Patent ID: 8157864

Claim:
Vertebral replacement device comprising a female part having a longitudinal axis, a male part that is mounted inside the female part and is displaceable axially relative to the female part, and means for axially locking the female and male parts to one another, wherein the locking means comprises: first and second locking elements mounted so as to be movable in radial translation relative to the female part, in order to occupy a first position at which they cooperate with respective opposing parts of a peripheral surface of the male part to axially lock the female and male parts to one another, and a second position at which the female and male parts are freely displaceable axially relative to one another, and a rotating control element extending radially through the male part, said control element cooperating with the first and second locking elements so that when a rotational movement is communicated to the control element, the control element transforms the rotational movement into a translational movement of each of the locking elements so as to bring the locking elements into either of the first or second positions; wherein at least the second locking element is rotationally fixed relative to the female part, and the control element is a screw comprising a head and a shaft whose end furthest from the head is threaded and cooperates with a tapping of the second locking element, and in that the first locking element is freely mounted around an unthreaded part of the shaft of the screw near the head, so as to be pushed by the head when the screw is turned in a direction that tends to bring the locking elements into their first position; and wherein the locking elements are subjected to an elastic action that tends to move each of the locking elements away from the male part and to keep the first locking element pressed against the head of the screw.