EP2241527B1 - Connection device - Google Patents

Abstract

The apparatus (1) has a support flange (2) swivelably arranged in a housing (4) in a rotation axis. A through-hole (15) extends axially through a bushing (5) in which a supporting bolt (10) is rotatably attached with an upper head part. The supporting bolt comprises a shank (16) with a shank region provided at an axial distance (a) from an upper end of the bushing. A radially enlarged shank diameter of a radial excess portion is partly covered radially from outside in a mounted state under axial play within the axial distance by a bushing section with a reduced inside diameter.

Description

The invention relates to a connecting device for coupling a support flange to a load having a housing which has a socket and a rotatable about this holder for the support flange, the latter being pivotable in the housing about an axis of rotation of the holder axis of rotation and through the sleeve extends axially through a through hole having a first diameter in its upper input portion, in which a support bolt is rotatably mounted with an upper head portion and an axially adjoining shaft, axially protruding axially beyond the housing at its axial end remote from the head portion for securing a load; mounted state is held positively against axial withdrawal from the through hole by a recess is formed in the passage opening of the sleeve with a relation to the first diameter enlarged second diameter into which an engaging part connected to the shaft engagement part.

Such connection devices are used for lifting loads. For this purpose, the connection device is attached to the load, then raised at its support flange, which is often designed as a support ring, by means of a lifting hook or chain o. Ä. And moved to another location.

A device of this kind is used in the EP 1 069 067 B1 described. In her, the shank of the support bolt and the socket in which he sits, are connected by means of shrinking, wherein the upper end of the sleeve rests on the head portion of the support bolt. In this known connection device, there is the disadvantage that the absolutely firm connection between the shank of the support bolt and the sleeve causes any triggering of the supporting bolt inevitably leads to a rotation of the socket. For this reason, when tightening the screw (when screwing the load) rotates the sleeve and thus also attached to the bottom of the socket, resting on the top of the load flange with the rotation of the screw. Thus, when tightening the screw and the friction between the flange and the load on which it rests, just in the end of the Tightening the screw can be overcome in addition, resulting in a significant increase in the required tightening torque of the screw. It is possible that the screw can not be completely safely biased when the flange of the socket and its contact surface with the load are not exactly parallel to each other. Is the shrinking of the bushing performed on the shaft of the support bolt, the pre-assembly of this known connection device is fulfilled, ie it can be taken in the otherwise fully assembled state and attached to the load. Falling out of the shaft from the socket is not possible.

In the connection device from the US 5 248 176 A are used instead of a support pin holding sleeve two axially successively connected sleeves, each of which is provided at its axially outer end with a radially projecting annular flange. In this case, the support pin is freely movable within these formed by the two holders holder relative to these and not attached to them, which fixes the disadvantages when screwing the load to be attached, in the above-described known connection device by the solid connection between these parts used there occurred. However, only one in the US 5 248 176 A shown embodiment with a central support pin provided a positive support, with which the support pin is prevented in the assembled state of the connection device from being able to run out of the formed by the two bushings through-hole in which it is supported upwards. For this purpose, the provided at the lower end of the support bolt thread for screwing the load is continued axially to about half the length of the through hole, in a mounted in the lower sleeve depression a short coil spring of about 1 ½ threads sitting there with tight Seat is mounted from the outside in the threads of the support bolt and this projects beyond the outside, whereby a return of the support bolt from the through hole avoided and thereby a cohesion of the assembled terminal device is secured even if it is not yet attached to a load. However, this known connection device has a total of a relatively complicated structure with a plurality of individual elements. In addition, when screwing the support bolt to the load to be suspended due to the tight fit of the retaining coil spring, which is held on the support bolt between the threads, the rotation of the retaining coil spring is taken along. In this case, in the context of the prescribed tightening torque of the supporting bolt just in the last phase of tightening the support bolt between the retaining coil spring and the adjacent surface of the load to be coupled then occurring frictional forces must be additionally overcome.

