Abstract:
A device for the remote handling of equipment ( 4 ) for instance designed for mounting elastic rings ( 6 ) comprises a fixed jaw ( 8 ) and a mobile jaw ( 12 ) which moves linearly relative to the fixed jaw ( 8 ) by actuating elements coupled to the equipment ( 4 ) by a cable ( 2 ) connected to the mobile jaw ( 12 ) inside a sheath ( 3 ) one end of which comes to stop ( 10 ) on the fixed jaw ( 8 ). The actuating elements consist of two branches ( 13, 14 ) articulated on a common axis ( 15 ) such that the distance between their free end ( 131, 141 ) is not less than the maximum displacement of the mobile jaw ( 12 ), when bringing closer the two handles ( 16, 17 ) respectively integral with the two branches ( 13, 14 ) of which the free end ( 131 ) of one ( 13 ) acts as a stop to the other end of the sheath ( 3 ) while allowing the cable ( 2 ) that is connected to the free end ( 14 ) of the other arm ( 14 ) to slide.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is the 35 USC 371 national stage of international application PCT/FR97/02311 filed on Dec. 16, 1997, which designated the United States of America. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a remote handling system for equipment such as that comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw capable of being linearly displaced in relation to the fixed jaw by actuating means situated remotely, and which is particularly useful for the assembly and dismantling of tensioned elastic rings widely used in the field of automobiles, for example for fixing hoses onto the cooling pipe system that are subjected to wide variations in their external diameter due to large expansions. It is known that it is not possible to use, for example rigid rings fitted with screws to maintain sealed connections between hose and pipe. From this arises the interest in using rings that are clamped elastically known in the text that follows as elastic rings. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     It should be remembered that such rings are normally manufactured from a strip, shaped into a ring that is generally circular. The ring itself is naturally capable of being deformed because of the gap between its two ends which creates an elastic restoring moment used to provide the clamping. For a long time, it has been known to produce this type of ring by causing the two ends of a spring strip to overlap. A central cut-away portion of the strip forming the ring extends over a few centimetres to one of its ends to form a passage for the other which is reduced in width in order to be coincident with this passage. The two ends of the strip are fitted with lugs obtained by simple rectangular bending of their end parts towards the outside of the ring in such a way that using pincers fitted with jaws, one can easily bring the two lugs towards one another, that is to say increase the diameter of the ring which when released causes the elastic restoring moment necessary for the clamping. 
     Numerous tools for assembling and dismantling elastic rings are available to users and most of these tools, manual or automatic operate on the basis of very simple lever systems such as, for example x-shaped pincers. 
     The major disadvantage of these tools for elastic rings resides in the fact that for assembling hoses onto an automobile engine, for example, it is practically impossible to ensure that one obtains precise positioning of the ring on a sleeve. Actually, the ring, having a diameter clearly greater than the diameter of the sleeve to be clamped can find itself in any position when the two lugs on the ring are released in order to clamp it ; at this precise moment, the ring takes up a position that is totally random and generally uncontrollable by the operator who often cannot see it. It is even a common occurrence on assembly, that this type of ring released suddenly and positioned crosswise leads to the hose that is assembled on the end of the pipe being distorted. In the more favourable situation where the operator notices the problem, the correct positioning of a badly positioned ring requires a repeat operation that is often difficult because of the lack of accessibility that is generally the case. In any case, it is essential to unclamp the ring as little as possible in order to replace it in the correct position, which is often impossible. 
     In order to remedy such difficulties notably of access, one often has to use extended pincer systems which remain difficult to work with. Also known is the German utility model DE-29603425 pincers for the mounting and the disassembly of elastic rings that comprise pressure pincers connected to a slide forming a jaw that is movable by means of a flexible cable. This device while it permits more easy remote operation for the mounting and disassembly of the rings is characterized in that the slide assembly comprises a stop device in an open position for the ring, on which the operator must act for the final positioning of the same ring or for its removal in the case of disassembly; this device has the serious disadvantage that the operator is obliged to manipulate the slide assembly and the releasing system with just one hand, the other hand, in principle having to manipulate or to hold the pressure pincers. It would therefore appear to be extremely difficult to use the same hand for positioning and for releasing the ring at the same time, particularly when access is difficult. and a movable jaw capable of being linearly displaced in relation to the fixed jaw by actuating means situated remotely and linked to said tool by means of a cable connected on the one hand to the movable jaw and sliding inside a sheath that is advantageously flexible, one end of which is in abutment with the fixed jaw in order to allow the cable to slide, such a system being characterised in that the actuating means consist of two arms which are articulated on one and the same axis in such a way that they are separated in an angular sense, to such an extent that the distance between their free ends is at least equal to the maximum displacement of the movable jaw, when two handles respectively integral with the two arms are brought towards each other, the free end of one arm being used as a stop at the other end of the sheath while at the same time the cable which passes through it and is connected to the free end of the other arm, is allowed to slide freely. 
