Link rod with end secured by positive locking

Abstract

The invention relates to a latching link rod (1) having a removable hook (2) which is screwed onto a thread (1g) arranged between one end (1c) of a cylindrical body (1a) of the latching link rod (1) and a shoulder (1f) of this cylindrical body (1a), the removable hook (2) having a straight tube (2a) with a cross-section comprising: - at one end, an edge (2b) abutting the shoulder and a tapping (2c) engaging with the thread (1g), this engagement extending over the entire thread (1g) and, - at another end, a base (2d) from which a nose (2e) extends, defining a hook opening. The edge (2b) of the straight tube (2a) of the removable hook (2) and the shoulder (1f) of the cylindrical body (1a) each comprise at least one cavity positioned opposite one another, with two opposite cavities forming a mortise and at least one mortise being provided with a positive locking means (4, 4a) forming a tenon.

Description

[0001] DESCRIPTION

[0002] CONNECTING ROD WITH POSITIVE LOCKING SECURE END

[0003] TECHNICAL FIELD

[0004] The invention relates to a connecting rod equipped with an accessory such as a hook arranged and screwed at the end of the connecting rod, the hook being locked onto this connecting rod to prevent its disassembly. Such a connecting rod can be used in particular as a connecting rod for holding an opening in the aeronautical, automotive, naval or construction fields.

[0005] Such connecting rods can also be used in mechanisms for transmitting movement or modifying the amplitude of this movement.

[0006] STATE OF THE ART

[0007] Generally speaking, a connecting rod is a straight connecting part between two other parts, the connecting rod allowing the transmission and / or blocking of a movement of one of these parts. In the case of connecting rods for openings, their function is to block the opening when it has reached the desired opening.

[0008] In the aeronautical field, cowls and hatches are movable opening parts of the external and / or internal structure of an aircraft which, when open, allow access to elements or equipment - landing gear, engine - for inspection and / or maintenance operations. To carry out these operations, these cowls and hatches are attached to connecting rods which keep the opening and prevent the cowl or hatch from closing unexpectedly.

[0009] To facilitate the manufacture of these connecting rods, the hooks can be screwed to the straight body of the connecting rod, which also allows the hooks to be replaced when they are damaged. Such connecting rods with hooks are detailed in document BE20220005912. However, these connecting rods are installed in vehicles whose rotating parts, such as engines, generate vibrations that cause the hooks to unscrew.

[0010] To prevent a screwed element from unscrewing, a so-called positive locking system is applied to this screwed element. In the case of a screw-nut system for fixing to a structural plate, the nut is locked by a plate with a cutout complementary to the geometry of the nut, the nut being inserted into this cutout. The plate is then fixed to the structural plate, thus locking the nut and preventing it from unscrewing. However, this solution is not applicable to connecting rods that do not have a structural plate.

[0011] When installing a tube in a sheath, a positive locking solution involves drilling the tube and sheath together to install a rivet. This solution requires mastery of riveting techniques and the use of appropriate riveting tools.

[0012] STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0013] In order to overcome the drawbacks of the state of the art set out above, the main objective of the invention is to quickly and reversibly secure the screwing of an accessory such as a hook into the connecting rod head without damaging the threaded area.

[0014] To do this, the invention provides for making a so-called "between leather and flesh" hole at the end of the screwing of the accessory at the connecting rod head and inserting a locking element in position of the accessory in this hole.

[0015] More specifically, the present invention relates to a connecting rod, a removable accessory of which is screwed onto a thread arranged between one end of a cylindrical body of the connecting rod and a shoulder of this cylindrical body. This removable accessory has a straight tube comprising:

[0016] - at one end, an edge abutting the shoulder and a tapping connected to the thread, this connection extending over the entire thread and,

[0017] - at another end, a base from which a functional structure extends. In addition, the edge of the straight tube of the removable accessory and the shoulder of the cylindrical body each comprise at least one cavity positioned opposite each other, two opposite cavities forming a mortise, at least one mortise being provided with a positive locking means forming a tenon.

[0018] Advantageously, the positive locking of the removable hook prevents it from unscrewing and therefore keeps the removable hook on the cylindrical body of the connecting rod. Indeed, the positive locking means fills the mortise and therefore prevents the rotation of the removable hook. However, the rotation of the removable hook is only possible when the mortise is free, that is to say when the positive locking means is removed or broken. This breakage of the positive locking means is generally observed by shearing thereof. The shear strength of the positive locking means then makes it possible to evaluate the level of stresses necessary for unscrewing the removable hook.

