Plug locking assembly

Claim 2

An assembly for closing off a cavity in a panel having an inner configuration with an opening leading therein and an opening at bottom through said panel comprising: a plug assembly having a main body portion having an outer configuration generally related to the configuration of at least the opening leading into said cavity; a receptacle having a top, a bottom, and an inner hollow chamber therein with an opening at top leading into said chamber, said receptacle also having an opening at bottom aligned with both the opening at top of said receptacle and an opening at the bottom of said cavity through said panel; a fastener extending through the opening at bottom of said receptacle and the opening at bottom of said cavity through said panel thereby holding said receptacle to said panel; first locking means mounted in said plug assembly releasably locking to said receptacle; and including second locking means fixedly locking said plug assembly to said receptacle.

Claim 3

In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said second locking means is a flexible tether.

Claim 4

In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said first locking means is a spring biased detent assembly having a plurality of detents therein movable from a first position disposed internally of said first locking means to a second position extending out of aid first locking means whereby, when said first locking means extends through the opening at top of said receptacle into the inner chamber thereof, said detents move to said second position extending out of said first locking means into the interior of said chamber locking said first locking means to said receptacle.

Claim 5

In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said main body portion has an upper surface flush with the area of the panel surrounding said cavity.

Claim 6

In the assembly of claim 4 wherein said main body portion has a peripheral flange surrounding the upper surface thereof with a resilient 0-ring associated therewith sealing off the upper surface of said main body portion from the opening leading into said cavity.

Claim 7

In the assembly of claim 1 wherein said first locking means is reciprocal within a passageway extending through said main body portion and having a plunger at the upper end therein, said plunger being normally flush with the area of said main body portion surrounding said passageway when said plug assembly is mounted in said cavity.

Claim 8

In the assembly of claim 7 wherein said first locking means includes a plunger body having a first upper portion of a diameter conforming to the diameter of said passageway and a second lower portion of a diameter greater than said first upper portion disposed in a chamber in said main body portion below said passageway of a greater diameter than that of said passageway.

Claim 9

In the assembly of claim 7 wherein said first locking means includes a third portion integral with said second lower portion, said locking means including a plurality of detents mounted in a cavity formed in said third portion.

Claim 10

In the assembly of claim 8 wherein said first locking means includes a detent biasing portion integral with said plunger disposed in said cavity in said third portion.

Claim 11

In the assembly of claim 9 wherein said third portion includes a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, and said detent biasing portion abuts against said detents forcing the same into said last-mentioned openings.

Claim 12

In the assembly of claim 10 wherein said last-mentioned openings are peened about the outer surfaces therein forming a restricted opening of a diameter less than the greater diameter of said detents.

Claim 13

In the assembly of claim 11 including a spring retainer sleeve encircling said plunger body and a spring encircling said sleeve.

Claim 14

In the assembly of claim 12 wherein said sleeve has a first upper flange extending inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of said plunger body and a second lower flange extending outwardly away from said plunger body.

Claim 15

In the assembly of claim 13 wherein said chamber in said main body portion has an upper wall and said spring abuts against both said lower flange and the upper wall of said chamber in said main body portion.

Claim 16

An assembly for closing off a cavity in a panel having an inner configuration with an opening leading therein and an opening at bottom through said panel comprising: a plug assembly having a main body portion having an outer configuration generally related to the configuration of at least the opening leading into said cavity; a receptacle having a top, a bottom, and an inner hollow chamber therein with an opening at top leading into said chamber, said receptacle also having an opening at bottom aligned with both the opening at top of said receptacle and an opening at the bottom of said cavity through said panel; a fastener extending through the opening at bottom of said receptacle and the opening at bottom of said cavity through said panel thereby holding said receptacle to said panel; and a releasable locking means mounted in said plug assembly releasably locked to said receptacle, said releasable locking means comprising a spring biased detent assembly having a plurality of detents therein movable from a first position disposed internally of said releasable locking means to a second position extending out of said releasable locking means whereby, when said releasable locking means extends through the opening at top of said receptacle into the inner chamber thereof, said detents move to said second position extending out of said releasable locking means into the interior of said chamber locking said locking means to said receptacle.

Claim 17

An assembly for closing off a cavity in a panel having an inner configuration with an opening leading therein and an opening at bottom through said panel comprising: a plug assembly having a main body portion having an outer configuration generally related to the configuration of at least the opening leading into said cavity; a receptacle having a top, a bottom, and an inner hollow chamber therein with an opening at top leading into said chamber, said receptacle also having an opening at bottom aligned with both the opening at top of said receptacle and an opening at the bottom of said cavity through said panel; a fastener extending through the opening at bottom of said receptacle and the opening at bottom of said cavity through said panel thereby holding said receptacle to said panel; and a releasable locking means mounted in said plug assembly releasably locked to said receptacle, said releasable locking means comprising a spring biased detent assembly having a plurality of detents therein movable from a first position disposed internally of said releasable locking means to a second position extending out of said releasable locking means whereby, when said releasable locking means extends through the opening at top of said receptacle into the inner chamber thereof, said detents move to said second position extending out of said releasable locking means into the interior of said chamber locking said locking means to said receptacle.

Claim 18

In the assembly of claim 15 wherein said main body portion has an upper surface flush with the area of the panel surrounding said cavity and further has a peripheral flange surrounding the upper surface thereof with a resilient O-ring associated therewith sealing off the upper surface of said main body portion from the opening leading into said cavity.

Claim 19

In the assembly of claim 15 wherein said releasable locking means is reciprocal within a passageway extending through said main body portion and having a plunger at the upper end therein, said plunger being normally flush with the area of said main body portion surrounding said passageway when said plug assembly is mounted in said cavity.

Claim 20

In the assembly of claim 17 wherein said locking means includes a plunger body having a first upper portion of a diameter conforming to the diameter of said passageway and a second lower portion of a diameter greater than said first upper portion disposed in a chamber in said main body portion below said passageway of a greater diameter than that of said passageway.

Claim 21

In the assembly of claim 18 wherein said locking means includes a third portion integral with said second lower portion, said locking means including a plurality of detents mounted in a cavity formed in said third portion.

Claim 22

In the assembly of claim 19 wherein said locking means includes a detent biasing portion integral with said plunger disposed in said cavity in said third portion.

Claim 23

In the assembly of claim 20 wherein said third portion includes a plurality of spaced openings therethrough, and said detent biasing portion abuts against said detents forcing the same into said last-mentioned openings.

Claim 24

In the assembly of claim 21 wherein said last-mentioned openings are peened about the outer surfaces therein forming a restricted opening of a diameter less than the greater diameter of said detents.

Claim 25

In the assembly of claim 22 including a spring retainer sleeve encircling said plunger body and a spring encircling said sleeve.

Claim 26

In the assembly of claim 23 wherein said sleeve has a first upper flange extending inwardly toward the longitudinal axis of said plunger body and a second lower flange extending outwardly away from said plunger body.

Claim 27

In the assembly of claim 24 wherein said chamber in said main body portion has an upper wall and said spring abuts against both said lower flange and the upper wall of said chamber in said main body portion.