In the connection device from the US 4 641 986 A Only a central sleeve is used, in which the support pin is rotatably mounted, wherein the support pin at its upper side via an intermediate ring at the upper end of the bushing supporting bolts at the lower end of the socket in an enlarged recess mounted there by means in the region of its Anschraubgewindes for fixing load is inserted snap ring secured against pulling upwards. Is screwed in this known connection device of the support bolt now to the surface of a load to be attached, this means that, especially in the last stage of tightening, a relative rotation between the snap ring and the threaded shaft of the support bolt occurs, which in turn leads to the fact that here too due to the high pull forces a more or less large proportion of the prescribed tightening torque for overcoming this friction must be applied, which is undesirable.

From the US 4 558 979 A ( Fig. 7 ) is a connecting device is known in which a support pin rotatably seated in a socket which is cylindrical in its adjoining his bolt head area and in its lower portion has a threaded portion whose outer diameter corresponds to the outer diameter of the cylindrical shaft portion. On the threaded portion a cylindrical sleeve on its outer circumference is screwed, which in turn projects into a radially enlarged recess in the through hole of the bush and slidably abuts with its outer periphery on the inner walls of the recess. Since the sleeve is screwed onto the threaded portion of the support bolt, it also follows its rotational movements when a load is to be screwed on the axially projecting end of the supporting bolt. In this case, a friction then occurs between the outer circumference of the sleeve and the inner surface of the bush, which leads to the occurrence of frictional forces. The rotating sleeve then transmits the frictional forces to the bush, from which they, in particular in the final phase of the Anschraubvorgangs, transmitted at the bottom of the surface of the load to be screwed and at the opposite top of the lower end flange of the socket on the underside of the housing of the connecting device become. Thus, a certain proportion of the prescribed tightening torque must be applied again for overcoming these frictional forces in this connection device. In addition, this known connection device is relatively complicated in their cultivation as well as in their assembly.

Proceeding from this, the invention proposes a terminal device which has a simple structure and in which almost no share of the prescribed tightening torque for the additional overcoming of frictional forces between the bolt to be screwed and other elements of the device must be spent in a screwing a load.

According to the invention this is achieved in a connection device of the type mentioned above in that the shaft of the support bolt at an axial distance from the upper end of the bush as an engaging part integrally forms a shaft portion with a radially enlarged shaft diameter in the region of the recess, under radial and axial play in the recess protrudes, where: d ₁ > d ₂ > d ₄ , where d ₁ denotes the inner diameter of the recess, d ₂ the radially enlarged shaft diameter of the enlarged shaft region and d ₄ the first diameter of the through hole.

In the invention, initially only by the shape of the shank of the support bolt and by the shape of the bush in the through hole form-fitting withdrawal of the support pin upwardly out of the through hole prevented, without it - as in the case of known connection devices - still the additional attachment further constructive parts (as of snap rings, tight on the thread of the support pin shank to be applied coil springs o. Ä.) Required, but the support pin can be freely rotated relative to the housing and the socket in this. In the inventive design of the connecting device takes place when screwing the support bolt in the load to be attached no additional axial power transmission between the support pin on the one hand and another part of the device, so that so far no axial friction forces around the support pin around this acting friction moments are built. Rather, the allowable torque of the screw is fully available to build the desired bias. While in known connection devices of the support pin in the through hole of the sleeve is positively held so that it can not perform any axial relative movement to the socket, used in the invention positive engagement preventing axial slipping out of the sleeve already because of the required axial clearance does not mean that no axial relative movement between the support pin and sleeve should be possible. Rather, in the embodiment according to the invention only a complete axial run out of the sleeve is positively prevented, ie the bolt can not be pulled out of the sleeve in its entirety. An axial relative movement between the bolt and the sleeve but in such a way that the bolt does not completely run out of the sleeve, is quite permitted in the invention, so no positive retention used, which basically prevents axial relative movement between the bolt and sleeve, as in known connection devices is the case. Depending on where within the axial distance from the upper end of the sleeve when mounted support pin whose radially enlarged shaft portion begins, can be determined by the interpretation of the construction according to the invention, over which axial region of the support bolt, he is once mounted, within the axial clearance within the passage opening axially to this is movable.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the connecting device according to the invention, the shaft portion with increased shaft diameter consists of an external thread whose threads form the radial enlargement, and the bushing portion with the first diameter of an internal thread corresponding to the thread on the shaft portion enlarged shaft diameter. In this embodiment, the support bolt is initially screwed with its the shaft portion enlarged shaft diameter forming external thread through the internal thread of the bushing portion with the first diameter when mounted in the device until the external thread has passed completely through the internal thread. Subsequently, the support pin in the through hole of the socket without further rotation can still be moved axially until the head part of the support bolt rests on top of the socket or on an intermediate shim. If, however, the support bolt is now moved counter to its insertion direction axially in the passage opening in the direction of its upper end, this is only possible until radially beyond the other shaft diameter outwardly projecting external thread in the shaft region with radially enlarged shaft diameter against it from radially outside partially overlapping, inwardly radially projecting bushing portion comes with the first diameter to the plant. A further axial displacement movement of the shaft in the through hole is then no longer possible, unless specifically a rotation of the support bolt for intentional unscrewing or screwing his external thread through the internal thread of the sleeve is used selectively.

