POSITION-INDICATING DEVICE FOR A SUPPORT ELEMENT

Abstract

A position-indicating device for indicating the movement of a portion of a support element which is movable relative to a fixed portion, the support element being, more particularly, a spring hanger or constant hanger, a snubber, a vibration damper and/or an articulated-connection strut, the position-indicating device comprising: a mechanical movement-transmitting apparatus for transmitting the movement of the movable portion of the support element; an indicating apparatus for coupling to the movement-transmitting apparatus and for indicating the movement of the movable portion of the support element, wherein the indicating apparatus has a hollow cylinder and a driver element, which is movably mounted in the hollow cylinder and is coupled to the movement-transmitting apparatus with respect to movement, and wherein the hollow cylinder comprises a longitudinal slot, in which a transverse pin running radially outward extends, the transverse pin being moved along with driver element and being designed to move at least one extreme-value indicator, which extreme-value indicator is disposed radially outside with respect to the hollow cylinder. A support apparatus coupled to a position-indicating device of this type with respect to movement.

Claims

1-18. (canceled)

19. A position-indicating device for indicating the movement of a portion of a support element which is movable relative to a fixed portion, the support element being, in particular, a spring or constant hanger, a snubber, a vibration damper and/or an articulated strut, comprising: a mechanical movement-transmitting device, which can be attached to the support element on the input side, for the transmission of the movement of the movable portion of the support element; an indicating device for indicating the movement of the movable portion of the support element, wherein the movement-transmitting device is coupled to the indicating device on the output side and the indicating device has a hollow cylinder and a driver which is movably mounted in the hollow cylinder and is movement-coupled to the movement-transmitting device, and wherein the hollow cylinder comprises a longitudinal slot in which a radially outwardly extending transverse bolt extends which is moved along with the driver and which is designed to displace at least one extreme-value indicator arranged radially outside with respect to the hollow cylinder.

20. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein the transverse bolt is rigidly fastened to the driver.

21. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein the hollow cylinder has a further longitudinal slot that is arranged radially opposite to the first longitudinal slot, wherein the transverse bolt radially extends through both longitudinal slots.

22. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein the movement-transmitting device is designed for fastening to the movable portion of the support element.

23. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein the movement-transmitting device is arranged to transmit a translation movement picked up at the input side into an output-side translation movement. 23

24. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein the movement-transmitting device comprises a machine element designed for transmitting tensile and compressive forces, in particular a Bowden cable transmitting tensile and compressive forces.

25. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein the extreme-value indicator comprises at least one ring element which surrounds the hollow cylinder and is arranged so as to be axially displaceable with respect to the latter.

26. The position-indicating device according to claim 25, wherein the extreme-value indicator comprises at least one second ring element which surrounds the hollow cylinder and is arranged so as to be axially displaceable with respect to the hollow cylinder independently of the first ring element.

27. The position-indicating device according to claim 25, wherein the first and/or second ring element has an axial recess on an end face facing the driver for receiving the transverse bolt at least in sections in the axial direction.

28. The position-indicating device according to claim 27, wherein bottom of the axial recess of the first and/or the second ring element provides an axial stop surface for the transverse bolt.

29. The position-indicating device according to claim 25, wherein the first and/or the second ring element comprises a plain bearing element on a radially inner side in order to support the ring element against the hollow cylinder.

30. The position-indicating device according to claim 29, wherein the first and/or the second ring element comprises at least two axially space plain bearing elements on a radially inner side, wherein at least one of the at least two axially spaced plain bearing elements may have a dirt wiping functionality.

31. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein the hollow cylinder with the driver accommodated therein and the extreme-value indicator are arranged in a protective tube, in particular a transparent one.

32. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein the driver is configured with a cylinder-like outer surface having on an end face facing the movement-transmitting device a fastening element for fastening to the movement-transmitting device, wherein the transverse bolt is arranged on the end face facing away from the movement-transmitting device.

33. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein the hollow tube merges on one end face into a support portion for fastening the position-indicating device to a structural element.

