Positive lock quick release pin

• US 6,786,669 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2002
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/08/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Mills, J. Steve, Tsui, Walter, Snyder, James M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Browne, Lynne H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACARTHUR, VICTOR L
• Application Number:
  US10/094,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20030170071A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 403/109.2, 403/109.3, 403/322.2, 403/DIG.4, 403/DIG.6, 403/82, 403/116, 403/348, 403/359.6, 403/379.5, 403/154
• US Class Current: 403/322.2
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/641 Interstage or payload connectors docking systems B64G1/646
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/645 Separators
• 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: Y10S 403/04 Quick release
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 403/06 Reciprocable ball detent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32475 having detent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32483 Spring biased
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32893 including distinct pin retainer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/592 Ball detent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7088 Sliding pin

Abstract

A positive lock quick release pin for locking a plurality of objects together includes a handle portion which is in communication with a handle housing. The handle housing has an interior cavity within which a shaft member is disclosed. The pin also includes a ball retention mechanism located in the handle portion that is moveable between a locked position where the mechanism extends outwardly of an opening formed in the handle housing and an unlocked position where the ball mechanism extends no further than the outer edge of the opening. The ball retention mechanism is moved between the locked position and the unlocked position by reciprocation and rotation of the shaft member within the handle housing.

Claims

1. A positive lock pin for locking a plurality of objects together, comprising:

a handle portion;

a handle housing in communication with said handle portion;

a shaft member located within said handle housing, said shaft member having at least one recess formed therein, wherein said shaft member is also rotatable to bring said at least one recess into communication with said at least one ball retention mechanism, and wherein said shaft member urges said at least one ball retention mechanism outwardly when the pin is in said locked position and said at least one ball retention mechanism engages said at least one shaft member recess when the pin is in said unlocked position; and

at least one ball retention mechanism disposed within said handle housing and in communication with said shaft member, said at least one ball retention mechanism being in communication with an opening formed in said handle housing and being moveable between a locked position where an outermost portion of said at least one ball retention mechanism extends outwardly from said opening and an unlocked position wherein said outermost portion of said at least one ball retention mechanism does not extend outwardly from said opening and a base portion of said at least one ball retention mechanism is received in said at lease one recess;

said at least one ball retention mechanism being moveable between said locked position and said unlocked position by reciprocal movement of said shaft member; and

a horizontal pin secured to an upper end of said shaft member, wherein said handle housing has at least one groove formed therein in communication with said horizontal pin to effectuate rotation of said shaft member so as to move said at least one recess into and out of communication with said at least one ball retention mechanism.

2. The lock pin of claim 1,

wherein said at least one ball retention mechanism comprises: a pair of ball retention mechanisms disposed within said handle housing and moveable between said locked position and said unlocked position.

3. The lock pin of claim 1, further comprising:

a flange portion secured to said ball retention mechanism, said flange portion having a larger dimension than the largest dimension of said opening in order to prevent said ball retention mechanism from falling our of said opening.

4. The lock pin of claim 1, wherein said shaft member includes a button portion that extends upwardly above said handle portion allowing said shaft member to be moved downwardly to move said horizontal pin on said at least one groove and thereby allowing said shaft member to rotate.

5. The lock pin of claim 4, further comprising:

a spring disposed a round said upper portion of said shaft member to bias said shaft member upwardly.

6. A quick release positive lock pin for locking a plurality of objects together, comprising:

a handle portion in communication with a generally downwardly extending handle housing;

a shaft member disposed within a cavity formed in said handle housing wherein said shaft member includes a button portion that protrudes above said handle portion and allows said shaft portion to be moved linearly within said handle housing;

a generally horizontal pin secured to an upper end of said shaft member, said horizontal pin being in communication with at least one groove formed in said cavity; and

a pair of ball retention mechanisms disposed within said handle housing, each of said ball retention mechanisms in communication with a respective opening formed in said handle housing to move between a locked position and an unlocked position by rotational movement of said shaft member, wherein said at least one groove extends downwardly and inwardly causing said horizontal pin to rotate as said shaft member is moved downwardly as said horizontal pin travels on said at least one groove.

7. The lock pin of claim 6, wherein each of said pair of ball retention mechanisms and said associated pair of openings are located on opposite sides of the pin.

8. The lock pin of claim 7, wherein said shaft member includes a pair of recesses which are located on opposite ends of said shaft member each of said pair of recesses being moveable into and out of communication with a respective one of said pair of ball retention mechanisms.

9. The lock pin of claim 8, wherein said shaft member has a pair of solid portions bridging said pair of recesses to urge each of said ball retention mechanisms outwardly through a respective one of said openings to place the pin in said locked position.

10. The lock pin of claim 9, wherein each of said ball retention mechanisms is intended to engage one of said recesses to place the pin in said unlocked position.