Spinning nut linear mechanical lock
US5778733A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | May 2, 1997 |
| Grant date | Jul 14, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 2, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T74/20636
- WIPO fieldMechanical elements
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A mechanical lock of the type having a lock housing, a rotatable nut axially captive in the housing, a threaded rod axially displaceable through the housing in threading engagement with the nut, and a detent normally locking the nut against rotation in the housing to prevent axial translation of the rod through the housing. Camming surfaces on the nut urge the detent out of locking engagment with the nut when the nut is torqued by axial force on the threaded rod. A detent control element normally keeps the detent in locking engagement with the nut until the detent control element is displaced by an actuator to an unlocked position. The detent control element has a camming surface which urges the detent into locking engagement with the nut when the detent control element is returned to a locking position. The preferred detent is a ball bearing and two variants of the mechanism are disclosed, one having a linearly reciprocating shuttle as the control element, the other using a rotating shaft for this purpose.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.