WO2002059425A1

WO2002059425A1 - Method and device for joining of elements

Info

Publication number: WO2002059425A1
Application number: PCT/NO2002/000034
Authority: WO
Inventors: Terje Breivik; Hermund Volden
Original assignee: Fitjar Betongindustri As
Priority date: 2001-01-23
Filing date: 2002-01-23
Publication date: 2002-08-01
Also published as: NO319002B1; NO20010406L; NO20010406D0

Abstract

A method is described for joining of adjacent elements (12, 13), such as two plate bodies (12, 12), or a plate (12) and a frame (13), in which a locking bolt (30) with its operating head (34) is arranged in a seat (31) in the one element and the shaft (32) of which runs through a bored hole in the element and locking pin (38) on the locking bolt (30) is brought to engage with a locking part (52) in the other element, such that the elements are prevented from coming apart. The method is characterised in that the locking pin (38) is brought into and out of locking engagement with the locking part (52) in that the locking bolt (30) is subjected to a pulling movement out of the seat under the counterforce of a spring force, and with the simultaneous movement of a turning of the locking bolt (30).A device for carrying out the method is also described.

Description

METHOD AND DEVICE FOR JOINING OF ELEMENTS.

The present invention relates to a method and device (a system) for joining and mutually locking of adjacent elements, as described in the introduction to the subsequent claims 1 and 5 respectively.

In particular the invention relates to a method and device for joining of two adjacent elements, such as two plate bodies, or a plate and a frame (for example a door and a frame) , where a locking pin in the locking device attached to one of the elements, is brought to interact with the locking body in the other element, so that the elements are prevented from coming apart.

The invention relates especially to a locking device (or a locking system) for joining of construction elements, such as plate-formed lids which are used to cover culverts, ditches, manholes and the like. However, there are no limitations to where the locking system according to the invention can be used. Thus, the locking system according to the invention can be used for joining all forms of elements which shall be laid side by side and be joined in a secure and reliable way, such as plate elements for walls, floors and roof elements. Another application area can be the joining of lid and cover elements for ships. When plate elements are laid, for example on a culvert to cover this, the elements can mutually be joined with the ^■aid of a groove and tongue system, which is well known. However, the last element in the row must be locked to the culvert frame in a different way by means of a locking system.

This can be accomplished by different forms of clamps, bolts and the like. However, the previously known locking systems are not reliable with regard to security, as they easily can be tampered with by intruders and opened.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new construction of such a locking system.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to improve the reliability and the security of such locking systems, so that they become impossible, or very difficult to open for intruders.

The method according to the invention is characterised by the features which are given in the characterisation in the subsequent independent claim 1, and the other dependent claims 2-6.

The locking device according to the invention is characterised by the features which are given in the characterisation in the subsequent independent claim 5. The specified embodiments of the locking devices can be seen in the dependent claims 8-13 respectively.

In the following, the invention shall be explained in detail with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows schematically a section of a culvert/ditch (as an example) , which is covered by a number of manhole covers mutually arranged side-by-side.

Fig. 2 shows partially in section a perspective of the form of the locking device according to the invention.

Fig. 3 shows an expanded section of the locking pin itself, which is used in the locking device according to the invention.

Fig. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of the unlocking tool (a key) that can be used to operate the locking device according to the invention. Initially, reference is made to figure 1 which illustrates a ditch, manhole 10 or the like which is covered by the aid of a number of lids 12. Along the side edges of the ditch, the manhole 10 or the like, thexe is a lid-frame 14 which is shaped for the placing of the number of lids 12. Two mutually adjacent lids 12A, 12B can, according to the non-limiting example, be joined with the aid of a sideways outwardly extending pin 14 which fits into a correspondingly formed sideways opening (a hole) in the neighbouring lid. The last lid 12D in the row, is locked to the frame with the aid of the locking device according to the invention.

How the locking device according to the invention is constructed is shown in detail in figure 2 in the form of an outline partially in section.

