GB1571464A

GB1571464A - Support members

Info

Publication number: GB1571464A
Application number: GB1665777A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: KLEVER E
Current assignee: KLEVER E
Priority date: 1977-04-21
Filing date: 1977-04-21
Publication date: 1980-07-16

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SUPPORT MEMBERS (71) I, ERNA KLEVER, of 5632 Wermelskirchen 2, Kreckersweg 18, Federal Republic of Germany, of German nationality do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed. tobe particularly described in and by the following statement: The invention relates to a support member of adjustable length.

Such a member can be used for supporting curtains, lamps decorative objects and the like and can comprise two tubes telescopically displaceable one within the other and with an internal spring element with a coiled or helical spring received therein which limits the relative axial displacement of the tubes one within the other.

This kind of support member permits stepless longitudinal adjustment and serves in horizontal applications as a support for curtains, hangings, clothing items and the like whilst in upright applications it serves as a carrier adjustable in height for supports for clothes drying arms. lights or spot lights, hooks or trays for decorative purposes, in that they can carry structural parts either rigidly or pivotably connected. In a support member of this kind, known from German patent specification No. 1 778 099. a helical spring is provided which is secured at one end to an inner tube, and at its other end carries a spring disc and which the outer diameter is slightly greater than the inner diameter of the outer tube.The securement of the spring disc is effected by a rivet piece which engages the spring disc on one side and the inwardly rolled end of the helical spring on the other, and adjacently constitutes a support disc for the spring disc.

In accordance with the present invention, however, there is provided a support member of adjustable length, the support member comprising two tubes telescopically received one within the other, and an internal spring having axially spaced apart portions thereof cooperating one with each tube to oppose relative inward telescoping of the tubes, one such spaced apart portion of the spring comprising the end of an axially outermost winding of the spring and said end being in load transmitting relationship with the wall of them bore of the associated tube which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube.

A support member of the invention thus incorporates a connection between a tube and a helical spring of a fundamentally simpler kind.

It is to the essence of the invention that the helical spring requires no additional parts which require to be connected by an additional manufacturing step in order that the spring can be secured to an associated tube. In particular no special spring disc or abutment disc or rivet piece is required and it is also not necessary to roll the spring at its end, in order to fasten a rivet piece or any connection disc. On the contrary, it is simply sufficient to deform the coiled spring at the end which is to be connected to an associated tube. The helical spring thus fulfils two functions at the same time, namely the resilient association to the tubes one with the other, and the direct transfer of the connecting force from one tube to the other tube without transfer through additional structural parts.

Preferably, the spring has a generally uniform diameter and the free end of the spring may be formed as a straight extension of the last coil of the spring. Thus, there may be used in the support member a conventional helical spring of which only an axially outermost spring winding is deformed into a lateral extension which is readily possible without any difficulty. The manufacturing requirements and thus the manufacturing costs for the support member are substantially reduced for such a helical spring.

Preferably, the extension and the last winding have a diameter slightly exceeding the inner diameter of the associated tube, and the extension is arranged with its free end arranged at some distance from the other tube. The extension can lead tangentially from the last spring winding or is berit through 90" from this spring winding to be directed directly or across the whole diameter of the last spring winding against the adjacent tube wall. At the end secured to the other tube, the coiled spring has a number of windings arranged close against one another, between which a constriction of the other tube is inwardly rolled.

The invention is further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing: Figure 1 is a part sectional side view of a longitudinally adjustable support member-in accordance with the invention with a helical spring connecting together two tubes; and Figures 2 to 4 each show a respective different end configuration for the helical spring.

The longitudinally adjustable support member of Figure 1 consists of the two tubes telescopically displaceable one within the other, the tubes consisting of an outer tube 10 and an inner tube 11. The outer tube 10 has at its end towards the right as shown a closure or end piece (not shown) by means of which it can engage against a wall surface under pressure. Correspondingly, the inner tube 11 at its left hand end (not shown) a corresponding end piece by which it can be engaged under pressure against another opposed wall surface. The relative outward urging of the two tubes in opposed directions is effected by the coiled or helical compression spring 12 which is secured at its free end 13 to the inner tube 11 and which is held fast at its other end 14 to the outer tube 10.

