HOSE CLAMP

Abstract: Hose clamps consisting of a band bent so as to form a ring (1) capable of being threaded onto a hose or similar device whereby one end section (6) of the band supports a screw housing (3) for a worm screw (2) located in the screw housing in such a way as to be rotatable and capable of limited movement the screw head (12) which faces in the same direction as the end of the band, being located outside one end wall (10) of the screw housing and the other end (14) being located within the screw housing and on the inside of its other end wall (9), the said worm screw engaging threaded grooves (7) in the other end section (5) of the band which can be moved through the screw housing. In order to counteract the fact that the material of the hose tightened by the hose clamp eventually settles so that the hose clamp partly loses its grip about the hose an arrangement has been proposed according to which a spring device acts upon the screw in a direction imparting to the spring device a tendency to move the screw axially in a direction tending to tighten the hose clamp. The proposed spring device consists of a helically wound spring wire threaded onto the screw, which is unprotected and produces a limited spring force. A stronger spring action and higher protection of the spring device are achieved in accordance with the invention by designing the spring device as a spring band (4) constituting a compression spring, which is situated within the screw housing (3) between the said other end wall (9) of the screw housing and the end (14) of the worm screw.

Description: HOSE GUMP The present, invention relates to hose clamps consisting of a " band bent so as to form a ring capable of " being threaded on to a hose or similar device, one end section of the said " band supporting 5 a screw housing for a worm screw capable of rotating within this screw housing and supported in such a way as to permit limited axial displacement, whereby the head of the said screw facing in the same direction as the other end section of the band is located outside one end wall of the screw housing whereas the other end is located within -JO the screw housing and on the inside of its other end wall, with the worm screw engaging thread grooves provided in the other -end section of the band capable of moving through the screw housing. When a hose clamp is tightened about a hose, the hose material eventually settles, at least with certain grades of material so that 15 the hose clamp loses its grip on the hose at least partly. So as to compensate this settlement at least in part it has been proposed, for instance according to the American patent specification 3 765 066 to make use of an arrangement whereby a spring device consisting of a helically wound spring wire is threaded onto a screw holding together 20 the ends of the hose clamp band between the head of the screw and a projecting end section of the band, as a result of which the screw is axially displaceable and rotatably supported. When this hose clamp is tightened about a hose with the aid of the screw the spring is partly compressed. If after a period of time the hose material settles 25 the spring can partly expand and continue to keep the band in a stressed condition. The known arrangement described in the American patent specification is however subject to the disadvantage that the spring is entirely unprotected and exposed to corrosive environmental action, for instance if the hose clamp is used to keep the cooler 30 hoses in a car in position, a further disadvantage being that a spring of this type takes up a relatively large section of the screw length and that its force is small. OMPI Λ Λ,, WIPO . The invention, the object of which consists in the production of a hose clamp free from the said disadvantages, is described in detail below, in accordance with the attached drawing, where Fig. 1 is an exploded sketch of a hose clamp arranged in accord- ance with the invention Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the assembled hose clamp Fig. 3 is a central section through the hose clamp parallel to the plane of the said hose clamp in a non-tightened state Fig. 4 is the same section with the hose clamp tightened about a hose not shown in the drawing Fig. is a perspective view of a spring device forming part of the hose clamp Fig. 6 is a section through the hose clamp with a different design of spring device and Fig. 7 is a view of the hose clamp in fig. 6 seen from above. The hose clamp shown consists of a band 1 bent so as to form a ring capable of threading on to a hose or similar device not shown in the drawing. One end section 6 of the band supports the screw housing 3 for a worm screw 2 capable of rotating within the screw housing and so supported as to be capable of limited axial displace¬ ment. The. ead 12 of the worm screw facing in the same direction as the other end section 5 of the band is located outside one end wall 10 of the screw housing whereas the other end 14 is located within the screw housing and on the inside of the other end wall of the screw housing. The said other end section 5 of the band can be moved through the screw housing in known manner and is provided with oblique thread grooves 7 "tbe pitch of which corresponds to the pitch of the worm screw, with the threaded screw engaging the said thread grooves. The end section 5 of the band moves between two lugs 8 provided at the edges of the end section 6 and facing radially outward, the said lugs forming a support for the screw housing 3» which is designed as a cover with two end walls, whereby the end section 6 of the band constitutes the underside of the screw housing. A recess 11 in the screw housing end wall 10, which is open at the bottom acts as a support for a neck 13 of somewhat reduced diameter between head 12 of the worm screw and the threaded section of the worm screw. The length of the neck enables limited axial displacement of work screw 2 in relation to the screw housing 3« A spring device 4 is provided within the screw housing between the end wall 9 of the screw housing and the worm screw end 14, the said spring device being held in place and partially protected by a tab 15 projecting from the bottom edge of end wall 9-and bent inward. This spring device consists of a spirally wound spring band. If the hose clamp is tightened about a hose, not shown in the drawing, by means of the worm screw, the end 14 of the worm screw abuts the spring device 4 and given a sufficient tightening force compresses the latter as a result of axiβl displacement, see fig. 4. If at a later stage the hose material settles, the spring device can displace the worm screw in the direction towards end wall 10 of the screw housing, whereby the worm screw pulls along the end section 5 of the band so that at least part of the hose clamp's tightening force is maintained. Since the spring device 4 is thus located within the screw housing it is better protected against corrosive environmental action than the corresponding spring device of the known hose clamp " according to the above U.S. patent 3 765 066, a further consideration being that a spirally wound spring band is capable of producing, within a given limited space, a considerably larger spring force than a helically wound spring wire. With the embodiment of a hose clamp in accordance with figs. 6 and 7 the spring device 4 consists of a straight spring band arranged between the worm screw 2 and the upper part of the screw housing 3» whereby the end of the said spring band facing the screw head 12 is designed so as to form a hook 16 which engages an edge in the screw housing facing the said screw head. In the case shown this edge consists in one side of an opening 17 in "tbe screw housing, through which the hook projects. The other end section of the spring leaf is spirally wound and radially abuts end 14 of the worm screw. If in the course of tightening the hose clamp the worm screw is displaced axially through the screw housing the spirally wound section of the OMPI spring band straightens out somewhat while pressing against the worm screw. Also with the embodiment according to figs. 6 and 7 the spring band is well protected within the screw housing 3« With the simplified embodiment of the hose clamp according to figs. 6 and 7 the end wall 9 of the screw housing may be omitted but this results in somewhat reduced protection of the spring band.