A particularly simple and therefore cost-effective embodiment of the invention is that the external thread, which represents the shaft portion with increased shaft diameter, is formed directly from the thread, which is provided on the load-facing end portion of the support bolt for screwing the load, wherein the diameter of the remaining portion of the shank of the supporting bolt is smaller than the core diameter of this external thread. This has the advantage that standard screws or at least very easy to produce screws can be used, which is a great advantage.

In another embodiment of the invention, the external thread of the shank portion with enlarged shank diameter, with the support pin mounted, in a central region between the thread for screwing the load to the head portion of the support bolt remote end of the latter and the female portion provided with the first diameter. In this solution, the socket for several Anschraubgewindegröße sizes remain the same, it changes only the Anschraubgewinde, which can be an advantage in terms of cost.

For good handling and safe operation, it is recommended in this embodiment of the invention that the internal thread in the bushing portion with the first diameter at least one complete thread, but preferably comprises two complete threads. Equally preferably, the external thread of the shank region of the support bolt with enlarged shank diameter should have at least two, but preferably three complete threads.

A further, very advantageous embodiment of the connecting device according to the invention also consists in that the shaft portion is formed cylindrical with radially enlarged shaft diameter on the support pin. In this embodiment, the support pin in the assembled state remains slightly rotatable relative to the socket, but can no longer be removed from the socket without additional effort and is therefore always held in this. During assembly, the support pin is first inserted so far into the through hole when inserted into this until its cylindrical shaft portion sits with enlarged diameter at the beginning of the through hole, the latter, according to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, at its upper end with a rounding or a chamfer is provided, whereby a shrinkage of the shank portion of the supporting bolt is facilitated with a larger diameter. If the shaft area of enlarged diameter is cylindrical, then it is then, for. B. by means of a suitable plastic hammer, through the narrowed part of the passage opening with force, until it has entered into the recess of the annular groove with an enlarged inner diameter. It is advantageous to keep the axial length of the shaft region with an increased diameter as small as possible in order to lower the force required when driving through the upper input region of the passage opening. However, it must be ensured that in the assembled state of the shaft portion accommodated in the enlarged diameter of the support bolt in the annular groove also sits with the required axial clearance, which may possibly be relatively small, but a slight and unimpeded twisting of the support bolt in the Passage opening must be ensured.

Particularly preferably, in such an embodiment of the invention, the support bolt is formed with its shaft of a material having a greater strength than that of the bushing, which facilitates the drive through the narrower opening area of the passage opening. In this case, the enlarged diameter of the shaft portion of the supporting bolt is only radially so far protruding chosen that a driving of the support bolt with a moderate force through the narrower range of the passage opening is readily possible, it was found to be advantageous if the other nominal diameter of the through hole from the outer diameter of the cylindrical shaft portion with an enlarged diameter radially to 0 , 1 to 0.075 mm is covered. It can be seen that even small differences in diameter lead to a sufficiently good axial fit of the area of the support bolt of increased diameter relative to the bushing portion with the first diameter and ensure sufficient axial support against unwanted running out of the support bolt from the through hole.

