DRAPER KEITH RICHARD (AU)
| AU8363082A | 1982-11-18 |
RONSTAN 1981 MARINE EQUIPMENT EXPORT CATALOGUE, insert in Modern Boating and Australian Sailing, August 1980, page 53, Snap Hooks, Rings and Couplings, sister clips RF73, RF74, RF536, RF89 and RF90.
| 1. | A connecting means including two annular rings of circular crosssection to be linked one within the other, each ring having a set of opposing Vshaped grooves directed radially along said ring, said grooves forming a radially disposed gap where the grooves intersect, said rings, in use, being connected by aligning grooves of respective rings, relative sliding of said rings together along said grooves and relative rotation of said rings when the aligned grooves are clear of one another. |
| 2. | The connecting means of claim 1, wherein the inside diameter of each ring corresponds to the crosssectional diameter of said annular ring. |
| 3. | The connecting means of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each ring is secured to a respective rod. |
| 4. | The connecting means of claim 3, wherein at least one of said rods has a piston from a pump attached thereto. |
The p resent invention relates to a connecting means and relates particularly though not exclusively, to a connecting means for connecting rods together.
In our International Patent Appl.cat.on No. PCT/AU92/00010, the contents of which are herein incorporated, there is described a pump. In the preferred embodiment .t -s disclosed that the pistons can be located on a plurahty of rods. The use of rods has provided a simple means of assembbng a pump m third world countries. Unfortunately tools were required to couple _. the rods together with some mechanical skill. If not coupled together correctly the pump may jam.
It is an object of the present invention to prov.de a connecting means requiring no tools to connect.
A further object of the invention is to prov.de a connect i ng „ means which will not shake loose or be easily disengageable m use.
With these objects in view the present invention provdes a connecting means including two annular rings of circular cross- section to be linked one within the other, each ring havmg a set of opposing V-shaped grooves directed radially along said ring, sa.d 20 grooves forming a radially disposed gap where the grooves tersect rings, in use, being connected by aligning grooves of respective ■ rings, relative sliding of said rings together along said grooves and relative rotation of said rings when the aligned grooves are clear of one another. ,
2- Preferably the inside diameter of each rmg corresponds to the cross-sectional diameter of said annular ring.
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily put into practical effect, a preferred non-limitative rldimen, of a connecting means made in accordance w.th the
30 invention will now be described with reference to the accompany drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the connecting means made in accordance with the invention;
Fig 2 is a side view of the connecting means show i ng the 35 aligned grooves before connection with one of the rings in cross-
SUBSTITUTE SHEET
section;
Fig. 3 is a view along and in the direction of arrows 3-3 shown in Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 is a similar view to that of Fig. 2 showing the connecting means coupled together.
In the drawings there is shown a connecting means 10 comprising two rings 12,14. Each ring 12,14 is circular in cross- section and secured to rods 16,18. Rods 16,18 can be coupled to anything but in this embodiment have pistons (not shown) of a pump of the type shown in the International Patent Application No.
PCT/AU92/00010 attached thereto. Each ring 12,14 has two oppositely located V-shaped grooves 20,22 which have a 45 ' slope. A radially disposed gap 24 links grooves 20,22. The grooves 20,22 on each ring 12,14 are complementary as is seen in Fig. 3. It is preferred that the inside diameter D of each ring is the same as the cross-sectional diameter d of each ring. This avoids a loose fit when the rings 12,14 are connected together as shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 4 does not show this snug fit in order to clearly illustrate the connection of the rings. In use, grooves 20,22 of each ring 12,14 are aligned as shown in Figs 1 and 2. The rings 12,14 are perpendicular to one another. The rings 12,14 are moved towards each other with the complementary faces of the grooves sliding along one another as shown in Fig. 3. Once ring 14 is located in ring 12, ring 14 can be rotated to the position shown in Fig. 4. As can be seen, once connected it is impossible for rods 16,18 to be separated unless the rings 12,14 are rotated and the grooves 20,22 aligned to withdraw ring 12 from ring 14.
The invention has the advantage that there are no tools required to make the connection. The connection is easily made and there is no confusion on how the connection is made. The connection is secure and cannot shake loose.
It is believed that the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,
construction and arrangement of the parts and that changes may be made in the form, constructions and arrangement of the connecting means described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its material advantages, the form hereinbefore described being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.