Abstract: A latching mechanism for securing a panel member to a support member. The mechanism includes a rotary assembly that is flush mounted in the panel and which contains a radially extended arm that is rotatable into and out of latching engagement with the support member. The rotary mechanism further contains a key that is spring loaded into a locked position when the arm is in a latched position. The key further contains lugs that are maintained in a guideway to control the movement of the key. The guideway directs the key downwardly in an axial direction when the key is depressed moving the key out of the locked position into an unlocked position. When the key is in the unlocked position, the rotary assembly can be turned to bring the latching arm to an unlatched position. The guideway is arranged to hold the key in a depressed condition any time the latch mechanism is not latched.

Abstract: An anti-friction nut for engagement with an elongate shaft-like member having a groove with opposed walls. The nut body has an axial bore which is adapted to receive the shaft-like member, and a radial bore communicating with the axial bore. The radial bore carries an anti-friction roller mounted by means of two back-to-back ball bearing assemblages. A nose portion of the roller extends into the axial bore and engages one wall of the groove of the shaft-like member. There is a spring in the radial bore which engages the outer race of the inner ball bearing assemblage, and effectively biases the roller in a radially outward direction, away from the shaft-like member. A threaded adjustment plug in the bore engages the outer race of the outermost ball bearing assemblage, to effect adjustable movement of the roller in radial directions, against the action of the spring. Reduced looseness and backlash are realized.

Abstract: A mechanical oscillator including a shaft having an endless groove in its periphery, a nut body carried by and slidable along the shaft at the location of the endless groove, and a roller pin carried by the nut body, having a nose portion extending into and engaging a wall of the endless groove and having a tail portion disposed deeply in the nut body. A plurality of anti-friction bearings is carried by the nut body, the bearings carrying the roller pin. The anti-friction bearings include both a ball bearing and a needle bearing, the ball bearing being disposed adjacent the nose portion of the roller pin, and the needle bearing being located adjacent the ball bearing and engaged with a tail portion of the roller pin. Multiple roller pins can be used, carried on two carrier strips respectively, which are axially displaced and disposed at opposite sides of the nut body. The carrier strips and associated roller pins can be removed as units, thereby simplifying replacement as required by damage or wear.

Abstract: A heavy-duty mechanical/oscillator utilizes a shaft having an endless cam groove in its periphery, and a nut body carried by and slidable along the peripheral portion of the shaft. A roller pin on the nut body, extends into and engages a wall of the endless groove. The roller pin's nose portion is conical, whereby the pin is subjected to oblique loading having both intense radial and lesser axial components. Paired anti-friction roller bearings carried by the nut body in turn rotatably mount the roller pin. The bearings include a primary oblique-loading roller bearing disposed adjacent the nose portion of the roller pin and oriented to counter the intense radial forces and lesser axial forces experienced by the nose portion, and a secondary oblique-loading roller bearing located adjacent the primary bearing and engaged with a tail portion of the roller pin. The secondary roller bearing is oriented to mainly counter radial forces experienced by the nose portion.

Abstract: A mechanical oscillator including a shaft having an endless groove in its periphery, a nut body carried by and slidable along the shaft at the location of the endless groove, and a roller pin carried by the nut body, having a nose portion extending into and engaging a wall of the endless groove and having a tail portion disposed deeply in the nut body. A plurality of anti-friction bearings is carried by the nut body, the bearings carrying the roller pin. The anti-friction bearings include both a ball bearing and a needle bearing, the ball bearing being disposed adjacent the nose portion of the roller pin, and the needle bearing being located adjacent the ball bearing and engaged with a tail portion of the roller pin. The roller pins are carried on two carrier strips respectively disposed at opposite sides of the nut body. The carrier strips and associated roller pins can be removed as a unit, thereby simplifying replacement as required by damage or wear.

Abstract: A strut construction having outer and inner telescoping strut members capable of relative extending and collapsing movements. The outer strut member has a socket for a locking piece which is captive but moveable therein. A release member is captive and slidable on the strut construction between locking and release positions. The release member has spaced-apart shallow and deep internal pockets for respectively receiving, depending on its locking or releasing position, portions of the captive locking piece in the outer strut member. The inner strut member has a shoulder which provides shallow and deep pockets to respectively receive other portions of the captive locking piece.

