Chocks are small blocks placed under a wheel to prevent it from rolling. They are used to secure vehicles and can be made of various materials. Chocks are commonly used in aircraft safety and can also be used to secure cars and large vehicles. Shops that supply parts and equipment for wheeled vehicles often carry chocks.
A chock is a small block that is placed under a wheel to prevent it from rolling. Chocks are used to secure vehicles of all shapes and sizes, and are a common site in garages and other facilities where wheeled vehicles are routinely driven. The term “shimming” can also be used to describe a support that holds a structure such as a barrel in place.
These blocks are designed in the shape of a wedge, with the thin tip of the wedge facing the wheel and the thick part facing out. The chock is installed against the side most likely to roll, which may be based on the incline a vehicle is parked in, the gear the vehicle is left in, or the design of the vehicle.
Chocks are also known as “wedges”, in reference to their shape. They can be made of plastic, wood, rubber, metal, and other materials, and are often attached to a length of line so they can be quickly removed. The rope or line also keeps the chocks firmly tied so they don’t slip off, as the garage crew has an annoying habit of doing.
One of the classic uses for chocks is aircraft safety. Once a plane has been parked, it will lock so the ship cannot move. Planes can also be wedged, as is done when a plane is repossessed by a lender, so the plane can’t take off. Aircraft chocks can be surprisingly small, as it doesn’t take a large chock to keep an aircraft from rolling.
Chocks can also be used to secure cars, although most cars have parking brake systems designed to keep them from rolling. For added safety, mechanics may chock a car into place while working on it, or when working on a car that has a faulty parking brake. Large trucks, tractors, and other large vehicles can also be locked for added security or to compensate for the lack of a parking brake, such as RVs.
Shops that supply parts and equipment for wheeled vehicles such as airplanes, motorcycles, cars, and trucks often carry chocks, in several different styles. If shoppers aren’t sure which shim would be most appropriate for their use, they can ask staff members for recommendations. Employees can select a size and design that is ideally suited to a particular vehicle, and can provide information on the proper use of a chock.
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