WO2002046627A1

WO2002046627A1 - Automatic coupling mechanism

Info

Publication number: WO2002046627A1
Application number: PCT/NL2001/000886
Authority: WO
Inventors: Markus Van Der Laan
Original assignee: IMC Corporate Licensing BV
Current assignee: IMC Corporate Licensing BV
Priority date: 2000-12-05
Filing date: 2001-12-05
Publication date: 2002-06-13
Anticipated expiration: 2003-06-05
Also published as: NL1016794C1; AU2002225508A1

Abstract

This facility comprises a rotationally symmetrical coupling provided with a conical point and a recessed edge, and a counter coupling part provided with two locking cams (3). Owing to the specific shape of the two coupling parts, when the coupling parts are being moved towards each other the locking cams are moved aside by the conical tip of the rotationally symmetrical coupling part and moved back together again by auxiliary means, and engage in the recessed edge of the coupling part. In this way a full 360 degrees of support is achieved for the coupling between the two parts.

Description

Automatic coupling mechanism

The present invention relates to an automatic coupling assembly according to the preamble of claim 1. Many possible mechanisms exist for coupling a pin in a socket.

For heavier loads use is made of cams in the one coupling part (socket), which engage in a (recessed) edge of the other pin part. These cams are generally positioned in the edge of the other part by means of a(n) (auxiliary) mechanism. A number of these mechanisms make it possible to couple the two parts (fully) automatically. A more specific embodiment of this is a rotationally symmetrical coupling pin which is moved into a counter coupling part (socket), and wherein one or more cams engage in the recessed edge of the coupling part. Owing to the rotationally symmetrical shape, a correct mutual rotation position is no longer important. It is also possible to rotate the two parts relative to each other after the connection has been made. A further specific embodiment involves making the run-in end of the pin and/or the run-in end of the cams a conical shape, which simplifies the positioning of the two parts relative to each other.

During the movement of the two coupling parts (pin and cams) towards each other, the conical shape of the pin or cams can also be used to push the cams aside. The cams subsequently move back (close), and at the locking side the cams engage in the recessed edge of the coupling pin.

There are two variants of the latter embodiment: 1) In the closed position the cams together form a full 360-degree support around the edge of the rotationally symmetrical coupling pin. In this case use is made either of two semicircular cams or of several cams with a proportional part of a circle. Where two semicircular cams are used, however, it is not possible to use a rotationally symmetrical conical shape of the pin and/or the cams to push the two cams outwards at the guiding side, owing to the fact that with increasing cross section of the conical shape the force occurs only on the cam edges. The pressure of the resulting force is perpendicular to the direction of sliding of the cams, and no force is produced in the direction of sliding. In the case of two semicircular cams an additional mechanism has to be fitted for moving the cams aside, which makes the mechanism yet more cumbersome, complex and more expensive. For this reason, three or more cams are often used, so that said cams can in fact be pushed outwards by a conical shape of run- in of the pin and/or cams, and at the same time a full 360-degree support around the edge of the pin is in fact achieved.

However, with the increase in the number of cams the size of the overall construction increases, as do the production costs. The production costs increase further if there are several orientations of the machining passes of the cams in the case of metal parts, for example.

2) The cams form only part of the 360-degree support around the edge of the rotationally symmetrical coupling pin. This embodiment can vary between one cam and many cams, with slight support to almost full support all the way round. As in the case of the first embodiment, a rotationally symmetrical conical shape of the run-in part of pin and/or cams in the case of two cams cannot push the latter aside, unless said cams are supporting only a limited part of the edge. A commonly used embodiment involves only a support of roughly 90 degrees per cam. These 90 degrees are selected in such a way that if the semicircular arc of each cam is defined from 0 to 180 degrees, the 90- degree contact face runs from 45 to 135 degrees.

However, only a limited support is achieved in this way, which requires a greater and more expensive construction of the two coupling parts for transmitting the same force. It is clear from the above coupling mechanisms that there is no mechanism present that is satisfactory with only two cams and gives full support by the cams around the edge of the coupling pin, in combination with an automatic coupling during the pushing together of the two parts.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved coupling assembly which does not have the disadvantages described above; in other words, a coupling assembly provided with only two cams, a full 360-degree support by the cams around the edge of the coupling pin, and an automatic outward movement of said two cams during the run-in of the pin.

This object is achieved by the characterizing features of Claim 1. The rotationally symmetrical pin or coupling part can comprise all constructions of a recessed edge or locking part known in the prior art for making a connection with the locking cams. It should also be understood that this recessed edge can comprise many shape variations. The conical shape can likewise comprise many shape variations.

