Patent ID: 8770549

Claim:
A locking apparatus for releasably locking components movable relative to each other, comprising: a locking device mountable to a first component and including at least one locking member; a catch member mountable to a second component, the catch member having a plurality of substantially similarly formed catches, the locking member engageable with at least one catch in a plurality of predetermined catching positions in at least one of a releasable, form-locking manner or a releasable, force-locking manner; a force member to produce a relative movement between the locking member and the at least one catch; and in at least a partial region of the catch member, at least a first catching position, a second catching position and a third catching position traversable by the locking member, at least a first distance between the first catching position and the second catching position and a second distance between the second catching position and the third catching position have different lengths, wherein the catch member is one of (1) a perforated rail or (2) a toothed rack and the catches are teeth, wherein the locking member has at least one tooth to engage the teeth of the toothed rack.