The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jan. 02, 1979
Filed:
May. 01, 1978
Ronald D Van Dyke, Florissant, MO (US);
James C Hammonds, St. Charles, MO (US);
Patricia S Stoller, St. Charles, MO (US);
ACF Industries, Inc., New York, NY (US);
Abstract
In accordance with the present invention a hatch cover opening and closing assembly is provided including a locking handle having a yoke pivotably mounted about a vertically extending shaft located in the center portion of the cover. The shaft extends downwardly through a guide which depends from the cover. The guide includes at least one generally vertical indexing slot. Below the cover a laterally extending pin and a plurality of radially extending locking arms are attached to the shaft. A plurality of locking lugs are mounted on the internal surface of the coaming. The shaft is rotatable by the handle to move the locking arms into and out of engagement with the locking lugs. However the pin must be located within the indexing slot to move the locking arms vertically into engagement with the locking lugs. When the shaft is rotated so that the pin is located out of the slot, but in engagement with the guide, the handle may be used to pivot the cover about a hinge into open position. Preferably the locking arms comprise leaf springs when in engaged position with the locking lugs. The yoke on the handle is preferably formed in the shape of an arcuate cam surface whereby in closed position the yoke assumes an overcenter position on the cover, urging a seal on the cover into engagement with a lip on the coaming, against the bias of the leaf spring locking arms.