GB2108565A

GB2108565A - Hook members for a latching device and method of making same

Info

Publication number: GB2108565A
Application number: GB08132430A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Henry Colton
Original assignee: Metallifacture Ltd
Current assignee: Metallifacture Ltd
Priority date: 1981-10-28
Filing date: 1981-10-28
Publication date: 1983-05-18
Also published as: GB2108565B; DE3229044C2; ES515192A0; ES274377U; ES8405492A1; DE3229044A1; ES274377Y; BE894250A

Abstract

The hook member has a hollow body 27 and a hook portion 29 both formed from a sheet metal blank. The blank has two hook parts 29a, 29b which are joined together (e.g. welded) to form the hook portion. The opposite end of the body has secured (e.g. welded) therein an internally threaded member (e.g. a bush 30) which screw- engages with a stem 17. The hook may be used to secure a spare wheel in a vehicle the stem being rotatable to move the hook axially between secured and released positions. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Hook members for a latching device and method of making same This invention relates to a hook member for a latching device and method of making same.

It has been the practice for some years to mount a spare wheel in a motor vehicle in a cage slung beneath a floor of the vehicle. The cage is pivoted at one side and is releasably latchable at the opposite side. The latching device used includes a screw-threaded stem dependent from the floor and accessible from above the floor. A hook member engages with the cage and screw-engages with the stem.

The stem can be rotated by a tool, engaged with a formation located above the floor, and this causes the hook member to move up or down the stem to secure or release the cage.

In the secured position, the stem clamps an element of the cage in the hook.

The hook member is made from a metal forging and a metal tube. The forging defines the hook-shaped part of the member and is drilled to receive the stem. A second drilling operation produces a counterbore for receiving the tube, which is welded to the forging.

The opposite end of the tube is then internally screw tapped to engage the threads of the stem. This hook member is expensive to produce involving expensive parts and several work operations. The present invention provides an improved hook member of this type, which can be much more cheaply produced, and to a method of making such a hook member.

In accordance with this invention, a method of making a hook member of the type having an elongate hollow body with an internal screw thread and a hook portion at one end, the body being screw-engageable in use with a stem which can be rotated relative to the hook member for moving the latter between secured and released positions, the method comprising forming from sheet material a blank having a body part and two hook parts one of which is substantially a mirror image form of the other, forming the blank, so that the body part defines the elongate hollow body and the hook parts are superimposed, joining the hook parts together to define said hook portion, and securing an internally threaded member in the body at the end opposite to the hook portion.

The invention also resides in a hook member of the type having an elongate hollow body with an internal screw thread and a hook portion at one end, the body being screw-engageable with a stem which can be rotated relative to the hook member for moving the latter between secured and released positions, the hollow body being formed from a sheet of material, the screw thread being defined by a separate internally screwthreaded member secured in the body at one end, and the hook portion being defined by parts of said sheet of material secured together.

The hook member can, therefore, be made from a sheet of metal by the simple steps of cutting the blank, forming the blank, spotwelding the parts of the hook portion, and welding the hollow member in position.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic elevation of a latch device shown in an operative position and incorporating a hook member according to the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of a blank from which the hook member is made, with a first forming step shown; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the hook member made from the blank; and Figure 4 is a sectional view of a latch device incorporating the hook member of Fig.

3.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown a vehicle floor 11 to the bottom of which is pivoted at 1 2 a cage 13, which houses a spare-wheel 14. The cage has a rod portion 15, at the side opposite to the pivot 12, which is engaged in a hook member 16. The hook member is screw-engaged with a stem 17, dependent from the floor 11 and the stem carries, above the floor, a hexagonal formation 18, which permits turning of the stem. Such turning causes the hook member to move along the stem between secured and released position, a released position being illustrated. In the secured position, the rod member 1 5 is clamped in the hook member 11 by the stem.

The hook member 1 6 is made from a blank 20, cut from a sheet of metal. The blank has a rectangular part 19 with rebates 21 at one end and hook parts 22, 23 integral therewith at the opposite end. Each hook part is a mirror image of the other, the parts having rebates 22a, 23a, which face each other.

The first work operation carried out on the blank is the formation of a dished portion 25 along the edges of the rebates 22a, 23a.

The rectangular part 1 9 is then wrapped about a cylindrical mandrel (not shown) to define a hollow cylindrical body 27 with opposite sides (e.g. 28 in Fig. 4) of the formed rectangular part in abutment. The hook parts 22, 23 also abut and are spot-welded together along the curved outer edges to define a hook 29. The dished formation 25 causes the hook to have two substantially parallel portions 29a, 29b, thereby, effectively, broadening the hook.

A cylindrical nut 30 is inserted in the body 27 in the end opposite to the hook and is welded in place at the rebates 21 to define welds 31.

As shown in Fig. 4, in use, the nut 30 is screw-cngaged with a screw-threaded stem 1 7 which has a clamping head 33 at one end and a hexagonal head 1 8 at the opposite end.

The hexagonal head seats on a bearing 34 carried by a casing 35 secured to a floor 11 of a vehicle.

The hexagonal head 1 8 can be turned to cause the hook member 1 6 to rise up the stem, so that the clamping head 33 clamps a rod member such as 1 5 (Fig. 1) in the hook.

Claims

1. A method of making a hook member of the type having an elongate hollow body with an internal screw thread and a hook portion at one end, the body being screw-engageable in use with a stem which can be rotated relative to the hook member for moving the latter between secured and released positions, the method comprising forming from sheet material a blank having a body part and two hook parts one of which is substantially a mirror image of the other, forming the blank so that the body part defines the elongate hollow body and the hook parts are superimposed, joining the hook parts together to define said hook portion and securing an internally threaded member in the body at the end opposite to the hook portion.

2. A method according to Claim 1, including forming a dished portion along the internal edge of each hook part.

3. A method according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein the sheet material is metal, the internally threaded member is welded in position, the hook parts are welded together and the body is rolled on a cylindrical mandrel.

4. A hook member of the type having an elongate hollow body with an internal screw thread and a hook portion at one end, the body being screw-engageable with a stem which can be rotated relative to the hook member for moving the latter between secured and released positions, wherein the hollow body is formed from a sheet of material, the screw thread is defined by a separate internally threaded member screwed in the body at one end, and the hook portion is defined by parts of said sheet of material secured together.

5. A hook according to Claim 4, including a dished portion along the internal edge of each hook part defining spaced substantially parallel portions.

6. A hook member according to Claim 4 or 5, which is made from a metal blank having a rectangular part which is rolled to define the body and hook parts each of which is substantially a mirror image of the other.

7. A hook member according to Claim 6, in which the hook parts have internal edges which face each other.

8. A hook member constructed substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

9. A method of constructing a hook member, substantially as herein described.