Patent ID: 8596697

Claim:
An actuated breach lock, comprising: a hub for positioning on a pressurizable vessel, said hub being generally circular and having a central opening, a bearing surface disposed within said central opening; a head hingedly connected to said hub and having a shape which complements said central opening and which is received within said central opening; said hub having a plurality of teeth extending radially inward and separated by a plurality of gaps; a locking ring rotatably positioned on said head, said locking ring having a plurality of ring teeth separated by a plurality of ring gaps, each of said teeth having a circumferential length less than a circumferential length of said gaps in said hub; said bearing surface of said hub having an angle and said head having a bearing surface at said angle; said locking ring having a polygonal cross-section including two sides which engage said bearing surfaces respectively, said locking ring engaged by said head and said hub when said head is in a closed position; said closed position creating a line of force which is aligned from said head through said ring and to said hub; an actuator assembly disposed radially inwardly of said locking ring, said actuator assembly engaging said locking ring and causing rotation of said locking ring between one of a first locked and unlocked position and the other of the locked and unlocked position; said locking ring in compression when said head is closed and having said line of force being substantially aligned from said hub through said head.