A plate element 12 shall be joined and be locked to the frame, which is shown with the reference number 13. The plate 12 is a profile shaped plate construction. The frame 13 comprises, alongside the edge section which shall be joined to the plate 12, a shoulder formation 20 upon which the adjacent side edge 22 of the first plate is placed. The construction is such that the outer peripheral side edge 13 of the plate 12 and the internal ring-formed edge 15 of the frame 13 are lying level with each other along a line of contact 24.

At a distance from the plate edge 24, the plate 12 comprises a construction for positioning of a locking bolt, the individual elements of which are shown more clearly in figure 3. The locking bolt is operated by an operator to lock the plate securely to the frame 13.

The locking bolt 30 is formed by an extended shaft 32 which runs over into an upper section of a bolt head 34 with external threads 36. The bolt head 34 has a noticeably larger diameter than the shaft itself. A locking pin 38, near the opposite rod end in relation to the head 34, extends perpendicularly from the shaft 32 a distance below the head section 34.

With reference to figure 2, the plate 12 is profiled (such as by cutting out) to form a recess 31 from the top surface. At the bottom of the recess, there is a thoroughgoing hole 33 through which the shaft 32 of the locking bolt 30 can be conducted. The underside of the head 36 is then lying against a seat which is formed in the bottom of the recess 31, as the hole is smaller than the diameter of the head. The recess has such a depth that the bolt head 34 is lying down in the recess 31, i.e. a distance below the plane of the top surface 11 of the plate.

In completely fitted condition, it is desirable that it should be difficult to tamper with the bolt to open the lock, i.e. that the plate can then be pulled out of the recess and be removed. Such an effect is provided in the following way:

A spiral-shaped spring 40 with a locking ring 42 is arranged to be threaded onto the shaft 32 from the bottom until the one end of the spring pushes against the underside of the head, i.e. pushes against the shoulder section which is formed between the transition between the head 36 and the shaft 32. The spring is gently squeezed together and a spring stopper 44 in the form of a short locking pin is placed into a hole 46 in the shaft 32. Thus, the spring is locked in a loosely compressed position. In its fitted position, the spring is used to keep the head 32 of the locking bolt 30 in position in the recess, and that it is used to keep the pin 38 locked to the frame 13, as will be evident from the following. In this fitted position, the spring pushes against the underside of the plate, and not against the underside of the bolt head.

During the initial mounting, the locking bolt is first placed loosely in the recess 31. Then the spring 40 which has a larger diameter than the hole 33, is threaded onto the shaft from below so that it pushes against the underside of the plate 12, i.e. against the underside of the profile shaped plate section, which defines the recess 31. The spring is somewhat squeezed together upwards against the underside of the plate, whereupon the locking pin 44 is put in place with the spring only loosely compressed. Thereafter, the locking pin 38 is placed across the shaft.

The locking bolt 30 is now held in a secure position in the recess. During the subsequent use of the locking mechanism, the spring 40 represents an important element to operate the lock.

The locking pin 38, which has a longitudinal extension, constitutes the element which is used to lock the plate 12 to the frame 13, and this is brought about as follows .

