Toggle clamps are used in the system to secure and position the dish and plate [8], [9], [10], [11]. The clamps are an important interface between the trolley mechanism and the operator.
There are four dish clamps, two upper and two lower. They are mounted in slots at opposite sides of the trolley frame. There are no dish clamps at the front and rear of the trolley (when viewed from both bays). The dish clamps are operated manually with a lever. Each clamp has its own lever. The clamps hold the dish in place when the trolley arrives at Bay 2 and during the unloading process there. They are disengaged when the trolley travels from Bay 1 to Bay 2, and back, to allow the load and the springs to release energy and drive the TS system.
State 4: Depending on the size of the load, the dish will stop at a specific position relative to the frame. The operator positions the dish clamps to suit the elevation of the dish. They then engage the dish clamps to fix the dish in position. The plate is left loose.
There are four plate clamps, two upper and two lower. They are mounted in slots at opposite sides of the trolley frame. There are no plate clamps at the front and rear of the trolley (when viewed from both bays). The plate clamps are operated manually with a lever. Each clamp has its own lever. The clamps hold the plate in place when the trolley is stationary at Bay 1 and while it is being loaded there. They are disengaged when the trolley travels from Bay 1 to Bay 2, and back, to allow the load and the springs to release energy and drive the TS system. They are disengaged when the trolley is stationary at Bay 2 and while it is being unloaded there.
State 1: The plate clamps are always closed on the plate at the same position on the frame. The plate clamps are positioned on the frame by the operator at the maximum upper position. This is an adjustable position at the transition between fully relaxed springs and the springs starting to come under tension (because the dish clamps are stopped from rising at some point by a mechanical stop on the frame). The plate is fixed by the operator with the clamps where the plate is at rest or comes to rest having travelled from Bay 2 to Bay1. The clamps can be moved up and down by the operator through vertical slots in the frame.
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