EP0174410A1 - Apparatus for the successive automatic control of at least two processes or operations - Google Patents

Abstract

1. Apparatus for the sequential and automatic control of at least two processes or operations, one of which corresponds to a movement of considerable amplitude with a moderate force, whereas the other is achieved by a movement of low amplitude with a high force, comprising a first jack (3), the piston (4) of which has a stroke of considerable length, to perform the movement of considerable amplitude, whereas a system of levers (9-14) constituting a forces-multiplier is coupled to a working member (22) subjected to a movement of low amplitude with a high force, characterized in that it further comprises a second jack (7), coaxial to said first, the piston (8) of which only has a short stroke, means (15) being provided for causing the transfer of the pressurization from one jack to the other, when a predetermined pressure has been reached in the first jack, whereas the forces-multiplying levers (9-14) system is coupled to said piston (8) (or to the rod of said piston) of the short-stroke jack (7).

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus for the successive automatic control of at least two processes or operations.

It is already known, in the industry, to automatically ensure the successive control of two or more processes or operations from jacks which are supplied with pneumatic or hydraulic fluid according to a predetermined sequence. When a cylinder has reached the end of its stroke or when a determined pressure has been reached, another operation, carried out using another cylinder, is then automatically triggered.

The object of the invention is to create an apparatus which, in a form corresponding to a minimum bulk, makes it possible to obtain, automatically and successively, on the one hand, a movement corresponding to a long stroke with moderate effort and, on the other hand, a movement corresponding to a short stroke with a significant effort, these two operations can be triggered successively in any order.

In a nonlimiting manner, a possible application of an apparatus of the type concerned by the invention is the fitting of clamping collars with deformation locking, in particular of the type which is the subject of a related application, an operation during which a movement corresponding to a long stroke and a moderate effort ensures the clamping of the collar by tension on the band with the required effort, while a movement corresponding to a short stroke with a significant effort is then automatically triggered to cause deformation of the band of the collar for its blocking in tight condition. It goes without saying, however, that an apparatus of the type to which the invention relates lends itself to many different applications, which will appear to technicians.

The invention is embodied in an automatic control device of the type mentioned above, characterized in that it comprises two coaxial jacks, the piston of one of these jacks having a notable length stroke, while the other has only a short stroke, means being provided to cause the transfer of the pressurization from one jack to the other cylinder when a predetermined pressure has been reached in the first cylinder, a system of levers forming a force multiplier being interposed between the piston or the piston rod of the short-stroke cylinder and the working member having to undergo a movement of small amplitude with a major effort.

According to a preferred embodiment, the force multiplier lever system is constituted by a single or multiple toggle system.

The cylinder providing a long stroke movement and moderate effort can work as a shooter or pusher, depending on whether its power is supplied to one or the other of the chambers of this cylinder.

According to a possible particularity of embodiment of the invention, the piston or the piston rod of the short-stroke cylinder is connected by a first link to a first stage of toggle joint mounted between a fixed point and a mobile working point. In this case also, this mobile working point can undergo a displacement in one or the other direction, according to the direction of displacement of the piston of this jack.

According to another particularity, providing a preferred embodiment, this movable working point of the first knee lifter stage is connected to a second knee lifter stage from which the required working movement can be taken, in one direction or the other, depending on the fixed point chosen.

This double toggle system provides a significant increase in effort, with a short stroke of the working point.

Advantageously, the two coaxial jacks are formed in the same cylinder body, divided into two coaxial parts by a fixed partition. If the two successive orders must be obtained at the same end of the device, the piston rod of a jack, preferably from the long-stroke cylinder, passes through the partition wall of the cylinder body and also the piston of the other cylinder.

The means causing the transfer of the pressurization from one cylinder to the other when the required pressure is reached in the first pressurized cylinder can be constituted simply by a pressure-reacting valve, adjusted to pass from one position to the other when the pressure actuating the jack carrying out the first operation reaches the predetermined value.

As indicated above, the device which is the subject of the invention can be used inter alia for the fitting of clamps of the type mentioned, ensuring the tensioning of the clamp by means of the long-stroke jack, then the blocking of this collar using the second cylinder providing a short stroke and a significant effort.

For this application, the device can advantageously include a clamp connected to the long-stroke cylinder and which can be adapted on the end of the band of the collar, in order to exert traction on this band for tightening the collar when the control of the first cylinder, and a deformation punch connected to the toggle system actuated by the second cylinder.

