Joints and connections – Articulated members – Including static joint
Patent
1998-01-28
1999-10-05
Reichard, Lynne
Joints and connections
Articulated members
Including static joint
403164, 403155, 59 93, B66C 166, F16G 1508
Patent
active
059612410
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
CONNECTING DEVICES FOR FIXING MEANS
The invention relates to a connecting device for fixing means, especially sling chains, having at least one fastening part for fitting the device to a vehicle, an object to be transported or the like, and having a connecting part for connecting the fixing means, the fastening part forming a bearing, constructed in the manner of a stirrup, for the connecting part, which can pivot about a pivot section, and a clamping spring, which partially engages around a section of the connecting part and is provided with retaining legs to lock it in the fastening part, being used to hold the fastening part and the connecting part together.
A connecting device of the above type is disclosed by DE-C-3509877. In the case of the known connecting device, the clamping spring, which is essentially constructed like the letter omega, is retained in the fastening part by the ends of its retaining legs being latched into latching grooves on the inner side of an approximately U-shaped fastening part. In this case, the yoke of the spring is located on the same side of the pivot section of the connecting part as the yoke of the fastening part. This arrangement makes it possible firstly to insert the spring into the fastening part and then to press the pivot section of the connecting part into the spring stirrup formed by the retaining legs and the yoke of the spring. The known device is not able to be completely satisfactory insofar as the arrangement and shape of its clamping spring does not provide any absolute guarantee that the unit formed by the connecting part and the fastening part will be held together during transportation and the often "rough" handling before final installation. Attempts to overcome this problem by increasing the stiffness of the spring have not led to a satisfactory result, since increasing the spring stiffness simultaneously makes the joining of the components more difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on the object of reconfiguring a connecting device of the type being considered, in such a way that not only is it possible to join the parts of said connecting device more easily than before, but it is also ensured that the parts are held together securely, even under difficult conditions. In the case of a device of the generic type, this object is achieved, according to the invention, in that the fastening part is provided on its inner side with a semiannular groove, which is bounded at its ends by stops and is intended to accommodate the retaining legs of the clamping spring, in that the clamping spring engages around the pivot section--apart from a section facing the vertex of the clamping spring--and in that the ends of the retaining legs of the clamping spring, said retaining legs being directed away from the vertex of the groove and engaging in the groove, are supported against the stops, forming a positively locking retainer for the connecting part.
In the case of the connecting device according to the invention, the problems that occur in connection with the known connecting device are eliminated. Connecting part and fastening part form a captive unit that is preassembled at the factory. Because of their simple shape, both the clamping spring and the groove accommodating it may be produced particularly economically. When the fastening part and connecting part are assembled, firstly the clamping spring is placed onto the pivot pin of the fastening part in the manner of a clip and then the pivot section, together with the clamping spring, is pressed into the connecting part, the ends of the clamping spring, which are bent over only once, coming to rest in the groove.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further details and features of the invention emerge from the subclaims and following description of a preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the appended drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 shows, partially in section, the front view of a connecting device,
FIG. 2 shows a section along the line II--II in FIG. 1 and
REFERENCES:
patent: 4505058 (1985-03-01), Peterson
patent: 4705422 (1987-11-01), Tsui et al.
patent: 5048996 (1991-09-01), DuBois et al.
patent: 5405210 (1995-04-01), Tsui
patent: 5586801 (1996-12-01), Sawyer et al.
patent: 5641239 (1997-06-01), Michalek
patent: 5743576 (1998-04-01), Schron, Jr et al.
Cottingham John R.
Reichard Lynne
RUD-Kettenfabrik Rieger & Dietz GmbH u. Co.
Stone Mark P.
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