The left hand end 13 of the helical spring 12 has a number of spring coils or windings 15 coiled tightly against each other which are received within the inner part of the inner tube 11. A constriction 16 is rolled to project inwardlv of the inner tube. to engage between two adjacent spring wmdmgs, and the end 13 of the helical spring 12 is thereby secured against withdrawal and against being pushed further in.

The helical spring 12 is of uniform outer diameter 17 from the inner tube 11 up to a lateral extension 19 at the end 14 thereof.

The individual windings of the helical spring 12 in the relaxed condition are uniform from the inner tube 11 to the end 14.

The extension 19 of the helical spring 12 is engaged against the inner wall 20 of the bore of the outer tube 10 at point 20' so that the last winding of the spring or the transition between the extension and this last spring windings serves as an abutment against the inner wall of the outer tube at the opposite position 20". 'it is necessary that the projected length 21 of the extension and the last coil of-the spring is slightly greater than the inner diameter 22 of the outer tube 10.

Moreover the extension 19 is arranged with its free end directed away 'from the inner tube 10.

The configuration of the helical spring 12 described is such that the free end 14 of the helical spring 12 is slightly deformed, for example as shown, so as to be jammed with the extension 19 at the position 20'and with the last or last few spring windings at the position 20"'. The jamming or gripping effect obtained thereby prevents the two tubes 10, 11 from being pushed together further than the compressiveness of the helical spring 12 allows.

Figure 2 shows the end of a helical spring 12 with a lateral end portion or extension 23 which is turned radially inwardly by 90" from the end 24 of the last spring wmding and is extended over the whole diameter of the last spring winding against the adjacent tube wall.

In contrast, there is shown in Figure 3 an extension 25 which is -likewise turned through 900 from the last spring winding, being however turned radially outwardly directly against the neighbouring tube wall.

A further embodiment shown in figure 4 has an extension 26 which extends tangentially from the last spring winding and thus alleviates the bending of the material of the spring at the position 27 at which there is a change of direction, as compared with the two forms of extension previously described.

The assembly of the support member takes place by pushing the outer tube 10 to the left over the inner tube 11 already assembled with the helical spring 12, so that the free end of the spring takes up the inclined position shown in figure 1. If the two tubes are now pressed together, there occurs a deformation of the helical spring 12 according to figure 1 which can go so far as to bring the helical spring into contact with the tube at the position 20"' as well as at the positions 20', 20". In this way the securement of the ends of the helical spring is further ensured.

The support member can on compressing the helical spring 12 be placed for example between two wall surfaces and is secured against sliding therefrom by the action of the spring in tending to separate the two tubes.

WHAT I CLAIM IS: 1. A support member of adjustable length, the support member comprising two tubes telescopically received one within the

