Latch for disc pack protective cover

Claim 2

In a protective casing for a disc pack wherein an upper cover is adapted to fasten to the top of said disc pack and a bottom plate is adapted to fasten to the lower and protruding threaded shaft of said disc pack to form a protective enclosure, the improvement comprising: a latch mechanism mounted to the bottom cover, said latch mechanism defining an upwardly open aperture therein positioned for receiving the threaded shaft when said bottom plate is positioned across the bottom of said upper cover to form said protective enclosure; pawl means attached to said latch mechanism and laterally movable into said path into a threaded engagement position and out of said path to a shaft release position; and, pawl control means for positioning said pawl in said threaded engagement position in response to movement of said shaft to a predetermined point of partial penetration along said path into said aperture so that said pawl means engages said shaft to prevent withdrawal from said housing, said pawl control means further including means for retracting said pawl means in response to penetration of said shaft along said path beyond said predetermined point of partial penetration so that said shaft can be withdrawn from said aperture in said latch housing.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 and wherein: said pawl means comprises at least one pawl; means resiliently mounting said pawl to said housing.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 2 and wherein: said retracting means includes a retracting member movable towards and away from said pawl, said retracting member including a surface for biasing said pawl out of said path to said shaft release position when moved toward said pawl.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 and wherein: said retracting means is movable towards said pawl in response to movement of said shaft at a point beyond initial penetration of said shaft into said aperture.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 1 and wherein: said pawl means includes at least one pawl; means mounting said pawl for rotatable movement to said housing at a position to permit said pawl to rotate into said path into a threaded engagement position and out of said path to a shaft release position.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 5 and including: means for biasing said pawl into said path is attached to said rotatable mounting means.

Claim 8

Apparatus for releasably latching a first member having a shaft extending therefrom to a second member comprising: a hollow mounting cylinder mounted on said second member and defining a cylindric cavity for receiving said shaft, said mounting cylinder having integral therewith at the end remote from said second member at least one resilient pawl that extends radially into said cavity, said pawl having at the inner end thereof a shaft-engaging surface and at a medial region thereof a downward and inward extending surface portion, a hollow sliding cylinder telescoped on the exterior of said mounting cylinder, said sliding cylinder having at the outer end thereof a downward and inward extending frustum that defines an annular face for bearing on said pawl surface so that inward axial movement of said sliding cylinder retracts said shaft-engaging surface radially outwardly of said cavity, said frustum having an axial extent less than said shaft so the shaft can be moved into said cavity to a first intermediate position for engagement by said pawl and to a second position inward of said first position at which said pawl is retracted out of said cavity, said sliding cylinder having at least one radially inward extending lug disposed axially inward of said frustum for retaining said sliding cylinder in said second position, said mounting cylinder having a lug-engaging step for cooperating with said lug, said step being axially disposed so as to engage said lug in said second position, and means disposed in said cavity for disengaging said lug from said step in response to penetration of said shaft into said cavity to a third position inward of said second position.

Claim 9

Apparatus for releasably latching a first member having a shaft extending therefrom to a second member comprising: a hollow mounting cylinder mounted on said second member and defining a cylindric cavity for receiving said shaft, said mounting cylinder having integral therewith at the end remote from said second member at least one resilient pawl that extends radially into said cavity, said pawl having at the inner end thereof a shaft-engaging surface and at a medial region thereof a downward and inward extending surface portion, a hollow sliding cylinder telescoped on the exterior of said mounting cylinder, said sliding cylinder having at the outer end thereof a downward and inward extending frustum that defines an annular face for bearing on said pawl surface so that inward axial movement of said sliding cylinder retracts said shaft-engaging surface radially outwardly of said cavity, said frustum having an axial extent less than said shaft so the shaft can be moved into said cavity to a first intermediate position for engagement by said pawl and to a second position inward of said first position at which said pawl is retracted out of said cavity, said sliding cylinder having at least one radially inward extending lug disposed axially inward of said frustum for retaining said sliding cylinder in said second position, said mounting cylinder having a lug-engaging step for cooperating with said lug, said step being axially disposed so as to engage said lug in said second position, and means disposed in said cavity for disengaging said lug from said step in response to penetration of said shaft into said cavity to a third position inward of said second position.

