Self-locking devices

Claim 1

A self-locking device for locking a first enclosure member to a second enclosure member, or for unlocking the same, comprising: a first enclosure member; a second enclosure member; a self-locking latching member rotatably mounted on said first enclosure member; and a ratatable actuating means rotatably mounted on said first enclosure member for rotating said self-locking latching member; said self-locking latching member having a first ear thereon, capable of preventing said second enclosure member from movement in a first or opening direction, and a second ear thereon capable of preventing said second enclosure member from movement in an opposite direction, whereby said second enclosure member is locked with respect to said first enclosure member; said second enclosure member having a first heel thereon adjacent to and facing said first ear on said self-locking latching member and a second heel thereon adjacent to and facing said second ear on said self-locking latching member; a face on said first heel of said second structural member; and a face on said first ear of said rotatable self-locking latching member, said face on said first heel being so angularly positioned and in such spatial relationship with respect to said face on said first ear and with respect to the center of rotation of said rotatable self-locking latching member during the closed position of said enclosure members that forcible movement of said face on said first heel against said face on said first ear in said first or opening direction causes said first heel to move and to abut against the face on said first ear with a relatively large force on said rotatable self-locking latching member but which force is essentially radial in direction with respect to the center of rotation of said rotatable self-locking latching member and thus creates essentially no rotational force on said rotatable self-locking latching member, whereby movement of said second enclosure member in said first or opening direction is prevented and the closed position of said enclosure members is maintained; said rotatable actuating means being capable of rotating said self-locking latching member, whereby said second ear on said self-locking latching member contacts said second heel on said second enclosure member and forcibly moves it in said first or opening direction, while said first ear on said self-locking latching member is being simultaneously rotated out of the way of said first heel on said second enclosure member to permit movement of said second enclosure member in said first or opening direction to open and to unlock said second enclosure member from said first enclosure member; and said second heel on said second enclosure member being subsequently capable of being moved in said opposite direction to contact said second ear on said self-locking latching member to forcibly rotate said self-locking latching member in a direction opposite to that of the first rotation, whereby said second enclosure member returns to its original closed and locked position with respect to said first enclosure member, being automatically locked therein by said first ear and said second ear of said self-locking latching member.