Joints and connections – Manually releaseable latch type – Having operating mechanism
Reexamination Certificate
1991-09-25
2001-01-30
Browne, Lynne H. (Department: 3629)
Joints and connections
Manually releaseable latch type
Having operating mechanism
C403S329000, C403S189000, C403S170000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179511
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention is directed to a quick-action connecting device for the detachable connection of wall or frame parts, particularly for dismountable fair buildings, which can be anchored in one of the parts to be connected with one another and holds an adjustable locking body which comprises a leaf spring which is bent in a U-shaped manner and whose U-leg ends are shaped to form locking noses which can dip into an opening of the other of the two parts to be connected with one another, which opening comprises undercut portions, and which can be clamped by means of a rotating body.
A clamping lock is known from DE-GM 19 70 271. This clamping lock has the disadvantage that it requires its own lock housing for the bearing of the rotating body. The utilized leaf spring forms only a draw bolt which can be adjusted and clamped only in the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring. The flat U-leg ends which are bent out to form locking noses cannot be removed again from an opening of a part to be connected simply by means of pulling when the rotating body is locked, so that it is difficult to detach a connection.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is to design such a quick-action connecting device of the above type in a simple manner and in such a way that it holds together the parts to be connected with one another already in the unlocked state and accordingly facilitates an assembly of a plurality of parts.
The proposed object is met with a quick-action locking device of the type named in the beginning, according to the invention, with the features indicated in the characterizing part of the main claim.
The construction of the locking body as an expanding spring body which can be pushed in and out easily in the unlocked state and which comprises a locking nose or locking noses has the advantage that a loose locking connection can be provided between the parts to be connected with one another with this locking body already when assembling the parts without the quick-action connecting device being fixed immediately by turning the rotating body into a locking position. The rotating body which is supported directly in the U-shaped leaf spring acts on the U-leg of the leaf spring in the expanding direction. As a result of its simple design, the quick-action connecting device can easily be adapted to extruded sections with continuous undercut grooves and cavities from which the frames for dismountable fair buildings and the like are usually manufactured.
The leaf spring and the rotating body can be constructed differently. For example, in one possible embodiment form the rotating body can have the cross section of an equilateral triangle with rounded corners and can comprise an insertion opening on at least one front side for a tool for turning the rotating body. The rotating body cooperates with curved out portions and/or curved in portions of the locking body, which is manufactured from the leaf spring, in order to fix the quick-action connecting device in a locking position in the insertion plane by means of expansion as well as clamping. In an embodiment form of the quick-action connecting device which is preferred for larger constructions, the rotating body can be constructed as a double-armed swiveling lever whose one arm forms the projection acting on the U-leg of the locking body and whose other arm forms a point of application for a locking tool. In this embodiment form, the U-shaped leaf spring can be advantageously placed around a bearing journal at the U-base, the axis of the bearing journal extends vertically relative to the axis of rotation of the rotating body and, for the purpose of anchoring the leaf spring in one of the parts to be connected with one another, the ends of the bearing journal project into recesses of this part. The separation of the anchoring point of the locking body into one of the parts to be connected and the bearing for the rotating body, which separation is effected in this embodiment form of the locking body, provides the advantage that the bearing for the rotating body can be arranged so as to be out of sight inside one of the parts to be connected with one another, which part need have only one opening in this area located on another side of the part for inserting a locking tool. Moreover, at the anchoring point, the clamping action caused by the rotating body can only effect a tensile force loading of this anchoring point. Turning moments occurring during the clamping of the rotating body can have no influence on the anchoring area in this case. In so doing, it is advisable that the distance between the bearings for the rotating body, which are constructed in the U-legs of the leaf spring, and the anchoring point of the locking body situated at the U-base of the leaf spring be selected so as to be greater than the length of the bearing journal, and the U-legs of the leaf spring can advisably extend in a planar manner between the U-base and the bearings for the rotating body.
The support of the quick-action connecting device in one of the parts to be connected can thus be effected solely by means of the parts of the rotating body projecting out through the bearing openings of the U-legs of the leaf spring or by means of a separate bearing journal arranged at the U-base of the leaf spring. The quick-action connecting device cannot be destroyed by excessive turning. In the first embodiment example with the triangular rotating body, this is ensured by means of the symmetrical shape of the rotating body. In the construction of the rotating body as double-armed swivel arm, protection against excessive turning is provided in that the utilized locking tool comes to rest at one of the parts to be connected when the locking position is reached and cannot swivel any further.
The legs of the U-shaped leaf spring advisably end in two locking noses which are constructed adjacent to one another and can define a locking groove together with a counter-projection with its end facing inward. The protection of the quick-action connecting device against twisting is improved by means of the two locking noses which are constructed adjacent to one another. A separate housing for the quick-action connecting device which is provided with stops and guide surfaces is dispensed with in any event.
The leaf spring can be manufactured in an advantageous manner from a material, such as steel, which is harder than the parts to be connected with one another, which can comprise light metal or plastics material. When the leaf spring is tensioned, the locking noses can accordingly press somewhat into the surface of the part to be held or the wall of this part can curve out within the range of extensibility of its material. The leaf spring is prevented from sliding along at this part in this manner also when the other part is loaded in the longitudinal direction of the first part.
The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 2427841 (1947-09-01), Dichter
patent: 2885822 (1959-05-01), Onanian
patent: 2905992 (1959-09-01), Swick
patent: 3569903 (1971-03-01), Brishka
patent: 3574367 (1971-04-01), Jankowski
patent: 4247216 (1981-01-01), Pansini
patent: 4431331 (1984-02-01), Brody
patent: 5315805 (1994-05-01), Harsch
patent: 0681182 (1979-08-01), None
Browne Lynne H.
Cottingham John
Striker Michael J.
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