Quick disconnect latch and handle combination for mounting articles on walls or supporting bases in spacecraft under zero gravity condition

Coker, L. R.

Mackay, C. A.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

REPLY TO 
ATTN OF: Gp 
TO: 
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20546 
November 19, 1970 
u s X / ~ c i e n t i f i c  & Technical Information Divis ion  
Attention8 Miss Wknnie M. Morgan 
FROM: ~ ~ / 0 f f i c e  of A s s i q t a ~ t  General Counsel for  
Pa ten t  Matters 
SZWYECTz. ~nno\u;cement of NASA-Owned U. S. P a t e n t s  in STAR 
In accordance wi th  the procedures agreed upon by Code GP 
and Code USX, the attached NASA-owned U. S. Pa ten t  is being 
forwarded for  a b s t r a c t i n g  and announcement i n  NASA STARo 
. 
, . 
T3ae fol lowing i n f o m a t i o n  ira providedr 
U. S. P a t e n t  No. 
Government or 
Corporate Employee 
Supplementary Corporate 
Source (if applicable) 8 
.. 
NASA Pa ten t  Case No. 
NoTs  - Xf this patent covers an i nven t ion  made by a corporata_ 
employee of a NASA Contractor ,  the foXlowing is a p p l i c a b l s t  
Yes NO E l  
Pursuant to Sec t ion  305(a) 09 the National  Aeronautics and 
.Space Act8 the name OE %he Administrator of NASA appear8 on I 
the f k r s t  page of 4%e pa ten t ;  however, tba name of the a c t u a l  f 
inventor  (author) appears a t  the heading oP Coluaur No. 1 of . 
the specif i c a t f o n ,  following the wozds ". . . wit31 respect to . 
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Enclosure 
- Copy of Patent ctited above c 
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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19710008174 2020-03-17T02:45:51+00:00Z
Sept, 1, 1978 :, W .  CBKEW ET AL 3,526,382 
Q U S G K  BISCON?\EGT LATCH AND HANDLE COMSIMATICN 
Piled J u l y  15, 196 
LEVdlS W COKER, 
CHARLES A MACKAY 
INVENTORS 
United States Patent 06 3,526,382 ce Patented Sept. 1, 1990 
3,526,382 
QUICK DISCONNECT LATCH AND HANDLE 
COMBINATPON 
Lewis R. Coker, Madison, and Charles A. MacKay, 
Huntsville, Ala., assignors to the United States of 
America as represented by the Administrator of the 
National Aeronautics and Space Administration 
Filed July 15, 1968, Ser. No. 744,910 
Int. el. B65d 25/28 
U.S. CI. 248-360 7 Claims 
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE 
A quick disconnect latch and handle combination for 
mounting an article, such as an equipment container, 
on  a wall or other su~vortine, base. The device attaches 15 
vention to provide an inriproved quick release combina- 
tion latch and handle device. 
A more specific object of the invention is to provide 
a latch and handle mechanism that is adapted to be 
attached to an article, such as a container, and detach- 
ably mount the article on a well or other supporting 
surface in a quick and convenient manner. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a device 
for anchoring equipment and supplies in the weightless 
environment in a spacecraft so that the articles may be 
released and anchored quickly and easily with the use 
of one hand of the astronaut. 
These and other objects and advantages of the inven- 
tion will become apparent upon reference to  the follow- 
ing specification, attendant claims and drawing. 
to the article, provides a handle for manipulating the BRIEF DESCRIPTION O F  THE DRAWING 
article, and a latch that engages within holes in t h e  sup- 
porting base to secure the article thereon. The latch FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a container 
mechanism is with the hand while gripping the mounted on a wall with a quick disconnect latch and 
handle. 20 handle device; 
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2-2 
of FIG. 1 showing a side view of the quick-disconnect The invention described herein was made by employees latch; 
of the United States Government and may be manufac- FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a locking pin of the 
tured and used by or for the Government for govern- 25 latch of FIG. ,2 taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2. 
mental purposes without the payment of any royalties 
thereon o r  therefor. DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION EMBODIMENT 
This invention relates generally to latching devices Referring to FIG. 1 a container 11 is shown mounted 
and more particularly to a combination latch and han- on a wall surface 13  by a qtlick disconnect latch and 
die device for mounting an article on a wall or other handle combination 15 embodying the present invention. 
supporting surface. The container 11 may contain any type of equipment or 
One aspect of the development and planning for supplies that would be needed, for example, in a space- 
