Hemispherical latching apparatus

US4508296A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The United States of America as represented by the Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration · US

Inventor

• Keith H. Clark · Decatur, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 23, 1982
• Grant date: Apr 2, 1985
• Expiry date: Jul 23, 2002

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T403/32803
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A payload retention system for securing and retaining a payload in a fixed docked position on a platform in a cargo bay of a space vehicle is disclosed which includes a plurality of latching assemblies 16 carried by platform 10 each of which includes a latching member A having a contoured spherical latch element 24. A plurality of payload latching elements B are carried by the payload having a complementary contoured spherical latch element 18. The latching elements 18 are carried in interlatching alignment with the latching members 24 of the latching assemblies 16 defining latch couplings C. Spherical latch element 18 has a convex latching surface 19 and spherical element 24 has a concave latching surface 25 which mate and couple with one another when interlatched. The spherical latch elements 18, 24 having their axes aligned with one another when interlatched whereby the payload is retained in a fixed docked position. The spherical latch elements allow free rotation about their coupling axis 80 while limiting movement along these axes.