DE2111220A1 - Automatically releasable coupling device, especially for connecting an anchor line to a floating object - Google Patents

Description

Patent attorneys Dipl.-Ing. F. Weickmann, 21 1 1

Dipl.-Ing. H. Weickmann, Dipl ^ Phys. Dr. K. Fincke Dipl.-Ing. F. A. Weickmann, Dipl.-Chem. B. Huber

8 MUNICH 86, POST BOX 860 820 SAHA MÖHLSTRASSE 22, CALL NUMBER 48 39 21/22

AMF INOOEPORATBD, 261 Madison Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10016,

VcSt.A.

Automatically releasable coupling device, in particular for connecting an anchor line to a floating one

object

The invention relates to automatically releasable coupling devices and especially those devices suitable for underwater use, such as around a floating one To connect an object with an anchor line or the like

There is a need in numerous areas for cable coupling devices that are automatically releasable, for example at the end of a predetermined period of time or in response to a remote signal, even under rigorous environmental conditions can withstand fairly high tensile loads. In seafaring, for example, it is often necessary to have a buoy or a floating load in a place that is quite deep below the water level, detachable with an anchor line and then releasing it again after or after being submerged for a predetermined period of time Request for a signal from a transmitter located on the water surface «,

The object of the invention is to provide a coupling device

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to create that can withstand relatively high loads and that automatically, reliably, precisely and quickly decoupled in response to a command signal. The automatically releasable coupling device should be of stable and uncomplicated design. It should be insensitive to pressure and other environmental conditions as they occur in oceanographic work. In addition, they should be designed so that it requires no special skill to make them ready for use, and that she and ψ retrievable intact for further use ·

To achieve these objects, the invention provides a coupling device which comprises a pressure housing, a releasable coupling with a fork head attached to one end of the housing and a hook articulated to the fork head, and a rotatable control part which is arranged in the housing and protrudes outwards and which, when it is "armed", holds the hook in the coupled position and when it is "disarmed", releases the hook so that it pivots into an uncoupled position. The control part is GEK sharply by hand against a spring force makes and in the housing means are provided. To the control part in the "sharp ¹¹ state to hold and release Mn to a valid signal so that it can rotate in the disarmed state,

Further details of the invention will emerge from the following detailed description of an embodiment based on from the attached drawings »

IMg ₀ I is a pictorial representation of a coupling ".r-"3voi'r-direction with a releasable couplingz: & u £ .a2iismu & gcraäö of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the coupling device of U ¹ Ig ₀ I in which the parts are pulled apart

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with parts of the equipment normally included removed

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the power supply part the coupling device shown in Fig.2 with parts pulled apart;

Figure 4 is a rear view of the releasable coupling mechanism of Fig.2 in the coupled state?

Figure 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Pig, 5t which shows the coupling part of the mechanism in the disengaged position}

Fig. 7 and 8 are sections along the line 7-7 of Fig. 4, where the mechanism is inclined in two different positions "

For a better understanding, the environment of the invention is first considered. As FIG. 1 shows, a coupling device G, which contains a releasable coupling mechanism according to the invention, connects a buoy B or another floating load, such as measuring equipment, to an anchor A and holds the buoy or load under water. To a valid signal, which can come from an off-lying station or that is triggered after a certain time, the novel clutch mechanism of the Koppelungsvorriohtung C is activated and automatically gives the line of the armature A free, so that the buoy B to rise to the water surface where it can be fished up again together with the undamaged coupling device O «

As shown in Fig. 2, the coupling device 0 is provided with a signal receiver, such as a piezoelectric converter 11, which is mounted externally on an upper closure part 10 of the device. The receiver 11 is of one

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Surrounding cage 13, which has a connector 14 for the leash of the Buoy B forms and is also attached to the closure part 10.

Between an inboard plate 12 of the closure member 10 and a similar plate or wall 16 at the other end an electronics package 15 is arranged. A power supply part is located between the wall 16 and a mounting plate 17 20, which provides a self-contained power source for the coupling device C. The power supply part 20 (see also 3? Ig <> 3) consists mainly of one Battery holder 21 and a capacity 22.

The control part 40 is located between the mounting plate 17 and a lower closure part 25 of the coupling device C housed for locking or releasing the new coupling mechanism. Between the wall 16 and the base plate 25 extend a plurality of holding rods 19 »which pass through the mounting plate 17. Each rod comes with a spacer sleeve 18 between the wall 16 and the mounting plate 17 and with another spacer sleeve 28 between the mounting plate 17 and the base plate 25 »The pressure housing of the coupling device 0 is formed by a tube 29, which extends from the upper closure part 10 to the lower closure part 25 and sealed at its ends in a leak-tight manner is.

