An automatic locking device

Abstract

The application relates to an automatic locking device which comprises a base, a clamping sleeve, a gasket, a shaft sleeve, a shaft, a bolt, a stop ring, a washer and a nut. The base is in a rectangular plate structure, and mounting through holes are arranged at four corners. The clamping sleeve is a U-shaped component, coaxial through holes are arranged at both sides of the open end. The gasket is an annular gasket, and the inner diameter is matched with the outer diameter of the shaft. The shaft sleeve is a cylindrical structure, and is sleeved on the outside of the shaft. The shaft is a cylindrical long rod, and an annular clamping groove is arranged at one end. The bolt is a standard fastener, the stop ring is clamped in the annular clamping groove of the shaft, the washer is sleeved on the rod part of the bolt, and the nut is matched with the bolt in a threaded mode. Two parallel support vertical plates are arranged on the top surface of the base, the shaft is arranged in the shaft mounting hole of the support vertical plate, and the two ends are limited by the stop ring. The clamping sleeve is sleeved on the middle part of the shaft and can rotate around the shaft. The gasket and the shaft sleeve limit the axial movement of the clamping sleeve. The bolt is arranged in the mounting through hole of the base, and the whole device is fixed by the nut.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of mechanical locking technology, specifically an automatic locking device. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of water conservancy and gate control technology, large river gates, after being raised to the designated position, usually require reliable locking and support devices to ensure their stability during maintenance or non-operational periods. However, existing technologies often use simple suspension methods such as wire ropes and screws to temporarily fix the gates. These methods suffer from problems such as easy structural swaying, insufficient support rigidity, cumbersome operation, and poor safety, making it difficult to meet the high reliability and automation requirements of modern water conservancy projects for gate positioning and locking.

[0003] A search revealed a fixed-position follow-up rigid support mechanism, publication number CN113977300B, published on August 2, 2022. This mechanism achieves rigid locking by engaging a drive gear and a locking gear within the locking device, causing the arc-shaped surface of the locking shaft to embed into the groove of the support rod. While this structure can reliably fix the platform in place, it relies on an external drive cylinder and a complex gear transmission system, resulting in a complex overall structure, slow response speed, and lack of automatic triggering locking functionality. In applications involving large outdoor equipment such as river sluice gates, this solution struggles to achieve automated locking upon placement, still requiring manual intervention or an additional control system, increasing maintenance costs and the risk of failure.

[0004] A search revealed a locking mechanism for an optoelectronic pod platform, publication number CN109850172B, published on April 8, 2022. This mechanism uses a combination of a torsion spring and a locking rotary shaft to achieve synchronous locking in both directions under motor drive. While this design possesses automatic locking and unlocking capabilities, its core relies on the forward and reverse rotation control of the motor. Furthermore, the locking action is only suitable for lightly loaded, precision instrument platforms and cannot withstand the enormous loads of heavy structures like river gates under wind and water flow impacts. In addition, this mechanism lacks a mechanical self-locking or failure protection mechanism, posing a risk of unlocking in the event of power failure or motor malfunction. Its insufficient safety makes it unsuitable for scenarios in water conservancy projects where high reliability and passive safety locking are strictly required.

[0005] The aforementioned problems indicate that existing locking mechanisms or structures are complex and rely on external power, or lack sufficient load-bearing capacity and automatic triggering and failure protection mechanisms, making it difficult to meet the practical engineering requirements for automatic, reliable, rigid, and safe locking support of large river gates after they have been raised to their designated positions. Therefore, this invention provides an automatic locking device designed to achieve automatic rigid locking without manual intervention after the gate has been raised to its designated position, while possessing high load-bearing capacity and failure-safe characteristics, effectively solving the problems of poor stability, inconvenient operation, and safety hazards existing in the prior art. Utility Model Content

[0006] This utility model provides an automatic locking device to solve the technical problems of existing technologies that use temporary fixing methods such as steel wire ropes or screws after large river gates are lifted into place, which are prone to structural shaking, insufficient support rigidity, cumbersome operation, and poor safety. In addition, existing locking mechanisms are complex in structure, rely on external power, have insufficient load-bearing capacity, and lack automatic triggering and failure protection mechanisms.

