DE29610293U1 - Snap hook - Google Patents

Description

KONG Deutschland GmbH Munich,

Development, production and sales 10.06.1996

o.Z.: Gbm 1261/2-96E-DE

Snap hook

The invention relates to a snap hook with a hook body which has a hook tip and a hook end opposite the tip, with a 0 spring-loaded snap catch which is pivotally mounted on the hook end and in the

rests on the hook tip in the resting state and thus closes the opening of the hook body between the hook tip and the hook end, with a locking sleeve, which is movably mounted on the catch, is pre-tensioned towards the hook tip and locks the catch in the resting state, whereby between the

5 A guide device is arranged between the locking sleeve and the catch.

Snap hooks of this type are in common use and are used in particular by mountaineers as safety hooks. The existing hooks were unsatisfactory in many respects.
20

In a known hook of this type, the guide device consists of a screw thread. Although the screw thread can reliably secure the latch in the closed position, it has been shown that the process of screwing the locking sleeve is time-consuming and often

5 is forgotten. Thus, the catch often remains unlocked, so that the hook,

for example, when striking the rock face, it can spring open and release the safety rope. There is also the risk that the snap hook will deform under load if the snap catch opens accidentally, as the entire tensile force must be absorbed by the back of the hook after the connection between

0 The hook tip and hook end have been separated by opening the snap.

There are also already known snap hooks in which the safety sleeve

·

must be turned against the force of a torsion spring in order to unlock the latch. Such snap hooks can usually be operated well in the right hand, with the user grasping the hook from the back of the hook and turning the safety sleeve between thumb and index finger. The thumb performs a pushing movement and the index finger a pulling movement. However, turning the safety sleeve in the left hand is very difficult because the short thumb cannot perform a sufficiently far-reaching pulling movement. Consequently, in critical situations, the hook may fail to open if the right hand cannot be used to help unlock the safety sleeve.

The invention is based on the object of creating a snap hook of the type mentioned above, in which the snap can be opened with a simple hand movement that can be carried out with both the left and right hand.

5 can be opened easily and reliably, but which also prevents unwanted

Unlocking of the catch is avoided and above all it is ensured that after the catch is released from the open position, it automatically reaches its closed position without being hindered by the safety sleeve and in the closed position by the snapping back safety sleeve without

0 further action by the user. The snap hook should be

It should also be cost-effective to produce.

This task is solved in a snap hook of the type mentioned above by the fact that the guide device is designed in such a way that the safety sleeve for

5 Unlocking the latch by rotating axially towards the hook end

is movable and the rotation can take place in both directions.

The special design of the guide device ensures that the catch can be opened by turning the locking sleeve clockwise as well as anti-clockwise.

0 anti-clockwise. The locking sleeve can therefore be

can be opened comfortably and safely with either the left or right hand, whereby in both cases the pushing movement is carried out with the (relatively short) thumb and the pulling movement is carried out with the (relatively long) index finger, which naturally encloses the safety sleeve of the catch when grasping the hook.
35

Since the axial displacement is coupled with the rotation (in any direction),

The safety sleeve returns to its locking position under the action of the preload spring when the latch rests on the hook tip and the safety sleeve is released.

According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the angle of rotation when unlocking the latch is less than 180°, preferably 60° to 90°. With such a relatively small angular rotation, a sufficient axial displacement of the locking sleeve can be achieved in order to release the hook tip. On the other hand, such a relatively small rotation of the locking sleeve can be carried out comfortably and safely with one hand.

can be carried out by holding the snap hook with one hand and twisting the safety sleeve between thumb and index finger.

The guide device can be easily installed by a groove in one of the two

5 parts moving against each other and a pin engaging in the groove in the

other of the two parts.

It has proven to be particularly advantageous if the groove has a short first section running in the longitudinal direction of the catch and two

0 subsequent symmetrically diverging branches. In the resting position

the pin is located in the first section that runs parallel to the axis of the latch, so that the opening movement must be initiated with a short displacement of the locking sleeve in the axial direction, which can then be followed by a rotational movement in one of the two directions, with the pin in

5 enters one or the other of the two symmetrically diverging branches

and the locking sleeve is both axially displaced and simultaneously rotated until the hook tip is released. Due to the fact that the unlocking movement must be initiated by an axially parallel displacement due to the first section, unwanted unlocking,

0 which could occur, for example, if the locking sleeve is attached to another

Object rubbing, safely avoided.

From a manufacturing point of view, it has proven to be particularly advantageous that the pin is arranged in the catch and protrudes radially from it.

