Patent ID: 8030603

Claim:
A locking device comprising: a shaft having a first and a second end; a first coupling mechanism having a selectively engageable first major surface, said first coupling mechanism being rotateably mounted to said shaft; a drive device operably connected to said first coupling mechanism; a second coupling mechanism having a selectively engageable second major surface, said second coupling mechanism fixedly mounted to said shaft in the axial direction of said shaft and movably engaged along the longitudinal dimension of said shaft, said second coupling mechanism being disposed between said first coupling mechanism and said second end of said shaft; a mounting surface, said mounting surface being fixedly engaged with said shaft, a rotation prevention device operably connected to said second coupling mechanism and said mounting surface; and a stored energy device disposed between said second coupling mechanism and said mounting surface; wherein a force applied to said drive device causes axial rotation of the first coupling mechanism relative to the shaft such that the selectively engageable major surfaces of the coupling mechanisms align and are engaged by application of force from the stored energy device thereby disengaging the rotation prevention device and permitting the actuator to control axial rotation of the shaft; and wherein said locking device is coupled to an aerodynamic surface.