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Releasable Locking MechanismsIn the aerospace field spacecraft components are held together by separation systems until a specific time when they must be separated or deployed. Customarily a threaded joining bolt engages one of the components to be joined, and a threaded nut is placed on that bolt against the other component so they can be drawn together by a releasable locking assembly. The releasable locking assembly herein includes a plunger having one end coupled to one end of a plunger bolt. The other end is flanged to abut and compress a coil spring when the plunger is advanced toward the interface plane between the two components. When the plunger is so advanced toward the interface plane, the end of the plunger bolt can be connected to the joining bolt. Thus during retraction the joining bolt is drawn to one side of the interface plane by the force of the expanding spring.
Document ID
20050237932
Acquisition Source
Marshall Space Flight Center
Document Type
Other - Patent
External Source(s)
MSF-31906
Authors
Rafiq Ahmed
(Marshall Space Flight Center Redstone Arsenal, United States)
Robert J Wingate
(Marshall Space Flight Center Redstone Arsenal, United States)
Date Acquired
August 23, 2013
Publication Date
September 6, 2005
Subject Category
Mechanical Engineering
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.
Patent
US-Patent-6,939,073
Patent Application
US-Patent-Appl-SN-652083
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