A further advantageous embodiment of the invention is also the fact that the support flange is mounted in the housing so that it is self-locking supported in each of its possible pivoting positions. This is preferably achieved in that the support flange acting by means in the direction of its axis of rotation, against him supporting biasing means under a in each of its possible pivotal positions it is set self-locking in the pivoting self-locking bias. This is preferably z. B. achieved in that the support flange at its lower end facing each other two, each engaging from the outside into the housing pivot pin, wherein the biasing means lying in the housing axial end surfaces of the pivot pin, z. B. by means of generated by the bias friction.

In a particularly advantageous manner and in a simple form, this can be achieved in that the biasing means comprise a spreading spring arranged on the bush, which sits in an annular groove on the outer circumference of the bush and due to their spreading against the facing axial end surfaces of the two pivot pins a corresponding bias is applied. In this case, the shape of the spring may be formed so that here no punctiform, but a flat contact (under the generated bias) is given against the pivot pin.

As a means for establishing such a bias the skilled person various possibilities are known, wherein preferably the biasing means may comprise a seated in an annular groove on the outer circumference of the socket ring spring, which has a relative to the bushing outwardly curved in cross-section, by means of which a pressing under bias can take place against the end surfaces of the pivot pin.

With sufficiently strong applied spring action of the support flange can be held relative to the housing in any pivot position and the holder relative to the socket in any possible rotational position. In addition, this also has the advantage that the individual parts do not fall apart automatically after assembly.

Is it z. Example, in such a biasing spring to a spreading spring which is annular and is seated in an annular groove on the outer circumference of the bush, this may preferably be configured so that it is substantially only in the region opposite to the end face of the associated pivot pin, respectively the annular groove protrudes and presses against this end face. Seen from above, such a spring resembles a lemon. The spring is rotated while turning the rotatable holder.

Is it the spring, however z. Example, a seated in an annular groove on the outer circumference of the socket ring spring, it is advantageous in this case, when the holder also comprises a circumferential groove which is radially opposite to the annular groove of the sleeve. The inner diameter of this groove corresponds approximately to the distance between the two pivot pins to each other, but is particularly preferably slightly larger, so that the spring the desired pressure on the Can exert bolts. In this embodiment, the annular spring protrudes over the entire circumference of the annular groove of the bushing and presses both against the facing axial end surfaces of the pivot pin, as well as (with their axial end edges) against the bottom of the annular groove of the socket. In addition to a substantially circularly curved spring, however, a slightly oval curved spring is preferably used in certain cases, in which case the spring does not necessarily have to rotate when rotating the rotatable holder.

Particularly preferably, however, the biasing means are designed and mounted so that they also produce a bias between the sleeve and rotatable holder, whereby it is achieved that the holder is held in each rotational position relative to the sleeve self-locking.

Fig. 1

ein Schnittbild einer erfindungsgemäßen Anschlußvorrichtung längs Schnittebene I-I in Fig. 4;

Fig. 2

eine vergrößerte Darstellung der Einzelheit A aus Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine vergrößerte Darstellung der Einzelheit B aus Fig. 1;

Fig. 4

die Schnittdarstellung IV-IV aus Fig. 1;

Fig. 5

Ausbildungsvarianten von einsetzbaren Spreizfedern in Form sogenannter "Zitronenfedern";

Fig. 6

eine vergrößerte Darstellung der Einzelheit B aus Fig. 1, jedoch mit einer radial nach außen gewölbten Ringfeder;

Fig. 7

eine Schnittdarstellung einer zweiten Ausführungsform einer erfindungsgemäßen Anschlußvorrichtung analog zur Schnittdarstellung von Fig. 1;

Fig. 8

eine vergrößerte Darstellung der Einzelheit C aus Fig. 7;

Fig. 9

eine dritte Ausführungsvariante einer erfindungsgemäßen Anschlußvorrichtung entsprechend Schnittebene IX-IX aus Fig. 11;

Fig. 10

eine vergrößerte Darstellung der Einzelheit D aus Fig. 9, sowie

Fig. 11

eine (vergrößerte) Schnittdarstellung des Schnittes XI-XI aus Fig. 9.