Abstract: A hinged strut construction has a pair of elongate, rigid strut members and a hinge structure connecting adjoining ends of the members to each other. A slide device releasably locks the strut members in an aligned, extended position. The slide device consists of an extendable and retractable locking pin which is axially movable on one strut member and which can be extended into or pulled out of an axial socket of the other member. A collar that is movable on one strut member connects with the locking pin to effect the movement of the pin.

Abstract: A strut construction having outer and inner telescoping strut members capable of relative extending and collapsing movements. The outer strut member has a socket for a locking ball which is captive but moveable therein. A release collar is captive and slidable on the outer strut member between locking and release positions. The release collar has spaced-apart shallow and deep internal pockets for respectively receiving, depending on its locking or releasing position, portions of the captive ball of the outer strut member The inner strut member has a shoulder means which provides shallow and deep pockets to respectively receive other portions of the captive ball.

Abstract: A releasable latch construction having a body member attachable to a panel, a latching member turnable on the body member for arcuate movement between a latching position and a releasing position, a locking mechanism movably carried by the body member and operable to lock the latching member in either its latching position or else in its releasing position, and an actuator movably carried in the body member and engageable with the locking mechanism, for effecting the locking or releasing movement of the latching member. The actuator is directly engageable by a latch key and is shiftable thereby in order to effect such movements.

Abstract: A light-weight miniature, high-speed, light-load anti-friction nut assemblage adapted to receive a screw. The assemblage has a nut body with an axial bore through which the screw can pass, and a second bore extending transversely of its axis and intersecting the axial bore. There is a roller pin disposed in the second bore, having a nose adapted for engagement with side walls of the screw thread. The roller pin is carried on a first miniature anti-friction bearing having inner and outer races, with adhesive being applied between the inner race and the roller pin, and between the outer race and the walls of the second bore. A second miniature anti-friction bearing is carried in a recess in the axial bore of the nut body, this second bearing centralizing the nut body on the screw for relative turning with respect thereto. Reduced component count and significant manufacturing economies are realized.

Abstract: A releasable latch construction having a body member attachable to a panel, a latching member turnable on the body member for arcuate movement between a latching position and a releasing position, a locking mechanism movably carried by the body member and operable to lock the latching member in either its latching position or else in its releasing position, and an actuator movably carried in the body member and engageable with the locking mechanism, for effecting the locking or releasing movement of the latching member. The actuator is directly engageable by a latch key and is shiftable thereby in order to effect such movements.

Abstract: A screw-type fastener comprising two cooperable assemblages for releasably securing a panel having one of said assemblages to an underlying support structure such as a sub-panel or other framework having the other assemblage. The said other assemblage of the fastener comprises a tubular housing enclosing a screw member which projects forwardly to an open end of the housing, toward the opening thereof. The said one fastener assemblage comprises a floating stud body carried by the panel and having an internally threaded bore which is adapted to receive the screw member when the stud body is applied thereto. The housing has ratchet disks encircling the screw member, provided with opposed faces containing radial teeth which engage one another. One disk is keyed to rotate with the stud body, and the other is keyed for longitudinal non-rotary movement in the housing. A spring in the housing maintains the disks in contact.

Abstract: A releasable, hook-type fastener of the kind intended to secure pieces of equipment or structural members together, the fastener including a casing, a drive shaft turnable in the casing, an eccentric bushing carried by the casing and turnable with the shaft, and a pair of separate and distinct, similarly-shaped spring hooks that are disposed side by side and substantially in broadside contact with each other. At one end, the hooks have looped bearing portions which are frictionally engaged with the eccentric bushing, and at the other end they have registered bill portions. A pin is provided, separate from the hooks and adjacent to the eccentric bushing, for engagement with the hooks so as to maintain them in registration with one another. The arrangement is such that an unusually strong and sturdy construction results, without the need for heavy gauge springs and without the use of odd-shaped springs which would require special metal stock and bending fixtures or jigs for their fabrication.

Abstract: An extensible and retractable strut comprising telescoping pairs of members the outer of which carries a manually operable collar that is slideable between locking and unlocking positions. The collar carries a manually-releasable pivoted locking lever having an offset end that can be received in an opening of the outer member to lock the strut in adjusted position against release when the collar is in its locking position. When the collar is in the unlocking position, the offset portion of the lever is out of registration with the opening and instead bears against the exterior of the outer member. For such circumstance the members are relatively moveable between their extended and retracted positions. A keying means carried by the collar is engageable with cooperable means on the outer member to maintain the collar in a given aligning position.

