GB2198383A

GB2198383A - Gripping device

Info

Publication number: GB2198383A
Application number: GB08727375A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Francis Flanagan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-11-22
Filing date: 1987-11-23
Publication date: 1988-06-15
Also published as: GB8727375D0

Abstract

A gripping device especially for replacing electric light bulbs 11 in light sockets 12 comprises an elongate member 15 having a resilient support 24 for gripping the bulb and presenting it in the correct orientation to the socket. The device can be provided with jaws 16 and 17 for gripping the socket. These jaws may be operated by a lever 21 acting through a rod 20 or by camming action of a band placed between the non-gripping ends of the jaws or of a member placed externally of the jaws in the manet of a collet chuck. The resilient support can be a coil of elastomeric coated wire. A removable transparent safety shield 25 may be provided on the support. <IMAGE>

Description

GRIPPING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention concerns a gripping device for removing and inserting a thing into a socket such as an electric light bulb into a socket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Light sockets are commonly high up and are often pendant that is supported on flex or chain. When a bulb fails, the householder has to wait in the dark for the bulb to cool, to clamber on a chair or similarly unsafe means to reach and grip the bulb and possibly the socket, to unscrew, or disengage a bayonet fixing, to remove the bulb, to climb down to dispose of the failed bulb and pick t a replacement, and then to climb up again to fit the new bulb. Sometimes the bulb is difficult to remove and the fight to get the bulb out can break the bn Thus relacing a failed bulb is a3 unpleasant and hazardous operation.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION One aspect of the present invention provides a gripping device for inserting a thing in a socket comprising an elongate member having a resilient holder at one end adapted to receive the thing resiliently for presenting the thing in the correct orientation to the socket and to grip the thing for rotation to free the thing from the socket.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a gripping device comprising at least two elongate members capable of relative axial and rotational motion with one of the members having means for transverse motion to grip a socket with the other then being capable of the relative axial and rotational motion to engage or disengage a thing in the socket, the said other being arranged to hold the thing.

The means can be independently actuated or actuated by relative motion of the two members which can be one within the other. The said other member can have means for stabilising the said thing so it is presented to the socket accurately. The gripping device of both aspec- preferably is provided with a safety shield, which can be transparent, surrounding the thing so if it breaks no fragment will be free tc drop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a vertical section of a gripping device according to the present invention, Figures 2 to 7 are vertical sections through upper halves of other embodiments, Figure 8 is a section of a bulb holder which can be used alone or in the preceding embodiments, Figures 9 ard 10 are horizontal sections of further embodiments, and Figures 11 to 13 are scrap detail views.

DESORIPIION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS Bach gripping device illustrated in Figures 1 to 7 is for removing an electric light bulb 11 from a pendant light socket 12.

The gripping device of Figure 1 has two elongate members 14 and 15. The outer 14 of these two member carries a pair of opposed jaws 16 and 17 for gripping the socket 12. One 17 of these jaws is carried on an arm 18 pivoted to the outer member by a pin 19 and actuated by a rod 20 or a tension member and a return spring moved by a actuating lever 21 pivoted to the outer member by a pin 22 at the bottom cf the rod and outer member. If the Jaws are accurately positioned and/or there is sufficient resiliency in the linkage, it may be possible to arrange the actuating lever as a toggle so that when set the lever can be ignored instead of having to be held by the operator.The Jaws are conveniently shaped to grip p the socket and are lined with a soft elastomer. The inner member 15 is slidable up-and-down and rotatable within the outer member and has a support 24 at its upper end which support mounts removably a transparent safety shield 25. This shied can be provided with highly flexible bulb stabilising fingers 26 permitting a bulb to enter the shield and thereafter be held correctly oriented; the fingers should also allow the bulb to be removed from the shield.

In Figure 2 the gripping device differs in that the outer member 14 at its upper end carries a pair of opposed jaws 27 mounted on rocker arms 28 conveniently with the jaws being replaceably mounted on the rocker arms so as to adjust for broad and narrow sockets. The rocker arms are actuated by a metal camming band 29 on the outside of the safety shield. An elastomeric insert 30 in the safety shield locates the bulb which can be pushed into the insert. A torch 31 powered by dry cells 32 can be provided in the inner member; the insert must be transparent or generously apertured.

The device of Figure 3 is characterised by a further elongate member 33 intermediate the inner and outer members which member 33 carries a cam 34, arms 35 of which protect through slits 36 in the outer meber to actuate levers 37 carrying jaws 38. The levers are pivotted on the outer member.

In Figure 4 there is a further member 39 but it is outside the outer member 14. This further member is pushed up against springy arms 40 carried by the member 14 to operate jaws 17 in the manner of a collet chuck.

The embodiment of Figure 5 is virtually the same as that of Figure 4 except that the further member 39 does not have to extend the full length of the gripping device but is carried from the inner member by a spider 41 through which the arms 40 penetrate. h bearing 42 allows the inner member to rotate relative to the member 39.

