Pivotable extractor hold down apparatus

Abstract

A mounting member for an extractor hold down apparatus permits the extractor to exert both extraction and insertion forces at different angles to, for example, an electronic unit on an avionic rack. The mounting member is provided with a pair of elongated slots that accommodate a cross bar and retaining disks mounted on the power shaft of the extractor. The slots provide an angle range of at least 18° plus or minus 15°.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for inserting an electronic unit in and removing it from a supporting structure having a supporting surface by applying forces at one end of said electronic unit, relative to said supporting structure, whereby the electronic unit is inserted and removed along an axis of movement parallel with the supporting surface, said apparatus comprising: means for applying insertion forces to said one end of said electronic unit, said insertion forces having a force component perpendicular and directed towards said supporting surface and a force component parallel to said supporting surface;   means for applying extraction forces to said one end of said electronic unit, and for controlling the angle of application of said extraction forces such that a force component parallel to said supporting surface and substantially no components in a direction perpendicular to said supporting surface are exerted for the duration of travel of said electronic unit along said axis; and   means for locking said extraction force applying means into a position that prevents said electronic unit from being lifted out of contact with said supporting surface despite any extraneous force being applied to said electronic unit during extraction.   
     
     
       2. An improved hold down and extraction apparatus for inserting an electronic unit in and removing it from a supporting structure having a supporting surface, said electronic unit having the first half of a cable connector mounted at one end thereof and the second half of said cable connector being mounted on said supporting structure, mounting being accomplished by applying forces at the second end of said electronic unit relative to said supporting structure, said apparatus comprising: means connected to said second end for applying extraction and insertion forces to said electronic unit, said insertion forces having a force component perpendicular and directed towards said supporting surface and a force component parallel to said supporting surface;   means for controlling the angle of application of said extraction forces such that a force component parallel to said supporting surface and substantially no force component in a direction perpendicular to said supporting surface are exerted for the duration of the extraction of said first and second halves of said cable connectors; and   means for locking said extraction force applying means into a position that prevents said electronic unit from being lifted out of contact with said supporting surface by any extraneous force applied to said electronic unit during engagement of the first and second halves of said cable connectors.   
     
     
       3. Apparatus for supplying insertion and extraction forces to an electronic unit with respect to a supporting structure having a supporting surface, said apparatus comprising: a shaft;   a carriage means movably mounted on said shaft for engaging one end of said electronic unit; and   mounting means attached to said supporting structure for pivotally receiving said shaft through an entrance slot, said slot being positioned to prevent pivotal movement of said shaft during extraction, whereby said electronic unit is prevented from being lifted out of contact with said supporting surface by an extraneous force applied during extraction.   
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said shaft is connected to said mounting means by a retaining means that includes a cross bar and a pair of retaining disks. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said mounting means includes an elongated slot with a first and second bearing surface adjacent to the respective ends of the slots, said first bearing surface being in contact with said cross bar of the retaining means during insertion, said second bearing surface being in contact with said cross bar of the retaining means during extraction, said second bearing surface being closer to said supporting surface than said first bearing surface. 
     
     
       6. An improved hold down and extraction apparatus for inserting an electronic unit in and removing it from a supporting structure having a supporting surface, said electronic unit having the first half of a cable connector mounted at one end thereof and the second half of said cable connector being mounted on said supporting structure, mounting being accomplished by applying forces at the second end of said electronic unit relative to said supporting structure, said apparatus comprising: means connected to said second end for applying extraction and insertion forces to said electronic unit, said insertion forces having a force component perpendicular and directed towards said supporting surface and a force component parallel to said supporting surface; and   means for controlling the angle of application of said extraction forces such that a force component parallel to said supporting surface and a minimal force component in a direction perpendicular to said supporting surface are exerted for the duration of the extraction of said first and second halves of said cable connectors. .Iadd.   
     
     
       7.  In an insertion, holddown and extraction apparatus for inserting an electronic unit in and removing it from a substantially horizontal supporting surface in which the electronic unit has the first half of a cable connector mounted at the back end thereof above the supporting surface and the supporting structure has a second half of said connector mounted thereon in a mating position with respect to the first half of the connector, the mating and unmating of the connector halves being accomplished by applying forces to the front end of the unit to slide the unit along the supporting surface, the combination which comprises: means mounted to the supporting structure below the supporting surface thereof and being arranged to be removably attached to the front end of the unit for applying insertion and extraction forces to slide the unit along the supporting surface and mate and unmate the connector halves, respectively, the insertion forces having a vertical component directed downwardly toward the supporting surface and a horizontal component directed towards the rear end of the unit to cause the connector halves to mate; and   means for controlling the angle of application of said extraction forces so that the apparatus exerts a horizontal component away from the rear of the unit and substantially no vertical upward component and absorbs upward forces tending to lift the front of the unit off the supporting surface for the duration of the extraction of said first and second halves of the connector whereby the front of the electronic unit is prevented from moving upwardly while the connector halves are being unmated. .Iaddend. .Iadd.   
     
     
       8.  The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the means for applying the insertion and extraction forces includes a carriage removably attachable to the front end of the unit and movably mounted on a shaft, one end of the shaft being pivotally connected to said supporting structure so that said one end of the shaft is permitted to assume a position closer to said supporting surface during the extraction than during the insertion of the unit, and wherein said means for controlling the angle of application of said extraction forces comprise means carried by the mounting means for engaging the shaft during the application of the extraction forces to prevent the shaft from pivoting upwardly. .Iaddend.