Mechanical lock
AssigneeP. L. Porter Company
InventorClyde R. Porter
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An infinitely positionable mechanical lock having a housing and at least one bushing fixed to the housing, the bushing having an inclined spring abutment surface. A rod is axially slidable through the bushing relative to the housing. A coil spring is wound about the rod, the spring having a normal inner diameter smaller than the diameter of the rod such that the coil spring grips the rod against translational motion within the housing. The spring is prebiased against the inclined surface of the bushing into normal locking engagement with the rod absent an axial load on the rod relative to the housing. A release assembly is actuatable for partly unwinding the coil spring to thereby release the rod for movement relative to the housing.
Claims22
As an article of manufacture, an infinitely positionable mechanical lock comprising:
- a housing;
- a pair of bushings fixed to said housing;
- a rod axially slidable through said bushings relative to said housing;
- each bushing having an inclined spring abutment surface;
- a pair of coil springs axially spaced along said rod between said bushings, said coil springs having a normal inner diameter smaller than the diameter of said rod such that said coil springs grip said rod against translational motion within said housing;
- pre-biasing means for normally biasing at least one coil of each said spring in mutually opposite directions against said inclined spring abutment surfaces and into locking engagement with said rod absent an axial load on said rod relative to said housing;
- and
- release means actuatable for partly unwinding the biased ends of said coil springs to release said rod for movement through said housing.
As an article of manufacture, an infinitely positionable mechanical lock having:
- a housing;
- a pair of bushings fixed to said housing;
- a rod axially slidable through said bushings relative to said housing;
- a pair of coil springs axially spaced along said rod between said bushings, said coil springs having a normal inner diameter smaller than the diameter of said rod such that said coil springs grip said rod against translational motion within said housing,
- each said coil spring having an outer end and an inner end, each said end terminating in a radial tang;
- each bushing having an inclined spring abutment surface;
- each said inclined surface having a load side proximal to said springs and a bias side distal to said springs;
- tang receiving means in said bushings located for normally loading the outer end of a corresponding coil spring against said load side of the spring abutment surface to thereby normally bias at least one coil of said spring into locking engagement with said rod;
- a rotatable sleeve about said springs apertured for receiving the tangs at said inner ends of said springs, shoulder means on said sleeve for normally biasing the inner ends of both said coil springs into locking engagement with rod, and release means actuatable for simultaneously unwinding said coil springs to release said rod for movement through said housing.
As an article of manufacture, an infinitely positionable mechanical lock comprising:
- a housing;
- at least one bushing fixed to said housing, said bushing having an inclined spring abutment surface;
- a rod axially slidable through said least one bushing relative to said housing;
- a coil spring on said rod, said coil spring having a normal inner diameter smaller than the diameter of said rod such that said coil spring normally grips said rod against translational motion within said housing,
- pre-biasing means for normally biasing at least one coil of said coil spring against said inclined spring abutment surface and into locking engagement with said rod absent an axial load on said rod relative to said housing;
- and
- release means actuatable for partly unwinding said coil spring to release said rod for movement through said housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.