manned space flights of long duration in large space- 35 craft. The latch 15 provides a convenient and quick 
craft is that of stowing and mounting the variety of means for mounting container 11 on the wall 13  and for 
equipment and supplies required for such flights. The dismounting the container therefrom. 
weightless environment of such flights requires that all Referring to FIG. 2, the latch 15 comprises a frame 
articles be secured in some manner. Many of the articles, 17 having an elongated body portion 19 with opposed 
such as containers for supplies o r  equipment for experi- 40 legs 21 integral therewith. Oppositely extending con- 
ments and other needs, will require frequent mounting necting flanges 23 are integral with the legs 21. Each 
and dismounting of the containers and components, and of the connecting flanges 23 is joined as by screws 25 
these various articles will be mounted on walls of the to flanges 27 which are joined to the container 11. Ex- 
spacecraft or other supporting surfaces. tending through the body portion 19 of the frame 17 
A means for quickly and conveniently mounting and g;, are a pair of ball locking pins 29. 
dismounting these articles during the flight is required As shown in FIG. 3, each of the locking pins 29 com- 
and this means should also incorporate a handle for prises a plunger 31 adapted to reciprocate within a tube 
manipulating the article while it is dismounted from its o r  cyliilder 33 that carries a pair of locking balls 35 
anchoiing surface. Conventional fasteners such as nuts within apertures 3'7. The apertures 37 are reduced in 
and bolts require an undue amount of time and effort for 50 diameter at their outer ends to prevent the balls 35 from 
mounting and dismounting, and also involve the use of escaping from the cylinder 33. An externally threaded 
tools. In addition, such fasteners have the disadvantage sleeve 41 is fitted over the upper end of the cylinder 33 
of requiring both hands of the astronaut for installation and secured by a friction fit or bonding to the cylinder 
and removal. 33. The lower end of the sleeve 41 has an enlarged inside 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 55 diameter to receive the cylinder 33. The plunger 31 has a reduced diameter portion 43 near its upper end p ~ o -  
The invention comprises a combination latch and han- viding a stop abutment 45 and a spring surface abutment 
dle device that is adapted for attachment to an article, 44. The cylinder 33 has a constricted upper end 49 
and includes means for securing the article on a wall or thlough which the reduced diameter portion 43 of the 
other supporting suiface. '-The device includes a frame GO plunger 31 extends and slldes. 
element that attaches to the atticle to be secured, and Detweeri the upper end of the cylinder 33 and the 
the frame srtppolls a pair of lockrug pins adapted to spring abutment sutface $7 is a compre,sion rpring 51 
lock wtthirr boles irr a wall or oihcr siipporting surface. that uiges the pluilge~ 31 toward ttr retracteil poiiiiorr 
A~ranged parallel with the main body portion of the shown in FIG 3 Near the lower end of the plu~nger 31 
frame is a control bar that actuates the locking pins. G j  is an annular groove 53 that is adapted to register with 
The control bar is spring urged in the locked position the balls 35 when the plunger is ptessed downwardly to 
and the lock may be released by holding the frame permit the balls to withdraw from their locking position. 
member as a handle and pressing the control bar thus The externally thleaded sleeve 41 passes through an 
releasing the latch mechanism and the article to which opening 55 in the body portion 19 of the frame element 
it is attached. Subsequently the article may be cairied 70 17 and the upper and lower nuts 54 and 59 thieadedly en- 
by the handle provided by the frame. gage the sleeve 41 to clamp the locking pin in place on the 
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present in- frame element 17. 
3,526 
3 
The pair of plr~ngers 31 are actuated simultaneously by 
a control bar 61 that extends £tom one locking pin lo 
the orher, being joined to the respective ends of the 
plungers by screws 63. When the control bar 61 is 
pressed, as by the paim of the hand, the piungers 31 slide 
within the cylinders 33 compressing the springs 51. The 5 
sliding movement of the plungers is limited in the down- 
ward motion by the stop shoulders 47 compressing the 
springs 51. The stop position coincides with the position 
where the locking balls 35 may recede into the annular 
groove 53 in the plunger 31. When the balls 35 recede the 
pins 29 may then be inselted into or withdrawn from 