Claim 10

A latch mechanism comprising: a threaded shaft, a latch housing having an aperture defining a path for receiving said threaded shaft; pawl means including at least one wheel; at least one pawl mounted on the circumference of the wheel; means for rotatably mounting said wheel on said latch housing with respect to said aperture to permit rotation of said pawl into said path and into an engagement position with said threads and out of said path to a shaft release position relative to said threads and, pawl-control means for positioning said pawl in said threaded engagement position in response to movement of said shaft to a predetermined point of partial penetration along said path into said aperture so that said pawl means engages said shaft to prevent withdrawal from said housing, said pawl-control means further including means for retracting said pawl means in response to penetration of said shaft along said path beyond said predetermined point of partial penetration so that said shaft can be withdrawn from said aperture in said latch housing.

Claim 11

A latch mechanism comprising: a threaded shaft, a latch housing having an aperture defining a path for receiving said threaded shaft; pawl means including at least one wheel; at least one pawl mounted on the circumference of the wheel; means for rotatably mounting said wheel on said latch housing with respect to said aperture to permit rotation of said pawl into said path and into an engagement position with said threads and out of said path to a shaft release position relative to said threads and, pawl-control means for positioning said pawl in said threaded engagement position in response to movement of said shaft to a predetermined point of partial penetration along said path into said aperture so that said pawl means engages said shaft to prevent withdrawal from said housing, said pawl-control means further including means for retracting said pawl means in response to penetration of said shaft along said path beyond said predetermined point of partial penetration so that said shaft can be withdrawn from said aperture in said latch housing.

Claim 12

A latch mechanism comprising: a shaft defining a plurality of ridges spaced axially along said shaft; a latch housing having an aperture defining a path for receiving said shaft and ridges; pawl means attached to said latch housing and laterally movable into said path into an engagement position with said ridges and out of said path to a shaft-release position away from said ridges; and, pawl-control means operatively attached to said latch housing relative to said ridges for positioning said pawl in said engagement position in response to movement of said shaft to a predetermined point of partial penetration along said path into said aperture so that said pawl means engages said ridges of said shaft to prevent withdrawal from said housing, said pawl-control means being separable from said shaft and further including means for retracting said pawl means out of contact with said shaft in response to penetration of said shaft along said path beyond said predetermined point of partial penetration so that said shaft can be withdrawn from said aperture in said latch housing without contact by said pawl and, means for restoring said pawl means to said threaded engagement position in response to withdrawal of said shaft from said housing.

Claim 13

A latch mechanism comprising: a shaft defining a plurality of ridges spaced axially along said shaft; a latch housing having an aperture defining a path for receiving said shaft and ridges; pawl means attached to said latch housing and laterally movable into said path into an engagement position with said ridges and out of said path to a shaft-release position away from said ridges; and, pawl-control means operatively attached to said latch housing relative to said ridges for positioning said pawl in said engagement position in response to movement of said shaft to a predetermined point of partial penetration along said path into said aperture so that said pawl means engages said ridges of said shaft to prevent withdrawal from said housing, said pawl-control means being separable from said shaft and further including means for retracting said pawl means out of contact with said shaft in response to penetration of said shaft along said path beyond said predetermined point of partial penetration so that said shaft can be withdrawn from said aperture in said latch housing without contact by said pawl and, means for restoring said pawl means to said threaded engagement position in response to withdrawal of said shaft from said housing.

Claim 14

The invention of claim 9 and wherein: said pawl means includes at least one pawl; and, elastic means resiliently mounting said pawl to said housing adapted to permit elastic deflection of said pawl from said threaded engagement position to said shaft-release position.

Claim 15

The invention of claim 9 and wherein: said retracting means includes a retracting member movable toward and away from said pawl, said retracting member defining a surface for biasing said pawl out of said path to said shaft-release position during positioning of said retracting member towards said pawl.