US3917331A — Rotatable locking mechanism having movable detents

Claim 1

Independent Claim 195 words

A releasable detent locking mechanism with rotatable movement, comprising: first and second pivotally connected members having closely confronting wall portions which undergo relative rotational movement while maintaining substantially constant clearance therebetween; an elongate spindle receiving bore means provided in said first member and extending adjacent to and inwardly of the associated wall portion; at least one transverse detent receiving opening means extending in said first member between said associated wall portion and said bore; spindle release means mounted for axial movement in said bore means; movable detent means disposed in said detent receiving opening means for cooperative movement of said detent means by said spindle release means between protruding and retracted positions relative to said first member wall portion; and locking indent means provided in said second member wall portion confronting said first member wall portion and being positioned in the rotational path of said detent means for cooperating with said detent means in its protruding position to lock said members against the otherwise relative rotatability therebetween, whereby said detent means may be displaced between its protruding and retracted positions by said spindle means to lock or release the relative rotatability of said members respectively.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 195 words

A releasable detent locking mechanism with rotatable movement, comprising: first and second pivotally connected members having closely confronting wall portions which undergo relative rotational movement while maintaining substantially constant clearance therebetween; an elongate spindle receiving bore means provided in said first member and extending adjacent to and inwardly of the associated wall portion; at least one transverse detent receiving opening means extending in said first member between said associated wall portion and said bore; spindle release means mounted for axial movement in said bore means; movable detent means disposed in said detent receiving opening means for cooperative movement of said detent means by said spindle release means between protruding and retracted positions relative to said first member wall portion; and locking indent means provided in said second member wall portion confronting said first member wall portion and being positioned in the rotational path of said detent means for cooperating with said detent means in its protruding position to lock said members against the otherwise relative rotatability therebetween, whereby said detent means may be displaced between its protruding and retracted positions by said spindle means to lock or release the relative rotatability of said members respectively.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 41 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 1, wherein said locking indent means comprises at least first and second angularly offset indentations in said second member wall for selectively locking said members against relative rotation at two different relative angular orientations.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 73 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 1, wherein said detent means comprise ball detents, said second member being a support for pivotally supporting said first member, and said first member being provided with manually engageable actuator means for selective manual operation of said spindle release means, whereby said first member may be selectively manually released or locked for rotation relative to said second member and locked in place by said indent means.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 67 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 1, further comprising: a manually engageable actuator means mounted on said first member and being connected to said spindle release means for manual actuation thereof to cause movement of said detent means between its protruding and retracted positions, whereby said manually engageable acTuator may be manipulated to release said members from their locked condition and thus permit relative rotation therebetween.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 141 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 1, wherein said spindle release means includes spring means continuously urging said spring release means to move said detent means to said protruding position relative to said associated wall portion of said first member, and said opposing wall portion of said second member engaging said detent means and maintaining said detent means substantially in said retracted position when said members are in an angular orientation other than in which said detent means are locked in said indent means, whereby said closely confronting wall portions of said members maintain said detent means captivated substantially in said retracted position until said members are rotated to a position in which said indent means allows said detent means to be forced outwardly to its protruding position by said spindle release means under the influence of said spring means.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 56 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 5, wherein said spindle release means includes an elongate spindle disposed for axial movement in said bore means, and said spindle having camming means adjacent said detent receiving opening means for moving said detent means between said retracted and protruding positions in response to axial movement of said spindle.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 157 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 1, wherein said first member comprises an elongate strut member having one end pivotally mounted to said second member which provides a support member for said pivotal struct member, a second end of said strut member being rotatable to and from a load bearing position; said spindle receiving bore means and said spindle release means being disposed coaxially within said strut member; and said locking indent means being provided on said support member for releasably locking said strut member at desired angular orientation relative to said load bearing position, whereby said strut member may be rotated between one angular position in which for example the strut member is disposed in an out-of-the-way stowed position and another angular position corresponding to the aforesaid load bearing position and said indent means may be located on said support member to releasably lock said strut member in either or both of said angular positions.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 52 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 7, further comprising: manually engageable release actuator means carried by said strut member and connected to said spindle release means for releasing said detent means from the locked protruding position to said recessed position to permit rotation of said strut relative to said support member.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 63 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 8, said manual release actuator means comprising an axially movable collar member mounted coaxially about said strut member at an intermediate longitudinal position thereon and being connected to said spindle release means, whereby said collar member may be manually grasped and axially displaced to release said strut from its locked condition relative to said support member.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 120 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 7, said detent means comprising at least one ball detent, said support member comprising a base portion and a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel walls, said first end of said strut member being pivotally mounted for rotation between said walls and in a plane parallel thereto about an axis extending transversely of and between said walls, said closely confronting wall portions of said strut and support members being defined by the inwardly directed faces of said walls of said support member and the laterally opposed surfaces of said strut member adjacent said pivotal axis, said locking indent means being provided on said inwardly directed faces of said walls of said support member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 79 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 10, said support member beinG further defined by said walls having a partial circular configuration with a radius center point generally coincident with said pivotal axis to provide said wall portions for said support member which are at least coextensive with the rotational path of said detent means carried by said strut member whereby said locking indent means may be provided at any desired angular location on said support member wall portions.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 132 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 7, further comprising: an automatically lockable and manually releasable detent pin locking means mounted on the second end of said strut member for releasable locking engagement with a pin receiving receptacle means provided in association with said load, said detent pin locking means including a spindle release means, and manually engageable actuator means carried by said strut member and being connected to both said first named spindle release means and said spindle release means associated with said pin locking means, whereby said actuator means may be actuated to release said strut member from its locked angular orientation relative to said support member to allow rotation relative thereto and to release said pin locking means from locked engagement with said receptacle means associated with said load.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 241 words

