Chain lock with locking device

Abstract

The invention relates to a chain link (1) for a link chain, in particular for use in underground mining, comprising two C-shaped lock halves (2, 3) which can be plugged into one another in particular in the chain longitudinal direction (6) by their C-shaped ends and locked to one another by at least one lock pin (11) which runs through the C-shaped ends transversely to the chain longitudinal direction (6). The two lock pins (11) are inserted from opposite sides, wherein each lock pin (11) has a flared end (12).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a chain lock with features according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Chain locks are known in the prior art. These can also be called overturning locks (Kenterschloss) or flat locks. These chain locks are used to connect the ends of two chains.

[0003] These chains are link chains. Specifically, they are link chains made of round steel. This type of chain lock must connect the ends of the chain and transmit a corresponding tension along the longitudinal direction of the chain. For this purpose, the chain lock is correspondingly locked. Most locks consist of two nested halves that are then locked together by locking elements.

[0004] For example, such a chain lock is known from DE 10 2009 004 266 A1. In this process, each C-shaped half of the lock is interlocked with the other half at the C-shaped end along the longitudinal direction of the chain. Then, a bolt arranged transversely to the longitudinal direction of the chain is passed through the end of the lock, thereby locking the two halves of the lock.

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to improve the chain locks known in the prior art, increase their load-bearing capacity and / or the tensile force transmitted along the longitudinal direction of the chain, and make them easier to manufacture.

[0006] According to the present invention, the aforementioned objective is achieved by a chain lock with the features of claim 1.

[0007] Therefore, chainlocks are commonly used in link chains, especially in underground mining. It has two C-shaped locking halves. These halves are made of steel, for example, through a forging process.

[0008] The C-shaped lock halves can be interlocked along the longitudinal direction of the chain through their C-shaped ends. Then, at least one bolt passing through the C-shaped end transversely to the longitudinal direction of the chain locks the lock halves together. The chain ends to be connected (i.e., the last chain link at the chain end) are inserted into the corresponding lock halves, and then the lock halves are interlocked and locked, thus connecting the chain ends by a chain lock.

[0009] According to the invention, the chain lock is characterized in that two bolts are inserted from opposite sides, wherein each bolt has an expanded end.

[0010] This invention enables a simple and effective chain lock. Because the bolts are inserted from opposite sides, and each bolt has an expanding end, the corresponding forked outer ends of the C-shaped bolts can be effectively prevented from expanding, and slippage due to expansion can be prevented where possible. The expanding ends of the bolts secure the C-shaped ends of the lock halves transversely to the longitudinal direction of the chain, maintaining their shape. This effectively increases the load-bearing capacity of the chain lock.

[0011] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the expansion end is tapered. Specifically, the taper angle of the tapered expansion is between 10 and 30 degrees, particularly between 15 and 25 degrees, and preferably between 22 and 24 degrees. Here, according to the invention, the advantage of the tapered expansion is that it has a smaller notch effect compared to a stepped expansion. This, in turn, improves durability. The tapered expansion is also advantageous when unscrewing the bolt, as it prevents tilting. Therefore, according to the invention, opening the chain lock becomes simple.

[0012] The bolt itself is secured in the chain lock by a fixing device in the form of a retaining pin (e.g., a sliding key, a locating pin, or a spring pin). To do this, the bolt is inserted into the chain lock. Then, the corresponding fixing device is inserted into the chain lock transversely to the longitudinal direction of the chain and transversely to the bolt. Therefore, the bolt can be firmly fixed in its insertion direction. Simultaneously, the expanded area is thus relatively and absolutely fixed in the chain lock. The expanded end of the bolt uses a lateral concave principle to lock and fix the corresponding C-shaped end of the chain lock into place.

[0013] For example, the bolt may preferably have an annular groove, into which a retaining bolt is then inserted laterally. For example, the retaining bolt may be a retaining pin or spring pin that can then be pressed in.

