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:
Dec. 06, 1983
Filed:
Jan. 09, 1981
Harry A Penhasi, Cupertino, CA (US);
Beckman Instruments, Inc., Fullerton, CA (US);
Abstract
A safety latching apparatus for a cover of a machine enclosing a round rotatable member. The apparatus includes a latch member, and an elongated flexible control element for sensing the motion of the rotatable member to automatically prevent opening of the cover when the member is rotating. The control element is movable longitudinally so that one of its ends can be brought into contact with the rotatable member and the other end connected to a latching mechanism located adjacent the machine cover. When the rotatable member is stationary, the end of the control element brought into contact with it remains generally rigid to a force in the longitudinal direction allowing the latch member to move to an unlocked position. When the rotatable member is rotating, the contact end of the control element is deflected to one side presenting no rigidity to a force in the longitudinal direction permitting the other end of the control element to recede from its rigid position and thereby prevent the latch member from moving to an unlocked position. An anti-flexing guide member is positioned alongside the contact end of the elongated member to assure that it remains generally rigid when the rotatable member is stationary, and the contact end is located so that its longitudinal axis is slightly to one side of a center line intersecting the central axis of the rotatable member in order to bias the contact end toward deflection in the direction of the anti-flexing guide and opposite the direction in which the rotatable member rotates.