Patent Publication Number: US-8118334-B2

Title: Adjusting device for rotating and tilting bolts

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority of International Application No. PCT/EP2005/002224, filed Mar. 3, 2005 and German Application No. 20 2004 003 708.4, filed Mar. 10, 2004, the complete disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     a) Field of the Invention 
     The invention is directed to an adjusting device for rotating and swiveling bolts. In particular, the invention relates to an adjusting device for hook spindle rotating bolts, sash fastener rotating bolts, pull-turn bolts, and swiveling bolts of closures, particularly of closures for mounting in thin walls, such as sheet-metal cabinets with a frame and door, in which the closures have a closure driveshaft which is provided with an external thread and which holds a bolt so as to be axially adjustable, and/or a bolt which is provided with an internal thread or bore hole near its free end and which holds a back-engaging device so as to be adjustable perpendicular to the back-engagement plane. 
     b) Description of the Related Art 
     WO 0179629A1 discloses a sash fastener rotating bolt closure which can be installed in a thin wall with the clamp device. The closure has a driveshaft which is provided with an external thread and at which a bolt is held by two lock nuts so as to be axially adjustable. For adjustment, it is necessary to loosen the two lock nuts, move the bolt into the desired position, and then tighten the lock nuts again. This is very complicated. 
     WO 00/31365 discloses a rotating bolt closure with a pull device in which the bolt is provided at its free end with an internal thread in which a rear-engagement device formed as a screw is held so as to be adjustable perpendicular to the back-engagement plane. Adjustment is again ensured by a lock nut. Also, adjustment is again complicated because a lock nut must be loosened, then the back-engaging device must be moved to the appropriate distance by turning, and then the lock nut must be tightened again. 
     WO 07/73605 shows a swivel lever closure in the drawing accompanying the Abstract. The swivel lever itself forms the back-engaging device. There is no possibility provided for adjustment. 
     WO 02/42588 A (RISI) shows an adjusting device for sash fastener rotating bolts, wherein the closure has a closure driveshaft ( 20 ) which is provided with an external thread and which holds a bolt or sash fastener ( 28 ) so as to be axially adjustable and which has a bolt ( 28 ) that is provided near its free end with an internal thread or bore hole. Holding devices, which force the bolt outward, and stop devices holding the bolt axially are provided. 
     Further, reference is had to U.S. Pat. No. 6,428,060 B1 (METZ) which discloses an adjusting device for rotating or swiveling bolts, wherein the closure has a closure driveshaft which is provided with an external thread and which holds a bolt so as to be axially adjustable and which has a bolt provided near its free end with an internal thread or bore hole. The bolt holds a back-engaging device ( 62 ) so as to be adjustable perpendicular to the back-engagement surface. The back-engagement surface has an external thread ( 63 ) for screwing into the thread of the free end of the bolt and a locking nut ( 67 ) which acts in a frictionally engaging manner (see  FIGS. 1-3 ). 
     Finally, reference is had to U.S. Pat. No. 4,492,394 (DIGNAN ET AL.) (as prior art coming closest to the invention) which discloses an adjusting device for a sash fastener rotating bolt in which the closure has a closure driveshaft which is provided with an external thread and which holds a bolt so as to be axially adjustable and which has a bolt that is provided with an internal thread near its free end. 
     OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is the primary object of the invention to provide an adjusting device of the type mentioned above which can either be adjusted very simply and quickly. 
     The above-stated object is met according to an embodiment form in that the rotating bolt carries or forms an internal thread for screwing in the closure driveshaft and one side of a coupling such as a claw coupling which acts by positive engagement, whose other side is held by the closure driveshaft so as to be rigid against rotation. 
     Insofar as the driveshaft has a noncircular cross section and the portion of the claw coupling that is rigid against rotation with respect to the driveshaft has an opening which fits this cross section, it would be advantageous according to a further development of the invention to provide holding devices which press the coupling parts or coupling sides together. In particular, these holding devices can be formed by a spiral spring which is slid onto the shaft. The coupling part which contacts the spring can advisably have a projecting rim or grip collar to simplify handling. 
     However, the holding devices can also be a nut such as a knurled nut which is screwed onto the shaft. 
     The actuation shaft which is noncircular in cross section advisably has at least one axially extending flattened portion and this flattened portion advisably carries an adjusting graduation to facilitate handling and, in particular, to implement preadjustable distances. 
     Alternatively, the back-engaging device can be a head pin which is displaceable in the bolt against spring force. No adjustment at all is required; rather, the spring device provides for adapting in each instance to the distance between the door leaf on the one side and the back-engagement surface of the door frame on the other side. 
     To limit the movement of the pin due to spring force, it may be advantageous to provide a retaining ring device in the base of the pin. 
