GB2116632A

GB2116632A - Cylindrical lifting unit

Info

Publication number: GB2116632A
Application number: GB08236245A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Hans-Joachim Barsch; Rudi Loschner; Bernd Schulze; Reinhard Steinbruch; Christoph Wagner
Original assignee: Bauakademie der DDR
Current assignee: Bauakademie der DDR
Priority date: 1982-03-08
Filing date: 1982-12-21
Publication date: 1983-09-28
Also published as: AU9085582A; IT8268541A0; DD209351A3; JPS58163806A; CS70683A1; SU1451091A1; CS247131B1; FR2523107A1; DE3238580A1

Abstract

The unit for moving machinery and equipment, is characterized by having a working cylinder 1 and a plunger 2 guided by means of guide rings 3, a coated textile bellows-like diaphragm 4 turned inside out is arrange with the warp and woof threads running in the cylindrical part at an angle to the longitudinal axis and which is equipped with a valve 5 for the pressure medium. The cylinder 1 has a locking device 7 which may adopt a supporting function in any position within the lift travel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Cylindrical lifting element This invention relates to a cylindrical lifting element for motional and control operations of machinery and equipment. It is applicable in industry and in particular in building and construction where flexible motional operations without any hard impact and with high efficiency have to be performed.

In industry and in building and construction cylindrical pistons, levers and spindles are known for performing motional and control operations and in particular for performing lifting operations. When subjected to increased loads and stresses pistons, levers and spindles are susceptible to faults and failures and require permanent maintenance. Most of the devices mentioned perform the motional operation only be applying a constant force and they often cause hard impact jolts.

Cylindrical lifting elements are known which consist of a flexible tubular plastic jacket and discs arranged at the front end. In an unstressed condition, the central annular zone of said jacket will be bent in towards the inside in a V-shaped manner.

The plastic jacket considerably reduces the height of lift and the lifting power; locking devices are not provided.

Furthermore, a lifting element for performing a lifting motion is known which consists of a jacket, an automaticaily guided lifting element at the front end, and a fiuid space provided between them. Said fluid space is defined by a hollow block closed at each side, flexible, elastic and fluid-proof. The forced guiding action provides, in spite of the expensive design and construction, insufficient lateral stability, and the effective height of lift is restricted in case of the generally known design. There is no possibility of forming a telescope of several individual elements, and there are no locking devices.

One object of this invention is to provide a cylindrical lifting element of high efficiency which due to the low cost of manufacture, is suitable for mass production.

The invention seeks to provide a lifting element with the simplest possible system of construction in such a way that motional operations can be performed in a flexible, safe manner with a relatvely high lift even in the case of exacting requirements regarding the lifting capacity.

According to this invention there is provided a cylindrical lifting element wherein between a working cylinder of any cross section without or with rounded corners and a plunger accurately guided by means of guide rings, a coated textile bellows unit turned inside out is provided, the warp and woof threads of which take in the cylindrical part at an angle of about 45 degrees in respect of the longitudinal axis, the unit being equipped with a valve for a pressure medium, the said working cylinder having a locking device which may perform a supporting function at any position within the lift travel.

In the invention a coated textile bellows unit turned inside out, is arranged between a working cylinder and a plunger and equipped with a valve for the pressure medium. Said working cylinder may have any desired cross section, but the corners must in all cases be rounded. Guide rings ensure accurate guiding of the working cylinder at the outer guide jacket or at the outer guide unit of the plunger, respectively. The warp and woof th reads of the bellows unit are situated in the cylindrical part of same at an angle of about 45 degrees in respect of the longitudinal axis. The working cylinder and the outer guide jacket of the plunger have locking parts which may perform a supporting function in any desired position within the lift travel. When using the interior of the plungers, several lifting elements can be arranged on the telescopic principle.The outer guide jacket of the plunger can also be designed as an apertured or open unit. In the case of reversed positioning of the lifting element with an extending plunger, additional load-bearing devices are positioned near the base in order to reduce the initial height. Several lifting elements will be connected in parailel in order to move large complex structures in a smooth manner. The pressure medium will preferably be supplied from one source. Additional control devices are not required for this purpose.

