GB1582444A - Resilient means - Google Patents

Description

(54) RESILIENT MEANS (71) We, MANSIGN ENGINEERING LIMITED, a British company of Eagle Close, Brookfield Works, Rolleston Drive, Arnold, Nottingham, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to resilient means.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided resilient means for forming a resilient barrier, the resilient means comprising an elongate body having an énd portion for insertion into a bore formed in a member, the end portion and at least a portion of the body adjoining the end portion being formed from a coiled spring so that the remainder of the elongate body is able to resiliently flex in a transverse direction in relation to the end portion, the end portion being laterally offset from said portion of the body to define a shoulder which forms a stop for limiting insertion of the body into the bore and the end portion being constructed so as to be capable of restraining axial removal of the body from the bore.

In order to restrain removal of the body from the bore the end portion may be so sized as to provide an inteiference fit within the bore. Alternatively, the end portion may be curved "in the axial direction so that on insertion of the end portion into the bore, that part of the end portion received in the bore is deformed to extend co-axially with the bore and that part projecting from the bore at the opposite end to which the end portion is inserted defines a shoulder to restrain axial removal of the end portion.

If desired the end portion may also be so sized as to provide an interference fit within the bore.

Alternatively, the end portion may be linear and may be provided with a further offset portion axially spaced from the stop means.

The offset portion may be provided either before insertion. into the bore, in which case to achieve insertion the end portion has to be rotated whilst moving in an axial direc tion or may be provided after insertion by deforming the projecting end part of the end portion in which case insertion may be achieved by axial movement of the end portion without rotation. Again the end portion may be an interference fit within the bore if desired.

Conveniently the interference fit of the end portion is achieved by making the end portion of a slightly greater diameter than the bore so that the end portion is put under a radial loading when received therein.

Preferably, the entire body is made from an elongate coil spring which is preferably a closed coil tension spring.

The above defined resilient means is par ticularly useful for inserting in the ramming rail of spill plates used in mining for retain ing static cables within a channel.

According to another aspect of the inven tion there is provided a spill plate having at least one resilient means as defined above.

Reference is now made to the accompany ing drawings which illustrate various em bodiments according to the ' invention suitable for use in spill plates, in which : - Figure 1 is a side view of a first embodi ment shown in situ.

Figure 2 is a side view of a second em bodiment.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a spill plate leo from which a ramming rail 11 projects and which is located below a 'channel 12 belong which power and ancillary cables run for supplying a coal cutting machine (not shown).

The ramming rail 11, base of channel 12 and part of the spill plate 10 define a further channel 15 which extends the entire length of the spill plate. Static cables 16 are received in channel 15 which cables are primarily electrical cables and extend from one roadway to another along the coal face.

The static cables 16 are retained within channel 15 by virtue of a plurality of resili ent means 20 spaced along the length of the ramming rail and which project across the mouth of the channel 15.

A first embodiment is shown in Figure 1 at 20 and has a body 40 which is composed entirely of a closed coiled tension spring 41.

The body has an end portion 22 which is laterally offset from the remainder 42 of the body to define a shoulder 44 to limit insertion of the end portion. The end portion prior to insertion is axially linear and is conveniently slightly larger in diameter than the bore into which it is inserted in order to provide an interference fit to restrain removal of the body 40 from the bore. As shown in Figure 1 the end portion 22 may be provided with a laterally offset end part 46 which defines a shoulder 47 for restraining axial removal of the end portion 22 from the bore 28. The laterally offset end part 46 may be formed prior to inserting the end portion 22 into the bore or maybe formed after insertion by deforming the end part 46 projecting below ramming rail 11.

If the end portion is to be provided with a shoulder 47, the end portion 22 need not necessarily be an interference fit within the bore.

A second embodiment is shown in Figure 2 at 20 and again has a body 40 which is composed entirely of a closed coil tension spring 41. The end portion 22 is laterally offset from the remainder 42 of the body to define a shoulder 44.