In the embodiments of Figures 4 and 5, the further member can serve as the safety shield so the bulb support can be made with a solid base 43 with a ring of resilient fingers 44 with rubber inserts 45 forming the bulb location means.

Figure 6 showsth-t the bulb holder can be adjusted if necessary for different bulb sizes. The safety shield 25 with its resilient fingers 26 is adjusted up and down by a screw 46 or other adjustment on the inner member so that with the bulb inserted so it rests on the support's base 47 the fingers 26 engage the top of the bulb.

Figure 7 illustrates the resilient fingers 26 can be replaced by a coiled spring 48 say of rubber or elastomer coated steel forming a cup suitable for gripping frictionally a wide range of bulb sizes.

Figure 8 illustrates a bulb holder which can be adjusted for gripping force. The holder comprises a base 49 to which a ring of flexible fingers are attached either by pivots 51 or by resilient hinges Around these fingers, an adjusting sleeve 52 can be moved up or down preferably to an extent dictated by marker grooves 53 to vary the effective length of the fingers. This bulb holder can be carried o an elongage member similar to the Inner member and used without an outer member and Jaws when it is not @ necessary to grlp a socket as with fixed lamp sockets er can be used with an outer member and jaws for pendant lamp sockets.

In figure 9 socket gripping jaws 54 are carried each on the end of a long link 55 which is pivoted at its other end to one 56 of a air of relatively rotatable members.

Each link has pivoted to it intermediate its ends an end of G short link 57, the other end of which is pivoted to the other 58 of the relatively rotatable members.

get the bulb past the jaws the two members 56 and 58 are twisted relatively to each other to draw the links into a straight line. A spring 59 tends to push the two links out from the straight line state.

It is thought that it may be desirable to have the jaws engaged with the socket by spring force to avoid over gripping of the socket with the jaws moved positively out of engagement. Figures 10 to 13 show various ways of achieving this. Ir Figures 10 and 11, socket engaging Jaws 60 are mounted on pivotal arms 61 with a bias spring 62 urging each jaw against the socket. A camming ramp 63 associated with each arm 61 is arranged so as to lift the Jaw from the socket.These ramps can be provided c the inside cf the safety shield 25 as shown or on the tot periphery thereof with the shield being mounted on the outer member. Figure 12 shows a jaw mounting arm 64 biassed by a spring 65 against the socket and cammed out of engagement by a cam 66 which is raised possibly by a screw-thread (not shown). Figure 13 illustrates a modification of Figure 1 with a jaw mounting arm 67 biassed by a spring 68 to bring the Jaw against the socket is operated by a tension member 69 within an outer sheath 70 to pull the jaw away from the socket.

As in Figure 1, only one jaw is movable but it would be possible to have a plurality of movable jaws operated by a single handle or lever 21.

If an embodiment uses bulb stabilising fingers which are such that they will not be stiff enough to grip a bulb tightly enough to raise it and twist it to engage or remove a bulb from a bayonet or other socket, the device is designed so that the bulb rests on a frictional surface.

By judicious use of a suitable plastics material, the device can be light-weight, electrically-insulated, corrosion-free, and self-lubricating.

Claims

1. A gripping device for inserting a thing ir a socket comprising an elongate member halving a resilient holder at one end adapted to receive the-thing resiliently for presenting the thing in the correct orientation to the socket and to grip the thing for rotation to free the thing from the socket.

2. A gripping device comprising at least two elongate members capable of relative axial and rotational motion vith one of the members having means for transverse motion to grip a socket with the other then being capable of the relative axial and rotational motion to engage or disengage a thing in the socket, the saic.

other being arranged to hold the thing.

3. A gripping device according to claim 2 wherein the said means comprises a movable jaw operated by a red er tension member from a lever towards the bettom of the device and co-operating with one or more fixed jaws.

4. A gripping device according to claim z wherein the said means is a jaw carried on an arm which is cammed for said transverse motion.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein there is plurality of said Jaws.

6. A device according to claim 4 or = wherein the elongate members ere co-axial and there is a third co-axial elongate member to operate the Jaw carrying arms by G camming action.

7 A device according to claim 6 wherein the third co-axial member is arranged to operate the camming acti@n by axial relative motion.

8. A device according to claim 6 wherein the third co-axial member is arranged to operate the canning action by relative rotational motion.

9. A device according to any one of claims 4 to 8 wherein the Jaw or jaws are spring biassed Into the engagement with the socket and wherein the camming action merely moves the ja@ or Jaws from the socket.

10. h device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the resilient holder is in the form of a coil of elastomeric coated wire.

11. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 10 wherein the resilient holder is in the form of axially extending fingers surrounded by a collar which can be moved along the fingers to adJust the holder to various sizes of the thing to be gripped.

12. A gripping device for gripping an electric light bulb and inserting it in, or removing it from, a lamp socket substantially as herein described with reference to any one or combination of the accompanying drawings.