[0019] According to preferred embodiments taken alone or in combination:

[0020] - the accessory is a removable hook whose functional structure is a beak defining a hook opening;

[0021] - the cavities are half-moon shaped holes;

[0022] - the mortise is a circular drilling;

[0023] - the half-moon holes are through;

[0024] - the positive locking means is a pin;

[0025] - the connecting rod has two diametrically opposed circular holes;

[0026] - the positive locking means is a through pin;

[0027] - the positive locking means is a brake wire passing radially through the connecting rod;

[0028] - the edge of the removable hook has a set of half-moon holes in a crenellated structure.

[0029] Advantageously, a single circular and classic drilling allows the two half-moon drillings to be obtained simultaneously. Locking the removable hook onto the cylindrical body of the connecting rod is therefore quick and easy to implement.

[0030] Advantageously also, when replacing the removable hook or the cylindrical body of the connecting rod, the half-moon drilling of the cylindrical body or the reused removable hook makes it possible to immediately and unambiguously locate the position of the half-moon drilling to be made on the replacement part.

[0031] PRESENTATION OF FIGURES

[0032] Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the following reading of a detailed example of embodiment without limiting its scope, with reference to the appended figures which represent, respectively:

[0033] - figure 1, a perspective view of an example of a connecting rod according to the invention;

[0034] - figure 2, a perspective view of the hook of the connecting rod according to figure 1;

[0035] - figure 3 and figure 4, an exploded view from two different viewing angles of the constituent elements of the connecting rod hook according to the previous figures;

[0036] - Figure 5 and Figure 6, a sectional view of two variants of the connecting rod hook of the previous example, and

[0037] - Figure 7, a perspective view of the edge of the connecting rod hook.

[0038] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] In the figures, identical reference signs refer to the same element as well as to the corresponding passages of the description.

[0040] Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an example according to the invention of a connecting rod 1, this connecting rod 1 here comprising a cylindrical body 1a telescopic along the X axis, the ends 1b and 1c of which respectively carry a fastening device 1d and an accessory, here a removable hook 2. This connecting rod 1 is intended to hook, for example, an opening to keep it open. The fastening device 1d being pivotable relative to a frame (not shown), the connecting rod 1 can fold and be stored by rotation in the frame when the opening is closed in this frame. Figure 2, Figure 3 and Figure 4 illustrate the removable hook 2 at the end 1c of the cylindrical body 1a of the connecting rod 1 according to respectively an assembled view and two exploded views according to two different viewing angles of this removable hook 2 screwed onto the cylindrical body 1a.This hook is said to be removable because it can be unscrewed and removed from the cylindrical body 1a of the connecting rod 1 so that it can be examined or replaced, for example in the event of damage to the latter.

[0041] A slide 3 moves along the straight tube 2a of the removable hook 2 and has a locking finger 3c. This finger 3c cooperates with the beak 2e of the removable hook 2 to partially or completely obstruct the beak 2e of the removable hook 2 and lock the hooking of a bar 5 by the connecting rod 1.

[0042] A spring 3b pushes a rod 3a inserted into an opening 3d of the slide 3, this opening 3d being of complementary shape to the rod 3a. The rod 3a also passes through the hook and is inserted into an oblong slot 2f of the straight tube 2a, this oblong slot 2f allowing the movement of the rod 3a and therefore of the slide 3 along the straight tube 2a. The spring 3b pushes the rod 3a and locks the hooking. Unlocking is obtained by manually moving the slide 3 so as to compress the spring 3b and thus release the bar 5 from the beak 2e of the removable hook 2.

[0043] More precisely, the removable hook 2 is screwed onto the thread 1g arranged between the edge 1h at the end 1c of the cylindrical body 1a of the hooking rod 1 and the shoulder 1f of the cylindrical body 1a. The removable hook 2 has a straight tube 2a of straight section comprising:

[0044] - at one end, an edge 2b abutting the shoulder 1f and a thread 2c in connection with the thread 1g, this connection extending over the entire thread and,

[0045] - at another end, a 2d base from which extends a functional structure, here the 2e beak defining a hook opening.

