WO2007034201A1

WO2007034201A1 - A device suitable for being carried by a winding

Info

Publication number: WO2007034201A1
Application number: PCT/GB2006/003530
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jeffrey Lee Crowder
Original assignee: Cdr Systems Limited
Priority date: 2005-09-24
Filing date: 2006-09-25
Publication date: 2007-03-29
Also published as: GB0519513D0

Abstract

A device (1) suitable for being carried by a winding, such as a rope, band and cable or the likes, to which a tension is applied in use, comprises a first eye (2) through which a winding may be threaded and a second eye (3) through which a winding may be threaded, a joining member (7) located between the eyes (2, 3) to space the eyes apart, and one or more members (8, 9) adjacent to the joining member suitable for wrapping the winding around and for holding the winding in position when the winding is in tension; whereby the length of the winding may be varied.

Description

A Device Suitable For Being Carried By A Winding

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to devices suitable for being carried by windings, such as a rope, band and cable or the likes.

Background to the Invention and Prior Art known to the Applicants)

The closest piece of prior art known to the applicant(s) is employed for example on a tent tensioning thread which takes the form of a plate with two oppositely located eyes for threading an appropriate winding. In practice, the winding is threaded through the eyes so as to form a friction grip to hold the plate in position.

Whilst the length and the tension of the winding may be adjusted through the use of such a plate, the winding rubs against the edges of the eyes to be held in place. This results in the winding wearing rapidly as the winding is displaced against the sharp edges of the plate. As the winding is worn in this manner, filaments are severed which may potentially lead to the winding snapping if the tension exceeds the strength of the winding. Due to the stress /strain of the winding against the edges of the eyes of the plate, the plate may itself break in use. In addition, as the thread is attached to the plate it can cause it to bend and thus fail mechanically.

Summary of the Invention

In its broadest independent aspect, the invention provides a device suitable for being carried by a winding, such as a rope, band and cable or the likes, to which a tension is applied in use, comprising a first eye through which a winding may be threaded and a second eye through which a winding may be threaded, a joining member located between said eyes to space the eyes apart, and one or more members adjacent to said joining member suitable for wrapping the winding around and for holding the winding in position when the winding is in tension; whereby the length of the winding may be varied.

This combination of features is particularly advantageous because it not only allows the length of the winding to be varied but it allows attachment of the winding to the device in a manner that when the device is displaced relative to the winding only low friction occurs between the winding and the device as compared to the closest prior art discussed above. In addition, a device of this kind cannot only be used in tensioning the winding but also may allow the winding to carry heavy loads without the length of the winding being caused to lengthen. It achieves a secure attachment with low friction impact for carrying relatively heavy loads by the winding.

In a subsidiary aspect in accordance with the invention's broadest independent aspect, the member is a lateral projection. This configuration is particularly advantageous because it will allow a winding to be wrapped around the projection in a relatively straight forward manner. It avoids having to otherwise employ mechanical clamps on the section between the first and second eye. It also allows the device to be carried by the winding with the winding being threaded through the eyes and extending along the device in the longitudinal direction. In this configuration, the winding is substantially in the longitudinal axis of the device.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the device comprises two members forming a laterally projecting V-shape. This configuration is particularly advantageous because it can permit fine adjustments of the length of the winding by wrapping the winding around one of the Vs projections instead of wrapping the winding around both projections. It can also allow the winding to be more tightly secured around the projections by wrapping the winding around the projections in a figure of eight mode.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the eyes incorporate one or more side openings to allow the winding to be inserted sideways.

This configuration of features is also advantageous in its own right because it may allow the straight forward removal of the winding from the device if necessary. It will in this configuration avoid having to thread the winding through the eye.

In a further subsidiary aspect, a further eye is provided as part of said joining member. This eye may be provided without any sideways openings so that the winding may be threaded through said further eye so that the device becomes captive on the winding.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the eyes incorporate a tapered portion. This will reduce any potential friction between the device and the winding as the winding is displaced against the device in use.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the lowest diameter of the eyes corresponds to the diameter of the winding and the space between the V and one of the eyes regions of the device is at least twice the diameter of the winding. This configuration is particularly advantageous because it allows the winding to be wrapped around not only once but twice around the projection. In effect, it allows the winding to be wrapped the second time around on itself.

In a further subsidiary aspect, the edges of the eyes are rounded. In this configuration, the friction between the winding and the device is even further reduced which will be particularly useful to avoid breakages when the device is used for an extended period of time with the same winding and frequently adjusted. Brief Description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows in plan view a device for varying the length of a winding in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention comprising a V-shaped projection and two eyes which are peripherally closed.

Figure 2 shows a device for varying the length of a winding in plan view in a second embodiment where the winding may be wound around a drum.

Figure 3 shows in perspective view a device for varying the length of a winding in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention where the eyes have side openings.

