Patent ID: 7281464

Claim:
A system for selectively controlling movement of a piston between first and second positions, the system comprising: a cylinder defining an internal chamber, wherein the piston is slidably-disposed within the internal chamber; a controller selectively actuated to enable fluid communication between a device and a source of pressurized fluid; a control valve selectively actuated to enable fluid communication between a control system and the source of pressurized fluid, the control system selectively drives the piston between the first and second positions in response to the control valve; a monitoring valve selectively actuated for exhausting the flow of pressurized fluid, wherein the monitoring valve remains actuated until the control valve is deactuated; a sensing system for manipulating the source of pressurized fluid to the control system and the monitoring valve; and a latching mechanism positioned externally with respect to said cylinder, wherein the latching mechanism includes a latch that is selectively capable of engaging the piston through the cylinder when a loss of pressurized fluid occurs.