Patent ID: 7125058

Claim:
A locking device with a solenoid release actuator, comprising: a) a housing; b) a plunger axially slidable within the housing, at least a first portion of the plunger being made of a magnetically responsive material; c) a biasing member which biases the plunger in a first direction; d) one or more locking balls; e) a solenoid coil disposed around at least the magnetically responsive portion of the plunger; and f) the locking balls each disposed in an aperture in the housing, the plunger having a second portion thereof containing at least one recess which receives the balls, a member to be locked being held in a first locked position with the plunger in a first locking position and the balls in a radially outward position out of alignment with the recess, the locking balls adapted for holding the locked member against a force of at least about 150 pounds, wherein in response to actuation of the solenoid, the plunger moves against the biasing member to align the recess with the balls, so that the balls move into the recess in the plunger thereby releasing the locked member; wherein the solenoid coil comprises a first solenoid coil and a second solenoid coil; the one or more locking balls comprises a first set of locking balls and a second set of locking balls, the first set of locking balls disposed in a first aperture in the housing and the second set of locking balls disposed in a second aperture in the housing; and the second portion of the plunger defining a first recess to receive the first set of locking balls and a second recess to receive the second set of locking balls, the first solenoid coil actuating the plunger to align the first recess with the first set of balls and allow the first set of balls to move into the first recess in the plunger and the second solenoid coil actuating the plunger, subsequent to actuation by the first solenoid coil, to align the second recess with the second set of balls and allow the second set balls to move into the second recess in the plunger to release the locked member.