DE20009258U1 - Closure for a rope - Google Patents

Description

Representative:

Andreas Steiner

Mondseeberg 77

A-5310 Tiefengraben / AT

and

Mister

Roman Seidl
Schörgstätt 10
A-5162 Obertrum / AT

Patent attorneys
Dipl.-Ing. H.-D. Ernicke Dipl.-Ing. Klaus Ernicke Schwibbogenplatz 2b 86153 Augsburg / DE

Date:

File:

24.05.2000 943-12

OJ " DE-G-200 09 258.8

DESCRIPTION

Closure for a rope

The invention relates to a closure for a rope, preferably for a sawing rope, with the features in the preamble of the main claim.

Such a closure is known from CH-C-85 444. It is designed as a tilting closure and consists of two coupling parts with a receiving sleeve and a ball head, which can be connected to one another in a detachable form-fitting manner. The receiving sleeve has an access opening that is narrowed in some areas for inserting the ball head and its constricted neck. The closure has an anti-twist device that is designed as a protruding rib on the neck of the ball head and that engages in the mortise opening and the slot area of the access opening of the receiving sleeve. This anti-twist device prevents unwanted twisting around the longitudinal cable axis or sleeve axis. On the other hand, however, it limits the desired tilting or swiveling movements of the ball head in the sleeve. The rib on the neck blocks transverse movements by resting on the sleeve walls.

Another saw wire lock is known from EP-A-O 680 395, which consists of three positively connected coupling parts that form a universal joint with two fork pieces, an intermediate piece and two crossed bearing pins. After assembly, the lock can only be opened by destroying it in some versions. In the detachable variant, screw bolts are used as bearing pins, which require a special and additional release lock. This state of the art does offer the desired

Anti-twist protection and at the same time allows the rope ends to swivel or tilt around the universal joint axes. However, these advantages come at the cost of considerable construction and cost and make opening and closing the lock more difficult. The universal joint is also subject to considerable stress during sawing, which can lead to problems with operational safety.

Other rope fasteners are known from US-A-3,100,323 and US-A-2,036,172, which, however, do not have an axial anti-twist device and, in the case of US-A-3,100,323, also prevent the swiveling and tilting movements of the saw rope ends by means of a positive locking mechanism.

US-A-4,652,166 shows a rope lock that also consists of three parts and has no axial anti-twist device. Head pieces with screw connections are attached to the rope ends, onto which retaining sleeves with an inserted, articulated connecting bolt are screwed. This allows the rope ends to swivel and tilt to a limited extent. The rope lock can be released by unscrewing the sleeves from the rope ends. This construction is expensive and complex. It is not suitable for sawing ropes.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a better closure for a rope.

The invention solves this problem with the features in the main claim.

The embodiment of the anti-twisting device according to the invention has the advantage that, on the one hand, it effectively and reliably prevents twisting around the cable or sleeve axis, but on the other hand it acts similarly to a cardan joint and prevents lateral pivoting or tilting movements of the cable or sleeve axis around the cable or sleeve axis.

· ■ ·

the coupling part connected to the head. The projection of the anti-twisting device acts as a type of bearing due to its arrangement on the head and its design and allows the aforementioned rotating tilting or swiveling movements.

For an optimized design of the anti-twisting device, it is recommended to position the projection centrally on the head and thereby make its longitudinal axis coaxial with the corresponding tilt or swivel axis of the head. In order to achieve the most linear possible contact between the projection and the guide opening of the receiving sleeve, a cylindrical design of the pin is recommended.

In the preferred embodiment, the projection or pin is guided into a narrowed and slot-shaped area of the access opening. This design requires the least construction effort. Alternatively, it is possible to create other and in particular additional guide openings.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified in the subclaims. 25

• · · &igr;

-A-

The invention is illustrated by way of example and schematically in the drawings. In detail:

Figure 1: a top view of the lock in axially aligned operating and locking position with broken rope ends,

Figure 2: a longitudinal section through the arrangement of Figure 1 according to section line II-II,

Figure 3:

Figure 4: a perspective view of the coupling part with the receiving sleeve,

a perspective view of the coupling part with the round head,

Figure 5 to 7

various views of the coupling part with the receiving sleeve in longitudinal section and in the views according to arrow VI and arrow VII,

25

Figure 8 to 10:

various views of the coupling part with the round head in longitudinal section and in views according to arrows IX and X and

Figure 11 and 12: the circumference of the rotating tilt and 30 swivel angle of the shutter in the

lateral stop positions according to Figures 1 and 2.

