Lifting Eye

Abstract

A lifting eye having a lower part, for connecting the lifting eye to an object to be handled or fastened, and a swivel eye. The lower part has a swivel part which can be rotated relative to the lower part. The swivel eye is pivotably mounted relative to the swivel part. The swivel eye has a bearing pin connected to each leg of the swivel eye. Each bearing pin engages in a bearing recess of the swivel part. The pivot axis of the swivel eye relative to the swivel part, which axis is defined by the bearing pins and their engagement in the bearing recesses of the swivel part, intersects the central longitudinal plane of the swivel eye.

Claims

1. A lifting eye comprising: a lower part for connecting the lifting eye to an object to be handled or fastened, the lower part having a swivel part which can be rotated relative to fixed parts of the lower part, a swivel eye pivotably mounted relative to the swivel part, the swivel eye having two legs and a bearing pin connected to each leg, with each bearing pin engaging in a bearing recess of the swivel part, wherein a pivot axis of the swivel eye relative to the swivel part, which is defined by the bearing pins and their engagement in the bearing recesses of the swivel part, intersects a central longitudinal plane of the swivel eye.

2. The lifting eye of claim 1, wherein the legs are angled in opposite directions relative to the central longitudinal plane of the swivel eye.

3. The lifting eye of claim 2, wherein longitudinal axes of the bearing pins molded onto the legs are oriented in the direction of an axis of rotation of the swivel part relative to the lower part.

4. The lifting eye of claim 3, wherein a straight line connecting the longitudinal axes of the bearing pins intersects the axis of rotation of the swivel part relative to the lower part or passes the axis of rotation at a distance.

5. The lifting eye of claim 4, wherein the bearing pins have an oval-shaped cross-sectional geometry with a long axis and a short axis, the long axis extends perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the swivel eye, and the short axis is eccentrically offset in the angular direction of the respective leg onto which the bearing pin is molded.

6. The lifting eye of claim 3, wherein the bearing pins have an oval-shaped cross-sectional geometry with a long axis and a short axis, the long axis extends perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the swivel eye, and the short axis is eccentrically offset in the angular direction of the respective leg onto which the bearing pin is molded.

7. The lifting eye of claim 2, wherein the bearing pins have an oval-shaped cross-sectional geometry with a long axis and a short axis, the long axis extends perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the swivel eye, and the short axis is eccentrically offset in the angular direction of the respective leg onto which the bearing pin is molded.

8. The lifting eye of claim 7, wherein an angle of intersection enclosed by the pivot axis and the central longitudinal plane is at least 10°.

9. The lifting eye of claim 8, wherein the angle of intersection is 12°-15°.

10. The lifting eye of claim 2, wherein an angle of intersection enclosed by the pivot axis and the central longitudinal plane is at least 10°.

11. The lifting eye of claim 10, wherein the angle of intersection is 12°-15°.

12. The lifting eye of claim 1, wherein an angle of intersection enclosed by the pivot axis and the central longitudinal plane is at least 10°.

13. The lifting eye of claim 12, wherein the angle of intersection is 12°-15°.

14. The lifting eye of claim 1, wherein the swivel eye has an eye web connecting the two legs of the swivel eye.

15. The lifting eye of claim 1, wherein the swivel eye of the lifting eye is a forged part.

16. The lifting eye of claim 1, wherein the bearing recesses of the swivel part have a slot-like outline geometry, and a long axis of the slot-like outline geometry is inclined with respect to a vertical.

17. The lifting eye of claim 1, wherein the swivel part is rotatable relative to the fixed parts of the lower part via a slide bearing.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] The present disclosure is described below using an example embodiment with reference to the attached figures, wherein:

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a lifting eye according to the present disclosure,

[0021] FIG. 2 shows a longitudinal sectional view through the lifting eye of FIG. 1,

[0022] FIG. 3 shows a side view of the swivel eye of the lifting eye of FIGS. 1 and 2,

[0023] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of the lifting eye of FIG. 1, offset from the sectional view shown in FIG. 2,

[0024] FIG. 5 shows a horizontal sectional view through the lifting eye of FIG. 1 along the section line A-A of FIG. 2,

[0025] FIG. 6 shows the sectional view of the lifting eye of FIG. 5 with a tensile force acting on the swivel eye in alignment with its central longitudinal plane, and

[0026] FIG. 7 shows the sectional view of the lifting eye of FIG. 5 with a tensile force acting on the swivel eye in alignment with its pivot axis relative to the lower part.

