Saloon door support

Abstract

A system for bracing a reciprocating shaft having a first shaft portion that moves along a long axis with respect to a second shaft portion and a short axis orthogonal to the long axis. The first shaft portion moves past a switch in a first direction to disengage the switch and past the switch in a second direction to engage the switch. A bracing member is carried by the switch and has a tip that, when the switch is engaged, is located immediately adjacent and laterally braces the second shaft portion by limiting movement of the second shaft portion along the short axis. When the switch is disengaged, the tip of the bracing member is not located immediately adjacent the shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for selectively laterally bracing an elongate reciprocating shaft having a first shaft portion, a second shaft portion, a long axis that extends through the first and second shaft portions, and a short axis that is orthogonal to the long axis, wherein the first shaft portion is configured to move along the long axis with respect to the second shaft portion, the system comprising:
 a first brace having:
 a switch that is moveable between an engaged orientation and a disengaged orientation; 
 a first contact portion configured to be contacted by the first shaft portion as the first shaft portion moves along the long axis past the switch in a first direction and, as a result of that contact, the switch moves from the engaged orientation to the disengaged orientation; 
 a second contact portion configured to be contacted by the first shaft portion as the first shaft portion moves along the long axis past the switch in a second direction and, as a result of that contact, the switch moves from the disengaged orientation to the engaged orientation; 
 a bracing member carried by the switch and having a tip that, when the switch is in the engaged orientation, is located immediately adjacent and laterally braces the second shaft portion by limiting movement of the second shaft portion along the short axis and, when the switch is in the disengaged orientation, is not located immediately adjacent the shaft. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a second brace, wherein the first and second braces are mounted together as a pair on opposing sides of the elongate reciprocating shaft and rotate simultaneously with one another between the engaged and disengaged orientations such that, in the engaged orientation, the bracing member of the first brace limits movement of the second shaft portion along the short axis in a third direction and the bracing member of the second brace limits movement of the second shaft member along the short axis in a fourth direction. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a semi-circular tip formed on the bracing member that is located immediately adjacent the second shaft portion in the engaged orientation, wherein the second shaft portion has a circular cross section and the semi-circular tip of the bracing member partially surrounds the shaft. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  further comprising a second brace and semi-circular tips formed on the bracing member of each brace, wherein the first and second braces are mounted together as a pair on opposing sides of the elongate shaft and rotate simultaneously with one another between the engaged and disengaged orientations such that, in the engaged orientation, the semi-circular tips of the bracing members substantially encircle the second shaft portion. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a rotation arrester for releasably holding the switch at the disengaged orientation. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the engaged orientation is offset by approximately 90 degrees of rotation from the disengaged orientation. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a rotation limiter that limits the degree of rotation of the switch as the first shaft portion moves along the long axis past the switch in the first direction and the second direction. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7  wherein the rotation limiter limits the degree of rotation of the switch such that, upon reaching the limit of rotation, the switch is oriented in either the engaged orientation or the disengaged orientation. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a bi-stable switch that is automatically biased towards either the disengaged orientation or the engaged orientation when located between the disengaged and engaged orientation, wherein the direction of bias is determined by the rotational position of the switch, and wherein the switch remains stationary when oriented in either the disengaged orientation or the engaged orientation. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9  further comprising:
 a first spring connected to a first arm or a second arm of the switch for automatically biasing the switch to the engaged orientation; and 
 a second spring connected to the other of the first arm and the second arm for automatically biasing the switch to the disengaged orientation, 
 wherein the switch is biased to the engaged orientation upon being rotated towards the engaged orientation and beyond a point of maximum potential energy stored in both the first and second springs, and 
 wherein the switch is biased to the disengaged orientation upon being rotated towards the disengaged orientation and beyond a point of maximum potential energy stored in both the first and second springs. 
 
     
     
         11 . A bracing system comprising:
 an elongate shaft having a first shaft portion in a reciprocating relationship with a second shaft portion along a long axis that extends through the first and second shaft portions and a short axis that is orthogonal to the long axis;   a first brace having:
 a switch that is moveable between an engaged orientation and a disengaged orientation; 
 a first contact portion configured to be contacted by the first shaft portion as the first shaft portion moves along the long axis past the switch in a first direction and, as a result of that contact, the switch moves from the engaged orientation to the disengaged orientation; 
 a second contact portion configured to be contacted by the first shaft portion as the first shaft portion moves along the long axis past the switch in a second direction and, as a result of that contact, the switch moves from the disengaged orientation to the engaged orientation; 
 a bracing member carried by the switch and having a tip that, when the switch is in the engaged orientation, is located immediately adjacent and laterally braces the second shaft portion by limiting movement of the second shaft portion along the short axis and, when the switch is in the disengaged orientation, is not located immediately adjacent the shaft. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising:
 a second brace located adjacent the shaft and opposite the first brace, wherein the second brace rotates between the engaged and disengaged orientations simultaneously with and in an opposite direction of rotation to the first brace, 
 wherein, in the engaged orientation, the bracing member of the first brace limits movement of the second shaft portion along the short axis in a third direction and the bracing member of the second brace limits movement of the second shaft portion along the short axis in a fourth direction. 
 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a spreader for assisting the switch to rotate between the engaged orientation and the disengaged orientation, the spreader having:
 tapering sides that contact the first contact portions of both the first and second braces as the first shaft portion moves along the long axis past the switch in the first direction and that contact the second contact portions of both the first and second braces as the first shaft portion moves along the long axis past the switch in the second direction, 
 wherein the first contact portions of the first and second braces are guided along the tapering sides as the first shaft portion continues to move in the first direction which automatically rotates the switch from the engaged orientation to the disengaged orientation and the second contact portions of the first and second braces are guided along the tapering sides as the first shaft portion continues to move in the second direction which automatically rotates the switch from the disengaged orientation to the engaged orientation. 
 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11  further comprising a position sensor configured to sense the position of the switch. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14  further comprising a controller for controlling an amount of pressured applied along the long axis of the elongate shaft, wherein a maximum amount of pressure that may be applied along the long axis of the elongate shaft is at least partially determined by the sensed position of the switch. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the position sensor sends a signal to the controller when an amount of pressure applied along the long axis of the elongate shaft for a selected position of the switch meets or surpasses a predetermined limit and wherein that warning signal triggers at least one of: an audible alert generating by an audible alarm connected to the system, a visual alert generated by a visual alarm connected to the system, a reduction pressure applied along the long axis of the elongate shaft, a shutdown of the system. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first shaft portion and the second shaft portion are joined end to end and move together as a single unit along the long axis. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the first shaft portion is slidably engaged with the second shaft portion and moves with respect to the second shaft portion. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the second shaft has a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the first shaft.