35 . Figures 1 and 2 show a closure (2) for a flexible rope (1), preferably a sawing rope, in the closed and axially aligned operating position (331

• ·«

· a

in plan view and in longitudinal section. In the embodiment shown, the lock (3) consists of two coupling parts (3,4) which can be detachably connected to one another and which have an anti-twist device (5) which prevents mutual twisting of the coupling parts (3,4) and the rope ends about the longitudinal axis (26) of the rope (1) or the lock (2). On the other hand, the coupling parts (3,4) can also perform mutual tilting and swiveling movements about axes (30,31) transverse to the longitudinal axis during operation. These deflected operating and stop positions (34) are shown in Figures 11 and 12.

The coupling parts (3, 4) each have a cable holder (6) for the two ends of the cable (1) on their rear side (29). This cable holder (6) can be designed in any suitable manner. In the embodiment shown, it is designed as a compression sleeve (6) that holds the cable ends in a clamping connection. The coupling parts (3, 4) can have external ring grooves and corresponding wall weakenings that are arranged approximately in the area of the front surfaces of the cable ends.

In the embodiment shown, the cable (1) is designed as a sawing cable, which is moved and driven by a so-called cable saw (not shown). The sawing cable (1) has a large number of removal elements on the outer circumference at axial intervals, which remove the material being processed, e.g. concrete or stone, by grinding or cutting. These elements are not shown for the sake of clarity.

One coupling part (3), which is referred to below as the head part (3), has a round head (19) on the front side (28), which is preferably designed as a ball head. The head (19) can also have an oval shape or another type of round shape.

The center point (25) of the head (19) is located on the longitudinal axis (26) in the various operating positions (33, 34). At the rear, the head (19) is connected to the coupling housing and the cable holder (6) via a narrowed neck (20). The neck (20) has an essentially cylindrical cross-section and widens to form a collar (21) at the front of the cable holder (6). The head part (3) and its components are essentially rotationally symmetrical with respect to its longitudinal axis.

(26), which also represents the rope axis.

The other coupling part (4), which is referred to below as the sleeve part (4), has a receiving sleeve (7) which extends along the axis (26) and which serves to receive the head (19). The receiving sleeve (7) has an access opening (11) in its casing (8). This is divided into a wider round opening (12) at the rear and an adjoining narrowed axial slot (13) with parallel walls which runs towards the front (28). At the front (28) the slot (13) merges into an essentially circular front opening (14), which is also wider than the slot (13). The front opening (14) is preferably arranged centrally to the longitudinal axis (26) and aligned transversely to it. It can have funnel-shaped widening bevels (32) on the outer edge. Such a bevel can also be present on the inner edge. The opening edge may further have the rounded bead shape in cross section shown in the sectional view of Figure 5.

The receiving sleeve has an interior space (17) below the access opening (11) which is adapted to the shape of the head (19) and is preferably essentially cylindrical and centrally symmetrical to the longitudinal axis (26). On the front side (28), the casing (8) also forms a

collar (16) adapted to the shape of the head, which preferably has a spherical segment-shaped ring shape on the inside. The interior (7) preferably merges into the crimp sleeve (6) at the back and forms a through hole (9) with it.

When the closure (2) is closed, the ball head (19) of the head part (3) which is set at 90° is inserted through the round opening (12) into the interior (17) and moved towards the front (28) of the receiving sleeve (7) and towards the collar (16). The correspondingly narrow neck (20) moves through the slot (13) and then into the front opening (14). At the end of its forward movement, the head (19) is rotated about its transverse axis (31) so that it assumes the axial operating and closure position (33) shown in Figures 1 and 2. The initial insertion position (35) is also shown in dashed lines in Figure 2.