[0014] In another preferred embodiment variation, the locking halves are designed in a mirror-symmetric manner. This mirror symmetry exists only with respect to the mid-vertical plane. Specifically, the legs are designed to be complementary or corresponding to each other. Therefore, the locking halves have forked extensions at their C-shaped ends. The other C-shaped end can then be designed as a bridging extension. Specifically, if the locking halves are designed in a complementary or corresponding relationship as described above, the bridging extension of one locking half is inserted into the forked extension of the other locking half. The other locking half also has a forked extension, into which the bridging extension of the second locking half engages.

[0015] Therefore, when the two lock halves are nested together, the bridge extension engages with the fork-shaped extension of the other lock half. The locking element, in particular the bolt, passes through the fork-shaped extension and the bridge extension, thereby locking the lock halves together.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment variant, each inserted bolt penetrates almost completely through the lock half, particularly completely, but penetrates at least 90% in the longitudinal direction of the bolt or in the height direction of the lock half, particularly more than 95%, preferably more than 96%, and especially preferably completely.

[0017] To achieve the locking motion, the C-shaped ends can move along the longitudinal direction of the chain and interlock with each other. However, it is also conceivable that the C-shaped ends extend along the longitudinal direction of the chain, but the locking motion is transverse to the longitudinal direction of the chain. Then, the corresponding locking bolt is inserted transversely to the locking motion and transversely to the longitudinal direction of the chain.

[0018] In another preferred embodiment variation, the opening on the lock half (for inserting the bolt) has an expanded receiving opening. The expanded end of the bolt contacts, at least partially contacts, particularly fully contacts, or is received within the receiving opening. Therefore, from the outside, the chain lock appears flat when the bolt is inserted. Consequently, the expanded end of the bolt does not protrude outward beyond the lock half. For this purpose, the receiving opening is specifically formed in the outer fork of the fork-shaped end. Thus, the chain lock can operate in the upper or lower branch, or through the sprocket, without the bolt protruding outward.

[0019] Alternatively, a shim may be inserted at the central opening. However, preferably, the lock half is designed to form an inwardly pointing-opening spacer extension at the C-shaped end, particularly at the inner forked extension of the forked end. These two spacer extensions then contact the inner sides of the lock half inserted into each other. Thus, the chain lock forms two receiving openings separated by the spacer extensions. In this case, a central shim is not required. In the locked state, the spacer extensions are preferably also penetrated by the bolt.

[0020] Further advantages, features, characteristics, and aspects of the invention are the subject of the following description. Preferred design variations are shown in the schematic diagrams. These contribute to a more readily understood understanding of the invention. In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 A perspective view of the chain lock according to the present invention is shown; Figure 2 A side view of the chain lock according to the present invention is shown; Figure 3 A top view of the chain lock according to the present invention is shown; Figure 4 A longitudinal sectional view of the chain lock according to the present invention is shown.

[0021] In the figure, the same reference symbols are used to represent the same or similar parts, even if repeated descriptions are omitted for simplicity.

[0022] Figure 1 A chain lock 1 according to the invention is shown. The chain lock 1 has two locking halves 2 and 3. As described above, locking halves 2 and 3 are specifically designed to complement or correspond to each other.

[0023] like Figure 2As shown, each locking half 2, 3 is designed in a C-shape. In this case, the end of the C-shape is also called the C-shaped end. The C-shaped ends of locking halves 2, 3 are respectively designed as bridging extensions 4. Complementarily, the other end is formed as a fork-shaped extension 5. The bridging extension 4 and the fork-shaped extension 5 are engaged in the longitudinal direction 6 of the chain, or are received in the fork-shaped extension in a form-locking manner. As shown, the locking device can be implemented by interlocking the locking halves 2, 3 along the longitudinal direction 6 of the chain. However, the locking device can also be implemented transversely to the longitudinal direction of the chain. The locking movement will be realized in the image plane.

[0024] Then, the outer forks 7 of the fork-shaped extensions 5 are respectively externally disposed. Corresponding spacer extensions 9 are formed on the inner fork 8. The two spacer extensions 9 abut against their inner sides, and preferably abut against each other. Thus, two receiving openings 10 are formed and are separated from each other, so that the chain ends (not shown in detail) are received into the receiving openings 10 together with the last chain link.

