AU698008B2 - A gas cylinder preassembly device - Google Patents

Description

ILual.r i _ILII-~ .iii~ L~ P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

*4 TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT Name of Applicant: TALLERES GAIN. S. COOP. R.L.

Actual Inventor: Mr. Javier Barandiaran Address for Service: CALLINAN LAWRIE, 278 High Street, Kew, 3101, Victoria, Australia Invention Title: "A GAS CYLINDER PREASSEMBLY DEVICE" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us:- ;1 L -2- This invention relates to a preassembly device for gas cylinders.

In the field of gas cylinders there are known units consisting of the cylinder itself, with its corresponding internal mechanism, from which rises an axle to which later is fixed a tube or column. These units are used to elevate and absorb shocks in seats, among other applications, and their basic technology is well known to experts.

For the assembly of these parts, as well as the tube or column, these o include a rubber joint or washer and a special bearing consisting of three parts, located on the external part of the axle of the cylinder.

Depending on the requirements or installations of each industry which uses these units, the gas cylinders may be supplied loose and with the washers and the bearing in a bag which is supplied with the assembly so that the clients carry out the assembly. However, there also exists other cases where the whole device must be supplied assembled, in which case all the auxiliary parts are delivered installed adequately.

In the first case the supply of a bag for the washers and bearing may be an awkward operation in that their reduced size and small weight require care, causing an undesirable loss of time during this operation.

Thinking of this inconvenience, the invention provides a solution so that the customer receives the washer and the bearing, together with the rest of the units, mounted on the external part of the axle of the cylinder, so that on reception of the material, only the assembly of the column or tube is required. With this the dead time previously utilised to put the washer and bearing in the bag is now utilised i in their to assembly.

3I8/95JB8297.SPE,2 l 3//5B29.P, Ft -3- It is therefore the object of the invention to realise the means on the external part of the of the axle of the cylinder which permits the supply of the washer and the bearing already mounted on said axle, so the customer has only to mount the tube or column on the axis.

To achieve these objectives the invention uses the external part of the axle of the cylinder, which traditionally includes a collar or cylindrical step with a smaller diameter than the rest of the axle, which near the free extreme end has an annular S rebate in which, subsequently, the tube or column is assembled.

oeo .o To this end, near the annular rebate for the inclusion of the tube or column, another cylindrical rebate or annular slot is made into which a flexible annular ring may subsequently be put.

In this arrangement, the rubber washer is located on the end of the axle next to the step from which the cylindrical neck starts, and the three-part bearing is placed on the neck next to the repeated step so that the fronts of both are in contact. The bearing on its lower part remains in this position due to the support of the flexible ring located in the annular rebate made for this purpose.

In this manner the cylinder may be supplied with the washer and the bearing mounted, requiring only the mounting of the tubular column.

The annular rebate is made in the neck of the axle in a very simple operation, which neither complicates nor increases the total cost of machining. Also the provision of the flexible annular ring does not influence the final assembly cost, because it consists of very low cost units.

499T89. SP I1 4918TD8297.SPE3.

wi -4- The flexible annular ring may be of any type, for example a toroidal joint, an incomplete metallic ring, a spring washer, etc. with the only qualification being that it is easily installed by the operator in the corresponding rebate.

In order that the invention may be more clearly understood and put into practical effect there shall now be described in detail a preferred construction of a device to pre-assemble gas cylinders in accordance with the invention. The description is given by way of non-limitative example only and is with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is an elevation view of a gas cylinder with its axle exit, which incorporates the object of the invention; SFigure 2 shows the washer and the bearing separately; Figure 3 represents the end of the of a conventional gas cylinder; and Figure 4 represents the end of the axle according to the invention.

-e According to Figure 1 the gas cylinder with its axle at whose end may be seen the rubber washer which fits the diameter of the mentioned axle, next to the rebate which allows the passage to the cylindrical neck in which the three part bearing is seated, controlled by the flexible annular ring near the end of the neck where subsequently will be located the column tube.

In Figure 2 are shown the washers and the bearing which traditionally are supplied in a bag for their subsequent assembly with the column tube (not shown).

A conventional axle is shown in Figure 3 with the axle and the neck (7) which is smaller, also is shown the extreme rebate (also conventional) for the i~ 4/9/98TD8297.SPE,4 SI t i location of the column tube. This arrangement is prepared to receive, besides the mentioned column tube, the bearing and the washer which when the tube is shown are controlled thereby.

The exit or end of the axle according to the invention, is shown in greater detail in Figure 4, in which the supplementary slot with the annular ring (8) is shown with the flexible ring which retains the bearing and the washer. So when the receiver of a cylinder assembles it, the only operation required is to place S. the column tube on the end of the neck Finally, it is to be understood that the aforegoing description refers merely

V.

to a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that variations and modifications

VV

*f will be possible thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the ambit of which is to be determined from the following claims.

4/9/98TD8297.SPE,5 ~~33 *~I «r

Claims (4)

1. A device to preassemble gas cylinders, applicable to elements which have a cylindrical axle exit with a cylindrical neck, wherein in the proximity of its end an outer annular slot is made for the location of an external tube or column, receiving in said axle exit a rubber washer and in the start of the neck next to said exit a three-part bearing, controlled in position by the location of said external tube or column, wherein in the neck of said axle and in the proximity of said outer annular slot for the location of said column there is provided a second annular slot, 0.o spaced from said first slot, in which is located a flexible annular ring, which controls the position of the three-part bearing against the start of said neck, and wherein resting on said bearing a rubber washer is located on said axle.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible annular ring is a a toroidal joint.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein in said flexible annular ring *f5 is an incomplete metallic ring.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said flexible annular ring is a bellows washer. A device to pre-assemble gas cylinders, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the accompanying drawing. DATED this 4th day of September, 1998. TALLERES GAIN S. COOP. R.L. I i By their Patent Attorneys: LLINAN LAWRIE i L. f 4/9/98TD8297.SPE,6 i I~U _IC -7- ABSTRACT There is provided a device for use in the pre-assembly of gas cylinders, applicable to elements which have a cylindrical axle exit and a cylindrical neck wherein, in the proximity of its end, an annular slot is made for the location of an external tube or column, receiving in said axle exit a rubber washer and in the start of the neck next to said exit a three-part bearing, controlled in position by the location of the exterral tube or column, wherein in the neck of said axle and in the proximity of the outer annular slot for the location of said column there is provided a second annular slot, spaced from the first slot, in which is located a flexible strap %1 1 ring, which controls the position of the three-part bearing against the start of the neck, and wherein resting on the bearing a rubber washer is located on the axle. -C- at r L 318/95JB8297.SPE,7