IL158296A - Quick action connector - Google Patents

Description

QUICK-ACTION CONNECTOR Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for quick-action mounting and dismounting of various instruments on, and from, a platform such as, e.g., a tripod and the like.

Background of the Invention Instruments like theodolites, range finders, gravimeters, etc., are mostly attached to their tripods by means of one or more thumbscrews to tighten or loosen which have to be rotated manually several turns. As these thumbscrews are not always easily accessible, being located either on the underside of the platform or adjacent to corners of the instrument, they can hardly be handled by a gloved hand, which under conditions of wind, rain or snow is very hard on the operator, all the more so as the tightening and loosening of the thumbscrews take a not inconsiderable amount of time.

Disclosure of the Invention It is therefore one of the objects of the present invention to provide a device for the quick-action mounting and dismounting of various instruments on, and from, an instrument platform, an action that does not involve the rotation of thumbscrews, but merely demands the simple depression of a lever arm to initiate a positive clamping action and the simple tilting of a release arm to eliminate the clamping action.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device of the above kind that is capable of working in a military environment, as well as underwater.

According to the present invention, this is achieved by providing a device for quick-action mounting and dismounting of instruments on, and from, a mounting platform, comprising a housing fixedly attachable to an instrument to be thus mounted; a locking arm having a substantially discoid body and a laterally projecting arm, said arm reaching beyond the confines of said body, said body being seated in a recess in said housing and being adapted to swivel from a first to a second position about an axis at least indirectly mounted in said housing; a catch fixedly attached to said laterally projecting arm and, when said arm is swiveled to said second position, to be adapted to engage, and be detained by, latch means of a release arm mounted in said member; an eccentric at least indirectly mounted on said discoid body; cam means connected to a locking tongue via compression spring means and adapted to be engaged by said eccentric when said discoid body is swiveled by said arm, whereby said locking tongue is advanced.

Brief Description of the Drawings The invention will now be described in connection with certain preferred embodiments with reference to the following illustrative figures, so that it may be more fully understood.

With specific reference now to the figures in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the device according to the invention; Fig. 2 is a. perspective view of the assembled device as shown in the open position; Fig. 3 shows the subassembly: locking arm, locking cam and lock, as seen in direction of arrow A in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 represents the same subassembly, as seen in direction of arrow B in Fig. 5; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled device as shown in the clamping position; Fig. 6 shows the subassembly: locking arm, locking curve and lock* as seen in direction of arrow C in Fig 5; Fig. 7 represents the same subassembly, as soon in direction of arrow D in Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a view in cross-section along plane VIII-VIII in Fig. 9 with the housing carrying an instrument, and Fig. 9 is a partial view of the assembled housing as mounted on the interface.

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments Referring now to the drawings, there is seen in Fig. 1 a housing 2, preferably diecast, which is fixedly attached to the instrument to be mounted. Having thus been attached, housing 2, now carrying the instrument, is mounted on an interface fixedly connected to the platform and described further below. To facilitate connecting and to define its position on this interface, housing 2 is provided with two locator projections 3 having slanting faces which fit into appropriately shaped counterparts of the interface, as seen in Fig. 8.

Above housing 2 can be seen a locking arm 4 consisting of a substantially discoid body 6 with a laterally projecting, preferably integral arm 8. Locking arm body 6 is seated in a recess in housing 2, with arm 8 protruding, as seen in Figs. 2 and 5. When arm 8 is moved, body 6 swivels about an axis 10 in the form of a pin, one end of which is held in a top plate 12, the other fits a bore (not shown) in the recessed part of housing 2).

Body 6 is further provided with an eccentric 14 in the form of a ball bearing 16 attached to a plate 18 slidable in a recess 20 in body 6. Ball bearing 16 is mounted on plate 18 by means of screw 22, washer 24 and nut 26. By pushing plate 18 by means of an adjustment screw 27, the eccentricity of eccentric 14 can be adjusted over a range of + 1 ram. The purpose of such as adjustment will become apparent further below.

