Coupling system with cable

• US 4,803,760 A
• Filed: 08/26/1987
• Issued: 02/14/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jerome D. Gelula
• Original Assignee: Jerome D. Gelula
• Inventors: Gelula, Jerome D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sakran, Victor N.
• Application Number:
  US07/089,702
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 24/645, 24/648, 24/631, 24/632, 24/633, 24/634, 24/635, 24/115 G, 24/134 KB, 24/132 WL, 292/341.17
• US Class Current: 24/631
• CPC Class Codes: B63H 9/10 Running rigging, e.g. reefing equipment staying of masts B63B15/02
• CPC Class Codes: F16G 11/10 Quick-acting fastenings; Clamps holding in one direction only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45613 having common means actuating or releasing interlocking components or surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45618 and interlocking with independently associated or dissociated projection members
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45686 and position locking-means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45702 Plural, oppositely shifting, similar interlocking components

Abstract

The present invention discloses an improved coupling system capable of releasably joining and two or more of a variety of cooperative male/female mating items to be temporarily joined and released by a remotely positioned operator by means of a cable connected to the male member. Spring-biased positive forces within the female assembly otherwise tending to separate the male/female members are used to reliably capture the male component. A relatively small adjustable triggering force activated by the cable moving an activating pin triggers ejecting movement of the female capturing members. The male member forms a cavity containing gripping members that slidably grip the cable. The cavity is accessible to the operator.

Claims

1. An improved latching system, comprising, in combination;

a supporting structure,

at least one capture member supported for movement between capturing and releasing positions by said supporting structure,

first spring means carried by said supporting structure normally biasing said capture members towards said releasing position,

a locking member for said capture member supported for movement between interfering and noninterfering positions by said supporting structure, wherein in said interfering position said capture member is in said capturing position and in said non-interfering position said capture member is in said releasing position,

second spring means carried by said supporting structure normally biasing said locking member toward said interfering position,

connector means adapted to be releasably captured by said capture member in said capturing position, said connector means forming an internal cavity,

cable means having portions thereof disposed within said cavity for influencing said locking member from a position remote from said locking member,

anchor pin means disposed within said cavity for guiding portions of said cable means,

actuating means disposed within said cavity and extending from said connector member and movable from a non-release position to a release position in response to movement of said cable means, said locking member being movable to said non-interfering position in response to movement of said actuating means to said release position.

third spring means carried by said connector means normally biasing said actuating means towards said non-release position,

gripping means carried by said connector means and disposed within said cavity means for holding said cable means against the top portion of said actuating member, said connector means defining an aperture to said cavity, said gripping means including a horizontal pin member secured to said connector means and horizontally disposed within said cavity to a position spaced over said actuating means wherein a gripping space is formed between said pin member and said actuating means adapted to accept a portion of said cable means,

said actuating means including a vertical cylindrical pin portion and a top head portion, said horizontal pin portion being positioned over said head portion, said gripping space being defined by said horizontal pin member and said head portion,

said head portion being generally cylindrical and larger in diameter than said pin portion, said head portion forming a pair of opposed grooves adapted to slidably hold portions of said cable means,

said third spring means being a helical compression spring positioned in said cavity around said pin portion of said actuating means between said head portion and said connector means,

said cavity being defined by a rear pair of side walls, and opposed top and bottom walls, said anchor pin means including a pair of anchor pins horizontally extending from said rear wall into said cavity proximate to said bottom wall and each of said side walls, said anchor pins being approximately parallel with said pin portion of said actuating means,

said anchor pins including cylindrical anchor bodies and pin heads larger than said pin bodies, said anchor pin heads being positioned adjacent to said bottom wall and said side walls of said cavity,

said cable means including a cable strand member positioned in said cavity over said head portion and in said grooves of said actuating means and extending under said pin bodies of said anchor pins, said strand member being slidably held in position between said pin member and said head portion in said grooves of said head portion and by said pin bodies and said anchor pin heads,

said connector means being a cylindrical connector member, said aperture being generally transverse to the axis of said cylindrical connector member, said horizontal pin member of said gripping means and said anchor pins being generally lateral to said axis of said cylindrical connector member,

said cable strand member forming a cable loop with said gripping space and said anchor pins being generally parallel with said aperture of said cavity and orthogonic with said horizontal pin member and said anchor pins,

said hollow of said capture member being partly cylindrical, said cylindrical connector member being adapted to be held in said hollow in said capturing position,

said at least one capture member having a pair of capture members forming opposed partly cylindrical hollows, said cylindrical connector member being movable back and forth in directions transverse in respect to the axis of its length a distance which is predetermined and limited by the surfaces defining the opening within which it is disposed, said cable means capable of being manipulated by the user of the latching system to effect releasing of said capture member by increasing tension in the cable means to a predetermined and desired magnitude,

said latching system further comprising adjustment means for providing hand-operated movement of at least one alignment stop against which a relatively upper portion of said capture member comes into contact under the biasing forces of said first spring means.