able to be rotated so as to laterally extend the wings from the central member a locking mechanism locks the turnbuckle shaft to prevent the wings from retracting application_number US 28572302 A description for the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the present invention reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same it will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is intended thereby any alterations and further modification in the described processes systems or devices and any further applications of the principles of the invention as described herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates some embodiments of the invention are shown in great detail although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some of the features may not be shown for the sake of clarity a laterally expandable spinal implant 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to fig1 6 as shown in fig1 and 2 the implant 100 includes a central member or cage 102 a pair of lateral members or wings 104 that are adapted to laterally extend from the cage 102 and an expansion mechanism 106 or means that is operable to extend the wings 104 in the illustrated embodiment the expansion mechanism 106 includes a turnbuckle or threaded shaft 108 that connects the wings 104 together.