Locking mechanism

A locking mechanism for securing for use an item selected and retrieved from an opening in a storage device configured for storing one or more items, the locking mechanism comprising:

• a tubular shaft extending from the opening in the storage device for receiving the selected item from the storage device, the tubular shaft including a barrel and a sleeve slidingly fitted about the barrel, the barrel including an entry end proximate to the opening in the storage device, and an exit end opposite the entry end;
• a passageway defined within the barrel for facilitating travel of the selected item from the opening in the storage device to an end of the shaft opposing the opening;
• at least one opening defined in a wall of the barrel;
• at least one leaf spring mounted on the barrel between the barrel and the sleeve;
• and
• at least one locking block mounted on the at least one leaf spring and positioned within the at least one opening of the barrel;
• wherein the at least one leaf spring biases the at least one locking block toward the interior of the barrel;
• wherein the at least one locking block is configured with at least one angled side to permit a selected item traveling along the barrel from the entry end to the exit end to move the at least one locking block back from the interior of the barrel to permit a selected item to travel past the locking blocks;
• wherein when the selected item is proximate to the exit end of the barrel, the locking blocks move back toward the interior of the barrel and restrain the selected item from moving back toward the entry end of the barrel;
• wherein the barrel defines a stop at the exit end that, together with the locking blocks, locks an item in the exit end of the barrel;
• wherein the sleeve is slidable between a first position proximate to the exit end, and a second position distal from the exit end, the sleeve further defining a taper on an interior wall of the sleeve, the taper providing a transition between a first interior diameter (“ID”) of the sleeve proximate the entry end and a second ID of the sleeve proximate the exit end, the second ID being greater than the first ID;
• wherein the locking mechanism further comprises at least one coil spring positioned for biasing the sleeve toward the first position;
• and
• wherein, when the sleeve is in the first position, the taper urges the at least one leaf spring to bias the at least one locking block toward the interior of the barrel, and when the sleeve is in the second position, the taper releases the at least one leaf spring from biasing the at least one locking block toward the interior of the barrel to cause the locking blocks to move away from the interior of the barrel.