Abstract:
Manoeuvring element of the type consisting of a crank provided at one end with a protruding handle and at the other end with manoeuvring which actuate a rotation transmission shaft and furthermore provided with a safety system, consisting of button means housed within a cavity obtained in said crank for the actuation of a locking pin characterised in that with said button means there are associated retaining means of said locking pin axially controlled by said button means and apt to rotate between a fastening position and an unlocking position.

Description:
[0001]    The present invention relates to a manouvring element with integrated locking means apt to control the prevention of the rotation thereof. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Such devices have been known for a long time and for a wide variety of uses and applications, in particular on machinery or equipment. Generically, they consist of a usually circular crown, from which gripping and manoeuvring means depart, possibly provided with a handle. 
         [0003]    Depending on various requirements, the devices on the market may have or not, elements for halting the rotation of the manoeuvring shaft. 
         [0004]    For the displacement of the moving body on which the manoeuvring element is mounted to occur only in conditions of maximum safety, and only by authorised operators, pressure-activated safety means which may be controlled from the outside are provided, to engage—when activated—the structure on which the element is mounted and prevent the rotation thereof. At the moment, such means consist of an axially moving, outwardly protruding plunger carrying internally at least a protruding pin and, in the structure on which the element is mounted, a plurality of holes apt to receive said pins. 
         [0005]    If required, the manoeuvring element is provided with a lock of the axial movements thereof, for example in case one wants to avoid tampering or displacement errors. 
         [0006]    As is understandable from the above-reported description, the safety means are structured so that—upon the actuation of the manoeuvring element—they protrude from the manoeuvring element, risking to cause logistics problems, since this type of devices is often provided in cramped spaces, where also a small bulk takes up significant importance. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY 
       [0007]    The object of the invention is therefore to accomplish a manouvring element provided with safety means in which bulk is kept constant, both during movement and at rest. 
         [0008]    Said object is achieved through a manoeuvring element having the features according to claim  1 ). 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The element is now going to be described in greater detail, exclusively as an example with reference to the attached drawings, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a top plan perspective view of a manoeuvring element according to the invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a longitudinal section view of the manoeuvring element of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 3   a  to  3   e  are views of the main elements which form the button body of the manoeuvring element according to the invention; 
           [0013]      FIGS. 4   a  to  4   c  are views of the detail D of  FIG. 2 , wherein the operation of the safety system of the manoeuvring element according to the invention is highlighted. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    Manoeuvring element  1  consists of a crank  2 , provided at one end of a protruding handle  3  and at the other end of the manoeuvring means  4  on which the above-said element  1  is applied which drive a rotation transmission shaft (not shown) inserted in a central shaped cavity  4   a.  A safety system is furthermore provided, consisting of a button  5 , housed in a cavity  4   b,  and of a lock assembly  6 , housed in cavity  4   c,  said button  5  and said lock assembly  6  being mutually symmetrical with respect to the x-x axis shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0015]    More specifically, engaging means  4  consist of a hollow bush, kept in a stable position by a pair of annular, mutually parallel ribbings  7 ,  8 , and aimed at maintaining bush  4  in the desired position. 
         [0016]    In order to avoid the entry of dust in the transmission system, a closing cap  9  is finally provided in correspondence of the upper surface of manoeuvring element  1 . 
         [0017]    Button body  5  consists of a cylindrical body, open below, provided on the lateral surface with ribbings  5   a  for the engagement with grooves  4   d,  complementary thereto, provided along the walls of cavity  4   b.  A glass  5   b  projects from the inner surface of the upper wall, the object of which is better described in the following. Likewise, finally, the annular bottom surface  5   c  of button body  5  has a wavy pattern, the object of which will be better understood in the following. 
         [0018]    In engagement with button means  5  is a centrally drilled rotating insert  10  externally provided with equidistant pins  10   a,  the top of which has an angle of 23° with respect to the resting plane. It consists of a substantially cylindrical body, the top of which is an outer circular crown  10   b,  which provides centrally a bush-like insert  10   c  provided with a central hole  10   d,  of a smaller diameter with respect to crown  10   b.  Said insert  10   c  is provided—on the bottom surface thereof—with an annular groove for the housing of the upper end of a spring body  11 , apt to maintain the elastic engagement between the two elements. 
         [0019]    The engagement between button means  5  and rotating insert  10 , and the displacement of the locking pin, occur through the association between a cylindrical drawing pin  12 , provided with a dovetail insert  12   a , and a preloaded pin  13 , provided with a retaining bottleneck  13   a.    
         [0020]    The engagement between the two pins  12 ,  13  occurs due to the fact that pin  12  is inserted in pin  13  and has a base  12   b  having a slightly larger diameter than the diameter of retaining bottleneck  13   a.    
         [0021]    A spring  14  apt to maintain under tension preloaded pin  13  is housed in a chamber  13   b  provided above said bottleneck  13   a.    
         [0022]    As a closing to cavity  4   b —and as a support of the safety system consisting of the coupling between the button and the rotating insert—there is a shaped flanged body  15 , the central hole of which allows the displacement of the locking pin consisting of the portion below the bottleneck of preloaded pin  13 . 
         [0023]    The manoeuvring element  1  according to this specification is easy to operate, particularly referring to  FIGS. 4   a - 4   c.    
         [0024]      FIG. 4   a  shown manoeuvring element  1  in operating position: the safety system is entirely drawn back, and the operator can proceed with the displacement according to his/her needs. When the operator wishes to lock in the required position manoeuvring element  1 , he applies on button  5  the pressure necessary for compressing springs  11  and  14  and for causing rotating insert  10  and button  5  to translate along cavity  4   b . Once arrived at the maximum compression of spring  11 , insert  10 —for the particular engagement which has arisen between the bottom surface  5   c  of button  5  and the teeth  10   a  of insert  10 —is caused to rotate, so that teeth  10   a  insert in a suitable protrusion of the inner wall of cavity  4   b.  At the same time, spring  14 , compressed, tends to push out preloaded pin  13 . 
         [0025]    Once this first step has been completed, the operator will be able to rotate the key, so that lock assembly  6  causes the exit of pin  6   a,  and the consequent insertion into the suitable perforations provided on the body to displace. 
         [0026]    The release of the safety system of the manoeuvring element will banally occur through the sole rotation of the key, with the resulting re-entry into home position of the lock assembly, and the consequent pressure on the button, which releases teeth  10   a  from the engagement position, and consequently to bring back the spring to the original position, with the consequent traction of the pin. 
         [0027]    In case there is no perfect alignment between pin  13  and the complementary hole provided on the moving body on which the manoeuvring element is mounted, spring  14  is compressed and pin  13  is preloaded. Causing the manoeuvring element to rotate, the operator necessarily brings pin  13  in correspondence of the hole, understandably determining the release of spring  14  and the stable insertion of pin  13  into the hole. 
         [0028]    As can be understood, by the system just described a manoeuvring element has been obtained provided with safety means such as to keep the bulk constant, both during movement and at rest. 
         [0029]    Preferably, to keep the bulk to a minimum, the crank provides an ascending gradient from the gripping area to the engagement area. 
         [0030]    It is understood that there may be other embodiments of the manoevring element according to the invention, different from the one described and illustrated in detail above, which achieve a usefulness equal to the ones described. For example, it is not necessary for the manoeuvring element to consist of a crank such as the one just described: it may be a steering wheel in a disc form or with spokes, or a device with two or three arms, with or without manoeuvring handle. Moreover, the locking means can be applied on the element in a position different from the one shown. Finally, a number of buttons greater than one may be provided. All these variants fall in the scope of protection of the present invention.