By varying the height-to-weight ratio the lifting element of the invention can be manufactured to any size and for all lifting-capacity requirements in accordance with the conditions of use and service.

The lifting element consists of a material saving construction which may be easily handled, simply manufactured and easily maintained. The guide system adopted for the working cylinder in the plunger provides an optimum ratio of lift to overall height. This effect will be increased by using a series of several lifting elements arranged on the telescopic principle. The locking units ensure ample safety at any height of lift an in case of damage or accident.

The use of said lifting elements makes it possible to move a great variety of structures at low cost.

The invention is explained hereinafter in more detail by reference to an embodiment shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 shows a section through a lifting element in a retracted position, Figure 2 shows a section through the element of Figure 1 in an extended position, Figure 3 shows a section through a lifting element with telescopic parts and in a retracted position, and Figure 4 shows a section through the element of Figure 3 in an extended position.

Figures 1 and 2 show a cylindrical lifting element consisting of working cylinder 1, plunger 2, guide rings 3, and bellows unit 4.

The elements operate on the priciple of a working cylinder with plunger. A pressure medium such as air is supplied through a pressure hose attached to the valve 5, which may be designed as a two-way cock equipped with an excess-pressure safety valve. The pressure causes the working cylinder 1 to move off the plunger 2. Guide rings 3 affixed to the end of the working cylinder 1 and the end of the outer guide jacket of the plunger 2 guarantee an accurate guiding action during the lifting operation. Said guide rings 3 ensure that the distance between plunger 2 and working cylinder 1 for the bellows unit 4will be maintained; said guide rings 3 also serve as a stop 6.The working cylinder 1 is also provided with stops 6 for the retracted position of the lifting element The working cylinder 1 and the outer guide jacket of the plunger 2 have locking devices 7 which may perform a supporting function in any position within the lift travel. The warp and woof threads of the coated textile bellows unit 4 take their course in the cylindrical part of same at an angle of about 45 degrees in repsect of the longitudinal axis. The bellows unit 4 will be supplied with only small quantities of the pressure medium, resulting in a leiat;ve;y slow, flexible and powerful movement of the lifting element.

Figures 3 and 4 show lifting elements connected on the telescopic principle. They consist of the individual units as already mentioned in the foregoing. The plunger 2 of the outer lifting element serves as the working cylinder 1 of the inner lifting element likewise. The guide ring 3 of the inner lifting element slides along the outer guide jacket of the plunger 2 of the outer lifting element. Between the bellows unit 4 a connecting unit 8 such as a rivet coupling is provided ensuring transfer of the pressure medium.

Claims

1. Acylindrical lifting element wherein between a working cylinder of any cross section without or with rounded corners and a plunger accurately guided by means of guide rings, a coated textile bellows unit turned inside out is provided, the warp and woof threads of which take their course in the cylindrical part at an angle of about 45 degrees in respect of the longitudinal axis, the unit being equipped with a valve for a pressure medium, the said working cylinder having a locking device which may perform a supporting function at any position within the lift travel.

2. A cylindrical lifting element in accordance with Claim 1, wherein the outer guide jacket of the plunger can be designed as an apertured open structure.

3. A cylindrical lifting element in accordance with Claims 1 or 2, wherein the interior of the plungers house further lifting elements consisting of a further plunger, guide ring, bellows unit, valve, locking device an an inter-connecting unit arranged on the telescopic principal to increase the height of lift.

4. A cylindrical lifting element in accordance with Claim 3, wherein the lifting element with telescopic plungers includes additional load-bearing devices positioned on a level with the locking devices.

5. A cylindrical lifting element in accordance with any preceding claim, wherein several lifting elements are connected in parallel, the pressure medium being supplied from one source without additional control devices.

6. A cylindrical lifting element as described he rein with reference to Figures 1 and 2, or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.