As can also be seen from FIGS. 4 and 6, there is the connection for the anchor line outside the coupling device C and consists of a fork head 30 and a hook 36, which can be pivoted with one another by means of a pivot pin 39 are connected. The fork head 30 has two spaced parallel legs 31, each at one end with a are provided at the end with an open slot 32 and are connected to one another at the other end by a web 33. The bridge 33

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has a tubular extension 34 which extends axially in the opposite direction to the legs and through a Central opening 27 in a plate 26 of the lower closure part 25 occurs. Around the fork head 30 on the lower closure part to fasten, a nut 35 is screwed onto the pipe socket 34. The hook 36 is on his that The web 33 near the end is provided with a cheese 38 and has an open one at its leading edge near its other end Slot 37.

When the hook 36 is locked, as shown in Figo5 the slot 37 rotated against the slots 32 by 90 °, the coincident parts of the three slots on one Axis are aligned parallel to the axis of the pivot 39 ,. Consequently, the side of the Slot 37 so that the end of an anchor line can slip out of the slots 32 »The pivot 39 is against the Slots 32 and 37 offset upwards and backwards so that a tensile force exerted by the anchor line on the coupling device C is exercised, the hook 36, if it is unlocked, forces itself to be in the position shown in Figo6 turn, whereby the anchor line is released from the coupling device 0 o

The control part 40 for locking or releasing is provided with a shaft 41 which passes through the opening formed by the web 33 and the tubular extension 34 of the fork head 30 and ends in a widened collar 42 at the free end End of open slot 43 is provided, which receives the rabbit 38 and holds Venn, the slot 43 is parallel to the pivot 39 or transverse to the plane of the hook, as in Pig.5, 'the nose 38 can not come out and the hook 36 is in the Coupling position locked. When the shaft 41 is rotated to the free position, aligning the slot 43 with the plane of the hook, as in FIG

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As shown in FIG. 6, the nose 38 can freely enter the slot 43 through the open end and the hook 36 can be rotate about pivot 39 to its disengaged position.

With the inclusion of FIGS. 7 and 8 it can be seen that the Your part 40 in the coupling device C has a cam disk 44 which is connected to a hub 45 on the shaft 41 is attached for common rotation «The edge of the cam 44 is provided with a recess 46 as a control cam, in which a buffer 47 is arranged, and with a notch 48. The buffer 47 is fastened to the mounting plate 17 and comes into contact with the ends of the recess 46 so as to rotate the cam 44 and shaft 41 the way from a locking position, see Figo4i 5 and 7 »to be restricted in an unlocking position, see Pig · 6 and 8

A Euro tappet 50 has an arm 52 which carries a roller 51 at one end and which is articulated to one of the holding rods 19 at its other end. With äem. Arm 52 is connected to a plate 53 which receives one end of a tension spring 54, the other end of which is attached to one of the spacer sleeves 28 o The spring 54 gives the cam follower 50 a single bias that the roller 51 is pressed against the edge of the cam 44 and falls into the notch 48 when the cam 44 and the shaft 45 assume the locking position.

A helical spring 55 is placed around the hub 45, its end is held in place by the retaining rod 19 serving as a pivot pin and the other end is connected to the cam disk 44 by a suitable means 49. The force of the spring 55 causes the end of the cam 44 to move ','u:> jsn _s aich. to rotate with the shaft 41 from the locking position in $! & unlocked. At the beginning of the rotation of the

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The cam 44 leaves the roller 51 the notch 48 and thus releases the cam 44 for further rotation.

To keep the control part 40 in the locking position, a solenoid 56 is attached to the mounting plate 17, which has a forward biased piston 57, which with comes into contact with the edge of the plate 53, see FIGS. 7 and 7 this prevents the cam follower 50 from being able to pivot away, so that the roller is retained in the notch 48 will. The piston 57 also extends through the mounting plate 17 to the rear, see above all FIGS. 3 and 4, where it is captured by a leaf spring 58 and pushed forward. The leaf spring is on the mounting plate 17 in attached to the power supply part 20. In the electricity supplier supply part 20, a normally open switch 59 is preferably provided, which is closed by the leaf spring 58 when it is deflected by the retraction of the piston 57 when the solenoid 56 is energized. Of course is the coupling device C with usual bearings and seals provided where they are necessary «.

To put the new detachable coupling mechanism into operation the pivot 39 and the hook are first removed and the control part 40 is of the coil spring 55 in his Unlocked position held, the solenoid 56 is de-energized and its piston 57 is pressed by the leaf spring 58 against the side of the plate 53 of the cam follower

A hand tool T (see FIG. 2) is inserted between the legs 31 of the digging head 30 and pushed with its end over the collar 42 provided with a slot on the shaft 41. Then the tool T is rotated clockwise by about 90 °, the shaft 41 and the cam 44 being rotated into their locking position. When the cam 44 reaches its locking position, the

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Cam follower 50 pivoted by the force of spring 54 so that roller 51 falls into notch 48 · This automatic Latch prevents the spring 55 from bringing the shaft 41 and the cam 44 back into the unlocked position, when the tool T is withdrawn. During this pivoting movement of the cam follower 50, the plate is at the same time 53 removed from the path of the piston 57, which is pushed forward by the leaf spring 58 · The piston 57 blocks now the path of movement of the plate 53; this prevents the cam follower 50 from turning away and the roller 51 is in the notch 48 held. The control part 40 is now in the locking position or you can say he's made "hot". Tool T is removed.

