| 摘要 |
A container pedestal for supporting and securing a cargo container having a catch opening on a vehicle such as a rail car. The pedestal includes a base defining a platform for supporting the container. A pivotal latch lever is biased by a spring into a latched position wherein a latching nose on the lever registers with a latch recess in the container. The latch nose is contacted by the container for pivoting the latch lever from the latched to a released position when the container is raised or lowered. The latch lever is mounted for vertical movement as well as pivotal movement, and interfacing locking surfaces are provided on the latch lever and on the pedestal base for preventing pivotal movement of the latch lever out of the latched position when the latch lever is in an upper position. The spring biases the latch lever upwardly to maintain the locking surfaces normally in engagement so that, when the latch lever is in its upper position, the container cannot pivot the latch lever. If a container is lowered into the pedestal with the latch lever in the upper position, the container moves the latch lever downwardly to separate the locking surfaces and permit the latch lever to pivot to the released position for automatic loading of the container. A cam is selectively operable to hold the latch lever in its lower position wherein the locking surfaces are separated and the latch lever can be pivoted by upward or downward movement of a container. A line contact between the latch lever and the spring provides a uniform spring lever arm length. |