[0027] Before explaining the depicted embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in application to the details of the particular arrangements shown, since the invention is capable of other embodiments. The embodiments and figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than limiting. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purposes of description and not limitation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0028] A lifting eye 1 comprises a lower part 2 and a swivel eye 3. The lower part 2 comprises a disc 4, a sleeve part 5, and a swivel part 6. The bottom side of the disc 4 rests against an object to be handled or tied down. Only the top flange end 5.1 of the sleeve part 5 protruding in the radial direction is visible in FIG. 1. The sleeve part 5 is connected to the disc 4 by a press fit (see FIG. 2). The swivel part 6 is an annular cylindrical component which can be rotated between the top side of the disc 2 and the bottom side of the flange end 5.1 of the sleeve part 5. A fastening screw 7, the shaft of which engages in the lower part 2, is used to connect the lifting eye 1 to an object to be handled or tied down. This screw 7 is also part of the lower part 2. The threaded section of the fastening screw 7 protruding from the lower part 2 is identified by reference numeral 8 in FIG. 1.

[0029] As can be seen from FIG. 2, the swivel part 6 is mounted relative to the sleeve part 5 and the disc 2 for rotation about the longitudinal axis of the sleeve part 5 in the manner of a slide bearing.

[0030] The swivel eye 3 of the embodiment shown has an upper stop section 9. In the embodiment shown, this section 9 is limited in the direction of the lower part of the lifting eye by an eye web 11 connecting the two legs 10, 10.1 of the swivel eye 3. The stop section 9 is used to insert a crane hook, a belt, or some other lifting or fastening means. The legs 10, 10.1 continue below the eye web 11. These each have a bearing pin 12, 12.1 on their inner, mutually facing sides. The protruding bearing pins 12, 12.1 molded onto the lower ends of the legs 10, 10.1 engage in the radial direction in the swivel part 6, which for this purpose has corresponding bearing recesses 13, 13.1 (see also FIG. 5).

[0031] In the swivel eye 3 of the lifting eye 1, the lower sections of the legs 10, 10.1—the sections below the eye web 11—are angled in opposite directions relative to the central longitudinal plane M in the plane of the swivel eye 3, as can be seen from the perspective view of FIG. 1, but more clearly from the side view of the swivel eye 3 in FIG. 3 or from the sectional view in FIG. 4. The cross-sectional geometry of the bearing pins 12, 12.1 can be seen in FIG. 3 through the bearing pin 12. The cross-sectional geometry is oval-shaped, with the long axis running transversely to the central longitudinal plane M. The short axis is offset towards the outside in relation to the center of the cross-sectional area of the bearing pin 12 and thus in the disengagement direction of the leg end. Such a cross-sectional geometry is expedient if the swivel eye 3 is a forged part and has therefore been brought into its shape shown in FIG. 3 in a forging process.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view corresponding to that of FIG. 2, but with the sectional plane not at the center of the swivel section of the eye, but offset towards the edge of the swivel part 6. This representation shows the bearing leg 12 and its engagement in the bearing recess 13 of the swivel part 6. The outline geometry of the bearing recess 13 can be seen from this illustration. The geometry of the bearing recess 13 is similar to the end section of an oblong hole formed inclined radially in the swivel part 6. The long axis of the bearing recess 13 is thus inclined with respect to the central longitudinal plane M. The reason for designing the bearing recess 13 in this shape is that the bearing pins 12, 12.1 are not only offset from one another due to the angled position of the legs 10, 10.1, but also shifted towards one another and thus towards the axis of rotation D of the swivel part 6 relative to the legs 10, 10.1. The respective design of the bearing pins 12, 12.1 can be seen in the sectional view in FIG. 5. The longitudinal axes of the bearing pins 12, 12.1 in this example embodiment are aligned with one another, the aligned long axes intersecting the axis of rotation D. This axis represents the pivot axis S of the swivel eye 3 relative to the swivel part 6.

[0033] The sectional view in FIG. 5 also shows how the legs 10, 10.1 are angled in opposite directions relative to the central longitudinal plane.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 5, the pivot axis S intersects the central longitudinal plane M. The angle of intersection a in the example embodiment shown is 12°.

