WO2007068472A1

WO2007068472A1 - Connector

Info

Publication number: WO2007068472A1
Application number: PCT/EP2006/012017
Authority: WO
Inventors: Oliver Feuerstein
Original assignee: Schmiedestück-Vertrieb Feuerstein Gmbh
Priority date: 2005-12-17
Filing date: 2006-12-13
Publication date: 2007-06-21
Also published as: GB0525706D0

Abstract

This invention relates to a connector, particularly to a shackle suitable for use in connecting two links of a chain, more particularly to a connector (1) comprising a first portion (5) and a second portion (10), at least one first connector arm (6) on said first portion (5) and at least one second connector arm (13) on said second portion (10), wherein both said first and second connector arms (6, 13) have at least one bearing surface (7b, 14b) and are able to engage one another when said connector (1) is coupled by means of said bearing surfaces (7b, 14b).

Description

Connector

This invention relates to a connector, particularly to a shackle suitable for use in connecting two links of a chain.

Anchor chains for marine use can be connected using known designs of shackle. Shackles usually comprises at least two portions, each of which will usually connect with a respective link on separate chains, before the two shackle portions are connected together to join the chains. The shackle should preferably be capable of withstanding the same forces as the chain links, but this is often a difficult compromise for the multipart shackle and frequent inspections are needed to assess the condition of the shackles, which is costly and inconvenient.

According to the present invention there is provided a connector comprising a first portion and second portion, at least one connector arm (first connector arm) on the first portion and at least one connector arm (second connector arm) on the second portion, wherein the first and second connector arms are able to engage one another when the connector is coupled, each connector arm having at least one bearing surface, preferably a plurality of bearing surfaces, which engage one another in the coupled connector and which transmit force between the first and second portions.

In a preferred embodiment at least three bearing surfaces are provided on each arm.

In some embodiments, there is provided a connector, also comprising a first portion and second portion, at least one first connector arm on the first portion and at least one second connector arm on the second portion, wherein the first and second connector arms are able to engage one another when the connector is coupled, wherein the first connector arm, having a first transverse axis, has at least one first engaging member with at least one first bearing surface, and wherein the second connector arm, having a second transverse axis, has at least one second engaging member with at least one second bearing surface, wherein the first and the second bearing surfaces engage one another in the coupled connector and transmit force between the first and second portions, wherein at least one of the first and second surfaces is arranged in a plane that crosses the transverse axis, i.e. a plane tilted against at least one of the first and second transversal axes.

Typically the surface is more aligned with at least one of the first and second transversal axes than with the longitudinal axis.

Typically, the first portion has at least one further connector arm, hereinafter termed "third connector arm", and the second portion also has at least one further connector arm, hereinafter termed "fourth connector arm", wherein each connector arm comprises at least one shoulder, i.e. a first, second, third and fourth shoulder, respectively, and each shoulder has at least one bearing surface, i.e. a first, second, third and fourth bearing surface, respectively. The at least first and third connector arms provided on the first portion have at least three first bearing surfaces located on at least three respective first shoulders on the first connector arm and at least three third bearing surfaces located on at least three respective third shoulders on the third connector arm. The second and fourth connector arms provided on the second portion have at least three second bearing surfaces and at least three fourth bearing surfaces located on the at least three respective second and fourth shoulders. The first and second surfaces and the third and fourth bearing surfaces are able to engage one another, so that force is transmitted between the two connector portions by the respective shoulders engaging one another in the coupled connector.

In a preferred embodiment, each of the connector arms typically has three shoulders and three bearing surfaces, wherein each bearing surface is provided on one shoulder.

Typically, one connector arm of a mating pair, e.g. first and second connector arms and third and fourth connector arms, respectively, has a different structure than the other connector arm of the mating pair. For example, one connector arm of the mating pair can have a head, and the other can have a socket in which the head at least partially engages. Each head and socket comprises the at least one bearing surface. Where two connector arms are provided on each connector portion, one can have a head, and the other a socket, so as to engage with the socket and head respectively on the other connector portion, preferably head or socket on the first portion correspond to head or socket on the second portion, so that basically both portions of the connector have engaging members of equivalent geometry.

In typical embodiments, the bearing surfaces are provided on shoulders extending at least partially laterally outward from the head, and extending at least partially laterally inward from the socket. The shoulders on each mating pair of connector arms can have complementary shapes, so that the heads fill the sockets and leave little space for movement in the coupled connector.

In some embodiments of the invention, the bearing surfaces are typically aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis, i.e. the shoulders are "stacked" along the longitudinal axis, of the connector. The at least first and third bearing surfaces are typically opposed to the at least second an fourth bearing surface, so that each first and third bearing surface faces one end of the coupled connector, and each second an fourth bearing surface faces the opposite end of the connector. In the coupled connector, the bearing surfaces on the first portion and the second portion can then be trapped behind one another. Also, when the connector is coupled, at least two bearing surfaces on the connector arms of a mating pair of connector arms are engaged against one another in a flat plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the connector. This arrangement can transmit force more efficiently, and reduces tendency towards movement in the made up connector.