The groove into which the pin engages can conveniently be arranged on the locking sleeve.

In order to make the production of the snap hook as simple as possible and particularly flexible, a further particularly advantageous development of the invention provides that the guide device consists of a sleeve that can be inserted between the safety sleeve and the snap catch, which is provided with grooves or guards and into which a guide pin engages. A guide device designed in this way is particularly easy to manufacture and with its

0 Hiife, the production of the snap hooks can be quickly adapted if there is a need for

Snap hook with a modified unlocking process. For example, by simply changing the sleeve while retaining the rest of the design, a snap hook can be created in which the opening movement extends over a larger or smaller angle of rotation, to give just one example.

In terms of manufacturing technology, a solution has proven to be particularly advantageous in which the sleeve is force-fitted to the locking sleeve and the pin is arranged in the latch, protrudes radially from it and engages in the grooves of the locking sleeve.

If the sleeve consists of two semi-cylindrical shell halves, it can be easily placed on the latch body from both sides so that the pin is in the groove. A complex threading of the pin is therefore not necessary.

The two halves of the shell can be conveniently connected to one another via pins and recesses, i.e. they can be inserted into one another in a way.

If - according to a further advantageous embodiment of the invention - the sleeve 0 and the locking sleeve have a locking lug and a corresponding recess

where the locking lug can be arranged on the sleeve and the matching recess on the locking sleeve, it is ensured during production that the sleeve is inserted with the correct angular position.

5 To ensure the correct axial positioning of the sleeve during

To ensure the correct composition of the snap hook, it is intended that the sleeve

and the locking sleeve has a stop edge and a stop shoulder that abuts against the stop edge. For example, the end edge of the locking sleeve can be used as a stop edge if the sleeve has a shoulder with corresponding dimensions.
5

When assembling the snap hook, the sleeve is placed over the catch body in such a way that the pin engages in the groove of the sleeve and then the catch body including the sleeve is inserted into the locking sleeve, whereby the sleeve is pressed in and held securely in the locking sleeve.

The invention is explained in more detail below using an embodiment shown schematically in the figures. It shows:

5 Figure 1: The separated components of a snap hook according to the invention.

Figure 2: A single part of the snap hook shown in Figure 1 in the
Top view.

0 Figure 3: The assembled snap hook on a larger scale.

Figure 4: A single part of a variant of the snap hook.

The snap hook has a hook body 1 which consists of a curved

5 metal strand. The two ends of the metal strand form the hook tip 1a

and the hook end 1b. The side of the hook opposite the hook tip and the hook end is referred to below as the hook back 1c.

Both at the hook tip 1a and at the hook end 1b, the metal strand is

0 flattened on both sides so that the hook end and the hook tip are plate-shaped.

At the outer end of the hook tip there is a sealing bead 1a' which - as described in detail later - serves for positive engagement in a corresponding recess in the catch. The hook end is provided with a hole 2 which serves to accommodate a bearing pin for the pivotable mounting of a 5 catch, as described further below. At the hook end there is also

a stop edge 3 is provided for an intermediate piece, which serves as a bearing for the

closing spring of the latch, which will be explained in detail later.

The catch, which is intended to connect the hook end 1b with the hook tip 1a and to create a connection between the hook end and the hook tip that can withstand tensile stress in the direction of tension, is designated with the reference number 4. The catch 4 essentially consists of a cylindrical metal body, which is provided at its upper end (in the figure) with a recess 5 that fits positively over the hook tip 1a and its end bead 1a ^1. At its opposite end, the cylindrical body of the catch 4 merges into two cheeks, of which only one cheek 6 can be seen in the 0 representation of the drawing. The two cheeks 6

When assembled, they encompass the flat hook end 1b. The cheeks 6 have a transverse bore 8.

In another radial bore 9 near the recess 5 there is a pin 10,

5 which extends a short distance on both sides over the surface of the cylindrical

latch 4. A compression spring 12 is arranged in a coaxial bore 11 and acts as a closing spring for the latch, as described below. In the end of the spring 12 located towards the cheeks 6 there is an intermediate piece 13 which engages with its narrow end into the interior of the spring 12.
20

Near the end where the two cheeks 6 are provided, the catch 4 has a circumferential groove over which a slotted ring 7 can be clipped.

5 A compression spring 15 has a diameter such that it slides freely over

the cylinder body of the catch 4 and can be supported on the ring 7 if the latter is engaged in the circumferential groove 14 provided for this purpose in the catch 4.