     This manipulation system, each arm of which together with its handle stays within the plane of their respective movements on the same side of a median line of the plane passing between the two arms, the two handles and their centre of articulation, is particularly advantageous for application to the mounting and dismantling of elastic rings even when they are situated at points with very difficult access, which is generally the case in the engines of presentday vehicles. 
     It is actually sufficient to match the fixed jaw and the movable jaw of the remotely operated tool for it to be inserted onto the lugs of an elastic ring that is completely standard and not pre-stressed. For dismantling, it is very easy to engage the two jaws around the lugs of the ring to be unclamped using for example a left hand with the right hand holding the remote handling device, in the position with the handles apart, in order to facilitate the entry of the jaws onto the lugs. For dismantling, a simple pressure with the right hand is sufficient to bring the two handles towards each other, which determines a torque that is enough to bring the movable jaw closer to the fixed jaw which as a consequence increases the diameter of the ring and brings about the required unclamping. Conversely, if one wishes to reposition the ring which has been unclamped into the correct position or into another position on the hose, one has only to gently release the two handles of the remote handling device until the left hand can easily release the movable jaw and fix the lugs of the ring. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     It is understood that the interest of such a system of remote handling and other characteristics and advantages will better be apparent from the description of a remote handling device given by way of an example of the invention which is not limitative and which refers to the appended drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 shows in continuous lines a remote handling device conforming to the invention viewed from the front in the position with the handles close together corresponding to a pre-stressed elastic ring in the position for mounting and in broken lines, the same remote handling device in the position with the handles spaced apart corresponding in principle to the clamped position of the elastic ring. 
     FIG. 2 is a side view of the remote handling device of the preceding Figure in the position of maximum opening of the movable jaw. 
     FIG. 3 diagrammatically represents the three main variants of form for the remote handling device of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the Figures, the remote handling device  1  conforming to the invention is connected by an assembly comprising a cable  2  inside a sheath  3 , to a tool  4  enabling one to act on lugs  5  of an elastic ring  6  for the purpose of mounting it or dismantling it for example on a hose. 
     Conforming to FIGS. 1 and 2, the equipment  4  for clamping or unclamping the ring  6  is essentially made up of a clevis  7  advantageously obtained from a flat piece of iron folded into a U the two wings of which are joined at their end around a component  8  that constitutes the fixed jaw. The fixed jaw is equipped in its rear part  9  with a bore  10  with the inside of which the flexible sheath  3  comes into abutment. On the same axis as the bore  10 , a hole  11  allows passage of the cable  2  which can extend as far as the movable jaw  12  arranged astride on the inside of the clevis  7  with vertical slots being used as a guide rail for its linear displacement. The cable  2  is fitted into a bore made in the movable jaw  12  and fixed to it by means of a screw to clamp it. 
     The movable jaw  12  is formed from an inner block  121  that takes up the same space as the width of the clevis  7  to form a lateral guide to the jaw  12 . Above and below the component  121  there are attached two plates  122  and  123 , which come into contact with the slots in the clevis  7  in such a way as to form a slide with the two sides  71 ,  72  of the clevis. From the plates  122  and  123  forming the slides and on the side of the movable jaw  12  facing the fixed jaw  8 , surfaces  124  that slope towards the interior of the block  121  are provided that permit formation of a housing shaped like a half swallow-tail to receive the first lug  5  of the ring  6  without there being any risk of it accidentally being dislocated at the moment of clamping. 
     Optionally, the fixed jaw  8  is constituted in the same way as the movable jaw  12  by a central block fixed on each side to the two side wings  71 ,  72  of the clevis  7  and held top and bottom by two backing plates formed like the jaw  12  to receive the second lug  5  of the ring  6 . 
     The remote handling device  1  is essentially made up of two arms  13 ,  14  capable of moving apart from one another by rotation about an axis  15  so as to define between their two ends  131 ,  141  a displacement equivalent to that of the free jaw  12  over the clevis  7  in the direction of and up to contact with the fixed jaw  8 . This linear movement of the fixed jaw  12  is naturally obtained by tension on the cable  2  fixed to the end  141  of the inner arm  14  of the remote handling device  1 , thanks to a cotter pin or a screw  142 . Of course, the cable  2  transmits its movement to the tool  4  by means of the sheath  3  coming into abutment with the end  131  of the outer arm  13  of the remote handling device  1 . 
