Joints and connections – Articulated members – Plural distinct articulation axes
Patent
1985-08-28
1988-08-30
Corbin, David H.
Joints and connections
Articulated members
Plural distinct articulation axes
403 76, 403 90, 403 55, 248276, 285907, F16C 1106
Patent
active
047672315
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an adjustable arm and in particular to an arm consisting of a plurality of arm sections disposed in end to end relation with adjacent arm sections interconnected for angular movement therebetween about at least one axis and incorporating means for locking the interconnection.
Adjustable arms of the type to which this invention relates are well-known. For example in U.S. Pat. No. 3,278,207 there is a disclosure of a support structure having at least three joints which can be locked and unlocked simultaneously by a single movement, the structure involving at least one split ball joint. It has now been found that a more effective locking of the ball joint can be achieved by utilising a ball and socket joint, providing a locking member slidably mounted in a recess in the ball so that one end projects from the ball and bears against the socket, and applying a compressive force to the locking member by means of a compression member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus in one form the invention resides in an adjustable arm divided into a pair of end sections and one or more intermediate sections, each section being coupled to the adjacent intermediate section through a ball and socket joint, each joint comprising a housing, a ball retained within the housing and a concave cup slidably mounted within the housing, characterised in that: member slidably mounted therein so that one end projects beyond the ball and bears against the concave face of the cup; therein so that one end of the compression member bears against the cup of the joint adjacent said one end and the other end bears against the locking member of the joint adjacent said other end; and the compression member in one of the sections, cup and ball of each joint is reduced and the compressive force is transferred through the locking members and the compression members to lock successive joints.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of the embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation of one embodiment;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged section showing the construction of the ball joint used in the embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of a second embodiment;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged section showing the construction of the ball joint used in the embodiment of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a preferred configuration of each ball;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view of an alternative joint using tubular compression members as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4;
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of an intermediate joint using solid rod type compression members as in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 8 shows a sustained friction form of joint suitable as an intermediate joint;
FIG. 8A shows an adjustable friction form of joint; and
FIG. 9 shows an embodiment suitable for bottom locking.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings end sections 11 and 12 are connected to an intermediate section 13 through ball joints 14 and 15. Each ball joint comprises a housing or socket 16, one end of which is swaged inwardly as indicated at 17 to retain a ball 18 within the housing. The ball is held within the housing by a concave cup 19 slidably positioned within the housing and held in place by a screw threaded plug 20. In accordance with the invention a locking member 21 is slidably mounted within a recess 22 in the ball so that one end projects beyond the ball and bears against the concave face of the cup 19. This provides a clearance C between the surface of the ball and the concave face of the cup. (Because of space limitations the clearance is not shown in FIG. 1). A compression rod 23 is slidably mounted in the end section 11 so that one end bears against a screw 24 at the free end of the end section and the other end bears against the cup 19 in the ball joint 14. A second compression rod 25 is slidably mounted in th
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Corbin David H.
Knight Anthony
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