The invention will now be explained in more detail by way of example with reference to the drawings in principle. Show it:

Fig. 1

a sectional view of a connecting device according to the invention along sectional plane II in Fig. 4 ;

Fig. 2

an enlarged view of the detail A from Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3

an enlarged view of the detail B from Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 4

the sectional view IV-IV from Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 5

Training variants of deployable expanding springs in the form of so-called "lemon springs";

Fig. 6

an enlarged view of the detail B from Fig. 1 but with a radially outwardly curved annular spring;

Fig. 7

a sectional view of a second embodiment of a connecting device according to the invention analogous to the sectional view of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 8

an enlarged view of the detail C from Fig. 7 ;

Fig. 9

a third embodiment of a connecting device according to the invention according to sectional plane IX-IX Fig. 11 ;

Fig. 10

an enlarged view of the detail D from Fig. 9 , such as

Fig. 11

an (enlarged) sectional view of the section XI-XI Fig. 9 ,

In the following description of the figures, the same reference numerals are always used in the different embodiments for the same parts.

Fig. 1 shows a connection device 1 in a sectional view according to cutting position II Fig. 4 , ie in a cutting position parallel to the plane of the drawing.

The connecting device 1 comprises a support flange 2 which can be connected to a load (not shown in the figures) which is then suitably formed by means of a lifting device (not shown), for instance by means of an opening 3 formed in the support flange 2 , passed through load chain, a hook or the like can be lifted and moved to another location.

The connecting device 1 further comprises a housing 4, which comprises a central sleeve 5, which opens at its axially lower end in the drawing in a radially outwardly flared annular flange 6, which rises axially at its radially outer end portion slightly upwards again and thereby forms a circumferential annular surface 7.

Further, the housing 4 comprises a rotatable about the sleeve 5 holder 8, which rests against its upper boundary surface against the underside of a head part 9 of a support bolt 10 when the support flange 2 is lifted upwards.

The holder 8 extends almost over the entire axial length between the underside of the head part 9 and the circumferential annular surface 7 of the annular flange 6, wherein in the holder 8 at two mutually 180 ° opposite points in each case a downwardly open recess 14 (FIGS. Fig. 3 ) is provided, into which a pivot pin 11a and 11b projects. The pivot pins 11a and 11b are aligned with their center axes to each other and form with these a rotation axis 12th

The pivot pins 11a and 11b are attached to the lower end of the support flange 2, so that about them the support flange 2 about the rotation axis 12 relative to the housing 4 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal central axis 13 of the support bolt 10 is pivotable.

The pivot pins 11a and 11b each sit on its underside on the annular surface 7 of the annular flange 6 of the bushing 5 and otherwise positively in their respective associated recess 14 of the holder 8 (see. Fig. 3 ). However, the recesses 14 in the holder 8 in its axial length are dimensioned such that the engaging in them pivot pins 11a, 11b in them a small game s (seen in the axial direction of the support bolt 10) have (see. Fig. 3 ).

The sleeve 5 is centrally penetrated by a passage opening 15 (see. Fig. 3 ), in which the shaft 16 of the support pin 10 is received and the support pin 10 is arranged rotatably in the assembled state relative to the bush 5. The shaft 16 has at a certain axial distance a from the underside of the head part 9 of the supporting bolt 10, a shaft portion 17 with a slightly larger diameter d ₂ .

In Fig. 2 is the formation of the shaft 15 of the support bolt 10 within the passage opening 15 of the socket 5 in an enlarged view of the detail A from Fig. 1 shown. From this, the shaft region 17 with a slightly larger diameter d ₂ can be seen.

