Socket retainer assembly
AssigneeWhitecap Industries, Inc.
InventorsTodd Moore, Christopher E. Tomao
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A socket retainer assembly configured to retain a ball of the ball assembly is described. The socket retainer includes a slidable locking pin. The socket retainer is configured for mounting of a roof or tarp used on marine vessels, for example, a Bimini top.
Claims17
A socket retainer assembly configured to retain a ball connected to a support post, the socket retainer assembly comprising:
- a ball-receiving body including a channel to receive the ball and configured to retain the ball in the channel, the ball-receiving body further including a hollow lower body portion;
- a slidable locking pin configured to slide in the ball-receiving body and configured to lock the ball in the channel in a locked position and configured to slide to an unlocked position from which the ball can be removed from the channel, the slidable locking pin;
- and
- a base configured to mount within the hollow lower body portion, the slidable locking pin comprising a locking channel having a channel width, and the locking channel is configured to engage a locking post on the base, the locking post having a post width that is less than the channel width to allow the slidable locking pin to slide between the locked position and the unlocked position.
A socket retainer assembly configured to retain a ball connected to a support post, the socket retainer assembly comprising:
- a ball-receiving body including a channel to receive the ball and configured to retain the ball in the channel;
- a slidable locking pin configured to slide in the ball-receiving body and configured to lock the ball in the channel in a locked position and configured to slide to an unlocked position from which the ball can be removed from the channel;
- and
- a base spring configured to bias the slidable locking pin upwardly to ensure the slidable locking pin is retained in the up position in a receiving slot formed in the ball-receiving body.
A socket retainer assembly configured to retain a ball of a ball assembly, the socket retainer assembly comprising:
- a ball-receiving body including a channel to receive the ball of the ball assembly and configured to retain the ball in the channel, the ball-receiving body comprising a hollow lower body portion and the socket retainer assembly further comprises a base configured to mount within the hollow lower body portion, the base including a locking post;
- and
- a slidable locking pin configured to lock and unlock the ball in the channel, the slidable locking pin comprising a locking channel having a channel width that engages a locking post, the locking post having a post width that is less than the channel width to allow the slidable locking pin to slide between a locked position and an unlocked position, and the ball-receiving body comprises a first slot on a first side of the ball-receiving body and a second slot on a second side of the ball-receiving body, and the slidable locking pin is mounted in sliding engagement with the first slot and the second slot;
- and
- a visible indicator configured to indicate when the slidable locking pin is in a locked and an unlocked position and an audible indicator configured to indicate when the slidable locking pin moved between a locked position and an unlocked position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.