[0035] The design of the lifting eye 1 described above has the consequence that no forced position of the swivel eye 3 with respect to the lower part 2 can arise, so in every situation of force applied to an upright swivel eye 3 relative to the lower part 2, the eye will align in the direction of the tensile force applied. This applies, for example, to a position in which a tensile force acts in alignment with the central longitudinal plane M if the swivel eye 3 is upright relative to the lower part 2. This position of the swivel eye 3 with respect to the lower part 2 could result in a forced position with previously known lifting eyes. FIG. 6 shows the respective load on the lifting eye 1. The tensile force applied acts, as indicated by the block arrow, horizontally on the swivel eye 3 in alignment with the central longitudinal plane M. The applied force, shown schematically in FIG. 6, acts on the swivel eye 3 of the lifting eye 1 in alignment with the central longitudinal plane M, but at an angle to the pivot axis S relative to the lower part 2. As a result, the swivel eye 3 is initially pivoted about the pivot axis S by a certain amount and then aligns itself in the direction of the force applied by rotating about the axis of rotation D. These two steps are indicated in the figure. With such an application of force to the lifting eye 1, no forced position can occur.

[0036] FIG. 7 shows the lifting eye 1 with a tensile force applied in alignment with the pivot axis S. Since the tensile force is introduced at an angle to the central longitudinal plane M into the swivel eye 3, this induces a torque, such that after a rotation of the swivel part 3 about the axis of rotation D, the force is applied at an angle to the pivot axis S, and this in turn causes the swivel eye 3 to pivot relative to the swivel part 6, with the result that the swivel eye 3 in turn pivots and aligns in the direction of the tensile force applied. These two steps are also identified in this figure.

[0037] The above effects can also be achieved with a lifting eye not shown in the figures, in which the legs are shifted in directions facing away from each other with respect to the central longitudinal plane, but the bearing pins are not aligned, or approximately aligned, with their longitudinal axis. In such a configuration, too, the pivot axis intersects the central longitudinal plane. The introduction of force from the bearing pins into the bearing surface of the bearing recess is, however, improved in an embodiment in which the longitudinal axes of the bearing pins are shifted towards one another.

[0038] In the example embodiments described, the bearing pins of the legs engage in bearing recesses in the swivel part of the lower part. These bearing recesses can also be implemented by inserts inserted into the swivel part.

[0039] The invention has been described on the basis of example embodiments. Without deviating from the scope of the claims, a person skilled in the art will recognize numerous other options for implementing the invention, which options do not have to be mentioned herein. While a number of aspects and embodiments have been discussed herein, those skilled in the art will recognize numerous modifications, permutations, additions, combinations and sub-combinations therefor, without same needing to be specifically explained in the context of this disclosure. The appended claims should therefore be interpreted to include all such modifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations, which are within their true spirit and scope. Each embodiment described herein has numerous equivalents.

[0040] The terms and expressions which have been employed are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions of excluding any equivalents of the features shown or described, or portions thereof, but it is recognized that various modifications are possible within the scope of the invention claimed. Thus, it should be understood that although the present invention has been specifically disclosed by example embodiments and optional features, modification and variation of the concepts herein disclosed may be resorted to by those skilled in the art, and that such modifications and variations are considered to be within the scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims. Whenever a range is given in the specification, all intermediate ranges and subranges, as well as all individual values included in the ranges given are hereby incorporated into this disclosure. When a Markush group or other grouping is used herein, all individual members of the group and all combinations and sub-combinations possible of the group are hereby individually included in this disclosure.

[0041] In general, the terms and phrases used herein have their art-recognized meaning, which can be found by reference to standard texts, references and contexts known to those skilled in the art. The above definitions are provided to clarify their specific use in the context of the invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0042] 1 Lifting eye [0043] 2 Lower part [0044] 3 Swivel eye [0045] 4 Disc [0046] 5 Sleeve part [0047] 5.1 Flange end [0048] 6 Swivel part [0049] 7 Fastening screw [0050] 8 Threaded section [0051] 9 Stop section [0052] 10, 10.1 Leg [0053] 11 Eye web [0054] 12, 12.1 Bearing pin [0055] 13 Bearing recess [0056] D Axis of rotation [0057] M Central longitudinal plane [0058] S Pivot axis