[0025] like Figure 1 , Figure 3 ,in particular Figure 4 As shown, two bolts 11 are inserted into the locking halves 2 and 3 from opposite sides, parallel to each other and spaced apart, transversely to the longitudinal direction 6 of the chain. Here, the bolts 11 pass through the C-shaped ends, namely the bridge extension 4 and the fork extension 5, thereby locking the locking halves 2 and 3 along the longitudinal direction 6 of the chain.

[0026] Each bolt 11 has an expansion end 12. Through the expansion end 12, the outer fork 7 is form-locked in a transverse direction 13 extending transversely to the longitudinal direction 6 of the chain. This prevents the outer fork 7 from expanding.

[0027] To prevent the bolt 11 from moving outward in the lateral direction 13, retaining bolts 14 are also used. For example, these retaining bolts 14 are press-fit spring pins. The bolt 11 has an annular groove 15. Figure 4 As shown, the retaining bolt 14 engages in the annular groove 15, thereby securing the bolt 11 in a form-locking manner within the chain lock 1. Once the retaining bolt 14 is in place, movement in the lateral direction 13 is prevented. The bolt 11 itself can have a circular cross-section, as shown. However, the cross-sectional geometry of the bolt may also differ. In this case, however, one end is expanded compared to the cross-sectional geometry.

[0028] Preferably, the expansion end 12 is designed as a tapered expansion portion. The tapered angle α is preferably between 10 degrees and 30 degrees. According to the present invention, the tapered expansion portion will not produce a notch effect on the outer fork 7 or the locking bolt 11.

[0029] In addition, from Figure 4As can be seen, the expansion end 12 is also received into the receiving opening 17 in a shape-locking manner. Therefore, the outer side 16 of the expansion end 12 of the chain lock 1 and / or bolt 11 is designed to be flat, so that the expansion end 12 is recessed into the outer fork 7.

[0030] List of reference numerals 1 - Chain Lock 2 - Lock half 3 - Lock half 4 - Bridge Extension 5 - Forked extension 6 - Chain longitudinal direction 7 - External Fork 8 - Inner fork 9 - Spacing Extension 10 - Receiving opening 11 - Bolt 12 - Expanded end 13 - Horizontal direction 14 - Fixing Bolts 15 - Annular groove 16 - Outer side 17 - Receiving opening α - Cone angle

Claims

1. A chain lock (1) for a link chain, particularly suitable for underground mining, comprising two C-shaped lock halves (2, 3), said two C-shaped lock halves being interlocked with each other, particularly in the longitudinal direction (6) of the chain, by means of their C-shaped ends and locked to each other by at least one bolt (11) passing through the C-shaped ends transversely to the longitudinal direction (6) of the chain, characterized in that, Two bolts (11) are inserted from opposite sides, each bolt (11) having an expanded end (12).

2. The chain lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The expanded end (12) is tapered.

3. The chain lock (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, It forms a cone angle (α) of 10 to 30 degrees, especially 15 to 25 degrees, and preferably 22 to 24 degrees.

4. The chain lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, Two bolts (11) are set parallel to each other, wherein the bolts (11) are offset from each other parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction (6) of the chain.

5. The chain lock (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bolt (11) is fixed in the chain lock (1) by a fixing device.

6. The chain lock (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The bolt (11) has an annular groove (15), wherein the fixing bolt (14) is inserted transversely to the longitudinal direction (6) of the chain and transversely to the bolt (11).

7. The chain lock (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The legs of the locking halves (2, 3) are designed to be complementary or corresponding to each other.

8. The chain lock (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The locking half (2, 3) has a fork-shaped extension (5) as a C-shaped end and a bridge-shaped extension (4) as another C-shaped end.

9. The chain lock (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The opening into which the bolt (11) is inserted has an expanded receiving opening (10), and the expanded end (12) of the bolt (11) is received at least partially, and in particular completely, into the receiving opening.

10. The chain lock (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, An expanded receiving opening (10) is formed on the outer fork (7) at the fork-shaped end.

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