34. The position-indicating device according to claim 19, wherein on one end face of the hollow tube an end plate provided with a through bore is arranged, which end plate closes the cavity of the hollow cylinder on the end face, wherein the movement-transmitting device extends through the through bore in the installed position.

35. The position-indicating device according to claim 31, wherein the protective tube rests against the end face of the support portion and the cover plate and together with these forms a cavity.

36. A support device, in particular snubber, for movably supporting a structural element such as a pipeline against a fixed bearing position, in particular a building, further comprising a position-indicating device according to claim 19.

37. Use of a position-indicating device according to claim 19 for indicating the movement of a movable portion of a support element relative to a fixed portion, in particular a spring or constant hanger, a snubber, a vibration damper and/or an articulated strut.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] The invention will be explained in the following by describing one embodiment together with variations with reference to the accompanying Figures, wherein:

[0026] FIG. 1 shows a position indicating device designed according to the invention for use with a remotely arranged snubber;

[0027] FIG. 2 shows the position indicating device shown in FIG. 1 in a longitudinal sectional view;

[0028] FIG. 3 shows the position indicating device shown in FIG. 1 in a longitudinal sectional view rotated by 90° relative to the view shown in FIG. 2;

[0029] FIG. 4 shows the sectional view of FIG. 3 without the protective tube with the ring elements shifted for contact and to indicate a zero position; and

[0030] FIG. 5 shows a further application of the position indicating device with a snubber as shown in Figure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0031] FIG. 1 shows the position indicating device 10 according to the invention, which is designed to indicate the movement of a movable portion of a support element designed as a snubber 5 in this case. Such a snubber 5 is used, for example, in plant systems in order to immediately establish an almost rigid connection between the structural part to be secured, for example a pipeline and the surrounding structure, in the event of a malfunction, in order to absorb any impact-like kinetic energy and dissipate it without damage to the pipeline. However, the snubber must not be able to prevent temperature-induced displacements in particular. For this reason, they are designed in such a way that the thermal displacement during regular operation of the system remains free of any significant resistance due to the special mode of operation of the snubber. Known, for example, are hydraulic surge brakes, the function of which is controlled by a main control valve axially arranged in a hydraulic piston. When the piston moves slowly, for example due to thermal displacement, the valve is held open by spring force, and hydraulic fluid can flow unhindered from one cylinder chamber to another. When the piston moves fast above a limiting speed, for example due to an impact-like movement of the movable portion of the snubber caused by an earthquake, an occurring back pressure at the valve disc causes the valve to close, so that the hydraulic flow is interrupted and the movement is stopped. A hydraulically acting snubber of this type is described, for example, in the laid open publication EP 0 342 405 A1.

[0032] In the snubber 5 shown in FIG. 1, the portion designated by reference sign 5a is arranged displaceable relative to the longitudinal axis with respect to the fixed portion 5a, wherein in an exemplary application for securing a pipeline, one of the two portions is connected to the pipeline and the other portion is connected to a support structure via its respective fastening lug. In operation of the snubber 5 of FIG. 1, in the described embodiment, the outer sleeve of the movable portion 5a moves coaxially with the cylinder portion 5b fixed in this case.

[0033] To indicate the relative position of the two portions 5a, b of the snubber 5 which are movable with respect to one another, a position indicating device 10 designed according to the invention is provided which has an indicating device 20 which is movement-coupled to the movable portion 5a of the snubber 5 via a Bowden cable 50 having a wire core by means of a clamping connection to the movable portion 5a of the snubber 5. For this purpose, in the described embodiment, a fastening element, for example a hose clamp 51a, can be mounted non-positively around the sleeve of the movable portion 5a, wherein a clamping element 52 is arranged on the fastening element, to which clamping element the core of the Bowden cable 50 is clamped, so that the Bowden cable is movement-coupled to the movable portion 5a. In the described embodiment, the sheathing of the Bowden cable 50 can run over a guide element 53 which is attached to the portion 5b of the snubber 5 which is fixed in this case. For this purpose, in turn, a hose clamp 51b can be provided which is attached non-positively to the here cylindrical outer jacket of the fixed portion 5b of the snubber 5b. In the event of a relative movement of the movable portion 5a to the fixed portion 5b of the snubber 5, the longitudinal extension of the Bowden cable between the clamping element 52 and the guide element 53 changes, which is indicated by the movement coupling between the movement-transmitting device or Bowden cable and a driver on the indicating device 20.

