Patent ID: 7862277

Claim:
Apparatus including: a first component defining a first passage; a second component connectable with the first component and defining a second passage, said passages being aligned when the components are connected to each other; a rotatable locking pin having formations and a retaining element having engaging formations complementary to said formations and each configured for being accommodated in the aligned passages, the rotatable locking pin being rotatable relative to the components when accommodated in the aligned passages between a locked position in which the formations of the locking pin engage at least one of the engaging formations of the retaining element so as to prevent withdrawal of the locking pin from the aligned passages and to prevent separation of the components, and a free position in which the pin is slidably removable from the aligned passages to permit separation of the components, wherein said formations of the pin are at least partly disposed along a circumference of the pin, wherein the pin is configured so that said formations interlock with the engaging formations of the retaining element as the pin is rotated from the free position to the locked position to prevent separation of the first and second components; wherein the pin has therein an insertion recess extending, longitudinally relative to the pin to accommodate the retaining element and to permit insertion of the pin into the aligned passages when the insertion recess is aligned with the retaining element; wherein the insertion recess does not extend along an entire longitudinal length of the pin, and wherein the pin further comprises a withdrawal recess and said withdrawal recess is displaced longitudinally on a circumference of the pin and apart from the insertion recess, which withdrawal recess permits withdrawal of the pin from the aligned passages, when the withdrawal recess is aligned with the retaining element.