The counter coupling part or socket part can comprise all constructions and shapes known in the prior art for positioning the conical shape of the coupling part or pin. The counter coupling part can also comprise all constructions known in the prior art for supporting two locking cams at the position of the corresponding edge in the coupling part. The counter coupling part guides both locking cams, so that, through the conical shape of the coupling part, the locking cams are guided aside and are guided back again into the recessed edge of the coupling part. This guide can comprise all constructions known in the prior art.

The two locking cams can comprise all constructions known in the prior art for locking at the one locking side and for pushmg apart at the other side.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the locking side or locking edge of each cam forms a 180-degree semicircular support, and the other guiding side forms a support that is such that if the semicircular arc of each cam is defined from 0 to 180 degrees, an approximately 90-degree circular arc runs from 45 to 135 degrees.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the guiding side forms an increasing radius, measured from the axis of rotational symmetry of the coupling part, from 45 to 0 degrees and from 135 to 180 degrees. Through this embodiment, the conical part continuously supplies a force for pushing the cams aside with increasing cross sections of the conical part.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, this increasing radius is formed by a linear curve (straight line), which simplifies production machining operations. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the angle of inclination of the conical shape of the coupling part is selected in such a way that said angle of inclination is greater than the angle between the guiding side and the locking side of the cams, such that the conical shape makes contact only with the contact face on the guiding side of the cams, and not on the locking side. The resulting contact force that occurs on the guiding side has a component in the direction of movement of the cams and pushes the latter aside. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the conical shape is in the form of a linear curve (straight line), which simplifies production machining operations.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the conical shape of the counter coupling piece is matched to the conical shape of the coupling piece in such a way that the two parts are guided towards each other, and simple positioning between the two coupling parts is achieved.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, a cable is connected smoothly to the conical shape of the rotationally symmetrical coupling part, and the counter coupling part is in the form of a hollow construction through which said cable can be drawn. As a result of this design, the rotationally symmetrical coupling part is automatically guided into the counter coupling part, in order to produce the coupling connection.

The invention will be explained in greater detail below with reference to an exemplary embodiment illustrated in the drawings.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 relate to illustrations of the prior art. Fig. 4 and the further figures relate to the present invention.

Figs, la, lb and lc are illustrations of an automatic coupling mechanism with two cams and only partial support around it; Figs. 2a - 2c show the coupling of the coupling mechanism in cross section at the position of the axis of symmetry parallel to the direction of sliding of the locking cams;

Figs. 3a - 3c show the coupling of the coupling mechanism in cross section at the position of the locking cams perpendicular to the axis of rotational symmetry;

Figs. 4a - 4c show the different views and cross section of the locking cams of the present invention;

Figs. 5a - 5c show the coupling of the coupling mechanism of the invention for the same position as that in Figs. 3a - 3c;

Figs. 6a - 6b are illustrations of an application of the coupling mechanism in a(n) (emergency) towing system for ships; and Fig. 7 shows in perspective a cam according to the invention.

Figs, la, lb and lc show diagrammatically the coupling mechanism according to the prior art, in the coupled position, in side view, top view and cross section respectively at the position of the locking cams. The figures show the coupling part or coupling pin 1 with the locking part with the recessed edge 5 and run-in part with conical tip 6, and the line of rotational symmetry 9 and socket part or counter coupling part 2, the two locking cams 3 with only a partial support of the recessed edge, the. guide 4 of the locking cams, the conical guide of the counter coupling part 7 and the resilient auxiliary means 8 for pushing back the locking cams. The cross section of Fig. lc clearly shows the shape of the locking cams 3 and the partial support (roughly 2 x 90 degrees) of edge 5 of the pin 1 in the position where the parts are brought together.

In Fig. 2a the coupling part 1 slides into the counter coupling part 2 and presses with the conical tip 6 against the locking cams 3, with the result that the cams slide aside and compress the resilient auxiliary means 8. It can be seen clearly that the conical tip only makes contact with the guiding side of the cams, on the right-hand side. The locking side on the left-hand side makes no contact with the conical tip. In Fig. 2b the coupling part slides further into the counter coupling part, and the locking cams are fully slid aside. In Fig. 2c the coupling part slides to the end position, and the locking cams slide back through the resilient auxiliary means into the recessed edge 5 and lock the coupling.

Figs. 3a - 3c show the same coupling as that in Figs. 2a — 2c, but in cross section at the position of the locking cams. The contact surface between the conical tip and the locking cam is shown in Figs. 3a and 3b, resulting in two forces each below 45 degrees, indicated by arrows. The partial support between the locking cams and the recessed edge can be seen clearly in Fig. 3c.

