Patent ID: 8047970

Claim:
A weight plate to be releasably attached to a weight plate lifting element of physical fitness weight lifting equipment, said weight plate comprising: a plate body having a hole formed therein for receipt of the weight plate lifting element; an external locking cartridge located entirely outside said plate body, said locking cartridge detachably connected to one side of said plate body; and a locking pin sliding reciprocally through each of said external locking cartridge and said plate body so as to be displaced relative to the hole in said plate body, said external locking cartridge including a housing, a pivot located within said housing, and a pivotal lever switch arm that is connected to said pivot and coupled to said locking pin within said housing, said pivotal lever switch arm being surrounded by and projecting outside said housing at which to receive a force so that said pivotal lever switch arm rotates within said housing at said pivot and moves within said housing between an on position for causing said locking pin to slide in a first direction into the hole in said plate body at which to be attached to the weight plate lifting element and an off position for causing said locking pin to slide in an opposite direction out of the hole in said plate body so as to be detached from the weight plate lifting element.