GB2448315A

GB2448315A - Connecting device having a deflecting formation

Info

Publication number: GB2448315A
Application number: GB0706826A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Robert Charles Thomas
Original assignee: FKI Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: FKI Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2007-04-10
Filing date: 2007-04-10
Publication date: 2008-10-15
Also published as: GB0706826D0

Abstract

A connecting device 10 comprising two connecting members 12, 13 for engagement by respective elements to be connected, each connecting member comprising at least one longitudinal arm 18,20 and respective inter-engaging formations for providing a connection between the connecting members. The connecting device is characterized by at least one deflecting formation 30 for deflecting the connecting device 10 from abutment with an obstruction encountered during relative movement between the connecting device and the obstruction, in a direction lengthwise of the at least one longitudinal arm 18,20. The deflection formation 30 may have a substantially triangular cross-section.

Description

* 2448315 Title: Connecting device

Description of Invention

This invention relates to connecting devices, particularly, but not exclusively, to connecting devices for use in connecting together elements of a trawl rig, for example links of a chain.

A known connecting device for connecting two parts for example of a trawl rig together comprises two "half links" connected to one another. Each half link is generally in the form of a clevis, being C-or U-shaped, and is able to receive one or more chain links. Each half link comprises two arms whose free ends terminate respectively in a fork and a portion dimensioned to be received in the fork of the respective other half link. A pin is receivable through the ends of the arms of the two half links to connect the arms together, thus holding the elements of the trawl rig secure between the arms.

A disadvantage of this arrangement of the connectors is that the forked arm of the connecting member which receives an arm of another connecting member must be wider than the arm it receives. This presents the problem that the outer edge of the receiving arm protrudes outwardly from the outer edge of the arm of the other connecting member which it receives, and can snag on external obstructions. Since this type of connector is often used to connect together parts of trawl rigs, the connector is often immersed in water and can come into contact with waterborne obstructions and/or obstructions on the seabed. The protrusion of the arm of the connector can cause the trawl rig to become trapped, or for the connector to be weakened by impact or entrapment.

An aim of this invention is to overcome one or more of the above disadvantages.

According to the present invention, there is provided a connecting device comprising two connecting members for engagement by respective elements to be connected, each connecting member comprising at least one longitudinal arm and respective inter-engaging formations for providing a connection between the connecting members, wherein there is provided at least one deflecting formation for deflecting the connecting device from abutment with an obstruction encountered during relative movement between the connecting device and the obstruction, in a direction lengthwise of the at least one longitudinal arm.

Further features of the invention are described hereafter and set forth in the claims.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures, of which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a connecting device with two connecting members inter-engaged, Figure 2 is a plan view of single connecting member, Figure 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of a connecting device, showing a deflecting formation, Figure 4 is a view along the line A-A of figure 2, and Figure 5 is a view along the line B-B of figure 3.

Referring firstly to figure 1, a connecting device is shown generally at 10. The connecting device comprises two connecting members or half-links' 12, 13, which are inter-engageable and are substantially the same in all features and dimensions. Each of the connecting members 12, 13 is generally in the form of a clevis, having a first longitudinal arm 18 and a second longitudinal arm 20.

The first arm 18 and the second arm 20 of each of the connecting members 12, 13 are substantially parallel to one another and are connected to and spaced apart from one another by a transverse member 19, which extends between respective first ends of the first and second arms 18, 20 such that the each connecting member 12, 13 is substantially C-shaped. The first and second arms 18, 20 define a mouth of the connecting member 12, 13 and at their respective second ends have respective end faces 22, 24. The connecting members 12, 13 each comprise an inner edge 14 and an outer edge 16, the end face 22, 24 of the respective arm 18, 20 extending between the inner edge 14 and the outer edge 16.

As shown in figure 4, the first and second arms 18, 20 of each connecting member 12, 13 comprise first formations 26, which in the present example comprise apertures which extend substantially perpendicular to the length of the arms 18, 20, and through which an engagement member, for example a pin (not shown), can pass. The engagement member connects the first arm 18 of each connecting member 12, 13 to the respective second arm 20, effectively closing the mouth of the connecting member 12, 13. The dimensions, including the curvature of the connecting members 12, 13 and the diameter of the formations 26 can be selected as required.