Detailed Description of the Figures

Figure 1 shows a device generally referenced 1 for varying the length of a winding. It comprises at opposite extremities of the device eyes 2 and 3. The periphery of the eyes 2 and 3 are closed in order to prevent a winding from escaping the eye once threaded through the eye. In upper and lower sections of each eye, a tapered section is provided such as tapered sections 4 and 5 shown in the figure. Tapered sections 4 and 5 are the upper tapered sections. Equivalent tapered sections may be provided on the opposite side of the device. The edge 6 of the device may not necessarily be a sharp edge and is preferably rounded so that any contact by a user or the winding does not lead to damage.

A joining member 7 is provided as an integral part of the device between eyes 2 and 3. As part of joining member 7, two projections 8 and 9 extend laterally. These projections extend approximately at 60 degrees from the longitudinal axis which passes through eyes 2 and 3. In this configuration, the diameter of eyes 2 and 3 is approximately half the distance between edge portion 10 of the eye periphery and edge portion 11 of projection 8. In this configuration, projections 8 and 9 substantially form a V-shape. The combination of joining member 7 and projections 8 and 9 also can be said to form the Greek letter pie. The extremities of projections 8 and 9 may also be curved outwardly in a pronounced manner in order to prevent any potential risk of a winding slipping outside the V. Although the V-shape itself effectively fulfils this function for most applications.

Several modes of use are envisaged for the device 1. The first mode of use is when the length of winding is not required to be shortened by the device. In this mode of use, the winding is simply threaded through eye 2 along the outside of joining member 7 and through eye 3 at the opposite side of the device. In the second mode of use, in which the length of the winding is required to be shortened, the loop formed between eyes 2 and 3 as in the first mode of use is extended and the extended loop is then wound around either or both of the projections 8 and 9. Once the winding is secured in this manner and the tension applied on the winding the winding is held at a given length.

The same modes of use may be achieved in the configuration shown on figure 2. Device 12 incorporates two oppositely located eyes 13 and 14 with tapered portions 15 and 16 and a joining member 17. This embodiment incorporates a single drum 18 allowing the winding to be wound around the drum in the second mode of use discussed above. The drum may include a section of larger diameter such as section 19 which creates a flange 20 against which the winding may abut and be held captive in use.

Figure 3 shows a device 21 with two oppositely located eyes 22 and 23 with side openings which allow the winding to be removed from the eye in a sideways direction. Device 21 incorporates a further eye 26 located between eyes 22 and 23. The eye is of elongate or stretched oval shape so as to be able to accommodate multiple diameters of winding or alternatively multiple turns of a winding. The joining member 27 between eyes 22 and 23 incorporates projecting members 28 and 29 which are spaced and project relative to the longitudinal axis of the device at an angle of approximately 80 degrees. In addition, the extremities of projecting members 28 and 29 are sharply curved outwards in order to create an abutment surface such as surface 30 against which a winding turn may abut.

In a first mode of use, a winding may be threaded through eye 26 in order for the device to be held captive onto a winding. In a second mode of use, the winding may simply be threaded through eye 22 and eye 23. In a third mode of use, the winding may be threaded through eyes 22, 26 and 23, In a fourth mode of use, the winding may be wrapped around either or both of projecting members 28 and 29 for an appropriate number of loops so that the length of the winding may be varied.

Any appropriate material may be used as selected by the person skilled in the art from known alternatives for the device itself.

This device may also have particularly advantageous applications in the field of cranes such as those used to lift replacement windows/doors where the length of the cable is required to be adjusted in order to attach a window to a winding via appropriate attachment means such as a suction attachment means at a variety of locations on the window at diverse distances from the crane having adjusted the length of the winding. The inventor's own prior application published under number WO2006000808 describes an example of the type of crane in question and is hereby included by reference. This combination of crane winding and device in accordance with the invention will', for example, allow obstacles such as vertical and/or horizontal mullions in windows to be avoided whilst achieving accurate lifting.

Claims

1. A device suitable for being carried by a winding, such as a rope, band and cable or the likes, to which a tension is applied in use, comprising a first eye through which a winding may be threaded and a second eye through which a winding may be threaded, a joining member located between said eyes to space said eyes apart, and one or more members adjacent to said joining member suitable for wrapping the winding around and for holding the winding in position when the winding is in tension; whereby the length of the winding may be varied.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the member is a lateral projection.

3. A device according to either of the preceding claims, wherein the device comprises/two members forming a laterally projecting V-shape.

4. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the eyes incorporate one or more side openings to allow the winding to be inserted sideways.

5. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a further eye is provided as part of said joining member.

6. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the eyes incorporate a tapered portion.

7. A device according to any of the preceding claims 3 onwards, wherein the lowest diameter of the eyes corresponds to the diameter of the winding and the space between the V and one of the eye regions of the device is at least twice the diameter of the winding.

8. A device according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the edges of the eyes are rounded.

9. A device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and/or as illustrated in any appropriate combination of the accompanying text and/or figures.