Safety release pin for fire extinguishers

A safety release pin comprising, a head portion and a shank including a nose portion and locking means, said shank extending from said head portion with the free end of said shank terminating in said nose portion, said shank having a portion of reduced diameter rearwardly of said nose portion defining first and second opposing flat generally parallel surfaces extending axially of said shank, said locking means including first and second elongated locking members each having a fixed end and a free end, each said locking member extending axially of said shank with its fixed end formed integrally with said shank rearwardly of said nose portion, said first and second locking members extending in cantilever fashion in overlying relationship with said first and second flat surface respectively, and pivotal relative thereto, each locking member having a transverse groove near its fixed end defining a weakened section for said locking member and projection means on said free end of said locking member and located to engage said flat surface with pivotal movement of said locking member rearwardly towards said flat surface to limit rearward pivotal movement of said locking member, said nose portion including fins secured thereto with one fin being associated with each said locking member and extending radially outwardly beyond said groove in the associated locking member, and said projection means defining a detent surface which extends generally normal to the axis of said shank whereby a force in a direction axially of said shank applied to said detent surface tends to pivot said locking member about a pivot axis extending parallel to said groove, forwardly and away from said flat surface of said shank for severing said locking member from said shank along a fracture line defined by said weakened portion.

A safety release pin for use with apparatus for preventing inadvertent operation of the apparatus, the apparatus including an operating member movable from a first position to a second position for operating the apparatus, said operating member including an aperture through a surface thereof which is aligned with a further aperture in a surface of the apparatus when the operating member is in said first position to receive said safety release pin allowing said safety release pin to lock said apparatus in an unoperated condition, said safety release pin comprising, a head portion and a cylindrical shank including a nose portion and locking means, said shank extending from said head portion with the free end of said shank terminating in said nose portion, said shank having a portion of reduced diameter rearwardly of said nose portion defining first and second flat surfaces extending axially of said shank, said locking means including first and second elongated locking members each formed integrally with said shank rearwardly of said nose portion and each of said locking members including a cam surface which coacts with a first one of the apertured surfaces during insertion of the pin into the apparatus to pivot said locking members rearwardly toward said reduced portion of said shank to facilitate insertion of the pin into the apparatus, a projection on the underside of each locking member and located to engage said flat surface with rearward pivotal movement of said locking member to limit rearward pivotal movement of said locking member, and each of said locking members defining a detent surface which extends generally normal to the axis of said shank, each locking member having a transverse groove near its fixed end defining a weakened section for the locking member whereby as the pin is withdrawn from the apparatus, the detent surfaces of said locking members coact with a second one of said apertured surfaces to apply a force in a direction axially of said shank to pivot said locking members forwardly about an axis extending parallel to said groove and away from said reduced diameter portion of said shank, thereby severing said locking members from said shank, said nose portion including fins secured thereto with one fin being associated with each said locking member and extending radially outwardly beyond said groove in the associated locking member.