Claims: Patent Claims 1. Hose clamp consisting of a band (l) bent so as- to form a ring capable of being threaded on to a hose or corresponding device, whereby one end section (6) of the band supports a screw housing (3) for a worm screw (2) located within the screw housing in such a manner as to be rotatable and capable of limited axial displacement, the screw head (12) facing in the same direction as the other end section(5) of the band being located outside one end wall (10) of the screw housing while the other end (14) is located within the screw housing and inside the other end wall (9) of the screw housing, with the worm screw engaging thread grooves (7) in the said other end section (5) of the band, which is capable of moving through the screw housing,and with the said worm screw being axially subject to pressure by a spring device (4) causing the worm screw to be displaced in a band tightening direction, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the spring device consists of a spirally wound spring band (4) constituting a compression spring, which is located within the screw housing (3) between the said other end wall (9) of the screw housing and the end (14) of worm screw (2). 2. Hose clamp according to claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the spring device (4) is supported and protected by a tab (15) bent inward from an edge of the said other end wall (9) of the screw housing. 3. Hose clamp in accordance with claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that the spring band (4) is secured to the screw housing (3). 4» Hose clamp according to claim 3» c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that that part of the spring band (4) which is secured to the screw housing (3) is straight and situated between the worm screw (2) and the screw housing. 5« Hose clamp according to claim 4 » ch ar a c t er i s e d -BUREΛ T OMPI - IPO in that the straight part of the spring band has an end section forming a hook (16) which engages an edge in the screw housing (3)« 6. Hose clamp in accordance with claim 5, c h ar a c t e ¬ i s e d in that the said edge consists of one side of an opening (17) through the screw housing (3). 7 * Hose clamp in accordance with any of claims 3-6, c h a r a c t e r i s e d by a riveted or spot-welded connection (18) between the screw housing (3) and the spring leaf (4)» OM ^ Wi

Inventors: ANDERSSON B, LARSSON S
Applicants: ANDERSSON B, LARSSON S
Application year: 1979
Main classification: F16L33
IPC codes: F16L33