spaced apertures 65 in  the wall 13. 
The projecting length of the pins are adjusted to the 
particular wall thickness so that when the pins 29 are in- 15 
serted into the apertures 65 and the connecting flanges 
27 contact the wall the locking balls 35 are located just 
beyond the back surface of the wall. The bar 61 is then 
released permitting the plungers 31 to retract under force 
of the springs 51 and causing the locking balls to be 20 
cammed outwardly and maintained in the locking posi- 
tion that prevents the balls from retracting into the cyl- 
inders 33. Thus the equipment latch is locked on the wall 
13 and provides a mounting for the container 11. 
The adjustment in the projecting length of the locking 25 
pins 29 for different wall thicknesses is made possible by 
the nuts 57 and 59. Varying the position of these nuts 
on the threaded sleeve 41 adjusts the distance the pins 
29 project beyond the connecting flanges 27 so that the 
locking balls will be cammed into the locking position 30 
when the balls are just beyond the back surface of the 
wall. This avoids "play" between the locking balls and 
the wall back surface. 
When it is desired to remove the container 11 from the 
wall this is easily accomplished with the use of one hand 35 
grasping the frame element 17 and pressing the control 
bar 61 with the palm of the hand to permit the locking 
balls to retract and allow withdrawal of the locking pins 
29 from the wall 13. After the latch 15 is removed from 
the wall it provides a handle by which to carry the con- 40 
tainer 11. 
We claim: 
1. A combination latch and handle device for securing 
an article on a supporting snrface and for handling the 
article when it is dismounted comprising: 45 
(a)  a frame having an elongated body portion adapted 
to be engaged as a handle; 
(b) said frame supporting a plurality of locking pins 
spaced longitudinally of said portion and projecting 
substantially perpendicularly from one side of said 50 
portion; 
(c) each of said locking pins adapted to extend into 
an opening in a supporting surface and having lock- 
ing and unlocking means for selectively preventing 
or permitting withdrawal of said pins fiom an open- 55 
ing; 
,382 
4 
(d) said locking and unlocking means of each of said 
pins coir~plising a plunger adapted foi recipiocation 
longitudinally of said pins; 
(e) a control bar arranged adjacent and parailel to 
said eiongated portion on the side theleof opposite 
said one side; 
( f)  said plunge1 of each of said pins extending through 
said elongated poltion from said one side to said 
opposite side thereof; 
(g) said control bar extending between and being 
joined to said plunger of each of said pins on said 
opposite side; 
(h)  said plungers in the locked condition of said pins 
being spring urged toward said control bar whereby 
said handle may be grasped and said control bar 
pressed simultaneously with one hand to unlock said 
pins. 
2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said 
locking means of each of said pins comprises a plurality 
of locking balls adapted to protrude laterally of said pins 
in the locked position and withdrawn from the locked 
position to an unlocked position. 
3. The invention as defined in claim 1 including means 
for adjusting the projecting length of said pins from said 
one side of said portion. 
4. The invention as defined in clair 3 wherein said ad- 
justing means comprises a plurality of clamping nuts 
threadedly engaging each of said pins. 
5. The invention as defined in claim 1 including means 
carried by said frame for attaching said device to an arti- 
cle to be mounted on a supporting surface. 
6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said 
frame comprises a leg portion at  each end of said elon- 
gated body portion disposed substantially parallel with 
said pins, said attaching means comprising a flange joined 
pelpendicularly to each of said legs. 
7. The invention as defined in claim 5 including a n  
article attached to said attaching means of said frame, 
said article being mounted on a supporting surface by said 
device, said supporting surface having a plurality of holes 
therein corresponding to and receiving said plurality of 
pins, said locking means of said pins preventing with- 
drawal of said pins from said holes. 
References Cited 
UNITED STATES PATENTS 
3,148,476 9/1964 Ethridge ---------- 220-94 X 
3,307,759 3/1967 Fulton ----------- 224-50 X 
3,405,965 10/1968 Haas ------------- 294-94 X 
ROY D. FRAZIER, Primary Examiner 
J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner 
U.S. C1, X.R. 
22-94; 224-50 


Quick disconnect latch and handle combination Patent

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