In a vertical end wall 50 of the frame 13, a female part 52 is formed to take up the locking pin 38, in the following way. The part 52 is formed as a block which is secured to the side wall 50, and the part comprises a trumpet/funnel formed hollow to take up and lead the locking pin 38 to a recessed bottom seat 56 in the female part, and into which the pin end 38 shall fall down or be enclosed. The extension from the funnel-formed hollow and channel and further to the bottom seat is as follows. The funnel 54, with its arc-shaped inlet section, is approximately in a horizontal direction and then runs a short distance horizontally to turn vertically downwards in an arc-shape in the form of a channel 55 to the bottom 56. Viewed from the side, the arc-shaped channel is completely open. The pin 38 is led sideways into the funnel 54 in that the bolt/shaft 32 is twisted (or is turned) around its longitudinal axis 60. When we look at figure 2, then the sideways arranged locking pin 38 of the locking bolt 30 is placed down in the bottom of the seat 56 under the influence of the spring 40 which further presses the underside 34a of the head 35 down against the bottom of the recess 31. When the plate and the frame are placed next to each other they cannot be mutually separated without the pin 38 being led out of the funnel 54,56. This can only be carried out in that the locking bolt 30, under the influence of the spring, is lifted upwards a length which corresponds to the height H of the channel 55, and is twisted towards the right so that the pin 38 is swung out from the funnel 54. This means that the head 35 is correspondingly pulled a length H outwards from (or upwards from) the bottom 33 of the recess 31 of the plate 11. The plate can then be separated from the frame, i.e. that it is pulled upwards in the direction of the arrow P. During fitting and locking of the plate to the frame, the locking bolt is led and is operated the opposite way. The plate 12 is put in place in the frame 13, the locking bolt 30 is pulled upwards and twisted towards the left so that the funnel 54 catches the pin-end 38 and leads it into the groove and further downwards (in that the operator releases the locking bolt) in the bottom 56 of the groove with the cooperation of the spring force.

To carry out the above mentioned operation of the locking bolt 30, a special tool 73 has to be used. The head of the locking bolt 30 is partially hidden down in the recess 31, and cannot simply be gripped by fingers, something which is also the aim of the present construction. An important feature of the invention is that one must attempt to pull the locking bolt 30, which is under the influence of a counter acting force such as a spring force, out of the recess to be loosened from or be secured in the part 52.

To operate the locking bolt, an operator must use a special tool 73 to get a grip on the head down in the recess (shown in figure 4). The tool 73 comprises an extended rod 70 which, at the bottom, has a sheath-form 72 with internal threads 71. At the top the tool 73 comprises a handle 74 which the operator can grip with one single hand.

The head 34 is constructed with external threads which are fitted to a sheath-formed tool 73 with internal,. correspondingly shaped threads. Consequently, the tool 73 can be screwed securely to the head whereby the tool sheath 72 is lying between the outer side of the head 36 and the inner wall of the recess 31. When the tool 73 is screwed sufficiently securely to the head, the locking bolt 30 can thereafter be pulled upwards and one can carry out the necessary twisting operations of the bolt 30 so that it is placed into or removed from the seat 56 in the back piece 52. When the plates are fitted and the locking organ 30 is activated, it is only the top 35 of the head 34 which can be seen when looking down into the recess. The rest of the construction is hidden underneath the plate 12. Intruders cannot see how the visible head shall be operated to open the lock. And it is only a special key with specially dimensioned threads, which can be screwed onto the head. The spring force is sufficiently large for the head not to be moved or be tampered with, if only simple means such as a screwdriver, pliers or the like are used.

There are, of course, other ways of forming the connection between tool 73 and the head. Especially preferred is that head and tool comprise correspondingly shaped thread sections. With the present invention, one can now ensure that plate elements are kept in position relative to each other, such that the last plate element (for example a manhole lid) in a row can be kept locked to the ring-formed frame, in which the lids are placed. Intruders that will tamper with the lids, will have difficulty in finding out how the lock shall be opened, as the mechanism is hidden. Intruders are not given any incentive to pull the locking bolt (where only its head is visible) in the direction out of the recess against the spring force to be able to open the unlock and loosen the plate 12.

Consequently, provided with the present invention, is a new locking construction which represents a large step forward in this area.

Claims

P A T E N T C L A I M S

1. Method for joining of adjacent elements (12,13), such as two plate bodies (12,12), or a plate (12) and a frame (13), where a locking bolt (30) with an operating head (34) is arranged in a seat (31) in the one element and the shaft (32) of which runs through a bored hole in the element, and a locking pin (38) on the locking bolt (30), is brought to engage with a locking organ (52) in the other element, ss<o that the elements are prevented from coming apart, characterised in that the locking pin (38) is brought into and out of a locking engagement with the locking part (52) in that the locking bolt (30) is forced through a pulling movement out of the seat under the counterforce of a spring force, and a simultaneous execution of a turning of the locking bolt (30) .

