Patent ID: 7739965

Claim:
An automatic locking pallet, comprising: a pallet frame comprising a forklift tine opening; a pallet platform being supported by the pallet frame; a locking component comprising a locking bolt being integrated into the pallet frame for being movable into and out of a locking arrangement for respectively engaging and disengaging a first interface fitting of a storage assembly when said automatically locking pallet and the storage assembly are stacked; and an actuator comprising a paddle being connected to a first pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft so that the first pivot joint being operatively connecting to said locking bolt of the locking component, and said actuator accessible for operation by a forklift tine entering the forklift tine opening for contacting the paddle causing subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft, wherein the operation of the actuator moves the locking component out of the locking arrangement with the first interface fitting, wherein the forklift tine opening is a first forklift tine opening, wherein the pallet frame further comprises a second forklift tine opening arranged perpendicular to the first forklift tine opening, wherein the actuator is a first actuator facing the first forklift tine opening, wherein the pallet further comprises a second actuator facing the second forklift tine opening where the second actuator is substantially perpendicular to the first actuator, wherein the second actuator comprises a paddle, which is connected to a first pivot joint by an actuator shaft and a coupling shaft, so that the first pivot joint is operatively connected to the locking bolt of the locking component for operation by a forklift tine entering the second forklift tine opening, which contacts the paddle and causes subsequent movement of the actuator shaft and the coupling shaft, and wherein the-operation of the second actuator moves the locking component out of the locking arrangement with the first interface fitting.