     In the present embodiment form, the coupling disk has four claws or projections/recesses arranged at intervals of ninety degrees. The opening of the locking disk and the cross section of the shaft can be shaped in such a way, for example, with four chords or flattened portions, that four positions which are offset by 90 degrees are formed between the locking disk on one side and the shaft on the other side, so that 90-degree locking is possible. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will now be explained more fully with reference to embodiment examples shown in the drawings. 
         FIGS. 1A and 1B  show a side view and a rear view of a pull-turn bolt with quick adjustment of the rotating bolt distance from the thin wall holding the closure; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B  show a side view and a bottom view of the rotating bolt used in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  show a side view and a top view of an adjusting ring with four catch positions; 
         FIGS. 4A and 4B  show a side view and a cross-sectional view of a driveshaft which is provided with a slot and which also carries a graduation; 
         FIG. 5  shows a partial view of  FIG. 1A  to illustrate the pushed in state (closed position) of the closure; 
         FIG. 6  shows a side view of a swivel lever with adjusting device which is designed according to the invention; 
         FIG. 7A  shows a side view of a quick adjustment of the distance of the frame from the door leaf provided in a hook spindle closure; 
         FIG. 7B  shows a partial view of another embodiment form of the arrangement according to  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIGS. 8A ,  8 B and  8 C show three views in a more detailed illustration of the hook spindle shown in  FIG. 7A ; 
         FIG. 9A  shows a shape of the driveshaft that is suitable for the closures shown above; 
         FIG. 9B  shows a side view through the shaft to illustrate the four flattened portions selected in this case which are spaced apart by 90 degrees; 
         FIGS. 10A and 10B  show a side view and a top view of the locking disk used in  FIG. 9A ; 
         FIGS. 11A and 11B  show a view of the lock opening with a non-linear cross section and the head of a hook spindle lock which is arranged in the lock opening; 
         FIGS. 12A and 12B  show a rotating bolt closure in which the tongue can be adjusted by a helix screw against spring force with respect to its height or its distance for mounting in the wall; 
         FIG. 12C  shows a top view of the tongue; 
         FIG. 12D  shows an axial sectional view through the tongue, 
         FIGS. 13A and 13B ; and 
         FIG. 14  show additional embodiment forms. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1A  shows a pull-turn bolt closure  10  which is held in an opening  20  in a thin wall such as a door leaf  12  by its housing  18  which has a flange  14  and a coupling nut  16 . The housing  18  holds a closure driveshaft  24  provided with an external thread  22  so as to be rotatable and displaceable to a limited extent. A bolt  26  is held on this closure driveshaft  24  so as to be adjustable in direction of the shaft axis  28 . The bolt  26  shown here has, at its free end  30 , a bore hole  32  with a back-engaging device  34  which is constructed as a pin and which is adjustable perpendicular to the back-engagement plane  36 . 
     As is shown in  FIG. 2A  in a side view of a part of the rotating bolt  26 , this rotating bolt  26  has an internal thread  38  for screwing in the closure driveshaft  24  by its thread  22 . The bottom end of the thread according to  FIG. 2A  passes into a coupling side  40  which acts by positive engagement, while the other side of this coupling, which presents a claw coupling, forms a coupling disk  42  which is shown from the side in  FIG. 3A  and from the top in  FIG. 3B . The coupling disk or locking disk  42  has projections or claws  44  which are arranged at a distance of 90 degrees relative to one another and which can engage in correspondingly arranged recesses  46  at the front surface or coupling side  40  of the bolt  26 . The bolt  26  can therefore be locked in with respect to the disk  42  in steps of 90 degrees. The coupling disk  42  has a bore hole  50  which allows the closure driveshaft  24 , including its thread, to project through, but wherein one of the projections  44  extends into the passage of this bore hole  50  (see reference number  48 ) so as to cooperate with an axial slot or groove  52  which is formed on the closure driveshaft  24 . In this way, the locking disk  42  is axially displaceable but not rotatable with respect to the driveshaft  24 . Therefore, when the coupling disk  42  is pushed against the coupling side  40  of the bolt  26 , the latter is held in the position, and a spring  54  which is supported on the end of the housing  18  presses the disk  42  in this blocking function as can be seen in  FIG. 1A . The coupling disk  42  forms a collar  56  so that it can be engaged by hand more easily and pushed downward against the force of the spring  54  to carry out an adjustment of the pull-turn bolt. While the disk  42  is held by the hand so as to be disengaged, the rotating bolt  26  can be turned around the driveshaft  24  and, accordingly, the distance of the back-engaging device  34  from the back-engagement surface  36  can be changed by means of the thread. When the proper adjustment is achieved, the locking disk  42  is released and engages again in the front side  40  of the rotating bolt  26 , in which position the rotating bolt  26  is held so as to be rigid against rotation with respect to the shaft  24 . 