0 A locking sleeve 16 consists of a substantially tubular

cylindrical part, on the outer circumference of which a corrugation 17 is provided. In the interior, two diameter steps are provided, which form two stop shoulders 18 and 19, the meaning of which is explained below. A small recess 20 is provided on the upper edge (in Figure 1). At the opposite end of the locking sleeve 16, the tubular body of the same is over a circumferential angle

of approximately 75°, so that an apron 21 is formed.

Finally, the snap hook according to the invention includes a cylindrical sleeve 22 made of plastic. The cylindrical sleeve is essentially tubular and has a shoulder 23 at its upper end (in Figure 1).

A groove 24 can be seen on the inner wall of the sleeve 22, which has the shape of a Y. The groove 24 consists of a first section 24a running in the axial direction, from which two symmetrically diverging branches 24b and 24c extend. A locking lug 25 is provided on the underside of the shoulder 25, the dimensions of which are selected so that it fits into the recess 20 of the locking sleeve 16.

The sleeve 22 is shown in Figure 2 in plan view. The sleeve 22 consists of two semi-cylindrical shells 22a and 22b. These are shown separately from each other in Figure 2 for explanation. The two semi-cylindrical shells 22a and 22b

5 are connected by pins 26 and 27, which are inserted into corresponding

Recesses 28 and 29 fit.

The snap hook according to the invention is assembled as follows:

0 The pin 10 is inserted into the bore 9 in the cylindrical body of the catch 4.

driven in such a way that it protrudes on both sides of the cylinder by an amount that is slightly less than the depth of the groove 24 in the plastic sleeve 22. The compression spring 12 is threaded into the coaxial bore 11 from the side of the cheeks 6 and the intermediate piece 13 is placed on the end of the compression spring 12. The ring 7

5 is clipped into the circumferential groove 14. The spring is inserted into the latch body 4

15, which is supported on the ring 7. With slight compression of the compression spring 15, the two semi-cylindrical shells 22a and 22b of the sleeve are placed over the body of the catch 4 in such a way that the pin 10 engages in the grooves 24. The two half-shells of the sleeve 10 are inserted into one another so that the

0 Pin 26 is inserted into the recess 28 and pin 27 is inserted into the recess 29.

The diameter of the catch 4 is slightly smaller than the inside width of the (assembled) sleeve 22, so that the latter can move with play on the catch 4 both in the axial direction and in the direction of rotation, although its movement is limited by the guidance of the pin 10 in the groove 24. The pin 10 5 together with the groove 24 represents a guide device.

The prefabricated subunit is inserted into the securing sleeve 16, whereby the sleeve 22 is pressed into the securing sleeve and is given a firm fit. The lower edge of the sleeve 22 strikes the stop shoulder 18 of the securing sleeve 16, so that a defined position is obtained in the axial direction. The locking lug 25 of the sleeve 22 engages in the recess 20, so that the position of the sleeve 22 in relation to the securing sleeve 16 in the direction of rotation is also precisely defined.

The prefabricated unit is connected to the hook body 1 by inserting the 0 hook end 1b between the cheeks 6 and through the hole 8 into the

A pin is inserted and riveted into the cheeks and the hole 2 in the hook end, so that the catch 4 and the individual parts arranged on it are pivotally attached to the hook end 1b.

5 The spring 15 rests on the lower edge of the sleeve 22 and tensions the sleeve 22

and the locking sleeve 16, which is firmly connected to it by pressing, in the direction of the hook tip 1a. The movement of the sliding sleeve 16 in the direction of the hook tip 1a is limited by the ring 7 clipped into the circumferential groove striking the stop shoulder 19 of the locking sleeve 16.
20

The assembled snap hook is shown in Figure 3. The snap 4 is hinged to the hook end 1b and with its opposite end surrounds the hook tip 1a with its end bead 1a'. The recess 5 in the snap body 4 is shaped so that it surrounds the hook tip 1a in a form-fitting manner, so that when

5 Force load of the hook in the longitudinal direction of both the hook back 1c and the

The ends connected via the snap fastener 4 are loaded in the pulling direction and deformation of the hook is avoided.

The locking sleeve 16, which is pushed by the spring 15 towards the hook tip 1a

0 is pre-tensioned, encloses a large part of the hook tip 1a, so that the

The catch is locked and pivoting the catch 8 to open the hook is not possible. The pin 10 is located at the lower end of the branch 24a of the groove 24.