[0007] To solve the above problems, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is: an automatic locking device, including a base, a sleeve, a washer, a bushing, a shaft, a bolt, a retaining ring, a washer, and a nut. The base is a rectangular plate structure with mounting through holes at its four corners. The sleeve is a U-shaped component with coaxial through holes on both sides of its open end. The washer is an annular washer whose inner diameter matches the outer diameter of the shaft. The bushing is a cylindrical structure fitted onto the outside of the shaft. The shaft is a cylindrical long rod with an annular groove at one end. The bolt is a standard fastener. The retaining ring is an elastic retaining ring, fitted into the annular groove of the shaft. The washer is a flat washer fitted onto the shank of the bolt. The nut matches the thread of the bolt.

[0008] The top surface of the base has two parallel supporting plates. Each supporting plate is a rectangular steel plate, and its bottom is welded and fixed to the base. Corresponding positions on the upper part of the two supporting plates are provided with coaxial shaft mounting holes. The shaft passes through the shaft mounting holes in the two supporting plates. The two ends of the shaft are axially limited by retaining rings to prevent the shaft from dislodging from the shaft mounting holes.

[0009] The ferrule is fitted onto the middle of the shaft through through holes on both sides of its open end. The ferrule can rotate around the axis of the shaft. The pad sleeve is disposed between the ferrule and the support plate, and is fitted onto the outside of the shaft. The bushing is disposed between the two pad sleeves, and is fitted onto the outside of the shaft. The pad sleeve and the bushing together restrict the axial movement range of the ferrule.

[0010] The bolt passes through the mounting hole of the base. The washer is fitted onto the shank of the bolt and is located between the bottom surface of the base and the nut. The nut is screwed onto the end of the bolt, and the entire device is fixed to the mounting base surface by tightening the nut.

[0011] The U-shaped opening of the sleeve faces downwards. The inner contour of the sleeve matches the shape of the gate clamp body. When the gate is raised to the designated position, the gate clamp body contacts the sleeve and pushes the sleeve to rotate around its axis. After the gate clamp body passes the highest point of the sleeve, the sleeve automatically deflects and falls back below the gate clamp body under its own gravity. At this time, the gate is lowered, and the inner side of the U-shaped opening of the sleeve supports the gate clamp body, achieving automatic rigid locking of the gate.

[0012] Beneficial Effects: This utility model's automatic locking device forms a stable installation foundation with a base and supporting plate. The automatic triggering of the locking action is achieved through the rotational cooperation of the shaft and the ferrule. The ferrule's autonomous deflection characteristic under gravity ensures the automatic completion of the locking process, requiring no external power or manual intervention. The placement of the gasket and shaft sleeve ensures the stability of the ferrule's rotation while limiting its axial movement. The retaining ring reliably positions the shaft, preventing it from falling off during operation. The fastening system consisting of bolts, washers, and nuts ensures a secure connection between the device and the foundation. This device has a simple and compact structure, clear component connections, and achieves automatic rigid locking after the gate is raised to its position. It possesses high load-bearing capacity and fail-safe characteristics, effectively improving the reliability, safety, and ease of operation of gate locking operations. Attached Figure Description

[0013] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of an automatic locking device according to the present invention;

[0014] Figure 2 This is a side view of the automatic locking device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0015] Figure 3 This is an exploded view of the automatic locking device according to an embodiment of this application;

[0016] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached diagram: 1. Base; 2. Sleeve; 3. Washer; 4. Bushing; 5. Shaft; 6. Bolt; 7. Retaining ring; 8. Washer; 9. Nut; 10. Support plate. Detailed Implementation

[0017] The technical solutions of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments described below are only some, not all, of the embodiments of the present utility model. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the present utility model without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present utility model.

[0018] Please see Figures 1 to 3This utility model provides an automatic locking device, designed to automatically, rigidly, and reliably lock a large river gate after it has been raised to its position, preventing the gate from accidentally falling due to external disturbances or system failure, thus ensuring the safety of the water conservancy project. The device mainly consists of a base 1, a retaining sleeve 2, a pad sleeve 3, a bushing 4, a shaft 5, a bolt 6, a retaining ring 7, a washer 8, a nut 9, and a supporting plate 10. These components, through precise mechanical connections and spatial arrangement, together form a purely mechanical safety mechanism that automatically triggers the locking action without external power.

