GB2049798A - Lever Mounting Arrangement for Facilitating Fitting and Removal of a Rotatable Lever in an Apparatus Housing - Google Patents

Abstract

A lever mounting arrangement for facilitating fitting and removal of a rotatable lever (1) in a apparatus housing (9), the lever being provided with an axially fixed stub shaft (4) and a bore (2) aligned with the stub shaft (4). A spring (5) is mounted in the bore which resiliently urges an axially movable stub shaft (6) in a direction out of the bore away from the fixed stub shaft (4). A slot (8) is provided in the lever to provide access to the bore to enable the movable stub shaft (6) to be drawn against the resilience of the spring to enable the rotatable lever to be fitted in and removed from the housing. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Lever Mounting Arrangement for Facilitating Fitting and Removal of a Rotatable Lever in an Apparatus Housing This invention relates to a lever mounting arrangement for facilitating the fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing.

There are many known arrangements for mounting rotatably arranged levers in apparatus housings. However, there is a decisive disadvantage which is common to all these arrangements in that the levers can only be removed or even exchanged or fitted when a securing means for a lever bearing is dismantled, i.e. it is necessary for bearing clips or brackets to be released or latching means to be disengaged, etc., so as to be able to free the lever mounting.

According to the present invention, there is provided a lever mounting arrangement for facilitating fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing, wherein the lever is provided with an axially fixed stub shaft and a bore aligned with the stub shaft, in which bore a spring is mounted which resiliently urges an axially movable stub shaft in a direction out of the bore away from said fixed stub shaft and the lever comprising a slot providing access to the bore.

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure is a side view, partly in section, of a lever mounting arrangement for facilitating the fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing.

The drawing shows a rotatable lever 1 arranged in a recess 12 of an apparatus housing 9. The lever 1 is formed with a bore 12, which in the illustrated example extends throughout the width of lever 1 and is extended into a cylindrical protrusion beyond the main body of the lever to form an axially fixed stub shaft 4 in alignment with the bore 2. An axially movable stub shaft 6 and a spring 5 are arranged in the bore 2 at its end remote from the stub shaft 4, the spring 5 resiliently urging the stub shaft 6 away from the stub shaft 4. The fixed stub shaft 4 and also the movable stub shaft 6 are arranged in lever mounting grooves 11 a and 11 b, respectively, in the apparatus housing 9. A removable holding plate 10 is arranged above the movable stub shaft 6 so that the movable stub shaft 6 is normally not able to slip out upwardly.

To facilitate the insertion and removal from the housing of the lever, a slot 8 is provided in an external face of the lever 1 to provide access to the bore 2 at the end adjacent to the movable stub shaft 6. For example, for insertion, a pointed tool (not shown) can be inserted through this slot 8 and can force back the movable stub shaft 6 into the bore 2 against the pressure of the spring 5. The lever 1 with the fixed stub shaft 4 can then be fitted into the groove 1 b and then the movable stub shaft 6 is released. By the force of the spring 5 it is pressed into the groove 11 a. As a result, the lever 1 is mounted so as to be rotatable in the housing. The reverse procedure is used for the removal of the lever 1.The pointed tool is guided through the slot 8 into the groove 1 a and the movable stub shaft 6 tis forced back. The lever 1 can then be removed. For convenience, an encircling recess (not shown) could for example also be provided on the movable stub shaft 6, into which recess the pointed tool can catch to grip the stub shaft.

Thus, such a rotatable lever can be fitted and removed from an apparatus housing in a simple manner.

It will be appreciated that the drawing exaggerates certain relative dimensions for ciarity, e.g. the bearing gaps between the stub shafts 4 and 6 and the grooves 1 1a and 1 1 b are exaggerated.

Claims

1. A lever mounting arrangement for facilitating fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing, wherein the lever is provided with an axially fixed stub shaft and a bore aligned with the stub shaft, in which bore a spring is mounted which resiliently urges an axially movable stub shaft in a direction out of the bore away from said fixed stub shaft and the lever comprising a slot providing access to the bore.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bore extends between said axially fixed stub shaft and said axially movable stub shaft.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said slot is positioned at that end of the bore that is adjacent to the said axially movable stub shaft.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said stub shafts are arranged to engage in respective grooves in the apparatus housing.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein a holding plate is arranged to close the groove in which said axially movable stub shaft is mounted to prevent said movable stub shaft from slipping out of the groove.