     According to an essential characteristic of the invention, each arm  13  or  14  is associated with a handle, respectively  16  or  17 , in accordance with a particular arrangement that causes each arm to correspond with the handle situated on the same side of a line XX′ that coincides with the median line of handles  16 ,  17  and arms  13 ,  14  passing through their centre or their articulation axis  15  ; conforming with FIG.  1 . The result is that when the two handles  16  and  17  move toward each other by rotation about the axis  15 , the arms  13  and  14  move apart and contrary to this, when the handles move apart from one another, the two arms  13  and  14  tend to move toward one another. 
     According to a particularly advantageous construction of the remote handling device  1 , that makes reference notably to FIG. 2, the remote handling device  1  is cut away into a strip of; thickness 5 mm for example, defining on each side of a plate, centred on the axis  15 , used to rotate the tool, on the one hand handle supports  18 ,  19  and on the other hand the arms  13  and  14  that one will have previously twisted 90° onto themselves to be used by the outer arm as a stop for the sheath  3  and by the inner arm as a fixing system for the actuating cable  2 . 
     Optionally, two ergonomic handgrips are fixed astride the two ends of the handle supports  18  and  19  in order to provide a better grip on the tool. 
     Conforming to FIG. 3, it is possible to produce the remote handling device conforming  1  to the invention in accordance with three main configurations. 
     In accordance with FIG. 3 a , the remote handling device  1 , in the at-rest position, that is to say with the two handles  16 ,  17  close to one another, is such that a first arm  13  is positioned in an extension of handle  16  with which it is connected along an axis YY′ perpendicular in direction to the axis of articulation  15 , the two axes not necessarily intersecting and that the second arm  14  forms, with the handle  17  with which it is connected, an angle a in the plane of movement perpendicular to the axis of articulation  15  of a size such that the distance between the free ends  131 ,  141  of the two arms  13 ,  14  is at least equal to the displacement of the movable jaw  12  from its position furthest from the clevis  7  to being in contact with the fixed jaw  8  of the tool  4 . 
     According to another variant represented in FIG. 3 b , the remote handling device  1 , still in its at-rest position, is such that each arm  13 ,  14  is symmetrically angled with respect to the median axis YY′ of the tool, so that in a definitive way, it determines an angle a identical to the variant  a . 
     Finally, according to a final variant shown in FIG. 3 c , the remote handling device  1  is such that the two arms  13 ,  14  are angled on the same side of the median axis YY′. Naturally the angles of the outer and the inner arms are calculated so that, in the at-rest position, that is to say in the position where the two handles  16 ,  17  are close to one another, the arms make between them an angle equal to β as in the preceding variants. 
     According to a preferred arrangement of the invention, the area of articulation  143  of the inner arm  14  does not coincide with the area  144  where the same arm joins with its handle  17 , but is offset by an appendage  145  that unites the two areas  143 ,  144 . It can be easily understood that the position of the arms  13 ,  14  particularly when the two handles are in the most spaced apart position depends on the length of the appendage  145  joining the articulation axis  15  to the assembly made up of the arm  14  and the handle  17 . As a consequence, the traction couple exerted by the arm on the cable  2  can be made the most suitable and the angle of the cable  2  with respect to the arm  13  can be reduced when the arm  14  describes the angle β, which improves the operation of the remote handling device  1 . A man skilled in the art is perfectly capable of matching the geometry of all these elements, that is to say the length of the arms  13 ,  14  as well as the length of the appendage  145  in relation to the length of the handles  16 ,  17  that constitute the lever arms of the remote handling device  1 . 
     According to the optional arrangements of the remote handling device  1 , between the two handles  16 ,  17  and close to their articulation point  15 , a return spring  20  urges these handles apart in the at-rest position, that is to say the movable jaw is urged to the end of the clevis  7  of the tool  4 . 
     The spring  20  is a simple coil spring clamped between two bosses provided in the slot of the handle supports  18 ,  19 . 
     In the same way, advantageously a ratchet mechanism  21  is provided, mounted for example on the handle support  19 , in such a way that its end hook  22  cooperates with a stub  23  provided on the other handle support  18  to keep one handle against the other when they are close together, that is to say when the movable jaw  12  is brought close to the fixed jaw  8 . Naturally, a manual device  24  allows one to release the hook  22  from the stub  23  at any time, and thereby release the two handles and by doing this any tension on the lugs  5  so that the elastic ring  6  is disengaged. 
     It is obvious that if the remote handling device  1  coupled to its tool  4  is particularly suited to the mounting and dismantling of elastic strip rings, it is always possible to use the remote handling device in any situation where it is necessary to linearly actuate two jaws relative to one another and that this can be done remotely by means of a flexible sheath. In this sense, the particular application to elastic rings constitutes one example, no doubt a very important example, but one which does not, in any way, restrict the scope of the invention.