Locking Pin

A locking pin comprising:

• a sleeve including a distal end, a proximal end, and a longitudinal bore having a longitudinal axis;
• an activation member located in the longitudinal bore;
• a base coupled to a distal end of the actuation member at a positioned opposite the distal end of the sleeve at an interface;
• a spring applying a biasing force acting generally along the longitudinal axis to bias the base toward the distal end of the sleeve;
• a radially expandable catch located at the interface of the base and the distal end of the sleeve, the catch applying a radially inwardly biasing force on the interface, wherein the biasing force of the spring is greater than the biasing force of the catch to maintain the catch in an outward expanded position, and displacement of the base away from the distal end of the sleeve permits the catch to move to an inward contracted position at the interface;
• and
• one or more inclined surfaces at the interface that facilitate movement of the catch from the inward contracted position toward the outward expanded position.

A method of operating a locking pin, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning an activation member in the longitudinal bore of a sleeve;
• attaching a base to a distal end of the actuation member at a location opposite a distal end of the sleeve;
• applying a longitudinal biasing force generally along the longitudinal bore to bias the base toward the distal end of the sleeve;
• positioning a radially expandable catch at an interface of the base and the distal end of the sleeve, the longitudinal biasing force maintaining the catch in an outward expanded position;
• and
• displacing the base away from the distal end of the sleeve to permit the catch to move to an inward contracted position at the interface.