RELEASE PIN

• US 20110008128A1
• Filed: 07/14/2010
• Published: 01/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jergens, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Jergens, Inc.
• Inventors: Soltis, Robert C., Hageman, David Craig, Klingenberg, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,162,581 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 411/348
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 31/1071 Retention by balls balls acting as jaws B23B31/22
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 19/109 Temporary rivets, e.g. with a spring-loaded pin special clamping devices for workpieces to be riveted together, e.g. operating through the rivet holes B21J15/42; hand tools for temporarily connecting sheets before or during assembly operations B25B31/005
• CPC Class Codes: F16B 21/165 with balls or rollers for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1409
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/1045 Internal cone

Abstract

A releasable locking member, having a handle, a spindle, and a shank connected at a first end to the handle. The shank has an opening extending through along a longitudinal axis thereof. A shaft extends through an opening of the shank. The shaft has a first portion, a second portion, and a central portion extending between the first and second portions. An actuator member is connected to the first portion of the shaft. A spindle is connected to the second portion of the shaft. A biasing member is positioned between the actuator member and a wall of the handle.

Claims

1. A releasable locking member, comprising:

a handle;

a shank connected at a first end to the handle, wherein the shank has an axial bore extending through the shank along a longitudinal axis thereof and a lateral opening;

a shaft extending through the bore of the shank, wherein the shaft has a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion extending between the first and second end portions;

an actuator member connected to the first end portion of the shaft;

a spindle connected to the second end portion of the shaft via at least one of a friction fit and a press fit;

a ball received in the lateral opening in the shaft; and

a biasing member positioned between the actuator member and a wall of the handle, wherein the biasing member biases the shaft such that the spindle cooperates with the ball such that the ball projects beyond an outer surface the shank.

2. The releasable locking member of claim 1, wherein the spindle further includes cylindrical land portion and a conical ramped portion, wherein the cylindrical land portion of the spindle contacts the ball to place the ball in a projected position where a portion of the ball extends beyond an outer surface of the shank.

3. The releasable locking member of claim 2, wherein the conical ramped portion angles toward the first end portion of the shaft and the longitudinal axis.

4. The releasable locking member of claim 3, wherein the spindle includes a proximal end nearer the actuator member and a distal end opposite the proximal end, wherein the cylindrical land portion extends from the distal end to the conical ramped portion and the conical ramped portion extends from the cylindrical land portion to the proximal end.

5. The releasable locking member of claim 4, wherein the spindle includes a bore extending from the proximal end toward the distal end, wherein the first end portion of the shaft is knurled and is received in the bore of the spindle to connect the spindle with the shaft.

6. The releasable locking member of claim 5, wherein the shaft has a constant diameter between the proximal end of the spindle and the actuator member.

7. The releasable locking member of claim 6, wherein the shank includes a second end opposite the first end and a counterbore extending from the second end toward the first end past the lateral opening, wherein the counterbore defines a conical face.

8. The releasable locking member of claim 7, wherein the conical face and the conical ramped portion are at a similar angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

9. The releasable locking member of claim 8, wherein the conical ramped portion contacts the conical face when the ball is in the projected position.

10. The releasable locking member of claim 9, wherein axial movement of the shaft against a biasing force of the biasing member moves the land portion of the spindle away from the ball to allow the ball to drop into engagement with the ramped portion of the spindle.

11. The releasable locking member of claim 10, wherein axial movement of the shaft against a biasing force of the biasing member moves the land portion of the spindle away from the ball to allow the ball to drop between the ramped conical portion of the spindle and the conical face of the counterbore.

12. A releasable locking member, comprising:

a handle;

a shank connected at a first end to the handle, wherein the shank has an axial bore extending through the shank along a longitudinal axis thereof to a second end, a lateral opening and a counterbore extending from the second end toward the first end defining a conical face;

a shaft disposed in the axial bore of the shank and moveable with respect to the shank along the longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft has a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion extending between the first and second end portions;

an actuator member connected to the first end portion of the shaft;

a spindle connected to the second end portion of the shaft via at least one of a friction fit and a press fit, wherein the spindle includes cylindrical land portion and a conical ramped portion angled toward the first end portion of the shaft and the longitudinal axis;

a ball received in the lateral opening in the shaft, wherein the land portion of the spindle contacts the ball to place the ball in a projected position where a portion of the ball extends beyond an outer surface of the shank; and

a biasing member positioned between the actuator member and a wall of the handle, wherein the biasing member biases the shaft to move the land portion of the spindle to contact the ball to place the ball in the projected position, and wherein axial movement of the shaft against a biasing force of the biasing member moves the land portion of the spindle away from the ball to allow the ball to drop between the ramped conical portion of the spindle and the conical face of the counterbore.

13. The releasable locking member of claim 12, wherein the spindle includes a proximal end nearer the actuator member and a distal end opposite the proximal end, wherein the cylindrical land portion extends from the distal end to the conical ramped portion and the conical ramped portion extends from the cylindrical land portion to the proximal end.

14. The releasable locking member of claim 13, wherein the spindle includes a bore extending from the proximal end toward the distal end, wherein the first end portion of the shaft is received in the bore of the spindle to connect the spindle with the shaft.

15. The releasable locking member of claim 14, wherein the shaft has a constant diameter between the proximal end of the spindle and the actuator member.

16. The releasable locking member of claim 15, wherein the conical face and the conical ramped portion are at a similar angle with respect to the longitudinal axis.

17. The releasable locking member of claim 16, wherein the spindle is disposed in the counterbore.

18. The releasable locking member of claim 17, wherein the counterbore extends past the lateral opening.

19. The releasable locking member of claim 18, wherein the conical ramped portion contacts the conical face when the ball is in the projected position.

20. A releasable locking member, comprising:

a handle;

a shank connected at a first end to the handle, wherein the shank has an axial bore extending through the shank along a longitudinal axis thereof to a second end, a lateral opening and a counterbore extending from the second end toward the first end defining a conical face;

a shaft disposed in the axial bore of the shank and moveable with respect to the shank along the longitudinal axis, wherein the shaft has a first end portion, a second end portion, and a central portion extending between the first and second end portions;

an actuator member connected to the first end portion of the shaft;

a spindle connected to the second end portion of the shaft via at least one of a friction fit and a press fit and located within the counterbore, wherein the spindle includes cylindrical land portion and a conical ramped portion angled toward a proximal end of the spindle and the longitudinal axis, wherein the cylindrical land portion extends from a distal end to the conical ramped portion and the conical ramped portion extends from the cylindrical land portion to the proximal end, wherein the spindle includes a bore extending from the proximal end toward the distal end, wherein the first end portion of the shaft is received in the bore of the spindle to connect the spindle with the shaft, wherein the conical face and the conical ramped portion are at a similar angle with respect to the longitudinal axis;

a ball received in the lateral opening in the shaft, wherein the cylindrical land portion of the spindle contacts the ball to place the ball in a projected position where a portion of the ball extends beyond an outer surface of the shank, wherein the conical ramped portion contacts the conical face when the ball is in the projected position; and

a biasing member positioned between the actuator member and a wall of the handle, wherein the biasing member biases the shaft to move the land portion of the spindle to contact the ball to place the ball in the projected position, and wherein axial movement of the shaft against a biasing force of the biasing member moves the land portion of the spindle away from the ball to allow the ball to drop between the ramped conical portion of the spindle and the conical face of the counterbore.