[0034] For this purpose, the indicating device coupled to the Bowden cable 50 can be designed according to the invention, which will be discussed in the following with reference to the illustrations in FIGS. 2 to 4. FIG. 2 shows the indicating device 20 of FIG. 1 with the Bowden cable 50 coupled to it in a longitudinal sectional view. In the embodiment described, the indicating device 20 comprises a hollow cylinder 21, which can be circular or cylinder-shaped both on the inner lateral surface and on the outside lateral surface. The hollow cylinder extends essentially over the entire longitudinal extent of the indicating device 20. A cylindrical driver 30 is arranged inside the hollow cylinder 21, the outer diameter of which is adapted to the inner diameter of the hollow cylinder 21 in such a way that the driver 30 is arranged so as to be axially displaceable within the hollow cylinder, for example within the scope of a clearance fit. The driver 30 has a longitudinal portion 30a facing the Bowden cable 50, in which the core of the Bowden cable 50 extending into the interior of the hollow cylinder 21 can be clamped, for example by means of a radially extending grub screw not shown in the drawings.

[0035] On the longitudinal portion 30b of the driver 30 opposite to the first-mentioned longitudinal portion 30a, in the described embodiment, the driver 30 can comprise a transverse bolt 40 that extends through a radial passage through the driver 30 on both sides and is taken along by the driver 30 during the movement conveyed by means of the core of the Bowden cable 50.

[0036] Whereas in the described embodiment the hollow cylinder 21 is closed at its end face facing the Bowden cable by means of an end plate 24, which has a bore 25 for the Bowden cable 50 to pass through, the hollow cylinder 21 can have a further end plate on its opposite end face, which end plate is manufactured separately from the hollow cylinder or, as in the described embodiment, an end plate 26 which is integrally formed with the hollow cylinder 21. As can be seen, for example, from FIG. 2, in the described embodiment, this integral end plate 26 can merge into a threaded pin 27 that is used for fastening the indicator by means of a fastening nut 28 and an associated fastening or flange element 29.

[0037] Furthermore, as can be seen for instance from FIG. 2, the indicator 20 further comprises two ring elements 42a, b that are arranged on both longitudinal sides of the driver 30 and are displaceable on the outer lateral surface of the hollow cylinder 21, said ring elements 42a, b being arranged as an extreme-value indicator inside the indicating device 20 in a manner yet to be described.

[0038] For the interaction of the driver 30 with the two ring elements 42a, b, each of which is arranged on one longitudinal side, these elements each provide a stop surface 46a, b on their end faces facing the driver in the installed position which in the embodiment described represents a bottom surface of an axial recess 43a, b. Depending on the excursion of the driver 30, these stop surfaces 46a, b cooperate with associated stop surfaces or axial surfaces 41a, b of the driver 30 to displace the ring elements 42a, b indicating the position extreme values. The axial extension of the recesses 43a, b are adapted to the axial extension of the transverse bolt 40 in such a way that when the two ring elements 42a, b approach each other until the mutually facing end face make contact, the transverse bolt 40 is completely accommodated in the two recesses 43a, b, which form a cavity in the said operating state, as will be discussed again below.

[0039] In order to protect the entire indicating device 20 of the position-indicating device 10 according to the invention against external influences such as dust and, moreover, against attempts of manipulation it can be provided in the position-indicating device according to the invention to arrange a transparent hollow cylinder or protective cylinder, in this case a glass cylinder 48, which radially accommodates the hollow cylinder with the driver arranged therein and the transverse bolts projecting radially therefrom as well as the ring elements 42a and 42b arranged radially to the hollow cylinder 30 and displaceably relative thereto. In this case, the end plates 24, 26 can provide contact surfaces for the glass cylinder 48 so that there is a substantially closed cavity within which the described indicator elements are movably arranged, which are arranged so as to be movable by the Bowden cable 50 directly (driver) or indirectly via said driver (ring elements).

