Dual Eccentric Bushing Clocking for Clevis-Lug Alignment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional techniques for clocking dual eccentric bushings in lug-clevis couplings are labor-intensive and time-consuming, making it difficult to align the centerlines of openings in a lug with those in the clevis legs during assembly.
Innovation Solution
A tooling system comprising a pin, a sleeve, and a squaring plate that facilitates the efficient clocking of dual eccentric bushings by allowing the pin to be received within the sleeve and the squaring plate, enabling precise alignment and angular orientation of the bushings relative to the clevis, thereby allowing the clevis and lug to be pinned together.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional techniques are used for clocking dual eccentric bushings, then the bushings can be installed in the clevis, but the alignment process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring the tooling assembly with the pin, squaring plate, and sleeve in specific geometric relationships before the actual bushing installation. The squaring plate is pre-positioned to define the correct angular orientation, and the sleeve is pre-aligned with the pin to establish the precise clocking position. This preliminary setup eliminates the need for time-consuming manual alignment during the actual installation process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the tooling assembly (pin, squaring plate, and sleeve) as an intermediary device to transfer the correct angular orientation from the tooling to the eccentric bushings. The squaring plate acts as a mediator to establish the square relationship with the clevis, while the sleeve mediates the transfer of this orientation to the bushings through the pin. This intermediary tooling system simplifies the complex alignment task into a straightforward installation process.
2Ease of operation
If manual alignment methods are used, then the openings can be positioned, but the centerlines of the lug and clevis legs cannot be accurately aligned
Solution Approach 1:
The squaring plate serves as an intermediary reference surface that mediates between the operator and the clevis components. It provides a precise geometric reference (square to the clevis) that enables accurate alignment without requiring complex manual measurement or calculation. The plate's geometry directly transfers the correct angular relationship to the bushings through the tooling assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual alignment techniques with a mechanical tooling system that automatically establishes the correct geometry. Instead of relying on operator skill to align centerlines, the mechanically precision-formed tooling components (pin, squaring plate, sleeve) physically constrain and guide the bushings into the correct positions, ensuring repeatable accuracy.
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Tooling (100) for clocking dual eccentric bushings of a clevis (102) so that the clevis (102) and a lug (104) can be pinned together, comprises a pin (106) and a sleeve (118). The pin (106) comprises a pin cylindrical portion (119), a plate-engagement portion (125), and a stop surface (127). The sleeve (118) comprises a sleeve cylindrical outer surface (121) and a sleeve interior channel (123) that has an interior-channel central axis (162), which is parallel to and offset from a sleeve-cylindrical-outer-surface central axis (160). The pin cylindrical portion (119) is configured to be received by the sleeve interior channel (123) with a slip fit. The tooling 100 further comprises a squaring plate (142) that comprises a squaring-plate abutment surface (154), configured to contact the stop surface (127), and a squaring-plate opening (152) configured to receive the plate-engagement portion (125) of the pin (106) with a slip fit.