Handling: hand and hoist-line implements – Hook – hoistline – or grab type – Locking device
Patent
1992-07-24
1994-03-22
Mitchell, David M.
Handling: hand and hoist-line implements
Hook, hoistline, or grab type
Locking device
294100, B66C 148
Patent
active
052957233
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a gripping bell for bottles or the like, comprising a sleevelike housing which has on one side thereof a reception opening for a bottle or the like, said reception opening being followed by a control surface which conically widens towards the inside, further comprising an axially movable actuating element arranged in said housing on the other side thereof, and a collet chuck acted upon by said actuating element and guided in said housing such that it is axially movable therein, the elastic gripping fingers of said collet chuck, which are separated from one another by slots, being adapted to be moved in the radial direction by means of said control surface in response to an axial relative movement between the collet chuck and the housing, whereby said gripping fingers will take hold of the bottles or the like from outside or release said bottles or the like.
A gripping bell is already known in the case of which the gripping fingers of the collet chuck, which is formed integrally with the pistonlike actuating element, rest with their free ends exclusively on the conical control surface in the open condition as well as in the closed condition of the collet chuck (German-Offenlegungsschrift 1 586 012). Additional guide means for the gripping fingers are not provided. This known gripping bell can be used for a great variety of bottles and vessels and requires only little actuating forces. It is, however, disadvantageous insofar as uncontrolled deformation of the gripping fingers will occur and insofar as said gripping fingers are subject to strong bending loads, especially at the point of transition to the actuating element In view of the fact that the collet chuck must, moreover, consist of a comparatively rigid material, the gripping fingers will frequently break off even after an only short period of use. For the purpose of sealing the actuating element with respect to the inner surface of the housing acting as a cylinder, a separate sealing ring is provided, which is arranged in an annular groove of the actuating element.
Furthermore, a different, prior art gripping bell is already known, in the case of which a clamping sleeve is arranged in a sleevelike housing, one end of said clamping sleeve resting on a collar of the housing in the area of the reception opening, whereas the other end thereof rests on an actuating piston, which is guided in said housing such that it is axially displaceable therein (German-Offenlegungsschrift 38 19 598). The sleeve is curved slighty inwards and provided with openings so that its internal diameter will decrease in the case of an axial compression caused by the actuating piston. This known gripping bell can only be used for specific shapes of bottles and vessels and requires comparatively high actuating forces. In view of the fact that the clamping sleeve must also produce the restoring force, it must consist of a comparatively rigid material. Hence, its service life is limited. When the gripping bell becomes slack, it may happen that the bottles get caught in the gripping bell in an uncontrolled manner.
The present invention is based on the task of considerably increasing, with the aid of simple means, the service life of the collet chuck in the case of a gripping bell according to the generic clause, said type of gripping bell being mentioned at the beginning.
In accordance with the present invention, this task is solved by the feature that a stationary guide surface for the collet chuck and its gripping fingers, respectively, is arranged in the interior of the collet chuck.
Due to the fact that the collet chuck and its gripping fingers, respectively, are guided exactly not only on the outer side thereof but also on the inner side thereof by the guide surface, which is stationary together with the housing and which will slide on the collet chuck, if necessary, a defined deformation can be achieved in the course of the movement between the opened and the closed position, without any uncontrolled bending or buckling of the gripping fingers b
REFERENCES:
patent: 1526412 (1925-02-01), Brown
patent: 2899232 (1959-08-01), Walter, Jr.
patent: 3554594 (1971-01-01), Thoma
patent: 3970201 (1976-07-01), Kenne
patent: 4093296 (1978-06-01), Itoh
patent: 4130314 (1978-12-01), Storm
Kramer Dean J.
Mitchell David M.
LandOfFree
Gripping bell for bottles or the like does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Gripping bell for bottles or the like, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Gripping bell for bottles or the like will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-431960