The closure (2) has the anti-twist device (5) mentioned at the beginning. This consists of at least one projection (22) arranged on the head (19), which has a bearing-like design and function and which in the operating positions (33, 34) is guided in a form-fitting manner in a guide opening (10, 13) on the receiving sleeve (7). In the simplest embodiment, the slot (13) forms this guide opening (10). Alternatively, however, an additional and preferably axial guide opening (10) can be arranged on the floor (18) of the interior (17) or on its side area in the form of a groove (not shown). To accommodate the projection (22) when the erected head (19) is inserted into the receiving sleeve (7), the round opening (12) on the rear side (29) has a corresponding recess (15).

. .

The projection (22) is preferably arranged centrally on the head (19) and projects radially. Its longitudinal axis runs through the center (25) of the head (19) and coincides with its vertical axis (30). The projection (22) is preferably designed as a substantially cylindrical pin (23). To accommodate it, the head (19) has a central receiving bore (24) in which the pin (23) is held by clamping, by an adhesive connection or in another suitable manner.

The projection (22) or the pin (23) has a width that is slightly smaller than the width of the slot (13). This means that the projection (22) or the pin (23) is guided in the slot (13) in the operating positions (33, 34) with a small amount of lateral play. When torsional forces occur, it strikes the slot walls and acts as an anti-twist device (5) to prevent the rope from twisting about the longitudinal axis (26). The play is preferably relatively small so that the projection (22) strikes as quickly as possible under torsional load and only performs small rotational movements about the longitudinal axis (26). However, this play is a matter of dimensioning and can also be selected to be larger.

The projection (22) forms a kind of combined rotary and sliding bearing for the head (19). In the various operating positions (33,34) the ball head (19) rests on the collar (16), which surrounds and guides it in a form-fitting manner like a ring bearing on the front side (28). The head

(19) and the head part (3) can, to a certain extent, perform gimbal-like pivoting or tilting movements around the vertical and transverse axes (30,31). These movements can also overlap each other, so that pivoting or tilting movements in different directions around the front opening (14) are possible. Accordingly, the closure (2) can buckle around these axes (30,31). Its longitudinal rigidity is thereby reduced and approximately

- 9 the
Rope mobility adjusted.

The projection (22) preferably has essentially only a line contact with the slot walls on both sides. This is advantageous for its bearing formation. When transverse loads occur, the head (19) can tilt or pivot about its vertical axis (30) or about the longitudinal axis of the projection (22). Figure 1 shows this mobility by arrows. The tilt or pivot angle is determined by the difference in size between the front opening (14) and the neck (20) protruding through it and is limited by the neck (20) stopping at the edge of the opening.

The head (19) can also perform pivoting movements around the transverse axis (31), whereby the projection (22) can move axially along the slot (13). Here too, the downward tilting or pivoting angle is determined by the edge of the front opening (14). The upward tilting or pivoting angle in the upright position can be approximately . Figures 1, 2, 11 and 12 show this mobility by arrows.

The tilting or swiveling angles are preferably approximately 25° all the way around, with the exception of the slot area (13). The neck (20) is grooved accordingly for this purpose and in the stop position (34) interacts with the appropriately designed bevels (32) on the edge of the front opening (14). Figures 11 and 12 illustrate the range of movement by showing the stop positions (34) of the coupling parts (3, 4) in dashed lines compared to the axially aligned operating and locking position (33) shown with solid lines. Figure 12 also shows the insertion position (35) with the ball part (3) in the upright position.

- &iacgr;&ogr; -

The axial play between the coupling parts (3, 4) can be as large as desired. In the preferred embodiment, the neck (20) has a length that is slightly greater than the jacket or collar thickness of the receiving sleeve (7) in the area of the front opening (14) or the slot (13). The neck length is, on the other hand, shorter than the axial displacement path of the head (19) between the front axially aligned operating position (33) and the rear insertion position (35) in the receiving sleeve (7). As a result, the head (19) cannot reach the area of the round opening (12) and slip outwards there due to an axial relative movement between the coupling parts (3, 4). The closure (2) can only be opened by setting up and pivoting the head (19) by 90° and then moving it axially backwards to the round opening (12). In this way, accidental opening of the closure (2) is reliably prevented.