[0019] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, the base 1 is a rectangular plate structure cut from Q235B carbon structural steel plate. It is rectangular in shape, approximately 20 mm thick, 300 mm long, and 150 mm wide. Each of the four corners of the base 1 has a circular countersunk hole with a diameter of approximately 16 mm, used to accommodate the shank of the bolt 6. Two parallel support plates 10 are vertically welded to the center of the top surface of the base 1. The support plates 10 are rectangular steel plates made of the same material as the base 1, approximately 15 mm thick, 180 mm high, and 80 mm wide. The two support plates 10 are arranged symmetrically, and their bottom edges are firmly welded to the top surface of the base 1 via continuous fillet welds, forming a stable "door"-shaped frame structure that provides a rigid support foundation for the entire device.

[0020] like Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, each of the two supporting uprights 10 has a coaxial shaft mounting hole at a corresponding position on its upper part. The shaft mounting hole is a circular through hole with a diameter of approximately 35 mm, and its central axis is located on the same horizontal line and perpendicular to the surface of the supporting upright 10. The shaft 5 is a cylindrical long rod made of high-quality carbon steel (45#) through a quenching and tempering process, possessing high strength and wear resistance. Its outer diameter is 34 mm, and its total length is approximately 260 mm. The shaft 5 passes through the shaft mounting holes of the two supporting uprights 10, and its axis completely coincides with the axis of the shaft mounting hole. Each end of the shaft 5 has an annular groove on its outer circumference. This annular groove is a rectangular cross-section groove with a width of approximately 4 mm and a depth of approximately 3 mm. The retaining ring 7 is a standard elastic retaining ring for holes, with an inner diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the shaft mounting hole and an outer diameter matching the shaft mounting hole. It is made of spring steel 65Mn. The retaining ring 7 is fitted into the annular grooves at both ends of the shaft 5. Through its own elastic deformation, it tightly adheres to the side wall of the groove, thereby axially limiting the shaft 5 and preventing the shaft 5 from coming out of the shaft mounting hole of the support plate 10 along its axial direction during the operation of the device, thus ensuring the connection reliability of the rotating components.

[0021] like Figure 1As shown, the ferrule 2 is a U-shaped component, integrally cast from high-strength cast steel ZG270-500 and then machined. Its U-shaped opening faces downwards, with a width of approximately 120 mm. Both ends of the U-shaped arms of the ferrule 2 have coaxial through holes with a diameter of 35.5 mm, slightly larger than the outer diameter of the shaft 5, to allow the shaft 5 to pass through. The ferrule 2 fits onto the outer circumference of the shaft 5 through the through holes on both arms, allowing it to rotate freely around the axis of the shaft 5. The inner contour of the U-shape of the ferrule 2 is designed to mimic the shape of the gate's locking body, forming an arc-shaped concave surface. The radius of curvature of this concave surface matches the outer circumference of the gate's locking body, ensuring surface contact and uniform load transfer in the locked state.

[0022] The gasket 3 is an annular gasket made of wear-resistant bronze ZCuSn10P1, with an outer diameter of 50 mm, an inner diameter of 35 mm, and a thickness of 10 mm. Two gaskets 3 are fitted onto the outer circumference of the shaft 5, respectively, and are located between the two side arms of the retaining sleeve 2 and the inner surfaces of the corresponding support plates 10. The inner hole of the gasket 3 is clearance-fitted to the shaft 5, allowing the shaft 5 to rotate freely, while its outer circumference maintains a certain distance from the inner wall of the shaft mounting hole of the support plate 10 to avoid interference. The bushing 4 is a cylindrical structure, also made of wear-resistant bronze ZCuSn10P1, with an outer diameter of 50 mm, an inner diameter of 35 mm, and a length of 60 mm. The bushing 4 is fitted onto the outer circumference of the shaft 5, located between the two gaskets 3, with its two ends abutting against the inner surfaces of the two gaskets 3 respectively. The pad 3 and bushing 4 work together to provide low-friction sliding bearing support for the rotation of the ferrule 2, ensuring a smooth and stable rotation process. On the other hand, by limiting the axial movement range of the ferrule 2 on the shaft 5, they prevent it from shifting left and right during rotation, ensuring the accuracy and stability of the locking action.

