Patent ID: 11944083
Assignee: nan
Field: Other special machines (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC A  B | IPC A  B

Claim 12:
13. A latchable, rotatable rod holder, comprising:
a base;
a latch release lever rotatably attached to said base, said latch release lever having a latching surface;
a rod holder adapted to receive a rod, said rod having a length, said rod holder attached to said base via a rod holder rotatable attachment, said rod holder comprising a latch plate having a first surface and a second surface;
wherein said latch release lever latching surface is adapted to contact said first surface of said latch plate when said rod holder is in a latched stowed position, such that said contact between said latch release lever latching surface and said first surface of said latch plate prevents said rod holder from rotating on said rod holder rotatable attachment, latching said rod holder into the latched stowed position; and
wherein when said latch release lever is rotated on said latch release lever rotatable attachment such that said contact between said latch release lever latching surface and said first surface of said latch plate is removed, said rod holder is allowed to rotate on said rod holder rotatable attachment towards a rod insertion/removal position;
wherein said rod holder is further defined as an elongate structure having a length, a lengthwise opening, and an open end, allowing an end of said rod to be inserted through said rod holder open end, and allowing said rod to be received along at least a portion of its length by said rod holder lengthwise opening;
wherein, when said rod holder is rotated on said rod holder rotatable attachment in a first direction of rotation into said rod insertion/removal position, said latch release lever latching surface contacts said latch plate second surface, preventing further rotation of said rod holder in said first direction of rotation, and wherein said contact between said latch release lever latching surface and said latch plate second surface maintains said rod holder in said rod insertion/removal position until said rod holder is rotated in a direction opposite of said first direction of rotation back into the latched stowed position;
wherein said latch release lever is biased into a nominal position of rotation by a biasing force, wherein said nominal position is defined as being a position that, when said latch release lever latching surface is in contact with said first surface, said rod holder is latched into said latched stowed position, and when said latch release lever latching surface is in contact with said second surface, said rod holder is in said rod insertion/removal position, and wherein said biasing force tends to oppose the rotating of said latch release lever in a direction of rotation that removes contact between said latch release lever latching surface and said latch plate first surface;
wherein a center of mass of said rod holder is horizontally offset from said rod holder axis of rotation, allowing the force of gravity acting on the rod holder center of mass to cause the rod holder to rotate towards the rod insertion/removal position when, from the latched stowed position, the latch release lever is rotated on said latch release lever rotatable attachment such that said contact between said latch release lever latching surface and said first surface of said latch plate is removed;
wherein said biasing force is provided by a compression spring that is at least partially compressed and is disposed between a surface of said base and said latch release lever.