5 To open the hook, i.e. to release the snap from the hook point and insert it into the

Inside the hook, the locking sleeve 16 must first be slightly

Piece in the axial direction of the catch in the direction of the hook end 1b, so that the sleeve 22 with its Y-shaped groove 24 moves so that the cross bolt 10 reaches the area of the groove 24, where it forks into the two symmetrical branches 24b and 24c. This is done by holding the hook 1 with one hand so that the back of the hook 1c lies in the fork between the thumb and index finger and the tips of the thumb and index finger hold the locking sleeve 16 in the area of the corrugation 17.

However, the above-mentioned displacement in the axial direction is not yet sufficient to release the 0 hook end. Rather, this is still held in place by the upper end of the

Retaining sleeve and the sleeve 22 located there.

To open, the locking sleeve 16 must now be turned, whereby the direction of rotation is not important. Depending on the direction of rotation, the sleeve 22 slides over the

5 tenon so that it runs either into the branch 24b or the branch 24c of the groove 24 and

the locking sleeve 16 is moved further in the direction of the hook end 1b until the hook tip 1a is released. As a result of the rotation of the locking sleeve 16, the apron 21 also moves into a position in which it is no longer in the plane of the hook end 1b, so that the catch 4 including its

0 Safety sleeve can be swiveled into the interior of the hook.

The pivoting takes place against the force of the compression spring 12, which is supported by the intermediate piece 13 on the stop edge 3 of the hook end 1b. The compression spring 12 is not shown in Figure 3 for reasons of clarity.
25

If the locking sleeve 16 is released to close the hook, the locking sleeve 16 is pressed by the compression spring 15 towards the tip of the catch 4. However, since the pin 10 is located in one of the two oblique branches 24b or 24c of the groove 24, a pure axial displacement is possible.

0 of the sleeve is not possible. Due to the pin 10 and the groove 24

The sleeve can only be moved axially by rotating the existing guide rail.

However, such a rotation is prevented when the latch is open.

5 prevents the apron 21 on one of the two side surfaces of the hook end 1b

Thus, the movement of the sleeve 16 is blocked completely and only the

Compression spring 12 moves the catch back into the closed position shown in Figure 3. Only when the closed position is reached or almost reached does the apron 21 no longer strike the plate-shaped hook end 1b, so that rotation of the sleeve and thus also axial displacement of the same is possible.
5

As soon as the latch has finally assumed its closed position, the sleeve 16 is then displaced by the action of the compression spring 15 in the direction of the hook tip, rotating back to its initial position until the pin 10 runs into the branch 24a of the groove 24.
10

The snap hook according to the invention is easy to manufacture because it only contains compression springs and no springs subject to torsional force.

The handling is particularly user-friendly, as the design of the Y-

5 shaped groove 24, the sleeve can be rotated both clockwise and counterclockwise

can be opened clockwise and the rotation can be carried out completely symmetrically with both the left and right hand. This ensures that the snap hook can always be unlocked and opened safely with one hand.
20

It is particularly important that when the catch is released, it is safely moved back into the closed position and is automatically secured there. Even if the skirt 21 of the sleeve 16 allows the securing sleeve 16 to be turned back into the locking position before the catch 4 reaches its final

5 has reached the locking position, the safety sleeve 16 does not prematurely reach the

locking position, since at this point the catch is at least closed to the extent that the safety sleeve 16 strikes the hook tip 1a with an edge, whereby the safety sleeve 16 is temporarily kept away from its locking position until the catch is released by the

0 Compression spring 12 is brought into its final closing position.

By replacing the sleeve 24, the locking and unlocking movement of the sleeve 15 can be adapted to any requirement. Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section of an example of a sleeve 22 on an enlarged scale, through which - with the snap hook structure otherwise the same - a different locking and unlocking movement can be achieved.

is possible. The sleeve itself consists of two half-cylinder shells, which are

Pins 27 and recesses 28 are connected to one another. The different locking and unlocking movements are achieved by providing a circumferential groove 30 and two axial grooves 31 and 32 adjoining the circumferential groove 30 instead of the Y-shaped groove of the sleeve 22 in Figure 1. The circumferential groove extends over approximately 180°, i.e. over half the circumference of the sleeve 22. The axial grooves 31 and 32 adjoin the ends of the groove 30. With a corresponding movement of the sleeve 22, the pin 10 can slide freely through the interconnected grooves 30, 31 and 32. When moving through the grooves 31 and 32, an axial movement of the sleeve 22 is required, while the movement through the 0 groove 30 requires a rotation of the sleeve 22.

