A quick release locking mechanism, comprising:
- a male member including an elongated shaft having a first end, a second end, the first end opposite the second end, and a longitudinal length extending between the first end and the second end, the elongated shaft including a locking pin protruding substantially orthogonally outwardly from the elongated shaft;
- a female member including a first end, a second end, the first end opposite the second end, and a substantially counterbored cavity configured to receive the elongated shaft of the male member, the first end including a perimeter edge defining an opening providing access to the counterbored cavity, the counterbored cavity comprising a first bore with a bottom surface including a second bore;
- a locking joint attached to the first end of the female member, the locking joint including a body having a first end, a second end, the first end opposite the second end, a first side, a second side, the first side opposite the second side, an exterior surface, a longitudinal bore extending from the first end to the second end, an interior surface within the longitudinal bore, a longitudinal slit disposed on the first side, the longitudinal slit extending longitudinally from the first end to the second end and transversely from the exterior surface to the interior surface, and a collar protruding outwardly from the exterior surface of the body, the longitudinal bore configured to receive the male member therethrough while the longitudinal slit is configured to receive the locking pin therethrough, the longitudinal bore defining an entry point at the first end and an exit point at the second end, the collar engaging the perimeter edge of the first end of the female member to maintain the locking joint at the first end of the female member, the second end of the body positioned within the counterbored cavity of the female member, the second side including a length greater than a length of the first side such that the second end includes a first peripheral edge on the first side and a second peripheral edge on the second side that is stepped with respect to the first peripheral edge, the locking joint further including a locking recess disposed between the first peripheral edge and the second peripheral edge, the locking recess configured to receive the locking pin therein;
- a spring disposed in the second bore of the counterbored cavity of the female member, the spring biased toward the first end of the female member to secure the locking pin within the locking recess;
- and
- a bearing positioned on the spring within the counterbored cavity, the bearing configured to contact the second end of the elongated shaft and enable rotation of the elongated shaft within the counterbored cavity with respect to the spring;
- wherein:
- the male member removably engages the female member by inserting the elongated shaft into the entry point and the locking pin into the longitudinal slit and compressing the spring until the elongated shaft exits the exit point and the locking pin is released from the longitudinal slit into the counterbored cavity enabling shifting of the locking pin along the first peripheral edge until the locking pin engages the locking recess;
- and
- the spring exerts a restoring force onto the second end of the elongated shaft via the bearing to maintain the locking pin within the locking recess.