How out Fig. 2 can also be removed, the socket 5 a socket portion 18 which is formed by an annular groove 19 and thus a shaft portion 17 enlarged diameter of the support bolt 10 associated bushing area also formed with enlarged diameter d ₁ . The shank portion 17 of the support bolt 10 protrudes in the mounted state, with axial and radial play, partially into this annular groove 19, as this Fig. 2 represents. Here, the diameter d _{2 of} the shaft portion 17 is smaller than the associated diameter d _{1 of} the bushing portion 18, but larger than the diameter d _{3 of} the other shaft portion of the support bolt 10 in the through hole 15 and larger than the first diameter d _{4 of} the other region of the through hole 15th

In the in the Fig. 1 to 4 Shown embodiment of the shaft 16 of the support bolt 10, the shaft portion 17 of increased diameter is cylindrical. However, it can also be embodied in another form, as shown below in connection with the two other embodiments which are still described ( Fig. 7 and 9 ).

In the cylindrical embodiment, which projects into the corresponding cylindrical cross-section formed annular groove 19, it has proved to be particularly advantageous if the radial penetration depth b of the shaft portion 17 of increased diameter in the annular groove 19 in the range of 0.075 mm to 0.1 mm ,

The shaft 16 of the support bolt 10 or the support bolt 10 in turn is usually made of a material which has a considerably higher strength than the material of the surrounding bushing fifth

In Fig. 3 is the detail B off Fig. 1 also shown on an enlarged scale:

It shows the conditions in the region of the engagement of the pivot pin 11b in the holder 8 to the socket 5:

In the Fig. 3 shown illustration for the pivot pin 11b applies in a completely analogous manner also for the arrangement of the opposite him other pivot pin 11a and its intervention in the housing 4th

As Fig. 3 shows, between the axial end face 20 of the pivot pin 11 b and the bushing 5, a spreading spring 21 is provided, which, as the sectional view according to Fig. 4 (along section line IV-IV off Fig. 1 ), the sleeve 5 encloses. In this case, according to the position of the spreading spring 21, on the outer wall of the sleeve 5, a circumferential groove 22 is mounted ( Fig. 3 ), in which the spreading spring 21 partially protrudes in its circulation around the sleeve 5 around. Furthermore, it is, in accordance with assigned, also on the inner surface of the holder 8 associated with a Umlaufnut 31, in which the spreading spring 21 also protrudes. While the spreading spring 21 is also supported on the groove bottom of the circumferential groove 22, a self-locking effect also occurs when taking a relative rotational position between the holder 8 and the socket 5 (cf. Fig. 11 ). This can be further enhanced by the fact that the spreading spring 21 is formed so that it presses against the bottom of the groove 22 as well as against the bottom of the groove 31 in its circulation both against the bottom.

The spreading spring 21 transmits a bias to the axial end surfaces 20 of the two bolts 11a and 11b, this bias is designed so that the support flange 2 in each pivotal position about the rotation axis 12 due to the between the spreading spring 21 and the two end surfaces 20 of the pivot pin 11a and 11b friction forces generated self-locking position is positioned. The bias acts when the spreading spring 21 is supported on the holder 8 in the groove, but also on the holder 8 and the socket 5, whereby the holder 8 is also positionally self-locking relative to the sleeve 5 about the rotation axis 13.

Instead of a spreading spring 21, as in the Fig. 1, 3 and 4 is shown, could equally well be used another form of spreading spring, for which, for example, three different variants in Fig. 5 shown are:

These are so-called " lemon springs", that is to say elastic springs which, when installed, have radial bulges 30 on the sides facing the two pivot pins 11a, 11b, with which then on the respective end face 20 of the pivot pins 11a, 11b a contact that is no longer essentially punctiform or linear, but that can be achieved by two-dimensional contact, permits a particularly good transfer of sufficient prestressing forces to the facing end face 20 of the respective pivot pin 11a or 11b.

Fig. 6 shows in one of the Fig. 3 corresponding representation of a further embodiment of the usable biasing spring:

In the embodiment according to Fig. 6 the biasing spring consists of a seated in the groove 22 on the outside of the bushing 5, provided in axial section with a curvature radially outwardly annular spring 23, which at its bulged outside on the associated end wall 20 of the corresponding pivot pin 11a and 11b and its two axial ends at the bottom of the groove 22 in the sleeve 5 is supported and thereby builds the corresponding desired elastic contact pressure against the end face 20 of the associated rotary shaft 11a and 11b by the curvature. The annular spring 23 may also be designed so that it additionally builds up a bias between the socket 5 and the holder 8 and thus also allows a self-locking positional positioning of the latter relative to the socket 5 in each relative rotational position between the two.

