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2 Answers

Over Center Lock (Can’t find definition anywhere)

Asked by: 2657 views Aircraft Systems, Student Pilot

I cannot find where anything defines what an over center lock is. I can make up a lot of possibilities but I'm not able to figure out exactly what this is. 

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2 Answers



  1. John D Collins on Aug 12, 2019

    Your knee is an overcenter lock. When you stand and put weight on your knee, the force of the weight is in a direction beyond center such that it keeps your knee locked and adding more weight makes the lock tighter. If you break the over center of gravity location, you have to use your leg muscles to keep you upright. An overcenter lock is one that uses the force applied in a direction past center to prevent the lock from releasing.

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  2. Gary S. on Aug 15, 2019

    An aviation application of what John describes above could be the way in which a Dzus cowl latch operates.

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