Modifications to the embodiment shown are possible in various ways. Firstly, the closure (2) can have more than two coupling parts (3, 4), whereby, for example, two head parts (3) are arranged at the ends of the rope, which are hooked into an additional sleeve part (4) that is effective on both sides. Such a three-part division would correspond approximately to the basic principle of US-A-3,100,323, whereby the head parts (3) would be designed in the manner according to the invention and each would have the previously described anti-twist device (5).

In a further variant, the guide opening (10) could be designed as a type of bayonet guide on the inside of the casing (8), whereby the recess (15) for the projection (22) can also be arranged differently. Furthermore, the projection (22) can be designed in the shape of a knob with a rounded top or in any other suitable way. The head (19) can also have

- li -

more than one projection (22) can be arranged. For example, two opposing projections could be present, with an additional guide groove in the floor of the interior space (17) for receiving the second projection.

- 12 REFERENCE SYMBOL LIST

1 Rope, saw rope 2 Closure 3 Coupling part, head part 4 Coupling part, sleeve part 5 Anti-twist device 6 Rope holder, crimp sleeve 7 Mounting sleeve 8th Coat 9 Through hole 10 Guide opening 11 Access opening 12 Round opening 13 slot 14 Forehead opening 15 Recess 16 collar 17 inner space 18 Floor 19 Head, ball head 20 Neck 21 Waistband, widening 22 head Start 23 Pen 24 Mounting hole 25 Focus 26 Longitudinal axis, rope axis 27 Ring groove 28 front 29 back 30 Vertical axis 31 Transverse axis 32 chamfer 33 Operating position, axially aligned 34 Operating position, stop position. 35 Insertion position

Claims (10)

1. Closure for a rope, preferably a sawing rope, comprising at least two coupling parts ( 3 , 4 ) which can be connected to one another in a detachable form-fitting manner and which have an anti-twist device ( 5 ) around the rope axis ( 26 ), wherein one coupling part ( 3 ) has a round head ( 19 ) with a constricted neck ( 21 ) and the other coupling part ( 4 ) has a matching receiving sleeve ( 7 ) with an access opening ( 11 ) for the head ( 19 ) and the rope ( 1 ) which is narrowed at least in some areas, characterized in that the anti-twist device ( 5 ) is designed as at least one bearing-like projection ( 22 ) arranged on the head ( 19 ) which, in the operating position ( 33 , 34 ), is guided in a form-fitting manner in a guide opening ( 10 , 13 ) on the receiving sleeve ( 7 ). 2. Closure according to claim 1, characterized in that the projection ( 22 ) is arranged centrally on the head ( 19 ) and projects radially. 3. Closure according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the projection ( 22 ) is designed as a substantially cylindrical pin ( 23 ), the head ( 19 ) having a central receiving bore ( 24 ) for the pin ( 23 ) 4. Closure according to claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the head ( 19 ) has a substantially spherical shape. 5. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the access opening ( 11 ) of the receiving sleeve ( 7 ) has a wider round opening ( 12 ) for the head ( 19 ) with a rear recess ( 15 ) for the projection ( 22 ) and a narrowed slot ( 13 ) on the front side. 6. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the projection ( 22 ) in the operating position ( 33 , 34 ) is guided in a form-fitting manner with a small amount of play in the slot ( 13 ). 7. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the access opening ( 11 ) has on the front side a front opening ( 14 ) for the rope ( 1 ), the diameter of which is significantly larger than the rope diameter. 8. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the interior ( 17 ) of the receiving sleeve ( 7 ) tightly encloses the head ( 19 ) on the outside in the operating position ( 33 , 34 ) and guides the head ( 19 ) axially and frontally in the region of the front opening ( 14 ). 9. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the head ( 19 ) has an axially adjacent narrowed neck ( 20 ) which fits through the slot ( 13 ) and has a substantially circular cross-section, which merges into a widened collar ( 21 ). 10. Closure according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the neck ( 20 ) has a length which essentially corresponds to the jacket thickness of the receiving sleeve ( 7 ) in the region of the front opening ( 14 ).