     The adjustment is carried out in such a way that, with the pull-turn bolt  26  tightened, a door leaf  12  is pressed with its edge  58 , possibly having a seal  60 , e.g., against a frame  62  until the seal  60  closes. This state is shown in  FIG. 5 . The spring-loaded pin  34  enables a desired edge compensation and a self-adjusting compression of the seal  60 . The spring  33  is supported on the head shoulder area of the pin  34  on one side and on a shoulder  64  formed by the bore hole  32  on the other side. The retaining ring  66  at the end of the pin  34  prevents the pin from falling out of the rotating bolt  26 . The construction shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B  accordingly enables a pre-adjustment by means of the thread  38  of the bolt  26  and a fine adjustment of height compensation by the displaceable arrangement of the back-engaging device  34  formed by the pin  34 . It will be noted that the head of the pin is rounded, see reference number  68 , so that it can also stop on the back-engagement area  36  in the partially tightened state. 
     The housing  18  has flattened portions  70  (preferably four pieces at intervals of 90 degrees) which cooperate with corresponding narrowed portions in the opening  20  of the door leaf  12  and accordingly enable mounting at intervals of 90 degrees so as to be rigid against rotation. 
     The groove  52  has a base with a surface  72 , which base surface  72  can be used for arranging a graduation (see  FIGS. 4A ,  4 B) which makes it possible to pre-adjust the bolt  26  on the shaft  24  prior to mounting in a cabinet. 
     When the driveshaft  24  is likewise provided with a flattened portion  70 , it is possible to arrange another graduation  74  with better visibility than that arranged in the base surface  72  of the groove. 
     The special feature of the spring-loaded pin is also used in a swiveling bolt according to  FIG. 6  which is not otherwise adjustable. The swivel bolt closure  110  shown in  FIG. 6  comprises a housing  118  which can be snapped into an opening in a door leaf  12 , A swivel bolt  126  which is swivelable around an axis, see  78 , is arranged in the housing  118 . The free end of the swivel bolt  126  also carries a bore hole  132  in which a head pin  168  is supported so as to be displaceable against the force of a pressure spring  133 , wherein a lock washer  166  limits the thrust path. 
     The spring-loaded pin also results in a compensation of tolerances in case of imprecise manufacture and when sealing measures are undertaken. 
       FIG. 7A  shows the application of the fixing device according to the invention in a closure with a hook spindle device. A housing which is snapped into the door leaf  12  supports a shaft  224  on which the base of a hook spindle locking disk  226  is arranged. The spindle penetrates a bore hole or lock opening  80  (see  FIGS. 11A and 11B ) in the frame  62 . In one position of the spindle ( FIG. 11B ), the hook  234  can pass through the opening  80 , but in a position that is rotated by 90 degrees ( FIG. 11A ) it cannot. Accordingly,  FIG. 11A  shows the closed position and  FIG. 11B  shows the open position. Also, to compensate for tolerances required, for example, as a result of the seal  260 , the hook spindle with its internal thread  238  can be screwed onto and off of the shaft  224  which is provided with an external thread so that the back-engagement surface of the hook  234  can be adapted more exactly with respect to the surface of the door leaf. A locking disk  226  can again be used to block the spindle in a certain position subsequently. This locking disk  226  is held either by a spring  254 , according to  FIG. 7B , or by a knurled nut  84 , according to  FIG. 7A , which can be screwed onto the thread of the driveshaft  224 . Instead of a groove, the driveshaft  224  in this case has a noncircular outer cross section to which the inner cross section of the locking disk  226  is adapted so that the locking disk  226  can be slid axially back and forth on the shaft  224  but cannot rotate. 
     The hook  234  can extend outward rigidly or, in order to facilitate closing when the driveshaft is not in the closing position, can be constructed flexibly, e.g., by means of levers  90  which retract into the spindle  92  against spring force  94  according to  FIGS. 8A ,  8 B and  8 C, by means of slide arrangements  96  which are flexible against spring force  98  according to  FIGS. 13A and 13B , and by means of a spindle  292  which has a fulcrum  291  for a level  290  according to  FIG. 14 . 
     In the embodiment form shown in  FIGS. 12A and 12B , a closure housing is held in a door leaf  12  by means of coupling nuts in a manner similar to that shown in  FIG. 14 . Flattened portions  370  prevent rotation in the opening in the thin wall  12 . The housing  318  supports a driveshaft  324  on which a tongue  326  without a thread can slide axially but is fixed with respect to rotation, e.g., by means of a groove  352  in which a corresponding projection of the rotating tongue  326  engages. A pressure spring  354  which is supported at the housing  318  and which encircles the shaft  324  presses the tongue  326  against a knurled nut  384  which cooperates with a thread  322  on the shaft  324  and accordingly makes it possible to adjust the distance of the back-engagement surface  368  of the tongue from the door leaf plane  36 . 
     The tongue  326  can have a toothing  86  according to  FIGS. 12C ,  12 D which engages with a corresponding toothing of the knurled nut  384  for locking. 
     Further, according to  FIG. 12D , the tongue can have a cylindrical groove  88  for receiving the compressed spring  324 . 
     COMMERCIAL APPLICABILITY 
     The invention is commercially applicable in switch cabinet construction. 
     While the foregoing description and drawings represent the present invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     
       
