PILLAR DEVICE

Abstract: A pillar or stand device comprises an outer stationary pillar part (2) and an inner movable pillar part (3), which is displaceable relative to the outer pillar part with the aid of a pneumatic cylinder (7). In the intermediate spaces (10) between the pillar parts, brake plates (14) are arranged which can be pressed against opposing wall elements (12) on the inner pillar part by elastic bladders (13) or hoses arranged in the intermediate spaces when air is supplied to them, thus locking the pillar parts to each other.

Description: Pillar device The present invention relates to a pillar device com¬ prising a pair of pillar parts movable relative to each other, power actuated means acting between said pillar parts and locking means arranged to lock the pillar parts relative to each other. Height adjustable work tables, which are used in assembly work, for example, can have supporting pillars or stands which are hydraulically, pneumatically or electrically operated. In certain cases it is desirable to avoid electrical operation to thus reduce the risk of accidents due to electrical faults in the equipment. When pneumatic tools are used and compressed air is available at the work place, it is advantageous to be able to use pneumatic cylinders as adjustment means for the pillar or stand. In contrast to electrical operating means in the form of an electrically driven screw device, for example, which is self-locking and provides an absolutely rigid engagement without any give whatsoever, pneumatic cylinders provide a certain amount of resilience due to the compressibility of air. If a pneumatic cylinder is used instead of an electrically driven mechanical transmission, the pillar must therefore be provided with a suitable locking device which eliminates any give in the work table and on work pieces placed on it. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a pillar device or stand, particularly intended for a height adjustable work table, of the type described by way of introduction, which is pneumatically driven and can be arranged to automatically, at the termination of a read¬ justment movement (as does an electrically operated pillar device) effectively lock the pillar parts together to eliminate give between them. This is achieved according to the invention by virtue of the fact that at least one of the pillar parts has a surface parallel to the direction of adjustment, that the second pillar part carries a pneumatically controlled brake device with a frictional surface which is movable in frictional engagement with said parallel surface, and the power actuated means are pneumatically controlled and coupled in a pneumatic control circuit in which the brake device is coupled so that it is released when the power actuated means are actuated to readjust the pillar parts relative to each other and assumes a braking position when the power actuated means are deactivated to terminate the readjustment movement. The invention thus makes it possible to, in a simple manner, automatically lock the pillar parts relative to each other as soon as the readjustment movement has been terminated. In a preferred embodiment of the pillar device according to the invention, the brake device consists of a pair of expandable air chambers in the form of a pair of elastic bladders, which each press against an individual brake plate. The bladders with associated brake plates are arranged on either side of one of the pillar parts in the space between it and the surrounding pillar part. This provides a particularly simple and reliable design with a minimum of moving parts. The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to examples shown in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 shows a side view of a pillar device or stand according to the invention, Figure 2 is a cross-section along the line 11-11 in Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows a circuit diagram of the control circuit of the pillar device. The pillar device has an outer pillar part 2 fixed on a bottom plate 1 and inside the pillar part 2 an inner pillar part 3 is displaceably mounted. The pillar part 2 consists of two wall elements 4 and 5 screwed together, which together define a rectangular space 6, in which the inner pillar part 3 in the form a four-sided pipe is mounted. The bottom plate 2 is intended to be anchored to the floor. On the plate 2, there is fixed a pneumatic cylinder. Its piston rod 8 is joined to a plate 9, which is designed to be the support for a work table and is fixed to the upper edge of the pillar part 3. When the air flow to the cylinder 7 is changed, with the accompanying displacement of the piston and the piston rod 8, the inner pillar part 3 will be displaced upwards or downwards in the outer pillar part 2, thus changing the height of the plate 9. The wall elements 5 are shaped and fixed to the wall ele¬ ments 4 in such a manner that a space 10 is formed between the inside of each wall element 5 and the outer surface 11 of each facing wall 12 on the inner pillar part 3. In each space, there is a bladder 13 of elastic material, e.g. rubber, and a plate 14 of plastic, for example. The blad¬ der 13 and the plate 14 form together a brake device, and the plate 14 therefore has on its surface 15 facing the wall 12 a frictional coating. The plate 14 is loose in the space 10. i.e. it is movable towards and from the wall 12 of the inner pillar part 3, but is prevented from vertical movement by upper and lower limits (not shown) of the space 10. When air is supplied to the bladder 13, it will expand and thus press the plate 14 against the wall sur¬ face 11. By using a loose plate and an elastic bladder, one automatically achieves uniform pressure over the en¬ tire plate 14, which means that the plate 14, if required, can in practice extend over essentially the entire length of the outer pillar part 2. The bladder 13 is made as long as the plate 14 and may take the shape, when the plate extends over a major portion of the height of the pillar, of a hose which is closed at its ends. The design accord¬ ing to the invention can achieve very high braking forces in a simple manner. The arrangement with braking devices on either side means that the braking forces will also be balanced by each other, so that the braking forces are entirely absorbed by the braking devices and their mount¬ ings in the outer pillar part. Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of a control circuit for the pillar device described above. In Figure 3, P de¬ signates a compressor, to which two operating valves 20, 21 are connected, each of said valves communicating via an individual throttle/check valve 22, 23 and check valve 24, 25 communicates with the cylinder spaces on either side of the piston. The elastic bladders 12 are coupled between the respective operating valve 20. 21 and the throttle/ /check valve 22, 23 via a change-over valve 26. In the position shown in Figure 3 of the operating valves 20. 21, these are opened and the cylinder chambers on either side of the piston are supplied with the same over- -pressure. The valve 21 communicates on its side remote from the compressor via a line 27 with the operating cham- ber of the valve 26 to hold the valve in its opened posi¬ tion. Pressure medium is thus provided to the bladders 13 via a line 28 from the side of the valve 20 remote from the compressor and the open valve 26. In this state, the pillar device is locked. When readjusting the pillar device, for raising a work table for example, i.e. displacement of the piston rod 8 to the right in Figure 3, the valve 21 is shifted manual¬ ly. This puts the check valve 25 under actuation pressure via a line 29 so that it opens. Via the check valve 25, the constriction in the valve 23 and the valve 21, the right hand cylinder chamber of the cylinder 7 is ventil¬ ated. At the same time, the bladders 13 are ventilated via the valve 26, which is shifted by the line 27 being ven¬ tilated via the valve 21. The brake is thus released at the same time as a pressure difference is effected in the cylinder 7, thus resulting in displacement of the piston rod to the right. When lowering the work table, i.e. displacing the piston rod 8 to the left in Figure 3, the operating valve 20 is shifted manually, and the check valve 24 is opened by being subjected to operating pressure via a line 30. In contrast to the process described immediately above, the valve 26 remains in the open position shown in Figure 3, since it is still subjected to operating pressure. The bladders 13 are instead ventilated via the line 28 and the valve 20. If a loss of pressure should occur in the circuit, it is true that the brake 13, 14 will release, but the check valves 24 and 25 will maintain over-pressure in the cylin¬ der 7, so that the pillar will not collapse. In the preceding, an embodiment has been described with a hose-shaped elastic nladder. The expression "elastic bladder" in the following patent claims is also to be construed as encompassing a bladder in the form of an elastic membrane fixed against a rigid wall, for example. As an alternative to an elastic bladder, a folded bellows or a folded membrane fixed to the edges of a rigid wall can be used.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Pillar or stand device, comprising a pair of pillar parts movable relative to each other, power control means acting between said pillar parts and locking means arranged to lock the pillar parts relative to each other, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that at least one (3) of the pillar parts has a surface (11) parallel to the direction of adjustment, that the second pillar part (2) carries a pneumatically controlled brake device (13, 14) with a frictional surface (15), which is movable in frictional engagement with said parallel surface, and that the power actuated means (7) are pneumatically controlled and coupled in a pneumatic control circuit, in which the brake device is coupled so that it is released when the power actuated means are actuated to readjust the pillar parts relative to each other and assumes a braking position when the power actuating means are deactivated to terminate the readjustment movement. 2. Pillar device according to Claim 1, c h a r a c t - e r i z e d in that the brake device comprises at least one expandable gas chamber (13), which cooperates with a brake plate (14) with said frictional surface (15) and which when it is expanded during the supply of a gaseous medium, presses the brake plate against the parallel sur- face (11). 3. Pillar device according to Claim 2, c h a r a c t ¬ e r i z e d in that the expandable chamber is formed of an elastic bladder (13), which is arranged between a stationary wall element (5) on one (2) of the pillar parts and the brake plate (14). 4. Pillar device according to Claim 3, c h a r a c t ¬ e r i z e d in that one (3) pillar part has two wall elements (12) parallel to the direction of movement, said wall elements being arranged with an intermediate space in which a pneumatic piston cylinder device (7) is housed, that the other pillar part (2) has two opposing stationary wall elements (5), which are arranged with an intermediate * space (10) to the respective wall element (12) on the first mentioned pillar part (3), and that an elastic bladder (13) with associated brake plate (14) is arranged in each intermediate space. 5. Pillar device according to Claim 4, c h a r a c t ¬ e r i z e d in that the pillar parts are formed of a pair of tubular telescopically arranged elements (2, 3), the inner one of which surrounds a pneumatic piston-cylinder device (7), the piston rod (8) of which is joined to one pillar part and the cylinder (7) of which is joined to the other pillar part. 6. Pillar device comprising a pair of telescopically displaceably mounted pillar parts, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the pillar parts (2, 3) are arranged with an intermediate space (10) between them, and that at least one brake plate (14) and an elastic bladder (13) are so arranged in the intermediate space and fixed in the direction of displacement relative to one pillar part (2), that the brake plate is pressed against the other pillar part (3) as the bladder expands when supplied with pressure medium.

Inventors: LJUNG ORVAR, LJUNG, ORVAR
Applicants: VOLVO AB, AB VOLVO
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B25H1
IPC codes: A47B9, B25H1, F16M11