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. spring. Preferably, the extension and the last winding have a diameter slightly exceeding the inner diameter of the associated tube, and the extension is arranged with its free end arranged at some distance from the other tube. The extension can lead tangentially from the last spring winding or is berit through 90" from this spring winding to be directed directly or across the whole diameter of the last spring winding against the adjacent tube wall. At the end secured to the other tube, the coiled spring has a number of windings arranged close against one another, between which a constriction of the other tube is inwardly rolled. The invention is further explained below with reference to the accompanying drawing. In the drawing: Figure 1 is a part sectional side view of a longitudinally adjustable support member-in accordance with the invention with a helical spring connecting together two tubes; and Figures 2 to 4 each show a respective different end configuration for the helical spring. The longitudinally adjustable support member of Figure 1 consists of the two tubes telescopically displaceable one within the other, the tubes consisting of an outer tube 10 and an inner tube 11. The outer tube 10 has at its end towards the right as shown a closure or end piece (not shown) by means of which it can engage against a wall surface under pressure. Correspondingly, the inner tube 11 at its left hand end (not shown) a corresponding end piece by which it can be engaged under pressure against another opposed wall surface. The relative outward urging of the two tubes in opposed directions is effected by the coiled or helical compression spring 12 which is secured at its free end 13 to the inner tube 11 and which is held fast at its other end 14 to the outer tube 10. The left hand end 13 of the helical spring 12 has a number of spring coils or windings 15 coiled tightly against each other which are received within the inner part of the inner tube 11. A constriction 16 is rolled to project inwardlv of the inner tube. to engage between two adjacent spring wmdmgs, and the end 13 of the helical spring 12 is thereby secured against withdrawal and against being pushed further in. The helical spring 12 is of uniform outer diameter 17 from the inner tube 11 up to a lateral extension 19 at the end 14 thereof. The individual windings of the helical spring 12 in the relaxed condition are uniform from the inner tube 11 to the end 14. The extension 19 of the helical spring 12 is engaged against the inner wall 20 of the bore of the outer tube 10 at point 20' so that the last winding of the spring or the transition between the extension and this last spring windings serves as an abutment against the inner wall of the outer tube at the opposite position 20". 'it is necessary that the projected length 21 of the extension and the last coil of-the spring is slightly greater than the inner diameter 22 of the outer tube 10. Moreover the extension 19 is arranged with its free end directed away 'from the inner tube 10. The configuration of the helical spring 12 described is such that the free end 14 of the helical spring 12 is slightly deformed, for example as shown, so as to be jammed with the extension 19 at the position 20'and with the last or last few spring windings at the position 20"'. The jamming or gripping effect obtained thereby prevents the two tubes 10, 11 from being pushed together further than the compressiveness of the helical spring 12 allows. Figure 2 shows the end of a helical spring 12 with a lateral end portion or extension 23 which is turned radially inwardly by 90" from the end 24 of the last spring wmding and is extended over the whole diameter of the last spring winding against the adjacent tube wall. In contrast, there is shown in Figure 3 an extension 25 which is -likewise turned through 900 from the last spring winding, being however turned radially outwardly directly against the neighbouring tube wall. A further embodiment shown in figure 4 has an extension 26 which extends tangentially from the last spring winding and thus alleviates the bending of the material of the spring at the position 27 at which there is a change of direction, as compared with the two forms of extension previously described. The assembly of the support member takes place by pushing the outer tube 10 to the left over the inner tube 11 already assembled with the helical spring 12, so that the free end of the spring takes up the inclined position shown in figure 1. If the two tubes are now pressed together, there occurs a deformation of the helical spring 12 according to figure 1 which can go so far as to bring the helical spring into contact with the tube at the position 20"' as well as at the positions 20', 20". In this way the securement of the ends of the helical spring is further ensured. The support member can on compressing the helical spring 12 be placed for example between two wall surfaces and is secured against sliding therefrom by the action of the spring in tending to separate the two tubes. WHAT I CLAIM IS:

1. A support member of adjustable length, the support member comprising two tubes telescopically received one within the

other, and an internal spring having axially spaced apart portions thereof cooperating one with each tube to oppose relative inward telescoping of the tubes, one such spaced apart portion of the spring comprising the end of an axially outermost winding of the spring and said end being in load transmitting relationship with the wall of the bore of the associated tube which extends substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the tube.

2. A support member as claimed in claim I in which the spring has a generally uniform diameter.

3. A support member as claimed in claim I or claim 2 in which the diameter of said outermost winding of said one spring portion slightly exceeds the inner diameter of the associated tube.

4. A support member as claimed in any preceding claim in which said end of said outermost winding of said one spring por tion is arranged to extend from the tube with which it is not associated.

5. A support member as claimed in any preceding claim in which the end portion of said outermost winding extends tangentially with respect to the spring.

6. A support member as claimed in any one of preceding claims 1 to 4 in which the end portion of said outermost winding is turned through 9() radially outwardly of or radially inwardly of and across the spring towards the tube wall.

7. A support member as claimed in any preceding claim in which the other such spaced apart portion includes spring windings arranged closely against each other between which an internal projection of the associated tube extends.

8. A support member as claimed in any preceding claim in which the tube associated with said one spaced apart portion is the outer one of said tubes.

9. A support member substantially as herein described with reference to figures 1 and 2. figures 1 and 3 or figures 1 and 4 of the accompanying drawing.