As shown in figures 1 and 2, the first arm 18 of each of the connecting members 12, 13 comprises a second formation 27, with which the second arm of a further connecting member 12, 13 is engageable. In the present example the second formation 27 comprises a fork having an inner limb 28, and an outer limb 29, which are substantially parallel to one another and are spaced apart by a recess 31 extending from the end face 22. The limbs 28, 29 of the fork 27 extend in generally the same direction as the first arm 18, and the fork 27 is therefore substantially perpendicular to the first formation 26.

The dimensions of the first and second arms 18, 20 of each of the connecting members 12, 13 are such that an end position of the second arm 20 of each second connecting member 13 is receivable in the fork 27 of the first arm 18 of each first connecting member 12. When the first and second connecting members 12, 13 are inter-engaged in this manner, the first formations 26 of the second connecting member 13 align with the first formations 26 of the first connecting member 12, to receive an engagement member such as a pin to connect the first and second connecting members 12, 13 together.

When the connecting members 12, 13 are inter-engaged and the second arm of each of the connecting members 12, 13 is received in the fork 27 of the first arm 18 of the other connecting member 12, 13 the outer limb 29 of each of the first arms 18 extends outwardly beyond the respective outer edge 16 of the second arm 20 of the other connecting member 12, 13.

Each of the connecting members 12, 13 comprises at least one deflecting formation 30. In the present example the deflecting formation 30 extends from the end face 22 of the first arm 18 of each of the connecting members 12, 13, substantially in a direction which is lengthwise of the first longitudinal arm.

In the present example the deflecting formation 30 comprises a substantially triangular cross section, and has a first edge 32 which extends substantially perpendicularly from the end face 22 of the of the first arm 18. In the present example the deflecting member 30 comprises a shoulder or fin' which does not extend across the full width of the outer limb 29. The first edge 32 of the deflecting formation 30 extends from the outer limb 29 of the first arm 18, between the outer edge 16 of the first arm 18 and the recess 31. A second edge 34 of the deflecting formation 30 forms a continuation of the outer edge 16 of the outer limb 29 of the first arm 18, towards the first edge 32 of the deflecting formation 30.

The second edge 34 of the deflecting formation 30 subtends an angle of between 15 and 45 to the end face 22. In the present example the angle subtended by the second edge 34 of the deflecting formation 30 is 30 .

In the present example, the second edge 34 of the deflecting formation 30 comprises a curved or angled portion 35 towards the end of the second edge 34 which is distal the end face 22. This curved or angled portion 35 effectively flattens the point of the triangular cross-section of the deflecting formation 30.

The connecting members 12, 13 of the connecting device 10 are preferably forged, heat treated, shot blasted and checked for flaws or cracks before being machined to provide the required dimensions of the first and second arms 18, of the connecting members 12, 13 and the formations 26, 28 for engagement with engagement members and with corresponding connecting members. The connecting members 12, 13 are preferably zinc-plated and de-embrittled before use.

The connecting device 10 is used to connect two or more elements of a trawl rig, for example, together. Each of the elements to be connected together is engaged with a connecting member 12, 13, generally by introducing a part of the element to the mouth of the connecting member. The elements may comprise chain links, for example. Each of the elements is hooked over one of the connecting members 12, 13 and the connecting members 12, 13 are inter-engaged, by the engagement of the second arm 20 of each connecting member 12, 13 with the fork 27 of the first arm 18 of the other connecting member 12, 13, by the alignment of the respective formations 26, and the insertion of an engagement member, for example a pin, through the formations 26. The mouths of the connecting members 12, 13 are both effectively closed by the engagement member, and each of the elements is confined between the arms of the respective connecting member 12, 13. The connecting device is able to withstand tension between the connected elements at least up to a predetermined limit. The connecting members 12, 13 are able to pivot with respect to one another about the engagement member, such that the connection between the elements is flexible.

