Patent ID: 7544008

Claim:
A flanged connection designed to connect a gas-filled spring in a machine tool, said flanged connection comprising an upper flange half, a lower flange half, an annular fixing element, and a locking ring, said upper flange half and said lower flange half each including a through-opening designed axially to receive at least a portion of the gas-filled spring, said upper flange half and said lower flange half designed to be secured together such that the through-opening in said upper flange half is axially aligned with the through-opening in said lower flange half and said fixing element is clamped between said flange halves, said upper flange half and said lower flange half applying a clamping force to said fixing element and said locking ring to designed to engage the gas-filled spring when said upper flange half and said lower flange half are secured together, said locking ring engaging an annular recess along an inside surface of said fixing element and an annular recess along the through-opening of said lower flange half when said upper flange half and said lower flange half are secured together, said locking ring designed to engage a complementary groove around the gas-filled spring to secure the gas-filled spring in said flanged connection while being fixed in position between said fixing element half and said lower flange half when said upper flange half and said lower flange half are secured together, said fixing element movably engaging with said upper flange half when said upper flange half and said lower flange half are secured together, said fixing element applying a radially inward clamping force on said locking ring that is positioned at least partially around the gas-filled spring when said upper flange half and said lower flange half are secured together, said locking ring and said fixing element being at least two separate components, said fixing element applying a contact force against said locking ring when said upper flange half and said lower flange half are secured together the through-opening of said upper flange half having an inside surface having an inclined section in relation to a central axis of said flanged connection, said fixing element including an inclined section on an outside surface of said fixing element, said inclined sections of said flange section and said fixing element axially sliding along one another to cause said fixing element to move radially toward the gas-filled spring thereby causing said locking ring to also move radially toward the gas-filled spring and to increase said clamping force on the gas-filled spring.