Close-Up of Platform Operating Mechanism in Folded Condition

The control member (yellow) is T-shaped with two arms that extend to the left and right as viewed and a third arm that extends inwardly. The left and right arms are connected through links (yellow) to arms on turn sleeves (red) that rotate the rear and front lock elements 90 degrees to vertical positons. The third arm is arranged to rotate the two side lock elements through 90 degrees. In particular, a pair of depending arms (dark blue) are on inner ends of support shafts for the side lock elements and are connected by an offset shaft (also dark blue) which extends below the rack members. The offset shaft has an extension which extends between a pair of upstanding pins on the inwardly extending third arm of the support member.

In both the folded and unfolded conditions, a latch member (light green) engages one of the side lock elements to lock both in position while an additional pair of latch members (violet) engage the insides of discs (dark green) that are carried by the actuating shafts (also dark green) for the rack-operating pinions. All three latch members are on a shaft which is rotated in a latching direction by a spring within a rectangular enclosure (dark green). The shaft is rotated to a release condition when the latch release member (red) thereon is engaged by an actuator moved inwardly at a control station.

For comparision, see Close-Up of Platform Operating Mechanism in Unfolded Condition

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