GB2085115A - Coupling assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

A coupling assembly (10) comprises a pair of spaced elements (12, 13) connected together at one end by a base member (14), with a gap (17) therebetween, a passage (16) through the elements (12, 13) and a connecting pin (25) to span the gap (17), an adaptor (20) having first (22) and second (23) apertures therein, that part (24) of said adaptor (20) having the first aperture (22) being received within the gap (17) of the coupling, the connecting pin (25) extending through the aperture (22), the second aperture (23) being engaged by an apertured member (26) such as a loop, the loop being incapable of being received within the gap (17). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Coupling assembly Description of Invention This invention relates to a coupling assembly comprising a coupling having a pair of spaced elements, connected together at one end, the elements defining a gap therebetween, a passage extending through and transversely of the elements and a connecting pin received within the passage in the elements to span the gap therebetween. Such a coupling assembly is hereinafter referred to as "of the type described".

A coupling assembly of the type described is used for coupling a chain or a loop of wire rope or other member having an aperture therein to components such as, for example, a hook or reevable link, but has the disadvantage that it cannot be utilised to couple a component to a member which is too large to be located within the gap defined by the elements or has an aperture of a dimension incapable of permitting the connecting pin to be inserted in the passageway to span the gap therebetween to couple the member to the component.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new or improved coupling assembly.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a coupling assembly of the type described comprising an adaptor having first and second apertures therein that part of said adaptor having the first aperture therein being received within said gap of said coupling between said elements, the connecting pin extending through the first aperture of the adaptor, the second aperture of the adaptor being engaged by an apertured member, of such configuration as to be incapable of being received within the gap defined between said elements and the connecting pin inserted in the aperture thereof and in the passage to span the gap between the elements, and the coupling being attached to or united with a component.

The part of the adaptor having the first aperture therein may comprise a plate of slightly less thickness than the width of the gap between the elements.

That part of the adaptor having the second aperture therein which is not received within the gap may be of greater thickness than the width of the gap between said elements.

The first and second apertures may be of any desired configuration but, preferably, the first aperture is of similar configuration to the crosssectional shape of the pin.

Thus, for example, if the connecting pin is of non-circular cross-section, preferably the first aperture is of similar non-circular cross-section. In this case, the adaptor will not rotate relative to the connecting pin.

The passage in the elements may be cylindrical and thus, even when the connecting pin is noncircular, the adaptor may rotate relative to the coupling.

Means may be provided to maintain the pin in the passage, which means may comprise a locking pin received within a bore in one of the elements, said bore extending transversely of the passage adjacent the one end thereof and adapted to engage one end of the connecting pin.

The passage may be of reduced cross-section at its other end to prevent removal of the connecting pin from said other end.

Said component attached to or integral with the coupling may comprise a hook, coupling link, reevable link or any other component attached to, or integral with, the coupling.

According to a second aspect of the invention we provide an adaptor comprising a plate having first and second apertures therein for use in an assembly according to the first aspect, said second aperture being larger than the first aperture.

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a coupling assembly with an adaptor shown in section; FIGURE 2 in an end elevation of the assembly of Figure 1 showing parts of a coupling in section.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a coupling assembly 10 comprising a coupling 11 having a pair of elements 12, 13 connected at one end by a base member 14. The base member 14 is integral with a hook component 1 5.

A passage 1 6 extends through the elements 12, 1 3 to span the gap 1 7 defined therebetween. An adaptor 20 comprises a plate 21 having first and second apertures 22 and 23 respectively therein, that part 24 of the adaptor 20 having the first aperture 22 therein being received within the gap 17.

A connecting pin 25 is received within the passage 1 6 and extends through the first aperture 22 in the adaptor 20.

The second aperture 23 of the adaptor 20 S unobstructed by any part of the coupling 11 and thus may be readily engaged by a thimble 26 of a wire rope 27 as shown in dotted lines. The dimension D of the thimble 26 is too large to be located in the part 28 of the gap 1 7 between the pin 25 and the base member 14, and thus cannot be directly coupled to the component 1 5.

However, the thimble 26 can be coupled to the adaptor 20 and thus to the component 15, by virtue of the second aperture 23 of the adaptor 20.

The passage 1 6 of the coupling 11 is substantially cylindrical and comprises a closed end 30 to prevent the pin 25 from being removed from that end of the passage 1 7, and at the other end of the passage 17 there is a further passage 31 which intersects with the passage 1 7 and is adapted to receive a locking pin 32 to prevent the pin 25 from being removed from said other end of the passage.

It will be appreciated that such a coupling assembly 10 may be used to connect any other component such as a reevable link to any other member such as the link of a chain, where the member is too large to be received between the elements 12, 13 of the coupling 11 or where the aperture in the member is incapable of having the pin 25 pass therethrough, when the pin is received in the passage 1 7.

However, the invention is not limited to the particular connecting and locking pin arrangement described above. For example, if desired, the connecting pin 25 may be cylindrical to permit relative movement between the adaptor 20 and the pin 25, or alternatively, the pin may be noncircular as shown and the first aperture 22 of the adaptor 20, also non-circular, and the passage 17 circular so that there is no relative movement between the adaptor 20 and the pin 25, but the adaptor 20 and pin 25 may rotate relative to the coupling 11.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS CLAIMS: (Filed 7 Oct 1981-)

1. A coupling assembly of the type described comprising an adaptor having first and second apertures therein, that part of said adaptor having the first aperture therein being received within said gap of said coupling between said elements, the connecting pin extending through the first aperture of the adaptor, the second aperture of the adaptor being engaged by an apertured member, of such configuration as to be incapable of being received within the gap defined between said elements and the connecting pin inserted in the aperture thereof and in the passage to span the gap between the elements, and the coupling being attached to or united with a component.

2. An assembly according to Claim 1 wherein the part of the adaptor having the first aperture therein comprises a plate of slightly less thickness than the width of the gap between the elements.

3. An assembly according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein that part of the adaptor having the second aperture therein which is not received within the gap is of greater thickness than the width of the gap between said elements.

4. An assembly according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the first aperture is of similar configuration to the cross-sectional shape of the pin.

5. An assembly according to Claim 4 wherein the connecting pin is of non-circular cross-section, and the first aperture is of similar non-circular cross-section.

6. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the passage in the elements is cylindrical and thus the adaptor may rotate relative to the coupling.

7. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein means are provided to maintain the pin in the passage, which means comprise a locking pin received within a bore in one of the elements, said bore extending transversely of the passage adjacent the one end thereof and adapted to engage one end of the connecting pin.

8. An assembly according to Claim 7 wherein the passage is of reduced cross-section at its other end to prevent removal of the connecting pin from said other end.

9. An assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said component attached to or integral with the coupling comprises a hook, coupling link, or reevable link attached to, or integral with, the coupling.

10. An adaptor comprising a plate having first and second apertures therein for use in an assembly according to any one of the preceding claims, said second aperture being larger than the first aperture.

11. An assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

12. An adaptor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawing.

13. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein and/or as shown in the accompanying drawings.