[0023] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, bolt 6 is a standard 8.8 grade hexagonal head bolt with a shank diameter of 14 mm and a length determined by the foundation installation thickness, typically 100 mm to 150 mm. Four bolts 6 are inserted into the mounting holes at the four corners of the base 1. Washers 8 are standard flat washers made of Q235A steel with an inner diameter of 15 mm, an outer diameter of 30 mm, and a thickness of 3 mm. Four washers 8 are fitted onto the shanks of the four bolts 6, located between the bottom surface of the base 1 and the nut 9. Nuts 9 are standard hexagonal nuts, matching the threads of the bolts 6, and are M14 coarse threads. Four nuts 9 are screwed onto the ends of the four bolts 6. By tightening the nuts 9 with a wrench, the washers 8 are pressed against the bottom surface of the base 1, thereby using the preload of the bolts 6 to firmly fix the entire automatic locking device to the concrete foundation or steel structure mounting surface, ensuring that the device will not shift or overturn when bearing gate loads.

[0024] Figure 3 As shown, the initial stationary position of the retaining sleeve 2 is determined by its own center of gravity. When the gate is in the open state and raised to a designated height, the retaining body at the bottom of the gate gradually approaches and eventually contacts the inner side of the U-shaped opening of the retaining sleeve 2. As the gate continues to rise, the retaining body pushes the retaining sleeve 2 to rotate upward around the axis of the shaft 5, doing work against its own gravity. When the retaining body passes the highest point of the retaining sleeve 2 (i.e., directly above the center of rotation), the center of gravity of the retaining sleeve 2 changes, and its gravitational torque direction changes into a driving torque that makes it rotate downward. At this time, the retaining sleeve 2 automatically deflects and falls back below the retaining body under its own gravity, returning to its initial stationary position. When it is necessary to close the gate, the gate begins to lower, and its retaining body falls directly onto the supporting surface inside the U-shaped opening of the retaining sleeve 2. At this point, the ferrule 2 is directly beneath the gate's locking body, forming a rigid support. The entire weight of the gate is transferred to the ferrule 2 through the locking body, then via the shaft 5 and the support plate 10 to the base 1, and finally fixed to the foundation by bolts 6, achieving automatic rigid locking of the gate. This locking process relies entirely on the mechanical structure and gravity, requiring no external power source or manual operation, thus possessing inherent safety characteristics. Even in the event of a power outage or control system failure, the device can reliably maintain the locked state until unlocked by manual intervention (such as using a special tool to lift the ferrule).

[0025] In another embodiment of this utility model, the material of the ferrule 2 can be replaced with QT500-7 ductile iron to improve casting performance and shock absorption performance while ensuring strength. The material of the gasket 3 and bushing 4 can be replaced with self-lubricating bushings made of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) composite material to further reduce the coefficient of friction and extend the maintenance-free cycle. The retaining ring 7 can be replaced with a combination structure of shaft end baffle and fastening screw, which fixes the baffle to the outside of the support plate 10 by screws, thus achieving axial positioning of the shaft 5. The mounting through hole of the base 1 can be changed from a countersunk hole to a smooth hole, and spring washers and hexagonal nuts can be used to enhance the anti-loosening performance. Its structure is basically the same as that of the first embodiment, and will not be described again here.

[0026] In summary, the automatic locking device of this utility model forms a stable installation foundation through the base 1 and the supporting plate 10. The automatic triggering of the locking action is achieved through the rotational cooperation between the shaft 5 and the ferrule 2. The autonomous deflection characteristic of the ferrule 2 under gravity ensures the automatic completion of the locking process, requiring no external power or manual intervention. The pad 3 and the bushing 4 ensure the stability of the ferrule 2's rotation and limit its axial movement. The retaining ring 7 reliably positions the shaft 5, preventing it from falling off during operation. The fastening system consisting of bolts 6, washers 8, and nuts 9 achieves a secure connection between the device and the foundation. This device has a simple and compact structure, clear component connections, and achieves automatic rigid locking after the gate is raised to the correct position. It possesses high load-bearing capacity and fail-safe characteristics, effectively improving the reliability, safety, and ease of operation of the gate locking operation.

