Force transfer assemblies
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorBlaine Rawdon
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Force transfer assemblies are provided for transferring forces from tensionable members to receiving structures. The assemblies may include nested thimbles that transfer respective forces from respective tensionable members to receiving structures such as cylindrical members. An outer thimble may transfer force from an outer tensioned member to a receiving structure without causing compression of an inner tensioned member. For example, the outer thimble may transfer forces by way of the inner thimble or to a boss of the receiving structure. Forces from a tensioned member or assembly of tensioned members may be distributed along a cylindrical member by a thimble having a convex bearing surface or by spaced thimbles disposed along the cylindrical member.
Claims24
A force transfer assembly for transferring forces from tensioned members to a receiving structure, the assembly comprising:
- a first thimble comprising a bearing surface for passing a first tensionable member thereabout, said first thimble defining an inner channel for disposition at least partially about a portion of a receiving structure such that force is transferred from the first tensionable member to the receiving structure by said first thimble;
- a second thimble comprising a bearing surface for passing a second tensionable member thereabout, said second thimble defining an inner channel for disposition at least partially about a portion of the receiving structure such that force is transferred from the second tensionable member to the receiving structure by said second thimble;
- wherein the inner channel defined by said second thimble is dimensioned for receiving therein at least a portion of said first thimble such that said first thimble and said second thimble are nested together and an intermediate space for receiving at least a portion of the first tensionable member is defined between said first thimble and said second thimble.
A force transfer assembly comprising:
- a receiving structure;
- a first thimble supported by said receiving structure;
- a first tensioned member passed at least partially about said first thimble such that force is transferred from said first tensioned member to said receiving structure by way of said first thimble;
- a second thimble supported by said first thimble;
- and
- a second tensioned member passed at least partially about said second thimble such that force is transferred from said second tensioned member to said receiving structure by way of said second thimble and said first thimble.
A force transfer assembly for transferring force from a tensionable member to a cylindrical member, said assembly comprising:
- a thimble comprising:
- a convex outer bearing surface for passage of a tensionable member at least partially thereabout such that force is transferred from the tensionable member to said thimble, and
- an inner bearing surface defining a channel for receiving a cylindrical member such that force is transferred from the tensionable member to the cylindrical member by way of said thimble.
A force transfer assembly for transferring forces from an assembly of tensionable members to a cylindrical member, said force transfer assembly comprising:
- a first thimble defining a cylindrical bore for receiving a cylindrical member and comprising a cylindrical outer bearing surface for passage of a first tensionable member thereabout;
- and
- a second thimble defining a cylindrical bore for receiving the cylindrical member and comprising a cylindrical outer bearing surface for passage of a second tensionable member thereabout,
- wherein the cylindrical bore of said first thimble is non-parallel with the cylindrical outer bearing surface of said first thimble,
- wherein the cylindrical bore of said second thimble is non-parallel with the cylindrical outer bearing surface of said second thimble,
- wherein said first thimble and said second thimble are configured to be disposed about the cylindrical member spaced from each other and oriented such that the first tensionable member and second tensionable member are guided toward each other as the first tensionable member and second tensionable member extend away from the cylindrical member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.