• La Fig. 1 est une représentation schématique d'un appareil suivant l'invention.
• La Fig. 2 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de l'appareil, dans une condition de repos.
• La Fig. 3 est une vue analogue à la Fig. 2, montrant l'appareil dans la condition correspondant à une position de fin de course du premier vérin actionné, qui est ici le vérin à course longue.
• La Fig. 4 est une vue analogue aux Fig. 2 et 3, montrant l'appareil dans la condition correspondant à l'actionnement du second vérin, ou vérin à faible course.
• La Fig. 5 est une représentation schématique montrant l'application de l'appareil objet de l'invention à la pose d'un collier de serrage.
• Les Fig. 6 et 7 sont des vues en coupe partielle montrant un outil utilisable sur l'appareil pour cette application dans deux positions de commande.

The description which follows, made with reference to the appended drawings, given without limitation, will allow a better understanding of the invention.

• Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of an apparatus according to the invention.
• Fig. 2 is a view in longitudinal section of the device, in a rest condition.
• Fig. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, showing the apparatus in the condition corresponding to an end of travel position of the first actuated cylinder, which is here the long stroke cylinder.
• Fig. 4 is a view similar to FIGS. 2 and 3, showing the device in the condition corresponding to the actuation of the second cylinder, or short stroke cylinder.
• Fig. 5 is a schematic representation showing the application of the object of the invention device to the installation of a clamp.
• Figs. 6 and 7 are views in partial section showing a tool usable on the device for this application in two control positions.

There is shown schematically in FIG. 1, an apparatus according to the invention comprising two coaxial jacks mounted in a single cylinder body designated by the reference 1, the chambers of the jacks being separated from each other by a fixed partition 2.

The first cylinder, designated by the reference 3, comprises a piston 4 moving in the usual way in the cylinder chamber 5 and the piston rod 6 of which passes through the partition 2 in a leaktight manner to protrude from the cylinder 1 at the end of the latter opposite to the jack 3. The second jack is designated by the reference 7. It comprises a piston 8 which is connected by a link 9 to a double toggle joint comprising a link 10 articulated at a fixed point 11, a link 12 , the link 9 being connected to the point of articulation between the links 10 and 12, and a set of links 13, 14.

There is shown schematically at 15 a valve supplied by a conduit 16 from a source of pressurized fluid and from which two conduits 17, 18 lead into the chambers of the jacks 3, 7 respectively. The valve 15 is a two-way two-position valve which can be of a known type. It feeds here in its normal position the pipe 17 from the pipe 16 and can be moved under the effect of the pressure to feed the pipe 18 when a predetermined pressure has been reached in the chamber 5 of the jack 3. It will be understood that 'in principle the jack 3 can work as a shooter or as a pusher, depending on the chamber supplied on one side or the other of the piston 4. In the embodiment shown, this jack works as a shooter.

The conduit 18 feeds, in the embodiment shown, the chamber 19 of the cylinder 7, to then move the piston 8 to the left in the drawing and to act by the link 9 on the toggle joint system.

In this, we can at will, depending on the effect to be obtained, provide a fixed point at 20 or 21. If point 20 is fixed, the action of the link 9 on 16 toggle system will then move the point 21 to the left looking at the drawing. If this point 21 is fixed, the point 20 will, when ordering, be moved to the right.

Thus, in this case also, the working movement obtained from the second cylinder 7 can be directed in one direction or the other.

It has been assumed above that the jack 3 was actuated before the jack 7. However, it will be understood that it is possible, without difficulty, to reverse the control order by using a valve 15 which feeds the conduit 18 in its condition normal and line 17 when the required pressure is reached.

The operation of this device can be understood on reading the description above. In the embodiment under consideration, the jack 3 is first supplied with pressure and the piston 4 moves to the right while looking at the drawing, by exerting traction by the piston rod 6, to provide a first working movement. This movement corresponds to a long stroke and a moderate effort, which is a function of the pressure. When the predetermined pressure has been reached in the chamber 5, the valve 15 switches and the chamber 19 of the jack 7 is supplied with pressurized fluid, while the tensile force is maintained on the piston rod 6. The piston 8 is then moved to the left over a short distance and the movement is transmitted by the toggle system for example at point 21, providing a short stroke and a large force which is multiplied by this system of toggle.

It can be seen that the desired result is obtained in a simple and automatic manner.

