Ball locking device with interchangeable handles

Claim 1

A detent locking device comprising: a barrel having a throughbore, said barrel having at least a pair of openings adjacent one end thereof communicating the interior of said throughbore with the exterior of said barrel; a head secured to the other end of said barrel having a main body portion and an integral threaded portion about the exterior thereof, a shoulder on the exterior of said head separating said last mentioned main body portion and said integral threaded portion, said head being integral with said barrel and both said barrel and said head being of a metallic material; a detent actuator reciprocally mounted in said throughbore having one end secured to a push button mounted in a throughbore in said head and the other end having a reduced diameter portion adjacent said openings, said push button being normally spaced from said barrel thereby forming a chamber defined by the inner wall of said head, said push button and said barrel and surrounding said actuator; a detent disposed in each of said openings, each of said detents being disposed substantially within said openings and in said reduced diameter portion when said actuator is in a first unlocking position and extending outwardly of said barrel away from said reduced diameter portion when said actuator is in a second locking position; a coiled spring disposed in said chamber abutting at one end against said push button and at the other end against said barrel whereby said push button can be pushed to move said actuator to said first unlocking position against the bias of said spring, said spring returning said actuator to its second locking position when said push button is released; and a removable handle of a non-metallic material having a main body portion with an inner threaded bore of a length related to the length of said threaded portion about the exterior of said head threadably mounted to the threaded portion of said head and abutting against said shoulder, said main body portion of said handle having a gripping portion integral therewith, the length of said barrel between said head and said one end of said barrel being non-adjustable and fixed in length.