The provision of the three separate bearing surfaces on respective shoulders increases the total bearing surface area available to transmit force between the two connector portions, and reduces the pressure applied to each separate surface, thereby reducing fatigue damage of the components.

In some embodiments, the three separate bearing surfaces are aligned along the longitudinal axis of the connector. This can avoid increases in cross sectional area of the connector necessary to bear the axial loads.

In some embodiments of the connector, the two portions can be generally U-shaped, with a connector arm on each side of the U. Typically, the two arms on each connector portion can be a different length from one another, so that when the connector is coupled, the mating bearing surfaces are not in the same plane on the connector but are axially offset with respect to one another.

In preferred embodiments, the two portions are connected by means of a connector pin. In some embodiments, the connector pin is optionally driven laterally through each of the portions of the coupled connector to secure them together. This can be also facilitated by the axial offset of the mating bearing surfaces.

In some embodiments, the two portions are braced in the assembled connector by a spacer device.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which;

Figure 1a is a perspective view of a connector shown in disassembled form;

Figure 1 b is a close-up side view of a head and socket from the figure 1a connector;

Figure 1c is a close-up side view of an alternative head and socket from the figure 1a connector;

Figure 2 is a side sectional view of the figure 1 connector;

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the figure 1 connector, viewed from arrow A in figure 2;

Figure 4 is a side sectional view of a similar connector; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view of the figure 4 connector, viewed from arrow A in figure 4.

Referring now to figures 1-3, a first embodiment of a connector 1 has a first portion 5 and a second portion 10. The two portions 5, 10 are substantially similar. The coupled connector 1 has a longitudinal axis X, which also applies for both the first and second portion 5, 10 when the connector is coupled. The first connector portion 5 is generally U-shaped and has a first arm 6 with a socket 7, and a third arm 8 having a head 9. The socket 7 and the head 9 as engaging members are disposed at the open end of the connector portion 5 extending away from the closed end of the U- shaped portion. The socket 7 has three shoulders 7s protruding radially into the socket 7 and extending around the inner circumference of the socket 7. The head 9 on the third arm 8 has three radially outwardly protruding shoulders 9s extending circumferentially around three sides of the head 9. The side of the head 9 that is closest to the axis X has no shoulder. All of the shoulders 9s, 7s are aligned in a plane parallel to the axis X.

The second connector portion 10 is also generally U-shaped and has a fourth arm 11 with a socket 12, and a second arm 13 having a head 14. Again, the head 14 and the socket 12 are disposed at the open end of the connector portion 10 extending away from the closed end of the U-shaped portion. The socket 12 has three inwardly protruding shoulders 12s extending around the circumference of the socket 12. The head 14 on the second arm 13 has three outwardly protruding shoulders 14s extending circumferentially around three sides of the head 14. The side of the head 14 that is closest to the axis X has no shoulder. All of the shoulders 12s, 14s are aligned in a plane parallel to the axis X.

The shoulders 7s and 12s on the sockets 7, 12 have the same basic structure, as do the shoulders 9s and 14s on the heads 9, 14. Therefore, in the interests of brevity and simplicity, only the details of the head 14, and the socket 7 will be described in detail, with reference to figure 1b.

Each head shoulder 14s is generally triangular in cross section, and has a bearing surface 14b facing the closed end of the connector portion 10, and a support face generally facing the open end of the connector portion 10. Each bearing surface 14b is flat and is disposed in a single plane that is generally perpendicular to the axis X. The bearing surfaces 14b are disposed in a single plane that is generally parallel to the axis X. The support surface tapers from the radially outermost edge of the bearing surface 14b back into the root of the head 14.

Each socket shoulder 7s is also generally triangular in cross section, and has a bearing surface 7b facing the closed end of the connector portion 5, and a support face generally facing the open end of the connector portion 5. Each bearing surface 7b is flat and is disposed in a single plane that is generally perpendicular to the axis X. The bearing surfaces 7b are disposed in a single plane that is generally parallel to the axis X. The support surface tapers from the radially outermost edge of the bearing surface 7b back into the root of the socket 7.

It will be noted that each bearing surface 7b, 14b faces the closed end of the connector portion 5, 10, whether disposed on a socket 7, 12, or a head 9, 14, and whether disposed on the first or second connector portion 5, 10. Therefore, when the two connector portions 5, 10 are facing one another prior to being coupled together, the bearing surfaces 7b, 14b to be engaged with one another are facing in opposite directions towards the closed ends of their respective connector portions 5, 10.

