SAFETY LOCKING MECHANISM FOR THE MULTI-CONNECTION MEMBER (MANIFOLD)

CONTROLLING THE FLUID PASSAGES

Technical Field

The present invention relates to the provision of the safety for the mechanism that performs in a rapid manner the locking of the multi-connection members (manifolds) controlling the fluid passages.

Prior Art

According to the state of art, the components referred to as the multi-connection member or the manifold are commonly used in order to control the fluid passages. The locking mechanisms are used on the manifold, in order to keep under control the multiple fluid passages and to enable the passage of the fluid by way of rapidly combining the fluid connection members on two manifold plates. By means of the movements performed in the clockwise and counterclockwise directions, the lock mechanism is enabled to unlock and to reach the locked position. The clockwise movement enables the locking mechanism to unlock, while the counterclockwise movement enables the locking mechanism to lock. However, in the existing locking mechanisms, there is not any safety mechanism utilized while the lock mechanism is in the locked position. Therefore, the risk of occupational risk arises and the labor/time losses occur due to the separation of the manifold plates from each other, in cases of knock, shake and vibration caused by the operating conditions or in the undesirable cases caused by the employees.

In the patent search conducted, there has not been encountered any patent application disclosing a mechanism for providing the safety of the locking mechanisms. The patent application with publication no. US 2005/0140138 Al relates to a distributor apparatus having a geared hydraulic connection piece for use in the fluid transmission. A lock mechanism is developed, comprising a clamp positioned between the geared portions of a manifold and the hydraulic connection piece, which engage one another. In this way, the geared portions are prevented from performing rotational movement relative to one another.

Object of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to develop a mechanism that provides the safety of the interlocking status of the fluid connection plates for multi-connection members (manifolds) controlling the fluid passages.

Another object of the invention is to prevent the occupational accidents that occur due to the separation of the manifold plates from each other, in cases of knock, shake and vibration caused by the operating conditions or in the undesirable cases caused by the employees.

Another object of the invention is to eliminate the labor and time losses that occur due to the separation of the manifold plates from each other, as a result of the undesirable external factors.

Another object of the invention is to expand the fields of use, to provide the safety in a rapid manner and to ensure a high level of reliability owing to the safety mechanism developed. In order to achieve the aforesaid objects, a safety locking mechanism is developed for the multi-connection member (manifold) controlling the fluid passages, said mechanism being characterized in that it comprises a lock arm providing motion manually to the camshaft; a safety lock pin positioned into the assembly housing within the camshaft and fitting into the lock housing of a drive shaft while the manifold is in the locked position; a joint pin connecting the safety lock pin and the lock arm with each other; and a lifter spring connected with the safety lock pin. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a lock arm is mounted on the camshaft in such a way to be able to rotate in the clockwise direction (b) or in the counterclockwise direction (a).

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a safety lock pin is used, which is connected with the lock arm and is moved in the (x) and (y) directions.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the assembly housing made on the camshaft has an oval structure.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a lifter spring is employed, which provides a motion to the safety lock pin in the (x) direction while in the locked position. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, a pull ring is used to open the safety, said pull ring being connected with the safety pin and being manually pulled.

Description of the Figures Figure 1 is a representative drawing of the cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism for the multiple rapid connection member (manifold) according to the state of the art. Figure 2 is a representative drawing of the cross-sectional view of the locking mechanism for the multi-connection member (manifold) according to the invention.

Figure 3 is a representative drawing of the cross-sectional view of an alternative locking mechanism for the multi-connection member (manifold).

Figure 4 is a representative drawing of the cross-sectional view of an alternative locking mechanism for the multi-connection member (manifold).

Figure 5 is a representative cross-sectional view of the lock arm being rotated in the counterclockwise direction to attain the locked position.

Figure 6 is a representative cross-sectional view of the lock arm being rotated in the clockwise direction to attain the unlocked position. Reference Numbers

