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:
Jun. 22, 2004
Filed:
May. 06, 2002
Eric E. Roach, Orlando, FL (US);
Lockheed Martin Corporation, Bethesda, MD (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for releasably attaching a closure plate to an open end of a cylindrical casing, the apparatus having an inner member; a threaded outer ring biased in tension, disposed adjacent to the inner member, for releasably engaging an interior wall of the casing; and a eutectic spacer between the inner member and the outer ring. At temperatures below the melting point of the eutectic spacer, the outer ring is held in threaded engagement with the casing, and holds the closure plate in position in abutment with the casing. When the temperature of the eutectic spacer reaches its melting temperature, the eutectic spacer transitions to a liquid state, flows away from the apparatus, allowing the outer ring to retract into a groove in the inner member, and the closure to be released from the casing.