Patent ID: 7197807

Claim:
A retaining apparatus comprising: a housing having a circumferential castellation, said castellation forming a plurality of notches and a plurality dentils each of said dentils being radially extending and circumferentially oriented, each of said dentils having an radially inwardly facing circumferential groove; a retainer plate having a plurality of approximately axially extending fingers each disposed respectively within said notches formed by said castellation, each of said plurality of fingers each having a flange disposed approximately perpendicular to its respective finger; a resilient element disposed between said retainer plate and said housing for applying an axial force to said retainer plate; and a retaining ring retainable within said circumferential groove of said plurality of dentils, and operable to limit the axial movement of said retainer plate with respect to said housing by engaging at least one of said flanges disposed on said plurality of fingers.