There is shown in Figs. 2 to 4, in longitudinal section, an apparatus according to the invention corresponding to the diagram which forms FIG. 1. In these Figs. 2 to 4, the same references have been designated as in FIG. 1 the corresponding elements. The supply of the chambers of the jacks has not been shown to simplify the drawing.

It was assumed in the present case that the point 20 was fixed and that the point 21 was coupled to a rod 22 capable of ensuring control with a short stroke and a large force.

Fig. 2 shows the device's rest condition, for which no pressure is supplied to the chambers of the jacks.

In Fig. 3, the chamber 5 of the jack 3 was supplied with pressurized fluid, which moved the piston 4 of this jack 3 and thus the piston rod 6 to the right (looking at the drawing), providing for this rod a notable stroke with moderate effort, the jack 3 then working as a "shooter".

When the pressure in the chamber 5 has reached the predetermined required value, the valve 15 (FIG. 1) switches to supply the chamber 19 of the jack 7.

We have shown in FIG. 4 the condition resulting from this supply of the second cylinder 7 while the chamber 5 of the cylinder 3 remains under pressure. The piston 8 of the jack 7 is then moved to the left by acting by the link 9, coupled to this piston at 23, on the toggle formed by the links 10, 12. Since the link 10 is pivotally mounted at a point fixed 11 which, in this case, is provided on the cylinder head 24 of the cylinder body of the device, it results from the movement to the left of the link 9 an upward movement of the point 25 by which the link 12 is articulated to the links 13, 14. Since the link 13 is pivotally mounted at a fixed point 20 and that the link 14 attacks the rod 22 at 21, the latter is then moved to the left by sliding in the bore of the cylinder head 24 in which it is mounted, providing a short stroke with a significant thrust force.

A return spring acting on the piston 8 has been shown at 40.

As indicated above, the apparatus according to the invention can be used each time it is desired to obtain automatically two successive operations, one of which corresponds to a notable stroke and to a moderate effort, while the other is carried out by a short stroke with a significant effort.

An application of this apparatus is shown schematically in FIG. 5 for installing hose clamps. In this Fig. 5, the elements corresponding to those visible in the previous figures have here again been designated by the same references.

There is shown schematically at 26 a clamp whose clevis has been indicated at 27. The free strand 28 of the band of the collar is, in this case, coupled to the piston rod 6 of the jack 3 in a manner which will explained below. The rod 22 actuated from the jack 7 by means of the toggle system acts in this case on this strand 28 of the band of the collar by means of a punch 29, in order to block the collar in tight condition by deformation of the band.

This result can be obtained since the jack 3 provides a tensile force acting with a long stroke by means of the rod 6 connected to the strip strand 28 and that, while this tensile force is maintained since the pressure in the chamber 5 of the jack 3 is preserved, the automatic pressurization of the chamber 19. of the jack 7 subjects the rod 22 to a displacement in a short stroke but with a significant force, which is transmitted via the punch 29 to deform the strip 28 of the collar for its blocking in tight condition.

It has been shown in more detail in Figs. 6 and 7 a tool adaptable to the device for carrying out this operation.

Here again, we have shown at 26 the collar provided with its yoke 27 and the strip strand 28 must be subjected to a tensile force.

The tool considered comprises a body 30 which can be adapted by its base 31 on the end of the device. reil formed of coaxial cylinders, the assembly being carried out in any desired manner.

The body 31 provides an internal bore 32 in which slides the rod 6 connected to the piston 4 of the jack 3. The end of this rod here has the shape of jaws as shown in 33, these jaws being able to close on the strip strand 28 of the collar, which has a recess 34 allowing the attachment.

As shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the rod 22 is in this case connected to a link 35 which attacks by its end opposite to this rod 22 a punch 29 having a curved shape as shown and which can slide in a correspondingly shaped bore 36 of the body 30 of the tool, this bore being open towards the bottom when looking at the drawing.

We have shown in FIG. 6 the initial condition when fitting a collar. The rods 6, 22 are in the rest position and the jaws 33 have been engaged on the end of the strand 28 of the band of the collar which extends outside the yoke 27. Such engagement can be facilitated by the very shape of the end part of the tool, which is provided for example with a head 37 which comes to bear on the yoke 27 and facilitates the positioning of the tool.

