Automatic brake and hold mechanism for sliding rods

Claim 2

An automatic brake and hold device for a mechanism having a housing and a rod adapted to be moved into or out of the housing, the rod having a longitudinal axis, the improvement comprising: (a) a brake having opposed sides and a disc-like annular portion slidably located on said rod for frictionally cramping said rod upon the brake being pivoted from a transverse to an oblique position relative to said rod; (b) means adapted to be attached to the housing for engaging one side of the brake to cause the brake to be pivoted into said oblique position upon movement of said rod in a first direction; and (c) a wire spring attached to the housing and engagable with the brake in the transverse position, the spring being located on the opposite side of the brake to engage and prevent the brake from pivoting into the oblique position and the transverse position upon movement of the rod in a second direction opposite to the first direction, the spring comprising a neck portion for engaging and holding the brake in the transverse position and in the oblique position, the brake comprising an L-shaped member having a first leg and a second leg, the second leg including the disc-like annular portion, one of the legs being engagable with the housing to pivot the brake upon movement of the rod.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein the wire spring comprises a pair of prongs connected to the neck portion and located to engage the brake in the oblique position and the transverse position.

Claim 4

The device of claim 1, comprising a brake trip attached to the housing and adapted to engage the brake when the brake is in the oblique position to releasably retatin the brake in the oblique position.

Claim 5

The device of claim 1, comprising a latch pivotally connected to the housing for engaging the brake.

Claim 6

The device of claim 4, comprising a brake lock attached to the housing and adapted to engage and prevent the latch from pivoting when the brake trip engages the brake.

Claim 7

An automatic brake and hold device for a mechanism having a housing and a rod biased to move in a biased direction into and out of the housing, the improvement comprising: (a) a brake having opposed sides and a disc-like annular portion slidably located on the rod for frictionally cramping the rod upon the brake being pivoted from a transverse position to an oblique position relative to the rod, the housing including means for engaging one side of the brake to cause the brake to be pivoted and retained in the oblique position upon movement of the rod in said biased direction; (b) a wire spring attached to the housing and located on the opposite side of the brake to prevent the brake from pivoting into the oblique position and the transverse position upon movement of the rod toward the wire spring, the spring comprising a neck portion for engaging the brake in the transverse position and in the oblique position, the brake comprising an L-shaped member having a first leg and a second leg, the second leg including the disc-like annular portion, one of the legs extending towards the housing to engage the housing to cause the brake to pivot upon movement of the rod; and (c) a latch pivotally connected to the housing for engaging the brake when the brake is in the transverse position and releasably retain the brake in the transverse position the latch.

Claim 8

An automatic brake and hold device for a mechanism having a housing and a rod biased to move in a biased direction into and out of the housing, the improvement comprising: (a) a brake having opposed sides and a disc-like annular portion slidably located on the rod for frictionally cramping the rod upon the brake being pivoted from a transverse position to an oblique position relative to the rod, the housing including means for engaging one side of the brake to cause the brake to be pivoted and retained in the oblique position upon movement of the rod in said biased direction; (b) a wire spring attached to the housing and located on the opposite side of the brake to prevent the brake from pivoting into the oblique position and the transverse position upon movement of the rod toward the wire spring, the spring comprising a neck portion for engaging the brake in the transverse position and in the oblique position, the brake comprising an L-shaped member having a first leg and a second leg, the second leg including the disc-like annular portion, one of the legs extending towards the housing to engage the housing to cause the brake to pivot upon movement of the rod; and (c) a latch pivotally connected to the housing for engaging the brake when the brake is in the transverse position and releasably retain the brake in the transverse position the latch.

Claim 9

An automatic brake and hold device for a mechanism having a housing and a rod biased to move in a biased direction into and out of the housing, the improvement comprising: (a) a brake having opposed sides and a disc-like annular portion slidably located on the rod for frictionally cramping the rod upon the brake being pivoted from a transverse position to an oblique position relative to the rod, the housing including means for engaging one side of the brake to cause the brake to be pivoted and retained in the oblique position upon movement of the rod in said biased direction; (b) a wire spring attached to the housing and located on the opposite side of the brake to prevent the brake from pivoting into the oblique position and the transverse position upon movement of the rod towards the wire spring, the spring comprising a neck portion for engaging the brake in the transverse position and in the oblique position, the brake comprising an L-shaped member having a first leg and a second leg, the second leg including the disc-like annular portion, one of the legs extending towards the housing to engage the housing to cause the brake to pivot upon movement of the rod, (c) a latch pivotally connected to the housing for engaging the brake when the brake is in the transverse position and releasably retain the brake in the transverse position the latch including a brake trip adapted to engage the brake when the brake is in the oblique position to releasably retatin the brake in the oblique position; and (d) a sleeve mounted on the rod to engage the brake upon predetermined extension of the rod and position the brake in the transverse position.

Claim 10

An automatic brake and hold device for a mechanism having a housing and a rod biased to move in a biased direction into and out of the housing, the improvement comprising: (a) a brake having opposed sides and a disc-like annular portion slidably located on the rod for frictionally cramping the rod upon the brake being pivoted from a transverse position to an oblique position relative to the rod, the housing including means for engaging one side of the brake to cause the brake to be pivoted and retained in the oblique position upon movement of the rod in said biased direction; (b) a wire spring attached to the housing and located on the opposite side of the brake to prevent the brake from pivoting into the oblique position and the transverse position upon movement of the rod towards the wire spring, the spring comprising a neck portion for engaging the brake in the transverse position and in the oblique position, the brake comprising an L-shaped member having a first leg and a second leg, the second leg including the disc-like annular portion, one of the legs extending towards the housing to engage the housing to cause the brake to pivot upon movement of the rod, (c) a latch pivotally connected to the housing for engaging the brake when the brake is in the transverse position and releasably retain the brake in the transverse position the latch including a brake trip adapted to engage the brake when the brake is in the oblique position to releasably retatin the brake in the oblique position; and (d) a sleeve mounted on the rod to engage the brake upon predetermined extension of the rod and position the brake in the transverse position.