REMOVABLE CONNECTING PIECE FOR COMPOSITE OR PLASTIC MATERIAL PAD

Abstract

The invention relates to a removable connecting piece (3), for handling a buffer (2), comprising an upper part (31) adapted to cooperate with a handling means, a lower part (33) adapted to cooperate mechanically with a buffer (2). According to the invention, the upper part (31) has magnetic properties, the lower part (33) comprising mechanical mounting members for removably fixing to the buffer (2) made of non-magnetic material, to facilitate the handling of the buffer (2) made of non-magnetic material by means of a magnetic connection between said handling means and said removable connecting piece (3) secured to the buffer (2). Figure for abstract: [Fig 5].

Description

Title of the invention: REMOVABLE CONNECTING PIECE FOR A COMPOSITE OR PLASTIC MATERIAL BUFFER Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of handling access covers to all types of networks, in particular telecommunications or sanitation, used on public roads.

[0002] The present invention relates to a removable connecting piece for handling pads, and more particularly, to a removable connecting piece with magnetic properties for lifting non-magnetic pads using a plate lifting tool of the type (LIFTPLAQ, registered trademark) for example intended for handling cast iron pads capable of carrying out an operation by one person quickly and safely without applying a significant tensile force.

[0003] In the telecom field in particular, underground distribution network equipment for underground cable connection is installed with chambers. These chambers are covered by buffers whose primary function is to limit access to underground distribution cable networks for professionals and to prevent accidents on the track. There is a plate lifting tool on the market (LIFTPLAQ, registered trademark) facilitating the handling operations of cast iron buffers by magnetic contact.

[0004] The development of a new range of telecom pads made of composite or non-magnetic material for handling therefore requires the use of a specific plate lifting tool, the existing plate lifting tool not being able to be used since the composite materials of the pads do not have magnetic properties. Prior art

[0005] Cast iron cover handling devices are known according to patent KR 101715922 B1 allowing work by a single person, to quickly and safely open a cast iron cover without great force by a switching magnet fixing unit on a plate lifting tool and fixed to the cast iron cover by a magnetic force to be detachable. This applies to all types of manhole covers.

[0006] The composite materials constituting the new buffer range developed are not magnetized, so the use of a known magnetic plate lifting tool is no longer possible. Presentation of the invention

[0007] The present invention aims to overcome the problems of handling new stamps, for example made of composite or plastic material which does not have magnetic properties and to propose handling means compatible with said stamps cannot use the same plate lifters for cast iron stamps.

[0008] An object of the invention is to propose specific means for handling newly developed composite material buffers by means of a plate lifting tool used for handling cast iron buffers.

[0009] The objects assigned to the invention are achieved by means of a removable connecting piece, for handling a stamp, comprising an upper part adapted to cooperate with a handling means, a lower part adapted to cooperate mechanically with a stamp, characterized in that the upper part has magnetic properties, the lower part comprising mechanical mounting members for fixing removably to the stamp made of composite or plastic material, to facilitate handling of the stamp by means of a magnetic connection between said handling means and said removable connecting piece secured to the stamp.

[0010] The handling means is advantageously a plate lifting tool.

[0011] According to an exemplary embodiment, the upper part of the removable connecting piece comprises a cap intended to extend over an upper face of a buffer and a base securely attached to the underside of the cap, the mechanical mounting members being, on the one hand, fixed to said base and, on the other hand, intended to engage at least partly in the buffer.

[0012] According to an exemplary embodiment, the mechanical mounting members comprise a cylindrical rod, which is partially engaged in the base and immobilized in rotation with one end and which comprises at another end a stop foot of substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and immobilized in rotation on the cylindrical rod, said stop foot being intended to be housed in the buffer.

[0013] The mechanical mounting members comprise, for example, a spring fitted onto the cylindrical rod and extending between the base and the stop foot over at least a portion of the length of said cylindrical rod, a free washer being engaged on the cylindrical rod between the stop foot and one end of the spring in contact with the base secured to the cap, said washer serving as a support on the buffer to compress the spring when said removable connecting part is mounted on the buffer.

[0014] According to an exemplary embodiment, the removable connecting piece is housed on the composite material buffer by a buffer orifice allowing the stop foot secured to the cylindrical rod to descend over a determined engagement stroke, then said removable connecting piece is rotated a quarter turn around the axis of the rod. cylindrical to fit into a stop zone in the buffer and immobilize the removable connecting part in translation.

[0015] According to an exemplary embodiment, the base comprises a pin base orifice in which a pin screw or a needle screw is engaged to block the cylindrical rod in said base.

[0016] The objects assigned to the invention are also achieved using a handling assembly for a composite material pad, comprising a removable connecting piece as presented above and a plate lifting tool comprising a magnetic end adapted to produce a magnetic connection and consequently a reversible fixing with said removable connecting piece.