When the connecting members 12, 13 are inter-engaged, and the second arm of each of the connecting members 12, 13 is received in the fork 27 of the first arm 18 of the other connection member 12, 13, the outer edges 16 of the outer limbs 29 of the first arms 18 extend outwardly of the outer edges 16 of the second arms 20 with which they are engaged. Each deflecting formation 30 is provided to smooth the junction between the outer surfaces 16 of each of the connecting members 12, 13. The first edge 32 of each of the deflection formations 30 abuts the outer edge 16 of the second arm 20 of the other connecting member 12, 13. The second edge 34 of each of the deflecting formations 30 slopes inwardly, away from the outer edge 16 of the first arm 18 of the connecting member 12, 13 of which it forms a part, towards the outer edge 16 of the other connecting member 12, 13.

When the connection device 10 is in use, generally in liquid, for example seawater, it can come into contact with obstructions which are at least partly submerged in the liquid, for example lying on the seabed, or waterborne. The deflecting formation 30 deflects such obstructions away from the connection device 10, in particular away from the junction between the two connecting members 12, 13. For example, when the connection device 10 comes into contact with an obstruction in the direction of the tension between the connected elements, the obstruction is deflected away from the connection device 10 by the deflecting formation 30 such that the obstruction glances the connection device 10, rather than abutting or engaging the outer edge 16 of the device, in particular the outer limb 29 of one of the connection members 12, 13.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

1. A connecting device comprising two connecting members for engagement by respective elements to be connected, each connecting member comprising at least one longitudinal arm and respective inter-engaging formations for providing a connection between the connecting members, wherein there is provided at least one deflecting formation for deflecting the connecting device from abutment with an obstruction encountered during relative movement between the connecting device and the obstruction, in a direction lengthwise of the at least one longitudinal arm.

2. A connecting device according to claim I wherein each connecting member comprises a deflecting formation.

3. A connecting device according to claim I or claim 2 wherein each connecting member comprises two longitudinal arms connected to and spaced from each other by a transverse portion.

4. A connecting device according to claim 3 wherein the two longitudinal arms are substantially parallel and the transverse portion is connected between the longitudinal arms at respective first ends of each longitudinal arm, such that the connecting member is substantially C-shaped.

5. A connection device according to claim 3 or claim 4 a first one of the longitudinal arms of each connecting member is engageable with the second longitudinal arm of the other connecting member.

6. A connecting device according to claim 5 wherein the first longitudinal arm of each of the connecting members comprises a formation in which a part of the second longitudinal arm of the other connecting member is receivable.

7. A connecting device according to claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the formation in the first longitudinal arm comprises a fork having an inner limb and an outer limb which are spaced apart by a recess, the second longitudinal arm of the other connecting member being receivable between the inner limb and the outer limb.

8. A connecting device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each of the longitudinal arms of each of the connecting members comprises an aperture extending therethrough, for receiving an engagement member.

9. A connecting device according to claim 8 wherein when the connecting members are inter-engaged, the apertures of each of the respective longitudinal arms are aligned, and a single engagement member is receivable in all of the apertures.

10. A connecting device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each deflecting formation comprises a substantially triangular cross section.

11. A connecting device according to claim 3 or any one of claims 4 to 10 where dependent on claim 3, wherein the deflecting formation is provided on an end face of the first longitudinal arm, extending in a direction which is substantially lengthwise of the longitudinal arm.

12. A connecting device according to claim 11 wherein the or each deflecting formation has a first edge which extends substantially perpendicularly from the end face of the first arm of the connecting member, and a second edge which joins the distal end of the first edge of the deflecting formation to an outer edge of the end face of the first arm.

13. A connecting device according to claim 7 or any one of claims 8 to 12 where dependent on claim 7 wherein the deflecting member is provided on the outer limb of the first longitudinal arm.

14. A connecting device according to claim 12 or claim 13 where dependent on claim 12, wherein the second edge of the deflecting formation extends inwardly towards the outer edge of the other connecting member.

15. A connecting device according to claim 14 wherein the second edge of the deflecting formation subtends an angle between 15 and 45 to the outer edge of the first longitudinal arm.

16. A connecting device according to claim 14 or 15 wherein the second edge subtends an angle of 30 to the outer edge of the first longitudinal arm.

17. A connecting device substantially as described herein and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.

18. A connecting device according to any one of claims I to 17 suitable for use in connecting elements of a trawl rig.

19. A trawl rig comprising at least one connecting member according to any one of the preceding claims.

20. Any novel feature or novel combination of features substantially as described herein and/or with reference to the accompanying drawings.