US 2002/0163411 A1 · Coupling device

Abstract

A coupling device for releaseably securing together two objects. The coupling device comprises a first housing securable to a first object, a second housing securable to a second object, and an actuator secured to the first housing. The second housing has a hollow bore therein. At least part of the actuator is releaseably receivable within the hollow bore of the second housing. The actuator has an activated and a deactivated configuration. When in its activated configuration at least a portion of the periphery of the actuator is in an expanded state such that when situated within the hollow bore of the second housing the expanded periphery of the actuator releaseably secures the first housing to the second housing. When the actuator is in its deactivated configuration the periphery of the actuator in a retracted state permitting separation and relative movement between the first and second housings. The actuator and the first and second housings receive and dissipate bending moments applied thereto across the first and second objects to resist flexure therebetween.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A coupling device for releaseably securing together two objects, the coupling device comprising:

a first housing securable to a first object;
a second housing securable to a second object, said second housing having a hollow bore therein;
and,
an actuator secured to said first housing, at least part of said actuator releaseably receivable within said hollow bore of said second housing, said actuator having an activated and a deactivated configuration, when in said activated configuration at least a portion of the periphery of said actuator in an expanded state such that when situated within said hollow bore of said second housing said expanded periphery of said actuator releaseably securing said first housing to said second housing, when said actuator in said deactivated configuration the periphery of said actuator in a retracted state permitting separation and relative movement between said first housing and said second housing, said actuator and said first and second housings receiving and dissipating bending moments applied thereto across the first and second objects to resist flexure therebetween.

1 more element

A coupling device for releaseably securing together two objects, the coupling device comprising:

a first housing securable to a first object, one end of said first housing having an elongate load transferring member receivable within the first object, the opposite end of said housing having and elongate spigot;
a second housing securable to a second object, said second housing including an elongate load transferring member receivable within the second object, said elongate load transferring member having a hollow bore therein for receiving said elongate spigot of said first housing;
and,
an expandable locking member for releaseably securing said spigot within said hollow bore of said second housing, when said expandable locking member securing said spigot within said hollow bore of said second housing said spigot and said elongate load transferring members of said first and second housings dissipating bending moments across the first and second objects and resisting flexure therebetween.

1 more element

A coupling device for releasably securing together the ends of a first and a second longitudinal rail, one end of the second rail having a hollow bore formed therein, the coupling device comprising:

a first housing securable to the end of the first rail, one end of said first housing having an elongate load transferring member securable to the first rail and the opposite end of said housing having an elongate spigot, said spigot of a size and shape such that said spigot is closely receivable within the hollow bore in the end of the second longitudinal rail;
and,
an activator that upon activation causes at least a portion of the periphery of said spigot to expand such that when said spigot is received within the hollow bore in the end of the second rail said spigot releaseably secures the ends of the first and second rails together, said spigot and said elongate load transferring member receiving and accommodating bending moments resulting from loads applied to the first and second rails and dissipating bending moments across the first and second rails to resist flexure therebetween.

A coupling device for securing together the ends of segments of a transfer rail for use in a press transfer system, the coupling device comprising:

a first housing securable to one end of a first segment of the transfer rail, said first housing having on one end an elongate load transferring member securable to one segment of the transfer rail, the opposite end of said first housing having an elongate spigot;
a second housing securable to one end of a second segment of the transfer rail, said second housing including an elongate load transferring member receivable within a bore in the end of the second segment of the transfer rail, said elongate load transferring member of said second housing having a hollow bore therein for receiving said elongate spigot of said first housing such that when said spigot is received within the hollow bore in said second housing said spigot releaseably secures the ends of the first and second segments of the transfer rail together, said spigot and said elongate load transferring members of said first and said second housings receiving and dissipating bending moments applied thereto across the first and second segments of the transfer rail and resisting flexure therebetween.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Coupling device

Life of this patent

Coupling device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31