US 4,066,288 AGranted

Load adjustable release device

OwnerJoseph Medrano, Jr.inventor

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Abstract

This quick-release mechanism has a tubular housing in which a spring is compressed by a set of jaws fastened to a plunger within the spring. A detent is adjustably secured to the housing. When the spring is compressed by movement of the jaws far enough to clear the detent, the plunger and jaws will pass through the spring and the plunger and housing are disengaged. The housing and the plunger are the points to which opposing tensile forces are applied.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A line coupler means which automatically decouples when a selected line tension is exceeded comprising:

a tubular housing means having a first line attachment means at a first end thereof and open ended at the second end thereof and having a selected longitudinal axis;
a compression means disposed within said housing means, said compression means having an elongated hollow center configuration and disposed with said hollow center substantially in alignment with said axis of said housing such that said compression means is adapted for compression along said axis of said housing;
tubular plunger means disposed within said hollow center of said compression means and adapted for axial movement therein, said tubular plunger means having a second line attachment means at a first end thereof, said first end of said plunger means disposed in the vicinity of said second end of said housing means such that a tension force may be applied across said first end of said housing means and said first end of said plunger means of said line coupler means;
restraining means attached to said housing means substantially at said second end thereof and adapted to restrain said compression means within said housing means when a tension force is applied across said line coupler means;
at least one jaw hook means attached to the second end of said tubular plunger means within said housing, said jaw hook means having an elongated shank portion with one end thereof attached to said plunger means and a transverse extension at the other end of said shank portion, said jaw hook means adapted for disposition in a first position and for disposition in a second position within said housing means, said transverse extension of said jaw hook means adapted to engage the end of said compression means opposite said restraining means in said jaw hook means first position, said transverse extension of said jaw hook means adapted to enable withdrawal of said plunger means and attached jaw hook means through said hollow of said compression means in said second position of said jaw hook means;
and compression release means adapted to maintain said jaw hook means in said first position until said compression means reaches a predetermined compression state representative of the tension force applied across said line coupler whereby release of said compression means actuates movement of said jaw hook means from said first position to said second position thereof and said tubular housing means and said tubular plunger means are pulled apart by the tension force applied and become separate elements of said line coupler means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

A line coupler means which automatically decouples when a selected line tension is exceeded comprising:

a tubular housing means having a first line attachment means at a first end thereof and open ended at the second end thereof and having a selected longitudinal axis;
a compression means disposed within said housing means, said compression means having an elongated hollow center configuration and disposed with said hollow center substantially in alignment with said axis of said housing such that said compression means is adapted for compression along said axis of said housing;
tubular plunger means disposed within said hollow center of said compression means and adapted for axial movement therein, said tubular plunger means having a second line attachment means at a first end thereof, said first end of said plunger means disposed in the vicinity of said second end of said housing means such that a tension force may be applied across said first end of said housing means and said first end of said plunger means of said line coupler means;
restraining means attached to said housing means substantially at said second end thereof and adapted to restrain said compression means within said housing means when a tension force is applied across said line coupler means;
at least one jaw hook means attached to the second end of said tubular plunger means within said housing, said jaw hook means having an elongated shank portion with one end thereof attached to said plunger means and a transverse extension at the other end of said shank portion, said jaw hook means adapted for disposition in a first position and for disposition in a second position within said housing means, said transverse extension of said jaw hook means adapted to engage the end of said compression means opposite said restraining means in said jaw hook means first position, said transverse extension of said jaw hook means adapted to enable withdrawal of said plunger means and attached jaw hook means through said hollow of said compression means in said second position of said jaw hook means;
and compression release means adapted to maintain said jaw hook means in said first position until said compression means reaches a predetermined compression state representative of the tension force applied across said line coupler whereby release of said compression means actuates movement of said jaw hook means from said first position to said second position thereof and said tubular housing means and said tubular plunger means are pulled apart by the tension force applied and become separate elements of said line coupler means.

3 more elements