In the FIGS. 7 and 8 a further embodiment of a connecting device 1 is shown, which differs from the embodiment according to FIG Fig. 1 only by the formation of the through hole 15 and the shaft design of the supporting bolt 10 differs, wherein Fig. 8 in an enlarged view the detail C from Fig. 7 shows.

In this embodiment, the shaft portion 17 of increased diameter of the support bolt 10 of an external thread 25, the threads of which protrude radially beyond the other shaft diameter d _{3 of} the supporting bolt 10 (see. Fig. 8 ), the latter being smaller than the core diameter of the external thread 25 in the shaft portion 17.

Again, the shaft portion 17 of increased diameter at an axial distance a from the head part 9 is removed.

The upper input portion of the through hole 15 is made as shown Fig. 8 is well recognizable, also from an internally threaded portion 24 which comprises two fully circumferential threads. In this case, at the upper end of the passage opening 15 is a circumferential rounding 27, which could also be formed as a chamfer, for ease of insertion of the shaft 16 of the support bolt 10 is mounted in the passage opening 15.

This portion of an internal thread 24 in the upper input region of the through hole 15 reduces the free radial passage area of the through hole 15 there, so that this portion of the sleeve 5 in the installed state of the support bolt 10 whose area 17 with increased radius from the outside and under an axial clearance (in Installed state) radially partially covered, such as Fig. 8 good.

Here, the internal thread 24 in the upper input region of the through hole 15 is designed so that the external thread 25 of the shaft portion 17 enlarged outer diameter during insertion of the support bolt 10 in the through hole 15 can be screwed through the internal thread 24, so that in FIGS. 7 and 8 shown arrangement adjusts in the mounted state of the support bolt 10.

How out Fig. 8 can be easily seen, the support pin 10 axially from the in Fig. 8 shown Montageendstellung not simply pulled axially upwards out of the through hole 15, since its shaft portion 17 is prevented there from the radially inwardly projecting, it partially covering internal thread 24 on the withdrawal. Only by a deliberate unscrewing the external thread 25 could again passed through the internal thread 24 and then only the shaft 16 are pulled out.

As Fig. 8 also shows, engages in this embodiment, the shaft portion 17 of increased diameter turn in a socket portion with an enlarged inner diameter, namely in the form of an annular groove 19 in the inner wall of the bushing 5, where he sits there again both axially, as well as radially with clear play ,

Yet another, third embodiment of a connecting device according to the invention is in the Fig. 9 to 11 shown, where Fig. 9 again, accordingly Fig. 1 , A sectional view of the connecting device 1 according to cutting position IX-IX Fig. 11, Fig. 10 an enlarged view of the detail D from Fig. 1 and Fig. 11 a sectional view in the cutting position IX-IX from Fig. 9 shows.

This embodiment of a connecting device 1 according to the invention differs from that according to the FIGS. 7 and 8 only in that with her the shank portion 17 of the support bolt 10 is formed with an enlarged diameter of the external thread 26 at the end of the shank of the support bolt 10, which also serves for screwing the load (not shown). This external thread 26 has a core diameter which is larger than the diameter of the other shaft 16.

A screw thread for the load to be fastened is also in the embodiments of the connecting device 1 according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 7 provided there, but not indicated in the drawings.

Also in Fig. 9 is the upper input portion of the through hole 15 with an internal thread 24 (as in the embodiment according to FIG FIGS. 7 and 8 ), which projects radially inward in the passage opening 15 and radially outwardly projecting shaft portion of the end thread 26 (corresponding to the shaft portion 17 of the support bolt 10) partially covered radially inwardly.

In this embodiment, although the shaft 16 can be pulled upwardly out of the passage opening 15 by a relatively large axial distance, it is not possible to completely pull it out, since this in turn is prevented by the inwardly projecting internal thread 24.