         
           
               
             
               
                   
               
               
                 Reference Numbers 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                   
               
            
           
           
               
               
            
               
                 10, 110 
                 pull-turn bolt closure 
               
               
                 12 
                 thin wall, door leaf 
               
               
                 14 
                 flange 
               
               
                 16 
                 coupling nut 
               
               
                 18, 318 
                 housing 
               
               
                 20 
                 opening 
               
               
                 22, 322 
                 external thread 
               
               
                 24; 224, 324 
                 closure driveshaft 
               
               
                 26, 126, 226, 326 
                 bolt; hook spindle locking part; tongue; locking disk 
               
               
                 28 
                 shaft axis 
               
               
                 30 
                 free end 
               
               
                 32, 132 
                 bore hole 
               
               
                 33, 133 
                 spring; back-engaging device 
               
               
                 34, 234 
                 bolt, hook; back-engaging device 
               
               
                 36 
                 back-engagement plane 
               
               
                 38, 238 
                 internal thread 
               
               
                 40 
                 coupling side 
               
               
                 42 
                 coupling disk, locking disk 
               
               
                 44 
                 projection, claw 
               
               
                 46 
                 recess 
               
               
                 48 
                 projection 
               
               
                 50 
                 bore hole, opening 
               
               
                 52, 352 
                 groove 
               
               
                 54, 254, 354 
                 (spiral) spring, holding devices 
               
               
                 56 
                 collar 
               
               
                 58 
                 edge 
               
               
                 60, 260 
                 seal 
               
               
                 62 
                 frame 
               
               
                 64 
                 shoulder 
               
               
                 66, 166 
                 retaining disk 
               
               
                 68, 168, 368 
                 back-engaging device, rounded stop 
               
               
                 70, 370 
                 flattened portions 
               
               
                 72 
                 flattened portions, base surface 
               
               
                 74 
                 graduation, flattened portion 
               
               
                 76 
                 flattened portion 
               
               
                 78 
                 axis 
               
               
                 80 
                 bore hole 
               
               
                 82 
                 hook 
               
               
                 84, 384 
                 stop devices, nut, knurled nut 
               
               
                 86 
                 toothed surface (of the bolt) 
               
               
                 88 
                 cylindrical groove 
               
               
                 90, 290 
                 lever 
               
               
                 91, 291 
                 fulcrum 
               
               
                 92, 292 
                 spindle 
               
               
                 94 
                 spring force 
               
               
                 96 
                 slide arrangement 
               
               
                 98 
                 spring force