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:
Jul. 04, 1995
Filed:
Apr. 29, 1993
Mel L Hitchcock, Costa Mesa, CA (US);
Coleman W Conrad, Whitter, CA (US);
Charles H Pearson, Riverside, CA (US);
BW/IP International, Inc., Long Beach, CA (US);
Abstract
A ball latch mechanism including an annular cage concentrically located between a bearing member and a trigger. The cage includes a slot and a latch ball located in the slot in contacting relation with the trigger. The latch ball is radially movable between a first position in which the ball protrudes from the slot to interfere with movement of the bearing member and a second position wherein the ball is retracted into the trigger. Each slot is circumferentially elongated in relation to the ball such that, upon rotation of the trigger from a latch position to an unlatched position, the ball rolls circumferentially along the cylindrical surface within the slot. A biasing means may be used to urge the ball toward a preferred starting location.