Patent ID: 7703815

Claim:
A quick cam latch mechanism comprising: a housing; a bolt disposed in the housing, the bolt being positionable between an extended position and a retracted position; and a cam assembly disposed in the housing and operatively coupled to the bolt, the cam assembly comprising a rotatable primary cam having an engagement arm with an engagement surface at one end, and first and second rotatably mounted linkages each having flared engagement surfaces, the linkages being mounted to the housing such that the flared surfaces of the linkages face each other with the entire engagement surface of the primary cam disposed between the flared surfaces of the linkages, such that upon rotation of the primary cam in a first direction, the engagement surface of the primary cam directly engages the flared engagement surface of the first linkage to directly cause the first linkage, but not directly cause the second linkage, to pivot about its axis in the first direction into direct engagement of the first linkage with the bolt so that the bolt is retracted from its extended position by rotation of the first linkage about its axis of rotation, and that upon rotation of the primary cam in a second direction, the engagement surface of the primary cam directly engages the flared surface of the second linkage to directly cause the second linkage, but not directly cause the first linkage, to pivot about its axis in the second direction into direct engagement of the second linkage with the bolt so that the bolt is retracted from its extended position by rotation of the second linkage about its axis of rotation; wherein each of the first and the second linkages pivot about a common axis of rotation.