[0017] The handling assembly according to the invention has the enormous advantage that it includes an existing plate lifting tool, which can be used for handling cast iron stamps and for handling composite material stamps thanks to the removable connecting piece. It is therefore not necessary to develop a specific plate lifting tool for the new range of composite material stamps. Brief description of the figures

[0018] Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the invention will emerge from the detailed description which follows with reference to the appended drawings given as non-limiting examples, in which:

[0019] [Fig-1] is a partial perspective view of a buffer and an exemplary embodiment of a removable connecting part according to the invention,

[0020] [Fig.2] is a cross-sectional view of a buffer and an exemplary embodiment of a removable connecting part in accordance with the invention,

[0021] [Fig.3] is a perspective and exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of a removable connecting piece according to the invention,

[0022] [Fig.4] is a perspective view of the assembled removable connecting piece of the [Fig.3], and

[0023] [Fig.5] is a schematic perspective view of a buffer and a set of ma maintenance in accordance with the invention. Detailed description of the invention

[0024] Structurally and functionally identical elements present in several distinct figures are assigned the same numerical or alphanumeric reference.

[0025] In the example illustrated in [Fig.l], the invention is applied to the handling of a non-magnetic buffer 2, made for example of composite material or plastic material. The invention relates to a removable connecting piece 3, illustrated in a position above the buffer 2, before being introduced into a buffer orifice 21 formed in said buffer 2. The removable connecting piece 3 is composed of at least an element or part exhibiting magnetic properties, such as a cast iron / steel alloy, to facilitate permanent contact with a magnetized object.

[0026] In the present invention, a composite material is, for example, an assembly of at least two immiscible materials which have different or complementary physicochemical properties. The composite material buffer provides good strength, good corrosion resistance and is insensitive to electric fields. The composite material buffer is lighter and easier to handle and has many other characteristics such as reduced noise pollution, unlike known cast iron buffers. But one of the disadvantages of composite materials is the absence of magnetic properties, hence the solution of an intermediate part with magnetic effects to facilitate the handling of the composite material buffer.

[0027] The removable connecting piece 3 comprises a cap 311 forming an upper part 31, a stop foot 331 forming a lower part 33, which parts are connected by means of a cylindrical rod 32 so as to be integral during use of said removable connecting piece 3.

[0028] The cap 311 has on its underside a base 312 in which one end of the cylindrical rod 32 is engaged. The base 312 has a pin base orifice 313 and the cylindrical rod 32 has a pin rod orifice 321 for example passing through the upper part of the cylindrical rod 32, in which a pin screw 34 or a needle screw is engaged, to block said cylindrical rod 32 in said base 312. Any other known fixing system for the cylindrical rod 32 on or in the base 312 can also be envisaged.

[0029] According to another exemplary embodiment, the rod 32 can also be fixed in the base 312 by gluing.

[0030] According to an exemplary embodiment, the cap 311 shown for example in [Fig.3] or 4 is circular in shape.

[0031] The base 312 secured to the cap 311 is for example tapped so that the end of the cylindrical rod 32, provided with a thread, can be screwed into said tapped part. Bonding of the cylindrical rod 32 can also be envisaged in an exemplary embodiment.

[0032] In the embodiment illustrated for example in [Fig.4], the stop foot 331, for example threaded, is mounted on another end of the cylindrical rod 32 by screwing so as to form a secured element. Any other means of fixing the stop foot 331 on the free end of the cylindrical rod 32 can also be envisaged. The cylindrical rod 32, the cap 311 and the stop foot 331 are mechanically secured, in particular in rotation, once assembled.

[0033] The stop foot 331 advantageously has a rectangular parallelepiped shape.

[0034] The cap 311 and the base 312 are separated from the stop foot 331 by a spring 35 crossed by the cylindrical rod 32. The spring 35 is for example in contact with the base 312 secured to the cap 311 on the upper part of the cylindrical rod 32 and in blocked contact towards the lower part of the cylindrical rod 32 with a washer 36 of external diameter greater than the width of the stop foot 331 and the external diameter of the spring 35, but less than the length of said stop foot 331.

[0035] The washer 36 is for example mounted to slide freely on the cylindrical rod 32 as is the spring 35.

[0036] The buffer 2 made of composite material comprises a buffer orifice 21 which has the shape of the stop foot 331 and of sufficient dimension in width and length so that the stop foot 331 can pass through said buffer orifice 21.

[0037] [Fig.2] is a cross-sectional view of the buffer 2 and the removable connecting piece 3.

[0038] The buffer orifice 21 opens onto a stop zone 22, arranged in the buffer 2 which makes it possible to stop the translational and rotational travel of the stop foot 331 when the removable connecting part 3 is engaged by translation turned a quarter turn in rotation in both directions of the axis of the cylindrical rod 32 to be blocked at the buffer 2.

[0039] The stop zone 22 advantageously has a hollow shape provided with an internal rim or a counter-cut making it possible to retain a translation of the stop foot 331 in the buffer 2, when the removable connecting piece 2 is engaged in said buffer 2 and turned a quarter turn.