Arm 8 is provided with a catch 28, e.g., a plate attached to arm 8 by means of screws 30 and adapted to engage a lock latch 32 in a release arm 34 tiltable about an axis 36 in the form of a pin, one end of which is held in the above-mentioned top plate 12, the other fitting a bore 37 in housing 2. Once arm 8 has been depressed, lock latch 32 snaps below the protruding edge of catch 28 (see Fig. 3) and prevents arm 8 from returning to its position of rest, even when the depressing force (exerted by the user's fingers) has been removed . Arm 8 is released only when release arm 34 is slightly swiveled against the biasing force of a small helical spring (not shown). Such a movement causes latch 32 to disengage from catch 28, after which arm 8 is returned to its position of rest by a torsion spring (not shown), and the instrument can be removed from the platform.

Below housing 2 there is seen the locking unit 38 comprising lock cam 40 integral with two cylindrical studs 42 with internal threads fitting screws 44 which hold the entire unit together. On each of these studs 42 are stacked a number of disk-like Belville springs 46, the number and elastic properties of which are calculated to produce, when suitably compressed, a holding force of about 50 kg.

Further seen is a locking tongue 48 which, with its slanting edge 50, is adapted to engage an appropriately shaped counter-feature of an interface member represented in Fig. 8.

Another member of the locking unit 38 is a guide member 52 which, via a positioning and aligning plate 54, is fixedly attached to housing 2.

Lock cam 40, seen to best advantage in Figs. 3 and 6, is provided with a camming surface 56 substantially in the form of an inclined plane ending in a plane with a greatly reduced gradient along which camming surface the eccentrically mounted ball bearing 16 rides when arm 8 is pressed (Fig. 3). Further pressing makes ball bearing 16 to leave the relatively steep initial section and ride along the reduced gradient, thereby greatly increasing the leverage of arm 8. Riding along this portion, springs 46 are compressed, exerting on locking tongue 48 a force that provides a holding force of about 50 kg at a mechanical advantage of 1 :200 (Fig. 6). At the end of this portion, the gradient of the cam curve becomes zero, providing geometrical locking.

The U-shaped body of locking cam 40 serves for guidance (in conjunction with a projection 58 which is part of housing 2), with the longer arm of the U-shape serving also as stop limiting further movement of arm 8.

Fig. 2 shows the assembled device in its first position, the position of rest. It will be appreciated that the vertical position of the device as chosen for the sake of clarity only.

Fig. 4 represents a view in direction of arrow A in Fig. 2. Locking tongue 48 is clearly seen in the withdrawn position and adjustment plate 18 is seen at one end of the adjustment range.

Fig. 5 shows the assembled device in its second position, the locking position, with latch 32 engaging and detaining, catch 28 of arm 8.

Fig. 7 representing a view in direction of arrow C in Fig. 5, shows the adjustment plate 18 at the other end of the adjustment range, a position that ensures the largest compression of Belville springs 46.

Fig. 8 shows an instrument I as mounted on housing 2 which in turn, is attached to interface 60. The latter is provided with two counterparts 62 fitting locator projections 3 of housing 2 and one counterpart 64 fitting locking tongue 48.

Fig. 9 shows part of interface 60, as well as of housing 2.

It will be evident to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrated embodiments and that the present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims therefore intended to be embraced therein.

Claims (8)

1. ts on, and projecting arm, said arm reaching beyond the confines of said body, said body being seated in a recess in said housing and being adapted to swivel from a first to a second position /O about an axis at least indirectly mounted in said housing; a catch fixedly attached to said laterally projecting arm and, when said arm is swiveled to said second position, to be adapted to engage, and be detained by, latch means of a release arm mounted in said member; an eccentric at least indirectly mounted on said discoid body; , fa # ^ cam means connected to a locking tongue via compression spring means and adapted to be engaged by said eccentric when said discoid body is swiveled by said arm, whereby said locking tongue~is advanced.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising an . interface member to be fixedly attached to said platform and on which is mountable said device.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said interface member comprises means to accept locator means provided on said housing, and catch means to cooperate with said locking tongue when said tongue is advanced.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said discoid body is provided with a recess in which is slidingly mounted a plate.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said eccentric is mounted on said plate.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said eccentric is a ball bearing.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said compression spring means is at least one stack of Belville springs.

8. A device for quick-action mounting according to claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawings. For the Applicant WOLFF, BREGMAN AND GOLLER