Structural latch for vehicle coupling mechanisms
AssigneeSpace Industries, Inc.
InventorsCaldwell C. Johnson, Maxime A. Faget
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A structural latch is provided for mechanically joining vehicle coupling mechanisms such as spacecraft coupling and berthing mechanisms. The structural latch is manually operable to join the coupling mechanisms. Each structural latch is configured to be readily removable from the joined coupling mechanisms in the event the latch becomes inoperable so as to effect coupling mechanism separation.
Claims15
A structural latch for detachably coupling first and second vehicle coupling mechanisms, each of the coupling mechanisms having a first pressurizable side, an interface surface formed along a second side, a flange extending between the pressurizable side and the interface surface so as to define a peripheral boundary of an interior cavity circumscribed by the flange, and a channel passageway extending between the interface surface and the pressurizable side, the channel passageways being coaxially alignable upon superposition of the coupling mechanisms, the structural latch comprising:
- a bolt reciprocably extensible from the channel passageway of the first coupling mechanism to the channel passageway of the second coupling mechanism;
- means for establishing a pressure-tight seal between the bolt and the pressurizable side of the first coupling mechanism;
- a bolt receptacle mountable adjacent the
- passageway of the second coupling mechanism;
- and
- means detachably coupled to the bolt receptacle for retaining the bolt receptacle adjacent the channel passageway of the second coupling mechanism, whereby the bolt is reciprocably extensible through the coaxially-aligned channel passageways to engage the bolt receptacle and couple the first and second coupling mechanisms, the bolt receptacle retaining means being selectively removable from the bolt receptacle to permit selective retrieval of the bolt and engaged bolt receptacle through said coaxially-aligned channel passageways.
A method for replacing an interconnected first bolt and first bolt receptacle of a structural latch positioned in first and second joined coupling mechanisms, the first and second coupling mechanisms each having a flange provided with a first edge and an interface surface formed along a second edge, an interior cavity bounded by the flange and extending between the first and second flange edges, and first and second parallel channel passageways extending between the first and second flange edges, corresponding first and second channel passageways of the coupling mechanisms being coaxially alignable upon superposition of the coupling mechanisms, the first bolt receptacle being retained in position by receptacle retaining means adjacent the first channel passageway of the second coupling mechanism to receive the first bolt extending through the first channel passageway of the first and second coupling mechanisms, the method comprising the steps of:
- mounting a second bolt receptacle adjacent the second channel passageway of the second coupling mechanism;
- inserting a second bolt through the second channel passageway of the first coupling mechanism;
- advancing the second bolt to engage the second bolt receptacle;
- securing together the second bolt and second bolt receptacle;
- removing the receptacle retaining means from the first receptacle;
- and
- retrieving the first bolt and engaged first bolt receptacle through said coaxially-aligned first channel passageways.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.