GB2291894A

GB2291894A - Load transmitting connector

Info

Publication number: GB2291894A
Application number: GB9414750A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Victor Sessin
Original assignee: Rolls Royce Power Engineering PLC
Current assignee: Rolls Royce Power Engineering PLC
Priority date: 1994-07-21
Filing date: 1994-07-21
Publication date: 1996-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 2014-07-21
Also published as: NO952889D0; NO316701B1; GB2291894B; DE19526095A1; GB9414750D0; NO952889L

Description

2291894 LOAD TRANSMITTING CONNECTOR This invention relates to a load

transmitting connector, and in particular to a load transmitting connector for use in a winch hoist or haulage system.

Over the years significant improvements have been made in the field of crane design. This has lead to an overall improvement in safety. However, accidents involving cranes and associated lifting equipment still remain unsatisfactorily high. One item which has been the source of many accidents is.the crane hook. This has been particularly so in the field of off-shore lifting. The dynamic nature of the off-shore lifting environment has resulted, many times, in situations where the crane's hook has become snagged with either supply vessel structure, deck cargo, or deck equipment.

The problem of crane hook snagging is also common place in land based lifting, for example, on building and construction sites.

The present invention has, therefore, for an objective improvements to off-shore and land based lifting safety by eliminating the hook from crane lifting apparatus.

In its broadest sense the invention provides a load transmitting connector comprising a main body portion for receiving one end of a connecting line, and a locking means for holding the end of the connecting line captive with the body.

The invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a load transmitting connector of the present invention positioned at the end of a load carrying line.

Figure 2 is a part cut-away sectioned side view of load transmitting connector of the present invention, Figure 3 is a plan view of the load transmitting connector in the direction of arrow 1 In Figure 2, Figure 4 is a longitudinal section view along line 2-2 in Figure 2, Figure 5 is a longitudinal section view along line 3-3 in Figure 2, and Figure 6 shows the load transmitting connector in the same view as Figure 2 with the free end of a load transmitting cable positioned therein.

Referring first to Figure 1, a load transmitting connector 10 is positioned between the free end 110 of a load carrying winch line 112, and an adjacent end 114 of a second load carrying line 116. The second line 116 is connected to a load 118 by means of a third line 120 which passes through a loop formed in its other end 122. The third line is connected to the load at points 124 and 126 so that the load may be lifted by the winch line 112 in a conventional manner.

In accordance with the invention the second line 116 may be released from the connector 10 and winch line 112 once lifting is complete, and then the connector readied for subsequent lifting operations. The exact manner of this is described below.

With reference now to both Figures 2 and 3. The load transmitting connector 10 comprises a generally elongate load transmitting body 12, a nose 14 integral with the body, and a locking mechanism 16 located within the body. The body portion 12 defines a generally U-shaped housing comprising a pair of parallel sidewalls 18 and 20, best seen with reference to Figure 5, a semicircular sidewall 22 between the sidewalls 18 and 20, and a pair of U-shaped endwalls 24 and 26, one at each end of the housing. The side and end walls combine to provide a cavity 28 along the entire length of the connector body. As shown, the.height of the sidewalls 18 and 20 is not fixed but varies along the length of the connector. The sidewalls 18 and 20 are built up in the region of the mechanism 16 to define a pair of locking mechanism shield plates 30 and 32.

At the end of the connector furthest from the nose section 14 the body section 12 is adapted to receive the free end of a winch cable (not shown). At this end the parallel sidewalls 18 and 20 flare inwards to define a cylindrical recess 34 having an open circular periphery 35 adjacent the end wall 26. The flared ends of the sidewalls 18 and 20 define a slot 36 which opens into the circular periphery 35 and continues into the endwall 26. The slot 36 defines an U-shaped opening in the endwall 26 of the connector for receiving the load transmitting cable, best seen with reference to Figure 4. The slot 36 is positioned centrally within the endwall 26 so that the endwall provides a symmetrical abutment face 38 at the end of recess 34 between slot 36 and periphery 35.

At the other end of the connector the endwall 24 includes an axial protrusion 40 extending part way along its length between sidewalls 18 and 20. The protrusion 40 provides an abutment surface 42 perpendicular to the endwall 24 in cavity 28.

In the embodiment shown a further protrusion in the form of a solid nose section 14 extends from the opposite side of endwall 24. The nose section 14 includes an aperture 44 having a generally circular periphery 46 for receiving a load transmitting shackle connector or the like. The nose section shown has a circular outer periphery 48 and a pair of inclined side faces 50 and 52 which terminate at a blunt apex 54.

The locking mechanism 16 is mounted on an axle member 56 which extends between the sidewalls 18 and 20. The axle 56 is fixed to the sidewalls 18 and 20 in apertures 58 and 60 formed therein. A lever 62 is pivotally mounted on the axle 56 part way between the sidewalls 18 and 20 in line with protrusion 14. The lever 62 comprises a profiled operating handle 64, a planar abutment surface 66, and a profiled abutment surface 68. In addition the lever also has a catch mechanism 70 mounted on its side 72. on its opposite side 74 a coil spring element 76 is mounted on the axle 56 between the lever and the sidewall 18. One end of the spring 76 is located in an aperture 58 formed in the sidewall 18, and the other in an aperture 80 formed in the lever 62. The arrangement is such that the lever is biased, with respect to the body section 12, to the position shown in Figure 2.