[0046] In addition, the edge 2b (see figure 4) of the straight tube 2a of the removable hook 2 and the shoulder 1f (see figure 3) of the cylindrical body 1a each comprise two cavities forming half-moon holes 2g and 1i. The half-moon holes 2g of the removable hook 2 are positioned opposite the half-moon holes 1i of the cylindrical body 1a to produce two mortises forming two circular holes 1j diametrically opposite with respect to the axis X. Each resulting circular hole 1j is through and provided with a positive locking means, here a through pin 4. This through pin 4 then fills the two circular holes 1j. In this embodiment, the circular holes 1j are diametrically opposed and oriented towards each other in the direction of the X axis. Alternatively, the circular hole(s) may be oriented in a direction different from the X axis.

[0047] Figure 5 shows a sectional view of a variant of the removable hook 2 in plane A which passes through the two circular holes 1j. The removable hook 2 is screwed up to the shoulder 1f of the cylindrical body 1a, the shoulder 1f being in this figure hidden by the through pin 4. In this variant, the thread 1g extends up to the edge 1h of the cylindrical body 1a, this thread 1g being in connection with the tapping 2c of the straight tube 2a of the removable hook 2. The slide 3 is then in the locking position when, on the one hand, the spring 3b is resting on the edge 1h of the cylindrical body 1a and, on the other hand, pushes the rod 3a at the end of the oblong slot 2f. The through pin 4 occupies the two circular holes 1j and its length is adjusted to be flush with the straight tube 2a of the removable hook 2.

[0048] Figure 6 shows a variant of the removable hook 2 of the connecting rod 1 also in section in plane A. In this variant, the straight tube 2a and the shoulder 1f have a single, non-through half-moon hole. The resulting circular hole is provided with a pin 4a providing the positive locking means.

[0049] In another variant of the removable hook 2 of the connecting rod 1, the positive locking means is a brake wire passing radially through the connecting rod 1, the brake wire having the advantage of being available on a reel to be cut to the desired length.

[0050] According to yet another variant of the removable hook 2 of the connecting rod 1 illustrated in figure 7, the edge 2b of the straight tube 2a of the removable hook 2 comprises a set of half-moon shaped holes 2g here eight in number according to a crenellated structure. When screwing the removable hook 2, a half-moon shaped hole among this set of holes will be positioned opposite the half-moon shaped hole of the cylindrical body of the connecting rod.

[0051] The invention is not limited to the examples described and shown. Any connecting rod head accessory such as a pivot attachment, a ball joint or a fork can be secured by positive locking. In addition, the mortise can be oblong or polygonal in shape, the tenon being of complementary shape. It is also possible to envisage other means of locking the removable hook on the cylindrical body, such as cam-effect safety washers or clips. In addition, the number and position of the circular holes can be adjusted depending on the available tools, the positive locking means available and the level of constraints to be exerted to allow the hook to be unlocked.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Connecting rod (1) of which a removable accessory is screwed onto a thread (1g) arranged between one end (1c) of a cylindrical body (1a) of the hooking connecting rod (1) and a shoulder (1f) of this cylindrical body (1a), the removable accessory having a straight tube (2a) comprising: - at one end, an edge (2b) abutting the shoulder (1f) and a thread (2c) connected to the thread (1g), this connection extending over the entire thread (1g) and, - at another end, a base (2d) from which a functional structure extends, characterized in that the edge (2b) of the straight tube (2a) of the removable accessory and the shoulder (1f) of the cylindrical body (1a) each comprise at least one cavity positioned opposite each other, two opposite cavities forming a mortise, at least one mortise being provided with a positive locking means (4, 4a) forming a tenon.

2. Connecting rod (1) according to claim 1, in which the accessory is a removable hook (2) whose functional structure is a beak (2e) defining a hook opening.

3. Connecting rod (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 2, in which the cavities are half-moon shaped holes (2g, 1i).

4. Connecting rod (1) according to claim 3, in which each mortise is a circular bore (1j).

5. Connecting rod (1) according to any one of claim 3 to claim 4, in which the half-moon holes (2g, 1i) are through.

6. Connecting rod (1) according to any one of claim 1 to claim 5, wherein the positive locking means is a pin (4a).

7. Connecting rod (1) according to any one of claim 4 to claim 6, in which the connecting rod (1) has two diametrically opposed circular holes (1j).

8. Connecting rod (1) according to claim 7, in which the positive locking means is a through pin (4).

9. Connecting rod (1) according to claim 7, in which the positive locking means is a lock wire passing radially through the connecting rod.

10. Connecting rod (1) according to any one of claim 3 to claim 9, in which the edge (2b) of the accessory comprises a set of half-moon shaped holes (2g) in a crenellated structure.

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