2. Method in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that the locking pin (38) is brought to enter an inlet section (54) of the locking organ in that the locking bolt (30) is displaced axially by pulling for a length H with a force against the spring effect at the same time as it is turned, and at the cessation of the displacement force, i.e. under the cooperating effect of the force from the spring, the pin is brought to be displaced from the inlet section (54) of the locking part (52) to a position in the engagement seat (56) in the locking part.

3. Method in accordance with claims 1-2, characterised in that a locking bolt (30) which is defined by an extended shaft (32) that runs into a head (34) is used, which head (34) has a larger diameter than the shaft (32), with the locking pin (38) close to the opposite shaft end in relation to the head (34) , extends perpendicularly outwards from the shaft (32) a distance below the head part (34) .

4. Method in accordance with claims 1-3, characterised in that the spring influence is set up with the application of a spring which is threaded onto the shaft and which functions between a stopper (44) on the shaft and the underside (33) of the one element (12).

5. Method in accordance with one of the preceding claims, characterised in that a locking bolt (30) is applied, the head (34) of which comprises a threaded section (36), and an operating tool (73) with a correspondingly threaded section (71) is screwed securely to the head (34), whereby the locking bolt (30) can be pulled axially and one can carry out the necessary twisting operations of the bolt (30) and the pin (38) .

6. Method in accordance with claim 5, characterised in that the head (34) is externally threaded and adapted to the inner threads (71) in a shaped sheath (72) of the operating tool (73).

7. Device for joining of two adjacent elements (12,13), such as two plate bodies (12,12), or a plate (12) and a frame (13) , where a locking bolt (30) with its operating head (34) is arranged in a seat in the one element, and the shaft of which runs through a bore in the element and a locking pin (38) on the locking bolt (30) can engage with the locking part (52) in the other element, so that the elements are prevented from coming apart, characterised in that the shaft (32) comprises a prestressing body (40) which prestresses the locking bolt in its seat.

8. Device in accordance with claim 7, characterised in that the prestressing body comprises a spiral spring (40) which is threaded onto the shaft and which functions (is prestressed) between a stopper (44) on the shaft and the underside (33) of the one element (12) .

9. Device in accordance with claims 7-8, characterised in that the locking pin (38) is arranged to be brought to enter an inlet section (54) of the locking organ in that the locking bolt is subjected to a displacement force against the influence of the spring at the same time as it is turned and at the cessation of the displacement force, i.e. under cooperation of the spring force, the pin is brought to be moved from the inlet section to a position in an engagement seat (56) in the locking device.

10. Device in accordance with claims 7-9, characterised in that the head of the bolt (30) is arranged in the seat (31) which is formed by a recess (31) in the element, with the bottom of the element (12) /seat comprising a through-going hole (33) which the shaft (32) of the locking bolt (30) is led through so that the underside of the head (36) lies against the seat.

11. Device in accordance with claims 7-10, characterised in that the seat has such a depth extension that the topside (35) of the bolt head (32) is positioned down in the recess (31) a distance below the topside plane of the element (12) .

12. Device in accordance with claims 7-11, characterised in that the locking bolt (30) comprises an extended shaft (32) which runs over into an upper section of a bolt head (34) which has a noticeably larger diameter than the shaft itself, and the locking pin (38) extends perpendicularly outwards from the shaft (32) at the other shaft end.

13. Device in accordance with claim 12, characterised in that the head (34) of the locking bolt (30) comprises a threaded section (36) which is adapted to the threaded section (71) of a tool (73) which can thereby be screwed securely to the head (34) whereby the locking bolt (30) can be pulled axially and one can carry out the necessary twisting operations of the bolt (30) and the locking pin.