Patent ID: 8104987

Claim:
A locking apparatus comprising: (a) a first body having at least one guide surface; (b) an engagement pin having a longitudinal axis and having one or more beveled surfaces wherein the one or more beveled surfaces of the engagement pin are slidingly engaged with the guide surface, the guide surface of the first body being inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the engagement pin, the engagement pin being movable along the guide surface such that the guide surface drives the engagement pin to move with respect to the first body in a transverse direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis as the engagement pin moves in an axial direction; (c) a second body proximate to the first body, the second body having a plurality of engagement surfaces positioned to be substantially aligned with the engagement pin, wherein the first body and second body are movable in relation to one another when the engagement pin is retracted, and wherein the first body and second body can be locked into one of a plurality of relative positions when the engagement pin is extended into one of the plurality of engagement surfaces, and wherein the extended engagement pin tightly engages both the first body and one engagement surface on the second body to substantially eliminate any relative motion between the first body and the second body.