Instrument housing

Claim 2

In an instrument housing or the like wherein the housing includes a pair of opposite side walls and a U-shaped handle spanning the side walls with securing means mounting the free ends of the handle to the side walls and with the handle having an axis of rotation through said free ends and having locking means on said side walls and on said free ends, the improvement being each of said side walls having a post extending outwardly thereof along said axis of rotation, a bearing member disposed across said post with a bearing face perpendicular to said axis of rotation and radially outwardly of said post, a fastener securing said bearing member to said post, said free end of said handle being disposed between said bearing member and said side wall, a spring detachably disposed externally of said housing around said post and reacting between said bearing face of said bearing member and said free end of said handle to urge said free end toward said side wall, said locking means comprising locking elements on said side wall disposed externally of said housing and complementary locking elements on said free end disposed for locking engagement with said locking elements under the influence of said spring urging said handle toward said side wall, and said free ends of said handle being disposed for axial movement along said post whereby said free ends of said handle may be pulled outwardly away from said side walls to overcome the force of each spring whereby said free ends may be moved axially to permit disengagement of said locking from said complementary locking means and then rotated to another position and returned to locking engagement by the release of the force overcoming the force of said springs without manipulation of said fastener.

Claim 3

In an instrument housing or the like wherein the housing includes a pair of opposite side walls and a U-shaped handle spanning the side walls with securing means mounting the free ends of the handle to the side walls and with the handle having an axis of rotation through said free ends and having locking means on said side walls and on said free ends, the improvement being each of said free ends having a post extending inwardly thereof through its side wall along said axis of rotation, a locking member within said housing secured across said post with a locking face perpendicular to said axis of rotation and radially outwardly of said post and disposed toward said side wall, said free end of said handle having a bearing face externally of and disposed toward said side wall, a spring detachably disposed around said post externally of said housing and reacting between said bearing face of said free end and said side wall to urge said free end away from said side wall and thereby urge said locking member toward said side wall, said locking means comprising locking elements on said side wall disposed internally of said housing and complementary locking elements on said locking member internally of said housing disposed for locking engagement with said locking elements under the influence of said spring urging said locking member toward said side wall, and said free end of said handle being disposed for axial movement with respect to said post whereby said free ends of said handle may be pushed inwardly toward said side walls to overcome the force of each spring whereby said free ends may be moved axially to permit disengagement of said locking means from said complementary locking means and then rotated to another position and returned to locking engagement by the release of the force overcoming the force of said springs.

Claim 4

In an instrument housing or the like wherein the housing includes a pair of opposite side walls and a U-shaped handle spanning the side walls with securing means mounting the free ends of the handle to the side walls and with the handle having an axis of rotation through said free ends and having locking means on said side walls and on said free ends, the improvement being each of said free ends having a post extending inwardly thereof through its side wall along said axis of rotation, a locking member within said housing secured across said post with a locking face perpendicular to said axis of rotation and radially outwardly of said post and disposed toward said side wall, said free end of said handle having a bearing face externally of and disposed toward said side wall, a spring detachably disposed around said post externally of said housing and reacting between said bearing face of said free end and said side wall to urge said free end away from said side wall and thereby urge said locking member toward said side wall, said locking means comprising locking elements on said side wall disposed internally of said housing and complementary locking elements on said locking member internally of said housing disposed for locking engagement with said locking elements under the influence of said spring urging said locking member toward said side wall, and said free end of said handle being disposed for axial movement with respect to said post whereby said free ends of said handle may be pushed inwardly toward said side walls to overcome the force of each spring whereby said free ends may be moved axially to permit disengagement of said locking means from said complementary locking means and then rotated to another position and returned to locking engagement by the release of the force overcoming the force of said springs.

Claim 5

The housing of claim 2 wherein said post is integral with said free end, said locking member being a plate detachably secured to said post, and said complementary locking elements being on the face of said plate disposed toward said side wall.

Claim 6

The housing of claim 2 wherein an annular flange is around said bearing face on each of said free ends, and a socket on each of said side walls receiving said annular flange.

Claim 7

The housing of claim 2 wherein said locking means comprises ball segments and ball detents.

Claim 8

The housing of claim 2 wherein said locking means comprises teeth.

Claim 9

In an instrument housing or the like wherein the housing includes a pair of opposite side walls and a U-shaped handle spanning the side walls with securing means mounting the free ends of the handle to the side walls with the handle having an axis of rotation through said free ends and having locking means on said side walls and on said free ends, the improvement being each of said free ends having a post extending inwardly thereof through its said side wall along said axis of rotation, a bearing member within said housing secured across said post with a bearing face perpendicular to said axis of rotation and radially outwardly of said post and disposed toward said side wall, said free end of said handle having a locking member externally of said housing disposed toward said side wall, a spring detachably disposed around said post internally of said housing and reacting between said bearing face of said bearing member and said side wall to urge said locking member toward said side wall, said locking means comprising locking elements on said side wall disposed externally of said housing and complementary locking elements on said locking member disposed for locking engagement with said locking elements under the influence of said spring urging said locking member toward side wall, and said free end of said handle being disposed for axial movement with respect to said post whereby said free ends of said handle may be pulled outwardly away from said side walls to overcome the force of each spring whereby said free ends may be moved axially to permit disengagement of said locking means from said complementary locking means and then rotated to another position and returned to locking engagement by the release of the force overcoming the force of said springs.

Claim 10

In an instrument housing or the like wherein the housing includes a pair of opposite side walls and a U-shaped handle spanning the side walls with securing means mounting the free ends of the handle to the side walls with the handle having an axis of rotation through said free ends and having locking means on said side walls and on said free ends, the improvement being each of said free ends having a post extending inwardly thereof through its said side wall along said axis of rotation, a bearing member within said housing secured across said post with a bearing face perpendicular to said axis of rotation and radially outwardly of said post and disposed toward said side wall, said free end of said handle having a locking member externally of said housing disposed toward said side wall, a spring detachably disposed around said post internally of said housing and reacting between said bearing face of said bearing member and said side wall to urge said locking member toward said side wall, said locking means comprising locking elements on said side wall disposed externally of said housing and complementary locking elements on said locking member disposed for locking engagement with said locking elements under the influence of said spring urging said locking member toward side wall, and said free end of said handle being disposed for axial movement with respect to said post whereby said free ends of said handle may be pulled outwardly away from said side walls to overcome the force of each spring whereby said free ends may be moved axially to permit disengagement of said locking means from said complementary locking means and then rotated to another position and returned to locking engagement by the release of the force overcoming the force of said springs.

Claim 11

The housing of claim 7 wherein said locking means comprises ball segments and ball detents.

Claim 12

The housing of claim 7 wherein said locking means comprises teeth.

Claim 13

The housing of claim 7 wherein each of said free ends includes an annular shoulder concentric to said post to comprise said locking member, said complementary locking elements being on the surface of said shoulder concentric to said post, each of said side walls having a socket into which said annular shoulder fits, and said locking elements being on said socket.

Claim 14

The housing of claim 2 wherein said locking elements are mounted on inserts secured to said side walls.

Claim 15

The housing of claim 1 wherein each of said free ends includes an annular shoulder concentric to said axis of rotation, said complementary locking elements being disposed on said annular shoulder, each of said side walls having a socket with an inner annular surface concentric to said axis of rotation, and said locking elements being disposed on said inner annular surface.

Claim 16

The housing of claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises ball segments and ball detents.

Claim 17

The housing of claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises teeth.