The end portion 22 is axially curved as shown so that on insertion into bore 28 it assumes the configuration illustrated in Figure 1.

Preferably, for the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 the diameter of the end portion 22 is slightly greater than that of the bore 28 so that that part of the end portion 22 received within the bore is put under a radial loading to provide an interference fit.

It is envisaged that, in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, the remainder 42 of the body need not be entirely formed from the coiled spring 41. For instance, a short length of spring may be provided which is connected to the end portion and an elongate rigid member, such as a rod of metal, may project axially from the short length of spring to extend across the mouth of channel 15.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Resilient means for forming a resilient barrier, the resilient means comprising an elongate body having an end portion for insertion into a bore formed in a member, the end portion and at least-a portion of the body adjoining the end portion being formed from a coiled spring so that the remainder of the elongate body is able to resiliently flex in a transverse direction in relation to the end portion, the end portion being laterally offset from said portion of the body to define a shoulder which forms a stop for limiting insertion of the body into the bore and the end portion being constructed so as to be capable of restraining axial removal of the body from the bore.

2. Resilient means according to claim 1 wherein the end portion is linear.

3. Resilient means according to claim 2 wherein the end portion is provided with a laterally offset portion which is axially spaced from the shoulder.

4. Resilient means according to claim 1 wherein the end portion is axially curved.

5. Resilient means according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the end portion is constructed so as to be an interference fit within the bore.

6. Resilient means substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.

7. A spill plate having at least one resilient means according to any preceding claim.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. entirely of a closed coiled tension spring 41. The body has an end portion 22 which is laterally offset from the remainder 42 of the body to define a shoulder 44 to limit insertion of the end portion. The end portion prior to insertion is axially linear and is conveniently slightly larger in diameter than the bore into which it is inserted in order to provide an interference fit to restrain removal of the body 40 from the bore. As shown in Figure 1 the end portion 22 may be provided with a laterally offset end part 46 which defines a shoulder 47 for restraining axial removal of the end portion 22 from the bore 28. The laterally offset end part 46 may be formed prior to inserting the end portion 22 into the bore or maybe formed after insertion by deforming the end part 46 projecting below ramming rail 11. If the end portion is to be provided with a shoulder 47, the end portion 22 need not necessarily be an interference fit within the bore. A second embodiment is shown in Figure 2 at 20 and again has a body 40 which is composed entirely of a closed coil tension spring 41. The end portion 22 is laterally offset from the remainder 42 of the body to define a shoulder 44. The end portion 22 is axially curved as shown so that on insertion into bore 28 it assumes the configuration illustrated in Figure 1. Preferably, for the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2 the diameter of the end portion 22 is slightly greater than that of the bore 28 so that that part of the end portion 22 received within the bore is put under a radial loading to provide an interference fit. It is envisaged that, in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 2, the remainder 42 of the body need not be entirely formed from the coiled spring 41. For instance, a short length of spring may be provided which is connected to the end portion and an elongate rigid member, such as a rod of metal, may project axially from the short length of spring to extend across the mouth of channel 15. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Resilient means for forming a resilient barrier, the resilient means comprising an elongate body having an end portion for insertion into a bore formed in a member, the end portion and at least-a portion of the body adjoining the end portion being formed from a coiled spring so that the remainder of the elongate body is able to resiliently flex in a transverse direction in relation to the end portion, the end portion being laterally offset from said portion of the body to define a shoulder which forms a stop for limiting insertion of the body into the bore and the end portion being constructed so as to be capable of restraining axial removal of the body from the bore.

2. Resilient means according to claim 1 wherein the end portion is linear.

3. Resilient means according to claim 2 wherein the end portion is provided with a laterally offset portion which is axially spaced from the shoulder.

4. Resilient means according to claim 1 wherein the end portion is axially curved.

5. Resilient means according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4 wherein the end portion is constructed so as to be an interference fit within the bore.

6. Resilient means substantially as described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.

7. A spill plate having at least one resilient means according to any preceding claim.