Fretting-wear resistant beacon lid
AssigneeThe Charles Machine Works, Inc.
InventorGreg L. Slaughter, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connection system for a lid in a beacon housing. The lid is connected to the housing at a tab at a first end, after a lip of the lid is placed under a shelf at its second end. The tab has a cross-bore for receiving a connection pin through both the cross-bore and corresponding holes in the housing which form a continuous passage. The lid is placed under tension to reduce relative vibration between the lid and the housing. A set screw is placed within the tab to place a force on the connection pin. Further set screws are distributed about the lid and place the lid in tension relative to the housing. The lid can be removed by reducing the tension provided by the set screws, removing the connection pin, and adjusting the lid such that it is no longer under the shelf of the housing.
Claims16
An assembly comprising:
- a beacon configured to emit a dipole magnetic field;
- an elongate housing extending from a first end to a second end, and having an exterior surface within which a cavity is formed, the cavity receiving the beacon and having an open mouth that joins the exterior surface of the housing;
- and
- a lid configured to close the mouth of the cavity, and comprising:
- a tab defining a first bore and a second bore, wherein:
- the first bore is non-parallel to and intersects the second bore;
- wherein the elongate housing defines a pair of aligned bores, wherein the first bore of the tab forms a continuous passage with the pair of aligned bores when the lid is covering the mouth of the cavity;
- a pin configured to be placed within the continuous passage formed by the first bore and the pair of aligned bores;
- and
- a set screw configured for placement within the second bore and comprising a conical end, wherein the conical end abuts the pin when the set screw is within the second bore and the pin is within the first bore.
A method of joining a lid to a housing, the housing having an open mouth exposing a cavity, comprising:
- placing the lid over the open mouth, wherein the lid is configured to carry a plurality of second set screws about its perimeter;
- placing a pin through a first aperture in the housing, a first bore in the lid, and a second aperture in the housing, wherein the first aperture, second aperture, and first bore form a continuous passage when the lid is placed over the open mouth;
- placing a first set screw within a second bore in the lid, wherein the second bore is non-parallel to and intersecting with the first bore;
- placing a force on the pin with an end of the first set screw;
- and
- adjusting the plurality of second set screws such that the plurality of second set screws engages against the housing when the lid is covering the open mouth such that the lid is pushed away from the housing.
A method comprising:
- placing a beacon into a cavity in an elongate housing through an open mouth;
- covering the open mouth with a lid;
- securing the lid to the elongate housing with a component;
- and
- thereafter, placing a set screw into the lid such that placement of the set screw applies a force to the component.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.