Abstract: A low-friction, light-load, low-cost mechanical transmission for converting rotary motion to linear motion, comprising an elongate screw shaft having a rolled thread groove, a multi-part follower nut comprising a sleeve having a through hole constituting a ball socket and a cylindrical jacket encircling the sleeve, there being a thread-engaging ball disposed in the socket and engaging the walls of the thread groove. The bore of the jacket has a hard surface which engages and provides a back-up for the ball as the latter traverses the length of the screw shaft. The sleeve is held captive within the jacket by a pair of locking rings received in annular grooves in the bore of the latter. Surrounding the nut is a tubular housing. Anti-friction sleeve bearings on the exterior of the jacket slidably engage the inner surface of the housing to enable the nut to move freely therein as the screw shaft is rotatably driven.

Abstract: A low-friction light-load mechanical transmission for converting between rotary and linear motion, comprising a screw shaft having a helical thread groove, and a nut body having a radially movable socket member in which there is received a thread-engaging ball. The socket member has a circular load surface surrounding a circumference of the ball, and a second load surface centrally located with respect to the circular load surface and displaced laterally therefrom. The second load surface of the socket member engages the ball along a relatively small area thereof. The helical thread groove is characterized by a pair of co-extensive, helical troughs, each trough being partially circular in cross section. The troughs intersect one another adjacent the root of the thread groove, each trough having a radius of curvature slightly greater than the radius of the ball.

Abstract: A reversing nut construction for a diamond thread screw of the type having criss-crossed left- and right-hand grooves, the nut comprising an annular nut body having a through bore to receive the screw, a thread-engaging ball carried by the body and extending into the bore thereof, and a second thread-engaging ball also extending into the bore. The first ball has mounting means which enables it to undergo rolling motion, but is held against axial or lateral movement on the nut body. The second ball also undergoes rolling motion, but is further capable of being shifted axially of the body between oppositely disposed extreme positions, whereby it can travel along the left-hand groove of the screw when it is disposed in one position, or the right-hand groove of the screw when it is disposed in the other position. Yieldable detent means, comprising a pair of spring rings, selectively engage the movable ball and bias it into continuous engagement with the screw, while still enabling it to be shifted axially.

Abstract: An anti-backlash, automatically reversing nut construction for use with a diamond thread screw, comprising a nut proper and a separate follower movable with respect to the nut proper, both said parts having through bores for receiving the screw. The follower part carries a non-shiftable thread-engaging ball extending into the bore thereof, and also a laterally-movable thread engaging ball likewise extending into the bore. The movable ball is capable of being shifted translationally on the follower in directions substantially parallel to the screw axis whereby it can transfer from engagement in one groove to engagement in another groove of the screw to thereby effect a change in the axial direction of travel of the nut assemblage. The nut proper also carries a non-shiftable thread-engaging ball and a laterally-movable thread-engaging ball, the latter being capable of shifting translationally on the nut proper, also in directions substantially parallel to the screw axis.

Abstract: A zero-backlash anti-friction nut construction for engagement with the threads of a screw. The device comprises a pair of nut sections having aligned through bores to receive the screw, pairs of rollers respectively carried by the sections and having generally conical tip portions engageable with the walls of the screw grooves, and bearings mounting each roller for rotation about its respective axis during such engagement. The rollers have Belleville springs urging them radially inward, and in addition, a coil spring carried by one of the sections biases the two toward one another against the action of the Belleville springs, so as to minimize looseness with the screw. The arrangement is such that the coil spring loads the nut sections sufficiently to effect slight retraction of each roller against the action of its Belleville springs. Improved performance and lowbacklash tracking of the nut sections along the screw thereby result.

Abstract: An extendable and collapsible telescoping strut construction comprising inner and outer tubular members adapted to be slidably received in one another. The inner member is provided with rolled-in portions constituting annular locking grooves, respectively. The outer member has radially extending slots to receive locking dogs which are advanceable toward the inner member so as to engage various annular grooves thereof one at a time and thus hold the inner member in predetermined, fixed positions with respect to the outer member. The latter further carries a spring-biased, slidable collar member which retains the locking dogs in positions of engagement with any one of the annular grooves. Positive, cooperable locking means on the collar member and on the outer tubular member are provided for retaining these two parts in a predetermined, fixed position against accidental bumping or jarring, whereby the locking dogs are firmly held in their advanced, locked positions.