[0040] FIG. 3 shows the indicating device 20 shown in FIG. 2 rotated by 90° to the axis of the hollow cylinder 21 in such a way that the rod-like transverse bolt 40 runs perpendicular to the drawing plane, wherein the representation provides a complete view of the longitudinal slot 23 that is arranged radially opposite the concealed longitudinal slot 22, see FIG. 2. It can be seen that in the described embodiment, the transverse bolt is circular in cross section, but it can also have a different shape, in particular a more angular shape.

[0041] To secure the display device 20, in the described embodiment, a circlip 49 can be arranged and inserted in a radial groove formed in the end plate 24 in such a way that circlip blocks the pulling-off of the glass cylinder 48 in the axial direction. Manipulation of the indicator can be prevented, for example, by passing a locking wire through the mounting holes of the locking ring, which are not shown in the Figures, and sealing it.

[0042] To prevent canting of the ring elements 42a, b on the outer lateral surface of the hollow cylinder, provision can be made to provide annular plain bearing elements 44a, 45 and 44b, 45b, respectively, which are formed and axially spaced apart from one another for contact with the outer lateral surface of the hollow cylinder. In this case, at least one of the two plain bearing elements 45a, b can be designed as dirt wiper in order to wipe off or avoid possible deposits on the outer lateral surface of the hollow cylinder 21.

[0043] FIG. 4 illustrates a situation in which the position-indicating device according to the invention is set or set to zero, assuming that the position of the movable portion of the support element, in this case the snubber 5, is in the rest position. In this case, by removing the circlip 49 and pulling off the protective tube 48, the driver was fixed in such a way that, by appropriately attaching the Bowden cable to the movable portion 5a of the snubber, see FIG. 1, the driver 30 or the transverse bolt 40 is in a position of the indicating device 20 which corresponds to the current position of the snubber. With reference to the illustration of FIG. 2, the two ring elements 42a, b are then moved towards the driver 30 until they contact each other at the end face, whereby the transverse bolt 40 is completely accommodated by the axial recesses 43a, b. The mutual position of the driver 30 and the ring elements 42a, b indicating extreme values of the driver movement, illustrated in FIG. 4, thus represents an initial or zero position in which the support element, in this case the snubber, is in a mounting position. Thereafter, the protective tube 48 can be mounted again and securing can be carried out by clamping the circlip 49. To mark this zero position, an appropriate marking can be applied to the transparent protective tube 48, for example by gluing. Similarly, a scale can be applied to the protective tube for reading off the instantaneous position and/or the extreme value positions. After carrying out the described adjustment, the position-indicating device according to the invention is ready for use.

[0044] FIG. 5 shows a further example of use in which, in contrast to the embodiment of FIG. 1, the position-indicating device is not arranged at a distance from the identically constructed snubber, but directly on the snubber, wherein the position-indicating device can be fastened either to the movable portion or to the fixed portion of the snubber, while the end-side clamping of the core of the Bowden cable takes place on the respective other portion of the snubber 5 for the described position indication on the indicating device 20 of the position-indicating device.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0045] 10 position-indicating device [0046] 5 snubber [0047] 5a movable portion [0048] 5b fixed portion [0049] indicating device [0050] 21 hollow cylinder [0051] 22 longitudinal slot [0052] 23 longitudinal slot [0053] 24 end plate [0054] 25 bore [0055] 26 end plate [0056] 27 threaded pin [0057] 28 fastening nut [0058] 29 flange element, fastening element [0059] 30 driver [0060] 30a longitudinal portion [0061] 30b longitudinal portion [0062] 31 clamping bore [0063] 40 transverse bolt [0064] 41a, b stop surface [0065] 42a, b ring element [0066] 43a, b axial recess [0067] 44a, b annular plain bearing element [0068] 45a, b annular plain bearing element [0069] 46a, b bottom, stop surface [0070] 48 glass cylinder, protective tube [0071] 49 circlip [0072] 50 Bowden cable [0073] 51a, b hose clamp [0074] 52 clamping element [0075] 53 guide element