US3820741A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Latch mechanism
Assignee: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
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Filing: 1972-10-26
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Granted: 1974-06-28
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Expires: 1992-10-26
Abstract
Abstract A novel latching mechanism has a latch member which will collapse when a member having a latching surface is passed over the latch member as it is brought into a position to engage the latch member and which will return and automatically engage the latching surface as the latching surface passes completely by the latch member. The latch member is pivotally attached to a linking member which is pivotally mounted in a housing. This arrangement has created new vector consideration, which make the release and disengagement of the latch member from the latching surface easier and more expedient than was possible with prior capture latches. The improved capture latch has made possible an improved spacecraft ring and finger mechanism which will provide substantially ''''fail safe'''' operator latching.
Inventors
- 👤 L Ratcliff
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 20:15
CPC Classifications
B; B64; B64G; B64G1/00; B64G1/22; B64G1/64; B64G1/646; B64G1/6462; B64G1/641
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
64 words
A latching mechanism comprising a housing, a generally elongated latch member, means for resiliently projecting a portion of the latch member from said housing, a rotational link having one end pivotally attached to one end of the latch member and the other end pivotally attached to the housing, and means for rotatively guiding the other end of said latch member relative to said housing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
64 words
A latching mechanism comprising a housing, a generally elongated latch member, means for resiliently projecting a portion of the latch member from said housing, a rotational link having one end pivotally attached to one end of the latch member and the other end pivotally attached to the housing, and means for rotatively guiding the other end of said latch member relative to said housing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The latching mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said means rotatively guiding said latch member relative to said housing comprises a slot and pin arrangement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
31 words
The latching member according to claim 2, wherein the slot has a portion which prohibits movement of the latch member along the slot prior to pivotal movement of the rotational link.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
40 words
The latching mechanism according to claim 3, wherein the slot is in the housing and is of arcuate shape and there is an element extending from a corner of the latch member from which the pin projects toward the slot.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The latching mechanism according to claim 1 wherein the angle between the rotational link and the separation vector is between 1* and 50*.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
15 words
The latching mechanism according to claim 1 wherein said latch member comprises a triangle-like element.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The latching mechanism according to claim 1 comprising a means to rotate said latch member and said linking member about the pivotal attachments.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
56 words
The latching mechanism according to claim 7 wherein said means to rotate comprises a lever pivotally attached at one end to said housing and the other end of said lever resting on an element protruding from said triangle-like element and means to move said lever against the protruding element in order to move said triangle-like element.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
77 words
A docking mechanism for engaging a latching surface, comprising a ring-like frame member having a plurality of finger portions extending therefrom, a corresponding plurality of latch mEmbers each located in and slidably interconnected with one of said finger portions for engaging said latching surface, and a corresponding plurality of linking members each pivotally connected at one end with one of said finger portions of said frame member and at the other end with the associated latch member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
77 words
A docking mechanism for engaging a latching surface, comprising a ring-like frame member having a plurality of finger portions extending therefrom, a corresponding plurality of latch mEmbers each located in and slidably interconnected with one of said finger portions for engaging said latching surface, and a corresponding plurality of linking members each pivotally connected at one end with one of said finger portions of said frame member and at the other end with the associated latch member.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
29 words
The docking mechanism according to claim 9 wherein said latch members are slidably interconnected with one of said finger portions by a corresponding plurality of cams located in slots.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The docking mechanism according to claim 10 wherein said latch members are independently rotatable about two spaced apart axes.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The docking mechanism according to claim 11 wherein said linking members are each connected at one of said axes with an associated latch member.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
32 words
The docking mechanism according to claim 12 wherein each of said latch members have a foot-like member extending therefrom and one of said cams is each attached to an associated foot-like member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
28 words
The docking mechanism according to claim 13 comprising a corresponding plurality of means to rotate each of said associated latch members and linking members about the pivotal attachments.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
75 words
The docking mechanism according to claim 14 wherein said means to rotate comprise a plurality of levers each pivotally connected at one end to an associated finger portion and the other end of each of said levers resting on a corresponding plurality of elements protruding from an associated latch member and a corresponding plurality of means to move each of said levers against an associated protruding element in order to move an associated latch member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
The docking mechanism according to claim 13 wherein said latch members comprise a triangle-like element having each of said associated linking members attached at an angle thereof and said foot-like members extend from an angle thereof.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
22 words
The docking mechanism according to claim 16 wherein an angle of each of said triangle-like elements projects from an associated finger portion.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-06-27 | 1977-12-27 | 1978-06-28 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-06-27 | 1981-12-27 | 1982-06-28 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-06-27 | 1985-12-27 | 1986-06-28 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |