US3103968A - Apparatus for articulating hingedly connected parts - Google Patents

Description

Sept; 1 1963 R. o. AAR LD ETVAL 3, 3, 8

APPARATUS FOR ARTICULATING HINGEDLY' CONNECTED mars Filed June 19, 1962 4 sheet -sheet 1- AT & y

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I 3 4 6 2 I r Sept.l7,19 fi- I R. o'. AARVOLD ETTAL. I I 3,103,958

APPARATUS FOR ARTICULATING HINGEDLY CONNECTED PARTS Filed June 19 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

APPARATUS FOR ARTICULATING HINGEDLY CONNECTED PARTS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Se t. 17, 1963 R. o. AARVOLD ETAL Filed June 19, 1962 INVENTOR.

Sept. 17, 1963 R. o, AARVOLD ETAL 3,

APPARATUS FOR ARTICULATING HINGEDLY CONNECTED PARTS Filed June 19, 1962- v 1 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 fl 'T 1 11 I I H' i Lfigfirq i l i l a 4 i 5 i TQM .5.

| l I a II t y INV EN TORS United States Patent 3,103,968 APPARATUS F011 ARTICULATING HINGEDLY CONNECTED PARTS Reinhardt Olai Aarvold, Stenkullen, and Erik Holger Isaksson and Anders Georg Wadrnan, Goteborg, Sweden, assignors to Aktieholaget Giitaverken, Goteborg, Sweden, a corporation of Sweden Filed June 19, 1962, Ser. No. 205,178 4 Claims. (Cl. 160-4188) The present invention relates to an apparatus for articulating hingedly connected parts, e.g. the sections of a ships hatch cover or the like, by the aid of a pressure medium operated mechanism.

This application is a continuation in part of our pending application for Apparatus for Articulating Hingedly Connected Parts, Serial No. 749,684, filed July 21, 1958 (now Patent No. 3,056,386).

In common with our said pending application the object of the present invention is a mechanism working in direct connection with one or more of the hinges or other devices connecting parts, which entails great advantages with regard to the space required.

Another object is the construction of a mechanism having a pair of co-acting members movable parallel to the hinge axis thereby to provide an apparatus simple in design and easy to cover.

Further objects will be apparent of the following specification and the appendant claims.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is shown by way of example as applied to hatch covers. FIGURE 1 of the drawings shows a plan view of a tween deck hatch cover consisting of two sections. FIGURE 2 is a horizontal section through the closed cover, taken on line IIII in FIGURE 1, and FIGURE 3 is a corresponding section showing the cover in open position. FIGURE 4 is an enlarged side view showing the mechanism, FIGURE 5 is a plan view of this detail and FIGURE 6 is an end view along line VIVI in FIGURE 5. FIGURE 7 is a plan view of a deck hatch consisting of two sections comprising a modification of the mechanism shown in FIGURE 1.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 16 an opening in a ships deck 1 is arranged to be closed by two sections 3 and 4, connected to each other by means of hinges 2. One of the sections is attached to the deck by means of hinges 5 and the sections are so arranged that their upper surf-aces in closed condition will be flush with the deck. The other section is at its free end, in a known manner per se, provided with wheels 6. The wheels are adapted to roll along a runway 7, and the opening will be uncovered by folding the sections in a vertical position at one side of the opening. Each runway for the wheels is here shaped with a raised portion 8, on which the wheels run up when the hatch is to be opened, and from which they slide down, thereby initiating the closing movement when the hatch is to be closed. In the present case the actuating mechanism is thus adapted to perform an opening movement only. The closing movement is performed by aid of the force of gravity, the mechanism having a braking action only.

The mechanism consists mainly of a cylinder 10 in which a piston having a piston rod 9 is movable. The cylinder is provided with means 11 for the supply of a pressure-medium, preferably oil. The cylinder is attached to section 4 and is arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the hinge axis 2. The cylinder is not rigidly connected to the hatch cover section, but rests in supporting means, which allow a movement in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder. The cylinder 11 as well as the piston rod 9* are provided with actuating "ice members in the shape of a wheel 1-2 and wheel 12', respectively, each of which cooperates with a transmission device 13, 13', respectively, attached to section 3 and comprising a helical running track. These details will be more exactly described in connection with FIGURES 4-6.

When a pressure-medium is supplied to the cylinder both the cylinder and the piston move outwards from an intermediate position, and each of wheels 12, 12' rolls along the corresponding helical track 13, .13. The sections are then forced to turn on the hinges, so that the sections at last are brought into the vertical position. When closing the hatch cover the force of gravity will perform the desired movement of the sections. The transmission devices will then force the piston and the cylinder against each other, and the velocity of the movement may be regulated by throttling the outlet of the pressure medium.

In FIGURES 4-6 numeral 15 designates a main covering plate of section 4, and 16 designates a reinforcement. In the same manner a covering plate and a reinforcement in section 3 are designated 17 and 18, respectively. At the hinge side the covering plate 15 protrudes a distance outside the reinforcement 16, and effectively protects the parts of the mechanism connected to this section, i.e. the cylinder 10 with the piston rod 9' and the wheels 12, 12'.

Each of these wheels consists of three disks 19, 20, 21 mounted independently of each other on a common shaft 22. The intermediate disk has a groove in its periphery, and is adapted to co-operate with the helical track 14. The disks 19 and 21 have plane contacting surfaces, and are arranged for co-operation with a guide 23, attached to reinforcement 16.

The disks 19 and 21 have smaller diameters than the disk 29 and the guide 23 is accordingly provided with a groove for the wheel 29* between the tracks for the firstmentioned wheels.

The transmission device 13, which is attached to reinforcement 18, essentially consists of a hollow semi-cylinder, concentric with the hinge axis 2. The surface of the semi-cylinder is out along a helical line, in order to produce the desired track 14 for the disk 20 of the wheel 12.

The bottom 24 of the semi-cylinder and a bracket 25 fitted into the same form attachments for the hinge pin 2, which is connected to the other section by means of two brackets 26, 27.

FIGURE 5 shows that the guide 23 and the track 14 are arranged at an angle to each other, and when the wheel is forced to the left in this figure, the parts will tend to move apart. As the sections are connected by the hinge 2, this movement will bring about a folding action at the sections. The helical track is concentric with the hinge axis, and the relation between the track and the guide is the whole time unchanged. As the disks 19, 21) and 21 during the movement are rotating in opposite directions, they can not be connected.

The pitch of the helical track as well as the diameter of the semi-cylinder may be varied in conformity with the size and the weight of the sections, and also to the avaliable power. The pitch can be changed along the track in order to produce greater or smaller acting power at a certain position. Instead of a pure cylindrical surface the track may be arranged along a conical surface,

and in such a case the guide 23 will have a similar shape. When arranging the cylinder movable in relation to the sect-ion it is possible to use the forces of reaction in order to influence a second transmission device but it is understood, that the number of the transmission devices may vary, and that the actuating devices may be made single-acting as well as double-acting.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURE 7 the arrangement of the hatch sections is substantially the same as shown in FIGURE 1 but the mechanism for opening and closing of the hatch is double-acting.

In this case the mechanism consists of a cylinder 30 in which two pistons 31 and 32 each connected to a piston-rod 33 and 34, respectively, are movable to and from each other. The cylinder 30 is provided with means 35, 36 and 37 for the supply and drain of a pressuremedium. The cylinder 30 is rigidly attached to section 4 of the hatch cover and is arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to the hinge axis 2. Each of the pistonrods are provided with an actuating member in the shape of a wheel 12, cooperating with a transmission device 13 attached to section 3 and comprising a helical running track 14. Said details have been described in connection with FIGURES 4-6.

When a pressure medium is supplied to the cylinder space between the two pistons through the means 36 said pistons and piston rods with the wheels move outwards from each other, and the wheels roll along the corresponding helical tracks 14. The sections are forced to turn on the hinges so that the sections at last are brought into the vertical position. The pressure medium in the cylinder behind the pistons then will be forced out through the means 35 and 37, respectively. When closing the hatch cover pressure medium is supplied through the means 35 and 37 to the space behind the pistons so that they will be forced towards each other and the velocity of the movement is regulated by throttling the outlet 36 from the space between the pistons.

The invention may also be applied on other occasions, e.g. for operating doors or gates. Depending on the size of the parts connected to each other, several devices of the kind described may be used, which possibly could be supplemented by hinges of conventional design having a guiding function only.