Fig. 4a shows the locking cam of the present invention viewed from the run-in side on the guiding side of the cam, between cross section A and B a 45-degree circular arc 16 with a radius rl being followed, and between cross section B and D a linear curve 17. Fig. 4b shows the locking side of the same cam. The various cross sections A-D are shown in Fig. 4c. At C and D the conical tip is also shown, the angle of inclination of the conical tip being greater than the angle between the guiding side (on the right) and the locking side (on the left) of the cams.

Figs. 5 a and 5b show the contact surface between the conical tip and the locking cam on the guiding side, resulting in two forces, each below 45 degrees, indicated by arrows. The locking side of the cams is shown by a dotted line. It can be seen in Fig. 5c that the cams offer a full 360 degrees of all-round support to the recessed edge. Figs. 6a, 6b and 6c show the coupling mechanism according to the present invention in a towing system for ships in the coupled state, in side view and top view respectively. The figures further show a cable 10, which is connected smoothly to the conical tip 6 and is guided through the hollow counter coupling piece 2. The figures further show a round guide 11, which ensures good guidance of position and rotation of the coupling piece in the counter coupling piece.

Fig. 7 shows cam part 3 in perspective. The curve from the locking side to the run-in side can be seen from this figure. At the locking side, cam part 3 is purely a circular shape, while at the run-in side this same shape is present over a limited arc of approximately 90°. The other part extends along a straight line.

As a result of the invention, it is no longer necessary to use 3 or more cams, and the production process of the coupling mechanism is made easier. Through the correct choice of conical shape for the coupling part, the width of the cams and the guide edge of the cams, a reliable coupling can be achieved for a great variety of coupling speeds. Another feature achieved is that either a reliable coupling is achieved on the locking side or the coupling is broken. The risk of an unreliable coupling is consequently avoided. The coupling mechanism can further be provided with a facility for pushing the locking cams (in the unloaded state) aside, with the result that the mechanism is uncoupled again. Although the invention is described above with reference to a preferred embodiment, numerous modifications can be made to it without going beyond the scope of the present invention. The system can be used in many embodiments, varying from very small to very large structures. It must also be understood that this invention can be used in many heavily loaded metal coupling mechanisms. Examples are many coupling mechanisms in shipping, both between individual maritime objects and between maritime objects and the shore. In addition, there are applications for towing systems both for regular use and for use in emergency situations.

Claims

1. Coupling assembly comprising a socket part (2) and also a rotationally symmetrical pin part (1), said socket part comprising an element in which two cams (3) situated opposite each other are provided in a movable manner, said cams comprising a run-in edge and a locking edge, the pin part being provided with a run-in part with relatively large first radius (r2) and a locking part with relatively small second radius (rl), between said cams in their first position, in which they are brought together, a socket being defined for the close-fitting accommodation of said locking part of said pin part, and between said cams in the second position, in which they are moved apart, a socket being bounded for the run-in part of the pin part, the run-in part of the pin part and/or the part of the cams that during the movement towards each other of socket part and coupling pin first comes into contact with the run-in part of the pin part being of a conical shape such that in the first position of said cams during the insertion of the run- in part of said pin part in the socket part said cams move apart to the second position, and when the locking part of the pin part and the cams lie opposite each other said cams move back to said first position, characterized in that in at least one cam part the locking edge that engages upon the pin part comprises a circular arc of at least 135 degrees of arc with approximately said second radius (rl), and the run-in edge of said cam part comprises a central circular arc part of maximum 90 degrees of arc of at least approximately said second radius (rl), defined on at least one end by a continuously widening transition part (17) of at least 20 degrees of arc, the radius of the point of the transition part lying furthest from a central point corresponding to at least approximately said first radius (r2).

2. Coupling assembly according to the preceding claim, in which the transition part has a linear curve.

3. Coupling assembly according to one of the preceding claims, in which the run-in part of the pin part is of a conical shape, the angle of inclination of the conical shape of the pin part being selected in such a way that said angle of inclination is greater than the angle between the guiding side and the locking side of the cams.

4. Coupling assembly according to the preceding claims, in which the conical shape of the pin part has an increasing radius according to a linear curve (straight line).

5. Coupling assembly according to one of the preceding claims, in which the conical shape of the socket part is matched to the conical shape of the pin part, for simple mutual positioning of the two coupling parts.

6. Coupling assembly according to one of the preceding claims, in which a cable is connected smoothly to the comcal shape of the rotationally symmetrical coupling part.

7. Coupling assembly according to Claim 6, in which the socket part is in the form of a hollow construction through which the cable is guided..

8. Coupling assembly according to one of the preceding claims, in which the coupling is used between individual maritime objects or between maritime objects and the shore.

9. Coupling assembly according to one of the preceding claims, in which the coupling is used for a towing connection.