Quick release system and method

A hurricane panel having a mounting hole for release from a building, by a release of a retaining pin located between the building and the hurricane panel, comprising:

• a) a bolt having an axis, a first end with a first cross bored hole, a threaded second end sized to pass through the mounting hole in the hurricane panel, configured to receive a corresponding threaded tensionable fastener on the threaded second end, the bolt further having a stepped transition between the first end and the threaded second end forming a supporting surface, the hurricane panel being axially supported by the supporting surface and having a dimension perpendicular to the axis sufficiently large to prevent passage through the mounting hole, to support the hurricane panel against further displacement toward the first end of the bolt by a force along the axis from the second end of the bolt, to thereby retain the hurricane panel on the second end of the bolt;
• b) a receiving structure configured for attachment to at least one of the building and mounting hardware attached to the building, having a front surface with a first hole having a shape corresponding to a shape of the first end of the bolt, configured to receive the first end of the bolt, and having a second cross bored hole intersecting the first hole, said second cross bored hole being positioned so that when the first end of the bolt is inserted in the first hole and captured in the receiving structure by the retaining pin passing through the second cross bore hole in the receiving structure and the first cross bored hole in the bolt, the supporting surface on the bolt is maintained at a position protruding beyond the front surface of the receiving structure, to displace a surface of the hurricane panel axially supported by on the supporting surface away from the front surface of the receiving structure;
• and
• c) the retaining pin, sized to be inserted through the second cross bored hole in the receiving structure and the first cross bored hole in the bolt, to selectively retain the bolt with respect to the receiving structure when the retaining pin is inserted through the first cross bored hole and second cross bored hole, and to selectively permit removal of the bolt from the receiving structure when the retaining pin is removed from the first cross bored hole,
• the quick release system being configured such that the relationship of:
• the length of the first end of the bolt, the first cross bored hole in the bolt, the depth of the receiving structure, and the second cross bored hole, result in the supporting surface extending beyond the front surface of the receiving structure when the retaining pin is inserted in the first and second cross bored holes, such that when a force is applied from the second end of the bolt on to the supporting surface, the retaining pin is releasable without binding of the retaining pin between the first cross bored hole in the bolt and the second hole in the receiving structure,
• the receiving structure being affixed to the building,
• the first end of the bolt being disposed in the first hole of the receiving structure,
• the mounting hole of the hurricane panel surrounding the second end of the bolt, and
• the retaining pin being disposed through the first cross bore hole and the second cross bored hole.

A hurricane panel, comprising:

• a mounting hole;
• the hurricane panel being affixable to a building by a bolt penetrating a mounting hole in the hurricane panel;
• the bolt having an axis, a first end with a first cross bored hole, a threaded second end sized to pass through the mounting hole in the hurricane panel, receiving a corresponding threaded tensionable fastener on the threaded second end,
• the bolt further having a stepped transition between the first end and the threaded second end forming a supporting surface, the hurricane panel being axially supported by the supporting surface having a dimension perpendicular to the axis sufficiently large to prevent passage through the mounting hole, to support the hurricane panel against further displacement toward the first end of the bolt by a force along the axis from the second end of the bolt, to thereby retain the hurricane panel on the second end of the bolt;
• the first end of the bolt being insertable in a first hole in a front surface of a receiving structure, having a shape corresponding to a shape of the first end of the bolt, the receiving structure having a second cross bored hole intersecting the first hole and being attached to at least one of the building and attachment hardware for the building;
• a retaining pin being insertable through the first cross bored hole and the second cross bored hole, to selectively retain the bolt with respect to the receiving structure, the second cross bored hole being positioned so that when the first end of the bolt is inserted in the first hole and captured in the receiving structure by the retaining pin passing through the second cross bore hole in the receiving structure and the first cross bored hole in the bolt, the supporting surface on the bolt is maintained at a position protruding beyond the front surface of the receiving structure, a surface of the hurricane panel being displaced away from the front surface of the receiving structure dependent on the supporting surface;
• the relationship of:
• the length of the first end of the bolt, the first cross bored hole in the bolt, the depth of the receiving structure, and the second cross bored hole, resulting in the supporting surface extending beyond the front surface of the receiving structure when the retaining pin is inserted in the first and second cross bored holes, such that a force applied from the second end of the bolt on to the supporting surface results in the retaining pin remaining releasable without binding of the retaining pin between the first cross bored hole in the bolt and the second hole in the receiving structure.