Claims

1. An automatic locking device, characterized in that, The system includes a base (1), a sleeve (2), a gasket (3), a bushing (4), a shaft (5), a bolt (6), a retaining ring (7), a washer (8), and a nut (9). The base (1) is a rectangular plate structure with mounting through holes at its four corners. The top surface of the base (1) has two parallel supporting plates (10). The supporting plates (10) are rectangular steel plates, and their bottoms are welded and fixed to the base (1). The upper parts of the two supporting plates (10) have coaxial shaft mounting holes at corresponding positions. The shaft (5) is a cylindrical long rod that passes through the shaft mounting holes of the two supporting plates (10). The two ends of the shaft (5) have annular grooves. The retaining ring (7) is an elastic retaining ring that is fitted into the annular groove of the shaft (5) to axially limit the shaft (5). The sleeve (2) is a U-shaped component with coaxial through holes on both sides of its open end. The sleeve (2) passes through its opening. The through holes on both sides of the end are fitted into the middle of the shaft (5) and can rotate around the axis of the shaft (5); the U-shaped opening of the sleeve (2) faces downward and its inner contour matches the shape of the gate clamp body; the pad (3) is an annular pad, there are two of them, respectively set between the sleeve (2) and the corresponding support plate (10), and fitted onto the outside of the shaft (5); the bushing (4) is a cylindrical structure, set between the two pads (3), and fitted onto the outside of the shaft (5); the pads (3) and the bushing (4) together restrict the range of movement of the sleeve (2) in the axial direction; the bolt (6) passes through the mounting through hole of the base (1); the washer (8) is a flat washer, fitted onto the shank of the bolt (6), located between the bottom surface of the base (1) and the nut (9); the nut (9) is screwed onto the end of the bolt (6).

2. The automatic locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The base (1) is cut from Q235B carbon structural steel plate, with a thickness of 20 mm, a length of 300 mm, and a width of 150 mm; the mounting holes at the four corners of the base (1) are countersunk holes with a diameter of 16 mm.

3. The automatic locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The support plate (10) is made of Q235B carbon structural steel plate with a thickness of 15 mm, a height of 180 mm, and a width of 80 mm. The bottom edges of the two support plates (10) are firmly welded to the top surface of the base (1) by continuous fillet welds. The shaft mounting hole on the upper part of the support plate (10) is a circular through hole with a diameter of 35 mm.

4. The automatic locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shaft (5) is made of No. 45 high-quality carbon steel through quenching and tempering treatment. Its outer diameter is 34 mm and its total length is 260 mm. The annular grooves at both ends of the shaft (5) are rectangular cross-section grooves with a groove width of 4 mm and a groove depth of 3 mm.

5. The automatic locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The sleeve (2) is integrally cast from high-strength cast steel ZG270-500 and then machined; the U-shaped opening width of the sleeve (2) is 120 mm; the diameter of the through holes on both sides of the opening end of the sleeve (2) is 35.5 mm; the inner U-shaped contour of the sleeve (2) is an arc-shaped concave surface that matches the outer circumference of the gate clamp.

6. The automatic locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The gasket (3) is made of wear-resistant bronze ZCuSn10P1, with an outer diameter of 50 mm, an inner diameter of 35 mm, and a thickness of 10 mm; the bushing (4) is made of wear-resistant bronze ZCuSn10P1, with an outer diameter of 50 mm, an inner diameter of 35 mm, and a length of 60 mm.

7. The automatic locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The retaining ring (7) is an elastic retaining ring for holes, made of spring steel 65 manganese; the inner diameter of the retaining ring (7) is smaller than the diameter of the shaft mounting hole of the support plate (10), and its outer diameter matches the shaft mounting hole.

8. The automatic locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The bolt (6) is an 8.8 grade hexagonal head bolt with a shank diameter of 14 mm; the washer (8) is made of Q235A steel with an inner diameter of 15 mm, an outer diameter of 30 mm, and a thickness of 3 mm; the nut (9) is a hexagonal nut that matches the M14 coarse thread of the bolt (6).

9. The automatic locking device according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ferrule (2) is made of QT500-seven ductile iron; the pad (3) and bushing (4) are self-lubricating bushings made of polytetrafluoroethylene composite material.

Images