As a pressure medium oil is preferably used which may be delivered from apump unit or from a pressure tank of any kind. In the embodiment used in hatch covers of ships the storage tank for the oil as well as the pressure tank or a pump together with a driving motor may be built into the hatch cover sections so that the movable parts only have to be supplied with driving power for the motor, e.g. electric current.

What we claim is:

1. In a pressure fluid medium operating device for bringing about an angular displacement between hingedly connected first and second parts, an actuating device connected to said first part consisting of a hydraulic working cylinder arranged parallel to the hinge axis and a piston reciprocable in said cylinder, said piston having a piston rod, a wheel-shaped operating member secured to said piston rod, 21 first straight guide surface secured to said first part and axially spaced from said working cylinder, a hollow semi-cylindrical transmission device connected to said second part, said transmission device having a helical guide track thereon opposite to said first guide surface and concentrically arranged relative to the hinge axis, said wheel-shaped operating member being in engagement with said first guide surface and said helical guide track, and means for applying pressure fluid to said cylinder to slidably displace the piston therein and cause said operating member to travel along said guide surface and track, respectively, to angularly displace said first and second parts relative to each other.

2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the working cylinder (1%) is movable in its longitudinal direction and wherein both the cylinder and the piston rod (9) are provided with wheel-shaped operating members (12, 12), each of said operating members being adapted to cooperate with a transmission device (13, 13').

3. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein the wheelshaped operating member comprises at least two discs rotatably mounted independently of each other, one of said discs being adapted to cooperate with the helical track on the transmission device and the other to cooperate with the straight guiding surface on the first of said parts.

4. In a pressure fluid medium operating device for bringing about an angular displacement between hingedly connected first and second parts, an actuating device connected to said first and second parts consisting of a hydraulic working cylinder stationarily arranged parallel to the hinge axis, and two pistons reciprocable in said cylinder, each piston having a piston rod, wheel-shaped operating members secured to said piston rods, two first straight guide surfaces secured to said first part on opposite sides of and axially spaced from said working cyl-g" inder, hollow semi-cylindrical transmission devices connected to said second part, said transmission devices having a helical guide track thereon opposite to each of said first guide surfaces and concentrically arranged relative to the hinge axis, each of said wheel-shaped operating members being in engagement with said first guide surface and said helical guide track, and means for applying pressure fluid to said cylinder to slidably displace the pistons therein and cause said operating members to travel along said guide surfaces and tracks, respectively, to angularly displace said first and second parts relative to each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent Gotaverken-Hydraulically Operated Hatch Covers," Goteborg, Sweden, US. Patent Ofiice, Div. 53, received May 11, 1961.

Claims (1)

1. IN A PRESSURE FLUID MEDIUM OPERATING DEVICE FOR BRINGING ABOUT AN ANGULAR DISPLACEMENT BETWEEN HINGEDLY CONNECTED FIRST AND SECOND PARTS, AN ACTUATING DEVICE CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST PART CONSISTING OF A HYDRAULIC WORKING CYLINDER ARRANGED PARALLEL TO THE HINGE AXIS AND A PISTON RECIPROCABLE IN SAID CYLINDER, SAID PISTON HAVING A PISTON ROD, A WHEEL-SHAPED OPERATING MEMBER SECURED TO SAID PISTON ROD, A FIRST STRAIGHT GUIDE SURFACE SECURED TO SAID FIRST PART AND AXIALLY SPACED FROM SAID WORKING CYLINDER, A HOLLOW SEMI-CYLINDRICAL TRANSMISSION DEVICE CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND PART, SAID TRANSMISSION DEVICE HAVING A HELICAL GUIDE TRACK THEREON OPPOSITE TO SAID FIRST GUIDE SURFACE AND CONCENTRICALLY ARRANGED RELATIVE TO THE HINGE AXIS, SAID WHEEL-SHAPED OPERATING MEMBER BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST GUIDE SURFACE AND SAID HELICAL GUIDE TRACK, AND MEANS FOR APPLYING PRESSURE FLUID TO SAID CYLINDER TO SLIDABLY DISPLACE THE PISTON THEREIN AND CAUSE SAID OPERATING MEMBER TO TRAVEL ALONG SAID GUIDE SURFACE AND TRACK, RESPECTIVELY, TO ANGULARLY DISPLACE SAID FIRST AND SECOND PARTS RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER.

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