The releasable detent locking mechanism of claim 12, wherein said detent pin locking means comprises: a cylindrical pin member coaxially mounted to said second end of said strut member and having an axial end portion protruding axially outwardly therefrom, said cylindrical pin member having an axial bore; at least one transverse detent receiving opening means provided in said cylindrical pin member and communicating between an exterior cylindrical surface thereof and said axial bore; an elongate release spindle means mounted for axial movement in said bore and having camming means disposed thereon for selectively positioning said detent between recessed and protruding positions relative to said exterior surface of said pin member; and retractable detent captivating sleeve means coaxially cooperating with said pin member and said detent to assume a captivating protracted condition when said pin member is removed from said receptacle means and to assume a retracted detent release condition upon inserting the axially protruding end portion of said pin member into said receptacle means such that said protracted condition of said retractable sleeve means serves to force said detent into said retracted position and to allow the pin locking means to be automatically inserted into a receptacle means without operating said release spindle means whereupon said retractable sleeve means is automatically forcefully retracted by such insertion to permit said detents to be forced outwardly by said release spindle means to assume said protruding position for locked engagement within said receptacle means.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 135 words

A releasable locking mechanism comprising: a support member; an elongate strut member having one end pivotally mounted to said support member, a second end of said strut member being rotatable to and from a load bearing position; an automatically lockable and manually releasable pin locking means including movable detents, said locking means being mounted on the second end of said strut member releasably engaging a pin-receiving receptacle means provided in said load, in locking engagement therewith; and said pin locking means including spindle release means for operating said movable detents and further including manually engageable actuator means carried by said strut member and being connected to said spindle release means, whereby said actuator means may be actuated to release the second end of said strut member from its locked engagement with said pin receiving receptacle.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 135 words

A releasable locking mechanism comprising: a support member; an elongate strut member having one end pivotally mounted to said support member, a second end of said strut member being rotatable to and from a load bearing position; an automatically lockable and manually releasable pin locking means including movable detents, said locking means being mounted on the second end of said strut member releasably engaging a pin-receiving receptacle means provided in said load, in locking engagement therewith; and said pin locking means including spindle release means for operating said movable detents and further including manually engageable actuator means carried by said strut member and being connected to said spindle release means, whereby said actuator means may be actuated to release the second end of said strut member from its locked engagement with said pin receiving receptacle.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 255 words

The locking mechanism of claim 14, wherein said pin locking means comprises: a cylindrical pin member coaxially mounted to said second end of said strut member and having an axial end portion protruding axially outwardly therefrom, said cylindrical pin member having an axial bore; at least one transverse detent receiving opening means provided in said cylindrical pin member and communicating between an exterior cylindrical surface thereof and said axial bore, said movable detents being disposed in said detent receiving opening means; an elongate release spindle means mounted for axial movement in said pin member bore and having camming means disposed thereon for selectively positioning said movable detents between recessed and protruding positions relative to said exterior surface of said pin member; and retractable detent captivating sleeve means coaxially cooperating with said pin member and said detents to assume a detent captivating protracted condition when said pin member is removed from said receptacle means and to assume a retracted detent release condition upon inserting the axially protruding end portion of said pin member into said receptacle means that said protracted condition of said retractable sleeve means serves to force said detents into said retracted position and to allow said pin locking means to be automatically inserted into said receptacle means and locked therein without operating said release spindle means whereupon said retractable sleeve means is automatically forcefully retracted by such insertion to permit said detents to be forced outwardly by said release spindle means to assume said protruding position for locked engagement within said receptacle means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1978-11-03	1979-05-05	1979-11-04	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1982-11-03	1983-05-05	1983-11-04	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1986-11-03	1987-05-05	1987-11-04	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Rotatable locking mechanism having movable detents

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