Starting from the condition shown in Fig. 6, the jaws 33 are closed around the strip strand 28 and hook accordingly on the recess 34. The actuation of the jack 3 then moves the rod 6 to the right while looking the drawing, with a sufficient stroke to cause the clamping of the collar 26 around a pipe or a pipe for example. The position reached is shown in FIG. 7. The required clamping force is determined by the pressure reached in the chamber 5 of the jack 3 when the valve 15 is controlled for its tilting, and it will be understood that it is thus easy to obtain, using the device, a tightening force adapted to the collar and its use.

When the valve 15 switches, the jack 7 is actuated, which moves the rod 22 to the left, looking at the drawing as indicated above. The link 35 then transmits this short stroke with a significant effort to slide the punch 29 into the bore 36, and the end of this punch deforms the band strand 28 of the collar just in front of the yoke 27 as shown in 38, which ensures blocking of the collar in its tightening condition. A bearing surface or plate is provided in the tool at 39 just next to the orifice forming the opening of the bore 36, in order to limit the extent of the deformed zone 38 of the band of the collar, in a manner which is in itself desirable. .

The foregoing description shows that, once the apparatus has been adjusted in the required manner, it suffices to adapt this apparatus to the free strip strand of a collar to automatically carry out the positioning of this collar, with the 'desired clamping force due to the two differentiated actions provided by the device.

Claims (11)

1.- Apparatus for the successive automatic control of at least two processes or operations, one of which corresponds to a movement of notable amplitude with a moderate effort, while the other is ensured by a movement of small amplitude with a effort important, characterized in that it comprises two coaxial cylinders (3, 7), the piston (4) of one of these cylinders having a notable length stroke, while the other (8) has only one short stroke, means (15) being provided for causing the transfer of the pressurization from one cylinder to the other cylinder when a predetermined pressure has been reached in the first cylinder, a system of levers (9 - 14) forming force multiplier being interposed between the piston (8) or the piston rod of the short-stroke cylinder (7) and the working member (22) having to undergo a movement of small amplitude with a large force. 2.- Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the force multiplier lever system is constituted by a single or multiple toggle system. 3.- Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cylinder (3) providing a long stroke and a moderate effort works as a shooter or pusher, depending on the direction of its supply. 4.- Apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that the piston (8) or the piston rod of the short-stroke cylinder (7) is connected by a first link (9) to a first stage of toggle joint (10, 12 ) mounted between a fixed point (11) and a mobile working point (25) 5.- Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the mobile working point of the first knee lifter (10, 12) is connected to a second knee lifter (13, 14) from which the required working movement is taken from one way or the other, depending on the fixed point chosen (20, 21). 6.- Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the two coaxial cylinders (3, 7) are formed in the same cylinder body (1) divided into two coaxial parts by a fixed partition (2). 7.- Apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the two commands must be obtained at the same end of the apparatus, characterized in that the rod. piston (6) of a cylinder, preferably the long stroke cylinder (3), passes through the partition (2) of the cylinder body (1) and the piston (8) of the other cylinder (7). 8.- Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the means causing the transfer of the pressurization from one cylinder to another when the required pressure is reached in the first cylinder pressurized are constituted by a valve (15) reacting to the pressure, adjusted to pass from one position to the other when the pressure actuating the jack carrying out the first operation reaches a predetermined value. 9.- Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, applicable to the installation of clamping collars with locking by deformation, characterized in that a clamp (33) or the like is connected to the long-stroke cylinder (3) in view of its adaptation to the end (28) of the band of the collar (26), in order to exert traction on this band with a view to tightening the collar when ordering this long-stroke cylinder, and in that a punch deformation (29) is connected to the toggle system (9, 10, 12, 13, 14) actuated by the second cylinder (7). 10.- Apparatus according to claim 8, characterized in that it comprises a tool for fitting the collars comprising a body (30, 31) which can be connected to the cylinder (1) of the apparatus, provided with a bore (32) in which slides a clamp (33) or the like connected to the piston rod (6) of the long-stroke cylinder (3) and a guide hole (36) in which the punch (29) for deformation of the strip can be moved (28) connected to the system knee switch (9, 10, 12, 13, 14) actuated by the piston (8) of the short stroke cylinder (7). 11.- Apparatus according to claim 10, characterized in that the tool comprises a part or plate (39) intended to support the deformation force of the strip (28) exerted by the punch (29), this part being provided on the body (30, 31) of the tool in a position such that, in the condition of use of this tool, said part is placed a short distance in front of the yoke (27) of the collar (26) , by providing with this yoke a band deformation interval under the effect of the punch.

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