Pressure relief latch

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10378256-B2
Application number	US-201615337232-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2016
Priority date	Oct 30, 2015
Publication date	Aug 13, 2019
Grant date	Aug 13, 2019

Abstract

A latch having a housing and a latch mechanism located within an interior portion of the housing. The latch mechanism includes an arm, a pair of socket screws, a pair of torsion springs, each of which is connected rotatably to the arm and engages a corresponding one of the pair of socket screws, a bolt mechanism attached rotatably to the housing, and a link attached pivotally to the arm and attached to the bolt mechanism. The socket screws are utilized to adjust loads on the springs. The bolt mechanism is movable between a first position, in which the arm and the link are toggled with one another under the loads of the springs and the bolt mechanism is adapted to engage an external structure, and a second position, in which the link and the arm are untoggled with one another and the bolt mechanism is disengaged with the external structure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A latch, comprising:
a housing having a top end, a bottom end opposite the top end, a front wall extending from the top end to the bottom end, a rear wall opposite the front wall and extending from the top end to the bottom end, a pair of sidewalls, each of which extends from the top end to the bottom end and between the front wall and the rear wall, and a floor located at the bottom end and extending between the front wall, the rear wall, and the sidewalls, wherein the front wall, rear wall, the pair of sidewalls, and the floor forming an interior portion, wherein the housing includes a pair of ledges, one of the pair of ledges being located between and extends from a first corner formed by one of the pair of sidewalls, the front wall, and the floor of the housing, and the other of the pair of ledges being located between and extends from a second corner formed by the other of the pair of sidewalls, the front wall, and the floor of the housing, wherein the housing includes a pair of holes formed within the front wall thereof, one of the pair of holes being located within one of the pair of ledges, and the other of the pair of holes being located within the other of the pair of ledges; and
a latch mechanism located within the interior portion of the housing, the latch mechanism including an arm, a pair of socket screws, each of which is rotatably positioned within a corresponding one of the pair of holes of the front wall of the housing, a pair of torsion springs, each of which is rotatably and directly connected to the arm and engages a corresponding one of the pair of socket screws, wherein one of the pair of torsion springs rests on one of the pair of ledges, and the other of the pair of torsion springs rests on the other of the pair of ledges, a bolt mechanism rotatably attached to the housing proximate to the rear wall and having a first end and a second end opposite the first end of the bolt mechanism, and a link having a first end and a second end opposite the first end of the link, the first end of the link being pivotably attached to the arm, and the second end of the link being attached to the bolt mechanism, wherein the arm includes a middle portion having a pair of side members extending outwardly and opposed to one another and a slot formed between the side members, the slot being sized and shaped to receive the first end of the link,
wherein each of the pair of socket screws being adapted to adjust a load on a corresponding one of the torsion springs, and
wherein the bolt mechanism is rotatably movable between a first position, in which the arm and the link are toggled with one another under loads from the pair of torsion springs and the first end of the bolt mechanism is adapted to engage an external structure, and a second position, in which the link and the arm are untoggled with one another and the first end of the bolt mechanism is disengaged with the external structure.

2. The latch of claim 1 , wherein the latch mechanism includes a pair of bushings, each of the pair of torsion springs being positioned around a corresponding one of the bushings, and wherein the bushings are connected to the middle portion of the arm by a rivet.

3. The latch of claim 2 , wherein each of the pair of torsion springs includes a first leg and a second leg, the first leg of each of the pair of torsion springs engages its corresponding one of the pair of the socket screws, and the second leg of each of the pair of torsion springs engages a corresponding one of side members of the arm.

4. The latch of claim 3 , wherein each of the socket screws includes a periphery and a plurality of holes formed within the periphery, each of the plurality of holes being sized and shaped to receive a lock wire.

5. The latch of claim 3 , wherein the bolt mechanism includes a bolt positioned at the first end of the bolt mechanism, and a nut threadedly engaged with the bolt for adjusting a position of the bolt.

6. The latch of claim 5 , wherein the second end of the bolt mechanism includes a slot formed therein that is sized and shaped to receive an external tool for manually rotating the bolt mechanism.

7. The latch of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes at least one mounting bracket.

8. The latch of claim 7 , wherein the at least one mounting bracket includes a pair of mounting brackets.

9. The latch of claim 8 , wherein the housing includes a pair of support brackets, one of which extends obliquely from the rear wall and the bottom end to the top end proximate to one of the sidewalls, and the other of which extends obliquely from the rear wall and the bottom end to the top end and proximate to the other of the sidewalls.

10. The latch of claim 9 , wherein the rear wall includes an opening positioned from the support brackets, the opening being sized and shaped to enable movement of the bolt mechanism between its first position to its second position.

Assignees

• Arconic Inc

Inventors

• Do Thai

Classifications

• E05B15/04

  Spring arrangements in locks {(E05B3/065, E05B15/101, E05B15/143, E05C19/06 take precedence)} · CPC title

• E05B51/023

  actuated in response to external pressure, blast or explosion (E05B65/102 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E05B63/0056

  Locks with adjustable or exchangeable lock parts (adjustable strikers E05B15/024; adjustable to different keys E05B35/083; adjustable bolt or backset E05B63/06; adjustable coupling means for bars, rods, cables E05C9/20) · CPC title

• E05C19/02 Primary

  Automatic catches, i.e. released by pull or pressure on the wing (E05C19/06 takes precedence {; with locking means E05B63/22}) · CPC title

• B64D29/00

  Power-plant nacelles, fairings or cowlings · CPC title