The sectional view according to Fig. 10 shows, moreover, the use of a lemon spring 21 according to the in Fig. 5 in the middle embodiment shown as a biasing means for pressing against the end surfaces 20 of the pivot pins 11a and 11b for self-locking mounting of the support flange 2 in any rotational position occupied by him.

Claims (13)

1. Coupling device (1) for coupling a supporting flange (2) to a load, said device having a housing (4) which comprises a bushing (5) and also a retainer (8) for the supporting flange (2) said retainer being swivellable about said bushing, wherein the supporting flange is pivotable in the housing (4) about a pivot axis (13) perpendicular to the swivel axis (12) of the retainer (8), and axially through the bushing (5) runs a through-hole (15) with a first diameter (d₄) in its upper entry region, in which through-hole a supporting bolt (10) with a top head section (9) and an axially adjoining shaft (16) is rotatably mounted; at the axial end facing away from the head section (9) the shaft (16) protrudes axially over the housing (4) for the attachment of a load and in the assembled condition it is held in a positive fit, to prevent it being pulled axially out of the through-hole (15), by means of a recess (19) which has an internal diameter enlarged in relation to the first diameter (d₄), said recess being formed in the through-hole (15) of the bushing (5) and into which recess extends an engaging member which is joined to the shaft (16), characterised in that the shaft (5) of the supporting bolt (10) at an axial distance (a) from the top end of the bushing forms a shaft region (17) as an engaging member in one piece with a radially enlarged shaft diameter (d₂) in the region of the recess (19), said shaft protruding into the recess with radial and axial tolerance, whereby the following applies: d₁ > d₂ > d₄, where d₁ denotes the internal diameter of the recess (19), d₂ the radially enlarged shaft diameter of the enlarged shaft region (17) and d₄ the first diameter of the through-hole (15).
2. Coupling device according to claim 1, characterised in that the shaft region (17) with enlarged shaft diameter (d₂) comprises an external thread (25), the thread turns of which form the radial enlargement, and the bushing section with the first diameter (d₄) comprises an internal thread (24) which corresponds to the thread (25) on the shaft region (17) of enlarged shaft diameter (d₂).
3. Coupling device according to claim 2, characterised in that the external thread is formed by an external thread (26) for screwing on the load, said thread being provided on the end region of the supporting bolt (10) facing towards the load, whereby the diameter (d₃) of the remaining shaft (16) of the supporting bolt (10) is smaller than the core diameter of this external thread (26).
4. Coupling device according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the internal thread (24) in the bushing section with the first diameter (d₄) includes at least one full thread turn.
5. Coupling device according to claim 1, characterised in that the shaft region (17) with radially enlarged shaft diameter (d₂) is formed cylindrically.
6. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the supporting bolt (10) with its shaft (16) comprises a material with a strength greater than that of the material of the bushing (5).
7. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the bushing (5) is provided at the top end of its through-hole (15) with a rounding off (27) or a chamfer.
8. Coupling device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that the supporting flange (2) is supported in the housing (4) in such a manner that it is held self-lockingly in any swivelling position.
9. Coupling device according to claim 8, characterised in that the supporting flange (2) is placed under a preload holding it self-lockingly in the swivel direction in any of its swivelling positions using preloading means (21, 23) acting in the direction of its rotary axis (12) which are supported on said supporting flange.
10. Coupling device according to claim 9, characterised in that the supporting flange (2) has on its bottom end two pintles (11a, 11b) facing towards one another, each engaging in the housing (4) from the outside, whereby the preloading means (21, 23) act on the axial end faces (20) of the pintles (11a, 11b) located in the housing (4).
11. Coupling device according to claim 9 or claim 10, characterised in that the preloading means include an expanding spring (21) arranged on the bushing (5), said spring sitting in an annular slot (22) on the outer circumference of the bushing (5).
12. Coupling device according to claim 9 or claim 10, characterised in that the preloading means include an annular spring (23) sitting in an annular slot (22) on the outer circumference of the bushing (5).
13. Coupling device according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterised in that the preloading means (21, 23) also generate a preload between the bushing (5) and the rotatable retainer (8).

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