[0040] When the stop foot 331 enters the buffer orifice 21, the washer 36 bears on the upper face of the buffer 2 or on a shoulder 22a provided in the stop zone 22, compressing the spring 35. When the stop foot 331 is turned a quarter turn, the spring 35 relaxes at least partially and allows the stop foot to be moved in a slight translation in the opposite direction to the engagement and to be held against a stop to immobilize it in rotation. In order to secure the assembly, it is necessary to apply a force to the removable mounting part 3 for its mounting on the buffer 2 and for its separation from said buffer 2, thus preventing said removable mounting part from escaping.

[0041] To handle the composite material pad 2, the magnetic plate lifter 1 represented by [Fig.5] by its magnetic end 1a comes to rest on the cap 311 of the removable connecting part 3 made of ferromagnetic materials, thus causing permanent contact between the two elements which will facilitate the handling of the composite material pad 2 without risk while respecting the correct gestures and postures.

[0042] To unlock the removable connecting piece 3, a slight push on the cap 311 of the removable connecting piece 3 downwards compresses the spring 35 into contact with the washer 36 locked for example on the upper surface of the buffer 2, the cylindrical rod 32 descends with all the elements secured to the removable connecting piece 3. The stop foot 331 is then released by turning the removable connecting piece 3 in the opposite direction to that during its fixing. The stop foot 331 is then positioned opposite the buffer orifice 21 in a direction to allow it to rise and pass through the buffer orifice 21.

[0043] [Fig. 5] is a schematic perspective view of the buffer 2 on which the removable connecting piece 3 is mounted. The plate lifting tool 1 comprises a magnetic end 1a, adapted to make a magnetic connection with said removable connecting piece 3. The plate lifting tool 1 is illustrated in a position in contact with the removable connecting piece 3. The magnetic end 1a is advantageously pivotally mounted on a lever 1b.

[0044] The present invention is of course not limited to the embodiments described but extends to any modification and variant obvious to a person skilled in the art within the limits of the appended claims. Furthermore, the technical characteristics of the different embodiments and variants mentioned above may be, in whole or in some cases, combined with each other.

Claims

Claims

1. Removable connecting piece (3), for handling a buffer (2), comprising an upper part (31) adapted to cooperate with a handling means, a lower part (33) adapted to cooperate mechanically with a buffer (2), characterized in that the upper part (31) has magnetic properties, the lower part (33) comprising mechanical mounting members for removably fixing to the buffer (2) made of non-magnetic material, to facilitate the handling of the buffer (2) made of non-magnetic material by means of a magnetic connection between said handling means and said removable connecting piece (3) secured to the buffer (2).

2. Removable connecting piece (3) according to claim 1, characterized in that the handling means is a plate lifting tool (1).

3. Removable connecting piece (3) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the upper part (31) of the removable connecting piece (3) comprises a cap (311) intended to extend over an upper face of a buffer (2) and a base (312) securely attached on the underside of the cap (311), the mechanical mounting members being, on the one hand, fixed to said base (312) and, on the other hand, intended to engage at least partly in the buffer (2).

4. Removable connecting piece (3) according to claim 3, characterized in that the mechanical mounting members comprise a cylindrical rod (32), which is partially engaged in the base (312) and immobilized in rotation with one end and which comprises at another end a stop foot (331) of substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape and immobilized in rotation on the cylindrical rod (32), said stop foot (331) being intended to be housed in the buffer (2).

5. Removable connecting piece (3) according to claim 4, characterized in that the mechanical mounting members comprise a spring (35) fitted onto the cylindrical rod (32) and extending between the base (312) and the stop foot (331) over at least a portion of the length of said cylindrical rod (32), a free washer (36) being engaged on the cylindrical rod (32) between the stop foot (331) and one end of the spring (35) in contact with the base (312) secured to the cap (311), said washer (36) serving as a support on the buffer (2) to compress the spring (35) when said removable connecting piece (3) is mounted on the buffer (2).

6. Removable connecting piece (3) according to claim 5, characterized in that said removable connecting piece (3) is housed on the composite material buffer (2) by a buffer orifice (21) allowing the stop foot (331) secured to the cylindrical rod (32) to descend over a determined engagement stroke, then said removable connecting piece (3) is turned a quarter turn in rotation around the axis of the cylindrical rod (32) to be housed in a stop zone (22) in the buffer (2) and immobilize the removable connecting piece (3) in translation.

7. Removable connecting piece (3) according to claim 6, characterized in that the base (312) comprises a pin base orifice (313) in which is engaged by a pin screw (34) or a needle screw to block the cylindrical rod (32) in said base (312).

8. Assembly for handling a stamp (2) made of composite material comprising a removable connecting piece (3) according to any one of claims 1 to 7 and a plate lifting tool (1) comprising a magnetic end (la) adapted to make a magnetic connection with said removable connecting piece (3).

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