Releasable engagement apparatus

Abstract

Disclosed is an engagement assembly for releasably engaging a rigid member, including a rotating member that releasably engages the rigid member to prevent movement of the rigid member in at least one direction by friction. The rotating member is forced by a biasing element to selectively engage the rigid member, preventing retraction of the leg and inhibiting extension of the leg. A control release interacts with the biasing element, providing a releasable engagement of the rotating member with the rigid member.

That which is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for releasably engaging a rigid member, the apparatus comprising:
 a rotating member;   a biasing element connected to the rotating member to bias the rotating member to rotate toward the rigid member to prevent movement of the rigid member in at least one direction; and   a control release connected to the rotating member to reverse bias the rotating member to rotate away from the rigid member to enable movement of the rigid member in the at least one direction.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotating member is an eccentric. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a housing enclosing the biasing element and the rotating member. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein at least a portion of the control release is located outside of the housing and attaches to the rotating member by a control connector. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the control connector includes an attachment finger extending into a bore in the rotating member. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the control connector includes a flexible lead wire connected to the rotating member. 
     
     
         7 . An apparatus for elevating an object a distance from the ground comprising:
 a platform;   at least one leg supporting the platform a distance from the ground, the at least one leg including an upper leg portion and a lower leg portion, the lower leg portion configured to extend and retract with respect to the upper leg portion; and   an extension and retraction apparatus including
 a rotating member; 
 a biasing element connected to the rotating member to bias the rotating member to rotate toward the rigid member to prevent movement of the rigid member in at least one direction; and 
 a control release connected to the rotating member to reverse bias the rotating member to rotate away from the rigid member to enable movement of the rigid member in the at least one direction. 
   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the rotating member includes a friction-inducing engagement surface that is rough. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the rigid member is moveable inside a rigid member channel. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the rotating member is an eccentric. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the control release includes a pull bob attached to the rotating member with a lead wire. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the control release includes a lever arm operably attached to the rotating member. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising housing enclosing the biasing element and the rotating member. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein at least a portion of the control release is located outside of the housing and attaches to the rotating member by a control connector. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein the control connector includes a flexible lead wire connected to the rotating member. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for releasably engaging a rigid member, the apparatus comprising:
 a rotating member rotating about a stationary axis wherein the rotating member is rounded;   a biasing element connected to the rotating member to bias the rotating member to rotate toward the rigid member to prevent movement of the rigid member in at least one direction; and   a control release connected to the rotating member to reverse bias the rotating member to rotate away from the rigid member to enable movement of the rigid member in the at least one direction.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the rotating member includes a friction-inducing engagement surface. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the rigid member is moveable inside a rigid member channel. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the control release includes a pull bob attached to the rotating member with a lead wire. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the control release includes a lever arm operably attached to the rotating member.