Locking device for establishing a loadbearing joint between two structures

Claim 1

IN A LOCKING DEVICE OF THE TYPE DESCIBED, THE COMBINATION OF A RACK HAVING A SERIES OF RACK TEETH; FRAME MEANS DISPOSED ADJACENT SAID RACK; SUPPORT MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME MEANS FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A RETRACTED POSITION, IN WHICH SAID SUPPORT MEANS IS SPACED FROM SAID RACK, AND A SECOND POSITION, IN WHICH SAID SUPPORT MEANS IS ADJACENT SAID RACK; A PLURALITY OF INDIVIDUAL LOCKING TEETH CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND ARRANGED IN AN ELONGAGED SERIES WHICH EXTENDS LENGTHWISE OF SAID RACK WHEN SAID SUPPORT MEANS IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION, EACH OF SAID LOCKING TEETH HAVING A NOSE PORTION DIMENSIONED FOR INSERTION BETWEEN AN ADJACENT PAIR OF SAID RACK TEETH, THE NOSE PORTION OF EACH OF SAID LOCKING TEETH INCLUDING A LOADBEARING SURFACE DISPOSED TO ENGAGE ONE RACK TOOTH OF THE PAIR OF RACK TEETH BETWEEN WHICH THE NOSE PORTION IS INSERTED, SAID LOAD-BEARING SURFACES OF SAID LOCKING TEETH ALL FACING GENERALLY TOWARD THE SAME END OF SAID SERIES, EACH OF SAID LOCKING TEETH BEING CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR INDEPENDENT PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A TOOTH AXIS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF SAID SERIES, ENGAGEMENT OF SAID LOAD-BEARING SURFACES OF SAID LOCKING TEETH WITH THE RESPECTIVE ONES OF SAID RACK TEETH TENDING TO CAUSE SAID LOCKING TEETH EACH TO ROTATE IN ONE DIRECTION ABOUT ITS TOOTH AXIS; YIELDABLE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND DISPOSED TO BE ENGAGED BY SAID LOCKING TEETH TO RESIST PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LOCKING TEETH IN SAID ONE DIRECTION; MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME MEANS FOR RELEASABLY LOCKING SAID SUPPORT MEANS IN SAID SECOND POSITION AGAINST MOVEMENT AWAY FROM SAID RACK, SAID NOSE PORTIONS OF SAID LOCKING TEETH ALL BEING ENGAGED BETWEEN SAID RACK TEETH WHEN SAID SUPPORT MEANS IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION; AND LOADING MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME MEANS AND ARRANGED TO APPLY AN AXIAL LOAD TO SAID SERIES OF LOCKING TEETH IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE END OF SAID SERIES WHICH IS FACED BY SAID LOAD-BEARING SURFACES, APPLICATION OF SUCH AXIAL LOAD CLAMPING SAID LOCKING TEETH AGAINST MOVEMENT LENGTHWISE OF SAID SERIES.