The line of anchor A is inserted into slots 32 of clevis 30. The hook 36 is with its nose 38 in inserted into the slot 43 at the end 42 of the shaft and its slot 37 », which receives the anchor line, prevents this slips out of the slots 32 '. Now the pivot 39 reinserted and secured with locking pins, clamping rings or other suitable means, not shown, so that the hook 36 is pivotably connected to the fork head 30. At this point the hook 36 is against pivoting is secured by the lug 38 which is captured in the slot 43 which is not aligned, so that the anchor line cannot loosen · If the buoy or other floating object B is properly connected is, the anchor A, the buoy or floating object B and the docking device C can be used as one Unit to be thrown overboard and sunk. The buoy B, which strives to normally close to the water surface float, and the anchor A, which holds the buoy under water, exerts a pull on the coupling device 0, which causes that the anchor line is uncoupled when the hook

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36 released from the slot 43 for pivoting movement will ο

When the buoy B is to be fished up again, a coded signal is emitted which is received by the converter 11. gen and converted into an electrical or voltage signal is sent in response to the electrical or voltage signal the power supply part 20, controlled by a circuit in the electronics pallet 15, current in the solenoid 56, which at Excitation retracts its piston 57 against the force of the leaf spring 58, and the cam follower 50 can now freely against the Swing the spring force 54 away. A time delay signal can also be provided to close the solenoid 56 instead irritate·

The force of the spring 55 now rotates the shaft 41 and the cam disk 44 from the locked position to the unlocked position, in which it is, so to speak, "disarmed". In the initial phase this rotation, as soon as the cam follower can pivot freely, the bolt 51 leaves the notch 48, so that the cam and the shaft can now continue to rotate unhindered into the disarmed position · Now the slot 43 is in cover with the path of movement of the bevel 38 and the hook 36 can pivot away; the anchor line will now through the on the coupling device C from anchor A and the buoy B exerted opposing tensile forces are decoupled. The buoy B and the coupling device 0 are now free and can rise to the surface of the water.

In order to announce to the search team that the coded signals have unlocked or disarmed the control unit for decoupling, the electronics package 15 can be provided with a whistling mechanism (not shown), which is switched on by the normally open precision switch 59.

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ben 57 is withdrawn when the solenoid 56 is energized, the bending leaf spring 58 closes the precision switch 59 and this switches on the whistle mechanism _{or the like}

The invention is not restricted to the exemplary embodiment shown and described above Numerous modifications possible within the scope of the invention »

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Claims (1)

- 11 claims 1. / detachable coupling device, characterized by a releasable coupling mechanism with a fixed Part (30) and a movable part (36) which is pivotally attached to the latter and which is located between a coupling and a decoupling position can be moved back and forth, furthermore by a control part (40) which is between an "armed" position in which it controls the movable part (36) detected and held in its clutch position, and a "disarmed" position in which he moves the Releases part for pivoting in its uncoupling position, can be rotated back and forth, furthermore by a spring (55) ι the control part in its defused position biased, and finally by a lock (51, 53, 56, 57) that detects the control part and in his holds sharp position and releases it on an electrical signal, so that the control part by the spring is turned into its defused position Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a sealed pressure housing (29 »10, 25) is provided and that the fixed part (30) is attached to one end of the housing and is located outside the housing, that furthermore the spring and the locking device are housed in the housing and that the control part is located in the housing and protrudes in the axial direction through one end of the housing to the outside, _o 3β device according to claim 2, characterized in that the control part can be grasped from the outside and rotated by hand into its armed position and that the lock is automatically reset to hold the control part, when the latter is turned into its armed position 109842/0173 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that the control part has a rotatable shaft (41) which in the axial direction through one end of the housing to the outside and has an exposed shaft end (42), which is provided with a slot (43) open at the end, the at least one piece (38) of the movable part (36) receives, and that the slot is aligned with the path of movement of the movable part when the Control part is in the disarmed position, and is offset against this trajectory when the control- part takes its sharp position. Device according to Claim 4, characterized in that the movable part (36) is special at its one end (38) is shaped to be received and retained in the slot (43) on the exposed shaft end » Device according to claim 4 »characterized in that the control part includes a cam disc (44) which opens the shaft (41) is keyed and provided with a notch (48), and that a locking element for the locking (51) that falls into the notch and thereby holds the control part in the armed position 7. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that. a cam (44) belongs to the control part, which on the shaft (41) is keyed for common rotation, and which is provided with a receptacle (48) that further the locking a cam follower (50), which is pivotably hinged with one end and with its other end The end is free, as well as a spring (54) which the cam follower with its free end against the cam presses and presses into the recording, whereby the 109842/0173 Control part is held in its armed position. 8β device according to claim 7t, characterized in that the locking also includes a solenoid (56),
whose piston (57) is under spring tension in such a way that it blocks the pivoting movement of the cam follower (50) when its free end is in the receptacle of the cam, and that the piston is pulled away from the path of movement of the cam follower when the solenoid is excited against the low tension 109842/0173 Blank page