6. A lever mounting arrangement for facilitating fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

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

Claims (6)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Lever Mounting Arrangement for Facilitating Fitting and Removal of a Rotatable Lever in an Apparatus Housing This invention relates to a lever mounting arrangement for facilitating the fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing. There are many known arrangements for mounting rotatably arranged levers in apparatus housings. However, there is a decisive disadvantage which is common to all these arrangements in that the levers can only be removed or even exchanged or fitted when a securing means for a lever bearing is dismantled, i.e. it is necessary for bearing clips or brackets to be released or latching means to be disengaged, etc., so as to be able to free the lever mounting. According to the present invention, there is provided a lever mounting arrangement for facilitating fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing, wherein the lever is provided with an axially fixed stub shaft and a bore aligned with the stub shaft, in which bore a spring is mounted which resiliently urges an axially movable stub shaft in a direction out of the bore away from said fixed stub shaft and the lever comprising a slot providing access to the bore. For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure is a side view, partly in section, of a lever mounting arrangement for facilitating the fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing. The drawing shows a rotatable lever 1 arranged in a recess 12 of an apparatus housing 9. The lever 1 is formed with a bore 12, which in the illustrated example extends throughout the width of lever 1 and is extended into a cylindrical protrusion beyond the main body of the lever to form an axially fixed stub shaft 4 in alignment with the bore 2. An axially movable stub shaft 6 and a spring 5 are arranged in the bore 2 at its end remote from the stub shaft 4, the spring 5 resiliently urging the stub shaft 6 away from the stub shaft 4. The fixed stub shaft 4 and also the movable stub shaft 6 are arranged in lever mounting grooves 11 a and 11 b, respectively, in the apparatus housing 9. A removable holding plate 10 is arranged above the movable stub shaft 6 so that the movable stub shaft 6 is normally not able to slip out upwardly. To facilitate the insertion and removal from the housing of the lever, a slot 8 is provided in an external face of the lever 1 to provide access to the bore 2 at the end adjacent to the movable stub shaft 6. For example, for insertion, a pointed tool (not shown) can be inserted through this slot 8 and can force back the movable stub shaft 6 into the bore 2 against the pressure of the spring 5. The lever 1 with the fixed stub shaft 4 can then be fitted into the groove 1 b and then the movable stub shaft 6 is released. By the force of the spring 5 it is pressed into the groove 11 a. As a result, the lever 1 is mounted so as to be rotatable in the housing. The reverse procedure is used for the removal of the lever 1.The pointed tool is guided through the slot 8 into the groove 1 a and the movable stub shaft 6 tis forced back. The lever 1 can then be removed. For convenience, an encircling recess (not shown) could for example also be provided on the movable stub shaft 6, into which recess the pointed tool can catch to grip the stub shaft. Thus, such a rotatable lever can be fitted and removed from an apparatus housing in a simple manner. It will be appreciated that the drawing exaggerates certain relative dimensions for ciarity, e.g. the bearing gaps between the stub shafts 4 and 6 and the grooves 1 1a and 1 1 b are exaggerated. Claims

1. A lever mounting arrangement for facilitating fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing, wherein the lever is provided with an axially fixed stub shaft and a bore aligned with the stub shaft, in which bore a spring is mounted which resiliently urges an axially movable stub shaft in a direction out of the bore away from said fixed stub shaft and the lever comprising a slot providing access to the bore.

2. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said bore extends between said axially fixed stub shaft and said axially movable stub shaft.

3. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said slot is positioned at that end of the bore that is adjacent to the said axially movable stub shaft.

4. An arrangement as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said stub shafts are arranged to engage in respective grooves in the apparatus housing.

5. An arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein a holding plate is arranged to close the groove in which said axially movable stub shaft is mounted to prevent said movable stub shaft from slipping out of the groove.

6. A lever mounting arrangement for facilitating fitting and removal of a rotatable lever in an apparatus housing, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing.