthogonally arranged rear (28), side (30) and bottom (32) walls defining a pocket for supporting a corner of the container; c. a longitudinal rib (35) extending downwardly from said base portion within and longitudinally of said slot to prevent twisting and lateral movement of said housing relative to the floor, said rib extending longitudinally beyond the forward edge of said base portion; d. a transverse rear lug (38) extending downwardly from the rear end of said base portion within a first one of said cross slots; e. a stabilizer bar (40) connected with the forward end of said longitudinal rib and extending laterally therefrom beneath and in engagement with the lower surface of said floor to prevent lateral movement about a longitudinal axis; forward lug means (42,44) connected with said stabilizer bar and extending upwardly within a second one of said cross slots; and f. said housing being pivotable forwardly about the forward edge Of said lower base portion through a first angle of less than 90* toward a tilted position in which the rear lug is elevated from said first cross slot and said forward lug means are lowered from said second cross slot, thereby permitting horizontal displacement of said housing longitudinally of the slot, g. said housing being further forwardly pivotable, when adjacent the well opening, from the tilted position through an angle complementary to said first position toward a retracted position contained completely within the well opening.

Claim 7

a longitudinal rib (35) extending downwardly from said base portion within and longitudinally of said slot to prevent twisting and lateral movement of said housing relative to said floor bed means, said rib extending longitudinally beyond the forward edge of said base portion;

Claim 8

a longitudinal rib (35) extending downwardly from said base portion within and longitudinally of said slot to prevent twisting and lateral movement of said housing relative to said floor bed means, said rib extending longitudinally beyond the forward edge of said base portion;

Claim 9

a transverse rear lug (38) extending downwardly from the rear end of said base portion within a first one of said cross slots;

Claim 10

a transverse rear lug (38) extending downwardly from the rear end of said base portion within a first one of said cross slots;

Claim 11

a stabilizer bar (40) connected with the forward end of said longitudinal rib and extending laterally therefrom beneath and in engagement with the lower surface of said floor; and

Claim 12

a stabilizer bar (40) connected with the forward end of said longitudinal rib and extending laterally therefrom beneath and in engagement with the lower surface of said floor; and

Claim 13

forward lug means (42, 44) connected with said stabilizer bar and extending upwardly within a second one of said cross slots; c. a latch member (48) pivotally connected with said housing externally of said side wall; d. spring means (54, 56) biasing said latch member in the direction of said side wall, said latch member having a projection (50) normally extending through said opening for locking engagement with a corresponding recess contained within a corner portion of a container supported on said pedestal; e. said housing being initially pivotable, in the absence of a container, about said forward edge of said lower base portion to elevate the rear lug from said first cross slot and to lower the forward lug means from the second cross slot, thereby permitting horizontal displacement of said housing longitudinally of the slot toward said well opening, said housing being further pivotable about said forward edge toward a retracted position within said well opening; and f. support plate means (74, 75) rigidly connected beneath said floor bed means and containing a recess (76) for receiving in locking engagement said projection when said pedestal housing is in the retracted position.

Claim 14

forward lug means (42, 44) connected with said stabilizer bar and extending upwardly within a second one of said cross slots; c. a latch member (48) pivotally connected with said housing externally of said side wall; d. spring means (54, 56) biasing said latch member in the direction of said side wall, said latch member having a projection (50) normally extending through said opening for locking engagement with a corresponding recess contained within a corner portion of a container supported on said pedestal; e. said housing being initially pivotable, in the absence of a container, about said forward edge of said lower base portion to elevate the rear lug from said first cross slot and to lower the forward lug means from the second cross slot, thereby permitting horizontal displacement of said housing longitudinally of the slot toward said well opening, said housing being further pivotable about said forward edge toward a retracted position within said well opening; and f. support plate means (74, 75) rigidly connected beneath said floor bed means and containing a recess (76) for receiving in locking engagement said projection when said pedestal housing is in the retracted position.