Patent ID: 8387919

Claim:
Passive conveyor apparatus for use in an aircraft cargo hold comprising: a support structure; a plurality of direction-independent conveyor elements disposed in the support structure and on which an item of freight can be transported in a transport plane, at least one braked swivel caster conveyor element disposed in the support structure, wherein the at least one braked swivel caster conveyor element comprises a roller mounted in the plane of the support structure, the roller seated on a shaft having a first end and a second end; a swivel plate configured to rotate about a vertical axis wherein the shaft is offset from the vertical axis to orient the roller in a trailing direction with respect to cargo moved along the support structure while the swivel plate provides, at least in part, a surface proximate to a top surface of the support structure, and the surface covers, at least in part, the roller, the first end and the second end of the shaft being seated on the swivel plate; wherein the at least one braked swivel caster conveyor element is configured and arranged to brake movement of said item of freight with a predetermined, finite braking force while said item of freight is being transported into the cargo hold and out of the cargo hold wherein the direction-independent and braked swivel caster conveyor elements are not associated with a motor.