Locking cylinder and method of operation
AssigneeSHPAC USA, Inc.
InventorEdwin ALICEA
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A locking cylinder and method of operating the locking cylinder. The locking cylinder includes an inner tube, an outer tube that slideably engages with the inner tube between a retracted position and an extended position, a base that removably engages with the outer tube and is in communication with the inner tube to partially receive the inner tube in the retracted position, and at least one latch mechanism that operably engages with the base inside of at least one locking passageway defined in the base. In operation, the at least one latch mechanism is configured to lock the inner tube with the base and the outer tube, collectively, at the retracted position when the at least one latch mechanism is free from being under load.
Claims20
A locking cylinder, comprising:
- an inner tube;
- an outer tube slideably engaged with the inner tube between a retracted position and an extended position;
- a base removably engaged with the outer tube and is in communication with the inner tube to partially receive the inner tube in the retracted position;
- and
- at least one latch mechanism operably engaged with the base inside of at least one locking passageway defined in the base;
- wherein the at least one latch mechanism is configured to lock the inner tube with the base and the outer tube, collectively, at the retracted position.
A method of locking a cylinder, comprising:
- drawing a load from an outer tube of the cylinder and from an inner tube of the cylinder;
- transitioning the outer tube from an extended position to a retracted position;
- receiving a portion of the inner tube by a base of the outer tube in the retracted position;
- extending a portion of at least one latch mechanism of the cylinder from the base and towards the inner tube;
- and
- locking the inner tube with the outer tube and the base, collectively, by the at least one latch mechanism at the retracted position, wherein the at least one latch mechanism is located inside of the base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.