I. Body

2. Drive shaft

3. Camshaft

4. Bush

5. Lock shaft

6. Lock pin

7. Lock arm

8. Retaining pin

9. Lifter spring

10. Lock pin spring

II. Ball

12. Drive shaft

13. Camshaft

14. Safety lock pin

15. Lock arm

16. Spring

17. Joint pin

18. Lock housing

19. Lock pin housing

20. Assembly housing

21. Lock pin

22. Pull ring

23. Lock arm housing

24. Pull ring

25. Lock pin

26. Camshaft lock hole 27. Lifter spring Detailed Description of the Invention

In Figure 1, the cross-sectional view is provided for the locking mechanism of the manifold used according to the prior art. As seen in Figure 1, according to the state of art, the lock pin (6) transmits the motion, which it receives from a camshaft (3) manually moved with a circular motion by means of a lock arm (7), to a shaft (2), which will convert said motion to a linear motion, and the actions of locking and unlocking are realized by way of moving the lock shaft (5) downwards and upwards. The manual rotation of the lock arm (7) in the clockwise direction enables to unlock the lock mechanism, while the counterclockwise rotation of the same enables to bring the mechanism into the locked position. However, said locking mechanism does not contain any safety mechanism. Therefore, the manifold connection plates may separate from each other in cases of knock, shake and vibration caused by the operating conditions or in the undesirable cases caused by the employees. This condition may lead to the occurrence of the occupational accidents and to the losses of labor. There is present a bush (4), which is connected with the lock shaft (5) being connected with the drive shaft (2). The locking balls (11) are located between the bush (4) and the lock shaft (5). There is present a lifter spring (9) between the drive shaft (2) and the bush (4). Said lifter spring (9) applies pressure on the bush (4) in locked position, thereby enabling the balls (11) to remain in locked state.

In Figure 2, the locking mechanism for the multi-connection member (manifold) according to the invention is shown in a cross-sectional view. Based on the state of art, the hole located on the camshaft (13) and opened for the lock pin (6) is extended, thereby forming the suitable joint pin (17) hole for the lock arm (15) connected with the safety lock pin (14). In order to connect the lock arm (15) with the safety lock pin (14), the lock arm (15) assembly housing (20) is opened in an oval form on the camshaft (13). In order to secure the lock arm (15) within the assembly housing (20), the joint pin (17) hole is drilled. The lock arm (15) is mounted with the joint pin (17) into the assembly housing (20) and is thus connected with the safety lock pin (14). Also, unlike the prior art, the lock arm (15), joint pin (17) and oval assembly housing (20) are associated with each other, thus enabling the lock arm (15) to be mounted with a joint pin (17) on the camshaft (13) in a rotatable manner. The safety lock pin (14) is connected with a lifter spring (16). The lifter spring (16) pushes the safety lock pin (14) towards the lock housing (18) present on the drive shaft (12), thereby continuously maintaining the same under pressure and preventing the downward and upward motion of the drive shaft (12). In this manner, the safety locking is provided. In order to bring the mechanism from the locked position into the free position, the lock arm (15) is first moved in the (x) direction to open the lock, then the lock arm (15) is rotated about 180° in the clockwise direction to disengage the connection and the plates are separated from each other. Then, the lock arm (15) is rotated about 180° in the counterclockwise direction and once the stroke is complete, it reaches again the locking position, and the safety pin (14) fits into the lock housing (18) on the drive shaft (12), thereby providing the safety of the mechanism. If the lock arm (15) is rotated again in the clockwise direction, the manifold plates separate from each other and the above steps are repeated for each locking operation. In Figure 3, the cross-sectional view is provided for an alternative locking mechanism for the multi-connection member (manifold). As an alternative to the safety mechanism in Figure 2, a similar safety apparatus may also be formed as in Figure 3. The rear end of the safety lock pin (21) is extended and said end is enabled to protrude outwards from the camshaft (13). In this alternative structure, the lock arm (15) and the lock pin (21) do not have a direct or indirect connection. The motion of the lock pin (21) within the lock arm housing (23) is provided manually by means of a pull ring (22) fitted to the end of the lifter spring (16) that remains outside the camshaft (13). The lifter spring (16) is associated with the pull ring (22) on the outer side, and the lock pin (14) is moved in the (x) direction by way of pulling said ring (22), thereby providing the safety state, or the movement is provided manually in the (y) direction in order to disengage the safety state.

In Figure 4, the cross-sectional view is provided for an alternative locking mechanism for the multi-connection member (manifold). A lock hole (26) is made on the body (1) and the camshaft (13), and when the lock arm (15) reaches the locking position, the lock pin (25) engages by means of the lifter spring (27) into the lock hole (26) present on the camshaft (13) and thus the safety locking is provided. In order to unlock the same, the pull ring (24) connected with the lock pin (25) is pulled outwards, thereby taking the system out of the safety state.

In Figure 5, a representative cross-sectional view is provided for the rotation of the lock arm (15) in the counterclockwise direction (a) to provide transition to the locking position. In Figure 6, a representative cross-sectional view is provided for the rotation of the lock arm (15) in the clockwise direction (b) to provide transition to the unlocking position.