In an alternative embodiment, as shown in figure 1c, the bearing surfaces 7b of the first connector arm 6 are arranged in a plane that crosses a first transversal axis, e.g. first transversal axis Y, of the first connector arm 6 and the bearing surfaces 14b of the second connector arm 13 are arranged in a plane that crosses a second transversal axis, e.g. second transversal axis Y, of the second connector arm 13. When force is applied to the assembled connector 1 substantially along the longitudinal axis X of the connector 1 , the head 14 is forced into the socket 7 which it engages.

A spacer component 15 is provided in order to brace the arms apart in the coupled connector 1. The spacer component 15 has a flat outer surface on each side, with a step 16 that engages in a corresponding recess on the inner surface of the arms 11 , 6, so that the spacer component 15 can fit between the arms in only one configuration. In this configuration, a bore that extends through the spacer component 15 lines up with bores through the arms 6 and 11 , to allow the passage of a fixing pin 17 through the bore to fix the first and second portions and the spacer component 15 in the connected configuration. The pin 17 and the bore each have tapered sides, so that when the pin 17 is hammered into the bore, it lodges in position, fixing the component together. The pin 17 can be sealed within the bore, by melting or hammering a lead plug within the opening of the bore once the pin 17 is in position.

When the connector 1 is to be coupled, the two portions 5, 10 of the connector 1 are arranged side-by-side with their open ends facing one another, as shown in figure 1a, so that the head 14 on the second connector arm 13 is lined up with the socket 7 on the first connector arm 6, and the head 9 on the third connector arm 8 is lined up with the socket 12 on the fourth connector arm 11. The pin 17 is removed from the bore, and the heads 9, 14 are inserted into the sockets 7, 12 by moving the two portions 5, 10 sideways towards one another, so that the bearing surfaces 7b, 14b, 9b and the support surfaces on the heads 9, 14 and the sockets 7, 12 interlock with one another. The spacer component 15 can then optionally be slid into the space between the arms 6, 11 , so that the steps 16 on the spacer component 15 engage in the corresponding recesses on the arms 6, 11 , whereby the bore through the spacer component 15 is aligned with the bores through the arms 6, 11. The pin 17 is then hammered into the bore and sealed as described above.

In this configuration, the bearing surfaces 14b on the head 14 on the second connector arm 13 are locked behind the bearing surfaces 7b on the socket 7 on the first connector arm 6. Likewise, the bearing surfaces 9b on the head 9 on the third connector arm 8 are locked behind the bearing surfaces on the socket 12 on the fourth connector arm 11. When the coupled connector 1 is in tension, the force is transmitted between the first and second portions 5, 10 by the bearing surfaces 7b, 14b, 9b that are locked against one another. The support surfaces on each component support the bearing surfaces 7b, 14b, 9b against deformation.

The bearing surfaces 7b, 14b, 9b are aligned with one another in the same plane that is parallel to the main axis X of the connector 1. The axial load borne by the bearing surfaces 7b, 14b, 9b is spread between the three shoulders 7s, 14s, 9s, 12s on each arm 6, 13, 8, 11 of each connector portion 5, 12, thereby reducing the force borne by any specific shoulder 7s, 14s, 9s, 12s.

The angle of taper of the support surface, and the extent to which the bearing surfaces 9b, 14b protrudes radially from the root of the heads 9, 14 is variable between different embodiments. Increasing the radial extent of the bearing surfaces 9b, 14b increases the surface area through which force is transmitted, which is beneficial, because it reduces the pressure applied on each shoulder 9s, 4s.

Figure 4 and figure 5 show a modified embodiment in which the first and second portions 25, 30 are different from one another, but are attached in the same way as described above. Whereas the previous embodiment is most useful for connecting two links of chain that are of similar dimensions and specifications, the embodiment 21 shown in figures 4 and 5 is designed for connecting different weights of chain. Thus, the first portion 25 of the second embodiment 21 has an arm 28 with a head 29, having shoulders 29s as previously described, and an arm 26 having a socket 27 with internal shoulders 27s as previously described. The second portion 30 has an arm 33 with a head 34 and shoulders 34s, and a further arm 31 with a socket 32 and internal shoulders 32s, as previously described. The closed end of the first portion 25 is relatively narrow, and is designed for use with lightweight chain. The closed end of the second portion 30 has a heavier gauge, and is designed for use with heavyweight chain. The components of the second embodiment 21 function in the same way as those described for the first embodiment 1.

Modifications and improvements can be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims:

1. A connector (1 ) comprising a first portion (5) and a second portion (10), at least one first connector arm (6) on said first portion (5) and at least one second connector arm (13) on said second portion (10), wherein both said first and second connector arms (6, 13) have at least one bearing surface (7b, 14b) and are able to engage one another when said connector (1) is coupled by means of said bearing surfaces (7b, 14b).