The groove 31 has a length such that the corresponding axial stroke of the sleeve 22 and the sleeve 16 enables the latch to be unlocked.

5 However, if the safety sleeve 16 is only moved a short distance from the hook tip 1a

moved away so that the pin 10 enters the circumferential groove 30, the sleeve 22 can be rotated until the pin finally enters the groove 32. When the locking sleeve is released in this position, it is pressed together with the sleeve 22 in the direction of the hook tip so that the pin 10 enters the groove 32 and there

0 is "trapped". In this position, which can be called the safety position,

it is no longer possible to unlock the catch by simply moving the locking sleeve in the axial direction. Rather, the locking sleeve must first be moved axially until the pin 10 reaches the level of the groove 30. Then the locking sleeve 16 must be turned by approx. 180° until the pin 10 reaches the groove 31 5. Only then can the

The catch can be unlocked by inserting the pin 10 into the groove 31.

Claims (16)

Protective equipment 1. Snap hook with a hook body (1) having a hook tip (1a) and a hook end (1b) opposite the tip; with a spring-loaded catch (4) which is pivotally mounted on the hook end (1b) and rests against the hook tip (1a) when at rest, thus closing the opening of the hook body (1) located between the hook tip (1a) and the hook end (1b), with a locking sleeve (16) which is movably mounted on the catch (4), is pre-tensioned in the direction of the hook tip (1a, 1d) and in the 5 Rest state locks the catch (4), wherein a guide device (10, 24) is arranged between the securing sleeve (16) and the catch (4), characterized in that the guide device (10, 24) is designed such that the securing sleeve (16) for unlocking the catch (4) rotates axially in the direction of the hook end 0 (1b) and the rotation can be carried out in either direction can. 2. Snap hook according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle of rotation is less than 180°, preferably 60° to 90°. 3. Snap hook according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the guide device consists of a slotted guide with a groove (24) and a pin (10) engaging in the groove (24). 0 4. Snap hook according to claim 3, characterized in that the groove (24) a short first section (24a) running in the longitudinal direction of the catch and two adjoining symmetrically diverging branches (24b, 24c). 5 5. Snap hook according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that the Pin (10) is arranged in the catch (4) and protrudes radially therefrom. 6. Snap hook according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the groove (24) is arranged on the securing sleeve (16). 7. Snap hook with a hook body (1) having a hook tip (1a) and a hook end (1b) opposite the tip; with a spring-loaded catch (4) which is pivotally mounted on the hook end (1b) and rests against the hook tip (1a) when in the resting state, thus closing the opening of the hook body (1) located between the hook tip (1a) and the hook end (1b), with a locking sleeve (16) which is movably mounted on the catch (4), is pre-tensioned in the direction of the hook tip (1a) and locks the catch (4) in the resting state, wherein a guide device (10, 24) is arranged between the securing sleeve (16) and the catch (4), in particular according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the guide device comprises a sleeve (22) which can be inserted between the securing sleeve (16) and the catch (4), which is provided with grooves (24) or slots and into which a pin (10) 0 intervenes. 8. Snap hook according to claim 7, characterized in that the sleeve (22) is positively connected to the securing sleeve (16), and that the pin (10) is arranged in the catch (4) and protrudes radially from it. 9. Snap hook according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the sleeve (22) is composed of two semi-cylindrical shell halves (22a, 22b). 0 10. Snap hook according to claim 9, characterized in that the two Shell halves (22a, 22b) can be connected to one another via pins (26, 27) and recesses (28, 29). 11. Snap hook according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that 5 the sleeve (22) and the safety sleeve (16) have a locking lug (25) and a have a recess (20) receiving the locking lug (25). 12. Snap hook according to one of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that the sleeve (22) and the securing sleeve (16) have a stop edge and a stop shoulder (23) abutting against the stop edge. 13. Snap hook according to one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that the sleeve (22) is fastened in the securing sleeve (16) by pressing. 14. Snap hook according to one of claims 7 to 13, characterized in that the sleeve (22) has a circumferential groove (30) and two axial grooves (31, 32) connected to the circumferential groove, in which the pin (10) is guided. 15. Snap hook according to claim 14, characterized in that the circumferential groove (30) extends approximately over 180° of the sleeve (22) and the two 5 axial grooves (31, 32) are provided at both ends of the circumferential groove (30). 16. Snap hook according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the first axial groove (31) has such a length that it allows an axial displacement of the sleeve (22) sufficient for unlocking the latch (4) and that the 0 second axial groove (32) is short and an axial displacement unlocking the catch not allowed.