Patent ID: 8403589

Claim:
A locking mechanism for removably securing a base manifold of a spray gun to a spray head of a spray gun, the spray head having a bore with an opening at a proximal end and a radially extending space at a distal end, comprising: a shank portion attached to said base manifold and dimensioned and configured to be received in said bore of said spray head, said shank portion having a centrally and axially extending bore with a closed end and a plurality of radially extending bores aligned with said radially extending space when said shank portion is in a fully inserted position, a plurality of balls receivable in the radially extending bores; a plunger having a rounded tip dimensioned and configured to be received in the centrally and axially extending bore such that when the plunger is pressed against the plurality of balls, each of said plurality of balls moves through a corresponding radially extending bore and protrudes into the radially extending space, a cam member having a longitudinal axis, said cam member being rotatable about said longitudinal axis and linearly slidable along said longitudinal axis for engaging a bottom portion of said plunger, wherein the rotation of said cam member around said longitudinal axis causes said plunger to move up and down, wherein the cam member has a guide profile configured to provide three distinct positions of the plunger corresponding to the engagement of the spray head and base manifold: fully engaged; partially engaged; fully disengaged.