2. The connector of Claim 1 , wherein said first portion (5) has at least one further arm - third connector arm (8) - and said second portion (10) has at least one further arm - fourth connector arm (11 ).

3. The connector of Claim 2, wherein each connector arm (6, 8, 11 , 13) has at least three bearing surfaces (7b, 9b, 14b).

4. The connector of Claim 2 or 3, wherein said first, second, third and fourth arm (6, 13, 8, 11) comprises first, second, third and fourth shoulders (7s, 14s, 9s, 12s), respectively, each further comprising first, second, third and fourth bearing surfaces (7b, 14b, 9b), respectively.

5. The connector of Claim 4, wherein each arm (6, 13, 8, 11) comprises at least three shoulders

(7s, 14s, 9s, 12s) and wherein each shoulder (7s, 14s, 9s, 12s) comprises one bearing surface (7b, 14b, 9b).

6. The connector as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 5, wherein said first connector arm (6) and said second connector arm

(13) are able to form a first mating pair of connector arms, wherein said third connector arm (8) and said fourth connector arm (11 ) are able to form a second mating pair of connector arms, and wherein in said first and second mating pairs, one of the connector arms (6, 13, 8, 11) has a different structure as an engaging member from the other connector arm (6, 13, 8, 11).

7. The connector of Claim 6, wherein on said first portion (5) at least one arm (6, 8) has a head (9) and wherein on said second portion (10) at least one arm (13, 11) has a socket (12), each comprising said at least one bearing surface (7b, 14b), wherein the socket (12) is adapted for at least partially receiving the head (9).

8. The connector of Claim 7, wherein on said first portion (5) at least one arm (6, 8) has a head (9) and another arm (6, 8) has a socket (7), wherein on said second portion (10) at least one arm (13, 11) has a head (14) and another arm (13, 11) has a socket (12), and wherein said head and socket (9, 7) on said first portion (5) correspond to said socket and head (12, 14) on said second portion (10), respectively.

9. The connector of Claim 7 or 8, wherein said shoulders (7s, 9s, 12s, 14s) extend at least partially laterally outward from said head (9, 14) and at least partially laterally inward from said socket (7, 12).

10. The connector of Claim 9, wherein said shoulders (7s, 9s, 12s, 14s) on each mating pair of connector arms (6, 13, 8, 11) have a complementary shape.

11. The connector of any one of the preceding claims, wherein said bearing surfaces (7b, 9b, 14b) are arranged perpendicular to a longitudinal axis X of said connector (1).

12. The connector of one of Claims 3 to 11 , wherein said three separate bearing surfaces (7b, 9b, 14b) are aligned along a longitudinal axis X of the connector (1).

13. The connector of any one of Claims 6 to 12, wherein said at least two bearing surfaces (7b, 9b, 14b) on said connector arms (6, 8, 11 , 13) of a mating pair of connector arms (6, 13, 8, 11 ) are engageable against one another in a flat plane that is perpendicular to said longitudinal axis X of said connector (1).

14. The connector as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said first connector arm (6), having a first transverse axis

Y, has at least one first engaging member with at least one first bearing surface, wherein said second connector arm (13), having a second transverse axis Y, has at least one second engaging member with at least one second bearing surface, wherein said first and said second bearing surfaces are able to engage one another when said connector (1) is coupled, and wherein at least one of said first and second bearing surfaces is arranged in a plane that crosses the relevant transverse axis Y.

15. The connector of Claim 14, wherein the at least one of said first and second bearing surfaces being arranged in a plane that crosses the relevant transversal axis Y₁ is more aligned with at least one of said first and second transversal axes Y than with a longitudinal axis X of said connector (1 ).

16. The connector as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 15, wherein said first and said second portions (5, 10) are substantially U-shaped and have one connector arm (6, 8, 11 , 13) on each side of the U.

17. The connector of Claim 16, wherein said first and third connector arms (6, 8) have a different length from each other, wherein said second and fourth connector arms (13, 11) have a different length from each other, and wherein said bearing surfaces (7b, 14b, 9b) of said first and second connector arms (6, 13) and of said third and fourth connector arms (8, 11) are able to mate with an axial offset with respect to one another.

18. The connector as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 17, wherein said first and said second portions (5, 10) are connectable by means of a connector pin (17).

19. The connector of Claim 18, wherein said connector pin (17) is drivable laterally through said first and second portions (5, 10) when the connector (1) is coupled for securing said first and second portions (5, 10) together.

20. The connector of Claim 18 or 19, wherein said connector arms (6, 8, 11 , 13) of said first and second portions (5, 10) are braceable when the connector (1) is coupled by a spacer device (15).