The catch mechanism 70 on side 72 of the lever includes a guide block 82 fixed to the lever 62 and a bolt 84 movable within the guide 82 along an axis 94. The bolt 84 is connected to an operating handle 86 which is bent through 90 degrees to the opposite side of lever 62. A coil spring 88 is located around an axially extending portion of the handle 86 between the bolt 84 and a stop fixed to the lever 62. At its end furthest from the spring 88 the bolt 84 includes a relieved planar engagement face 92 disposed parallel to its axis of translation 94, terminating at an apex 95.

As shown the catch mechanism 80 further comprises a fixed catch engagement surface 96 formed in the periphery of a fixed cylindrical member 98. Like lever 62 the cylindrical member 98 is mounted on axle 56, but is also fixed to sidewall 20 by diametrically opposed reaction pins 100 and 102.

During operation the lever 62 may be moved from the position shown by the dotted lines in Figure 6, to the position shown by the solid lines, by releasing the catch mechanism 70. To release the catch 70 the handle 86 is withdrawn towards endwall 26, against the biasing force of spring 88, until the bolt 84 is clear of engagement with surface 96. When the bolt is clear the lever 62 may be raised and the handle 86 released so that bolt rides on the outer surface of the cylindrical member 98. The lever 62 may then be turned to the fully open position shown, against the biasing force of spring 76.

In this position the free end of a load transmitting cable 104, having a so called swaged barrel termination 106, of increased diameter, is passed between the sideplates 30 and 32 into the cavity 28. Once the end of the cable termination 106 is located within the cavity 34, against abutment surface 38, the lever 62 is returned to the closed position. As soon as the apex 95 of bolt 84 reaches the relieved engagement surface 96, the catch 70 engages and holds the cable termination 106 captive within the cavity 28. In this position further rotation of the lever 62 is prevented by abutment surfaces 42 and 66.

When a tensile lifting or hauling load is applied the entire load is transferred by the body 12 and nose 14 of the connector. The locking mechanism 16 transfers no load itself, but prevents the cable termination 106 jumping out of the connector. This is achieved, not only by the catch mechanism 70, but also by virtue of abutment surfaces 66 and 68. It will be seen that If the cable termination 106 were to move within the cavity 28, it would impact surface 68, thereby creating a moment about axle 56 forcing surfaces 42 into greater engagement.

Although the foregoing has specifically referred to cable type lifting systems, it will be appreciated that the connector of the present invention could be used with any other type of load carrying line commonly used in lifting and hauling operations. For example, the lines shown in Figure 1 could be provided by cables, chains, or straps, or possibly a combination provided, of course, that the end to be held captive within the connector was fitted with an oversize end termination 106. It will be seen therefore that the connector provides a smooth connecting means for snag-free lifting operations. It will be appreciated also that the invention is not restricted to lifting operations but could be applied in any situation requiring a releasable load carrying connector.

Claims

A load transmitting connector comprising a main body portion for receiving one end of a connecting line, and a locking means for holding the end of the connecting line captive with the body.

i -R- Amendment to the claims have been filed as follows A load transmitting connector comprising a main body portion formed with an internal cavity for receiving a terminal end of a load carrying line, an access slot in a side of the body through which the terminal end of the line is passed# the internal cavity having a bearing surface against which a bearing surface on the terminal end restst and a releasable locking means which when engaged prevents the terminal end of the connecting line passing back through the access slot.

3 2 A load transmitting connector as claimed in claim 1 wherein the internal cavity includes a socet having an end face adapted to engage a bearing surface formed on the terminal end of the load line.

A load transmitting connector as claimed in either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the locking means comprises a locking member which in an engaged position is arranged to prevent egress of the terminal end through the access slot.

4 A load transmitting connector as claimed in claim 3 wherein the locking means comprises an elongate locking member which extends along a substantial part of the length of the access slot.

A load transmitting connector as claimed in claim 4 wherein the locking member is bias towards the engaged position but may be moved against the bias to a non-locking position.

- Cl - 6 A load transmitting connector as claimed in either claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the elongate locking member is pivotally mounted towards one end of the access slot for movement into and out of the engaged position in which it lies along the length of the slot.

A load transmitting connector as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the bias is provided by spring means.

1 8 A load transmitting connector as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the locking means further comprises a latch mechanism to secure the locking means in the engaged position.

9 A load transmitting connector as claimed in claim 8 wherein the latch mechanism comprises a latch bolt which engages a detent in the locking means engaged position.

A load transmitting connector as claim in claim 9 wherein the latch bolt is carried by the locking means and is biased towards its latched position and the detent is formed on a member fixed in relation to the main body of the connector.

11 A load transmitting connector as claimed in claim 10 wherein the locking means is pivoted relative to the connector body, the detent member is fixed concentrically with a pivotal axis of the locking means and the latch bolt is carried by the locking means.

12 A load transmitting connector as claimed in claim 11 wherein the detent member comprises a cam surface -$0- having a substantially radial step to form the detent and the latch bolt has an end which abuts the cam surface and is shaped to positively engage with the radial step on the detent member when the locking means occupies the engaged position.

13 A load transmitting connector as claimed in claim 12 wherein the latch bolt is movable axially against a bias force to disengage the detent member to allow disengagement of the locking means.

14 A load transmitting connector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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