HYDRAULIC IMPLEMENT

Abstract

A hydraulic implement (1) for portable use includes a hydraulic pump (2), a pump housing (10), a hydraulic cylinder (3) with a piston rod (11), a hydraulic tank (4), hydraulic lines, a compensating device, a manually operable hydraulic control valve (8), a rechargeable battery (9) which is accommodated on the implement (1), and two tool halves (16, 17) that are connected to the piston rod (11) via pivoting arms (12, 13). Each tool half (16, 17) has a wall section (20, 21) that extends perpendicularly to the extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod (11). When the tool halves are closed, both wall sections (20, 21) together form a flattened end region (24) that runs perpendicularly to the extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod (11).

Claims

1. A hydraulic implement for portable use, comprising: a hydraulic pump; a pump housing: a hydraulic cylinder with a piston rod, the piston rod having a longitudinal axis: a hydraulic tank: hydraulic lines: a compensation device: a manually operable hydraulic control valve: a rechargeable battery accommodated on the implement: pivoting arms; two tool halves connected to the piston rod via the pivoting arms, wherein each of the tool halves comprises a spreading tool half and a cutting profile; each spreading tool half comprising: a wall portion extending substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the piston rod, wherein when the two spreading tool halves are in a closed state, the two wall portions form together a flattened front region, the flattened front region being substantially perpendicular to an extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod; the flattened front region being skewed relative to the extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod.

2. The implement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the flattened front region is oriented to be laterally offset to an extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod.

3. The implement as set forth in claim 1, wherein a tip of the flattened front region comprises a chamfered edge.

4. The implement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spreading tool halves overlap at the flattened front regions.

5. The implement as set forth in claim 4, wherein each of the spreading tool halves have a plurality of wall portions, and wherein the plurality of wall portions overlap and form the flattened front region.

6. The implement as set forth in claim 5, wherein one of the spreading tool halves comprises two wall portions and the other of the spreading tool halves comprises three wall portions.

7. The implement as set forth in claim 1, the wall portion comprises at least one flattened wall portion at an end opposite the front region.

8. The implement as set forth in claim 7, wherein at least one flattened wall portion comprises at least one contour.

9. The implement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spreading tool halves are attached to the pivoting arms.

10. The implement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the spreading tool halves are attached to additional tool halves.

11. The implement as set forth in claim 10, wherein a manual, toollessly operable coupling is provided between the spreading tool halves and the additional tool halves.

12. The implement as set forth in claim 11, further comprising a spring-loaded locking element in a hole in each of the spreading tool halves, and the additional tool halves each comprise an actuation element for the locking element.

13. The implement as set forth in claim 12, wherein the actuation element for the locking element is plate-shaped.

14. The implement as set forth in claim 12, wherein the actuation element comprises a projection lying opposite a hole on the additional tool halves and the hole is configured to receive the locking element in a locked state.

15. The implement as set forth in claim 12, wherein the additional tool half comprises a chamfered edge, the chamfered edge acts as an insertion chamfer for the locking element.

16. The implement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the additional tool half comprises the cutting profile.

17. The implement as set forth in claim 1, the cutting profile extends to a tip of the additional tool half.

18. The implement as set forth in claim 1, wherein in the closed state of the spreading tool halves, portions of the spreading tool halves other than the wall portions are spaced apart and extend substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the piston rod and are positioned laterally from the cutting profile.

19. The implement as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a compensating device and a hydraulic tank, the compensating device and the hydraulic tank being located in the pump housing.

20. The implement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pump housing comprises a lid, wherein the lid together with the pump housing, forms a compensation chamber into which the compensating device extends.

21. The implement as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a holding fixture for an illumination unit, the holding fixture being located on the pump housing.

22. A hydraulic cutting implement for portable use, comprising: a hydraulic cylinder comprising a piston rod, the piston rod having a longitudinal axis; a first spreading tool half and a second spreading tool half, each of the first and second spreading tool halves connected to the piston rod through a pivoting arm, the first and second spreading tool halves being movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position; each spreading tool half comprising: a cutting portion; a plurality of wall portions extending substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the piston rod, wherein with the first and second spreading tool halves at the closed position, the wall portions of the first spreading tool half and the second spreading tool half form together a flattened front region, the flattened front region being substantially transverse to an extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod; the flattened front region being skewed relative to the extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod.

23. A portable spreading tool for use with a hydraulic cutting implement, the hydraulic implement comprising a hydraulic cylinder comprising a piston rod, the piston rod having a longitudinal axis, and tool halves with cutting portions, the tool halves being movable relative to each other between an open position and a closed position; said spreading tool comprising: a first spreading tool half and a second spreading tool half, each of the spreading tool haves being connectable to the tool halves; each of the first spreading tool half and the second spreading tool half comprising: a plurality of wall portions extending substantially transverse to the longitudinal axis of the piston rod, wherein with the first and second spreading tool halves at the closed position, the wall portions of the first spreading tool half and the second spreading tool half form together a flattened front region, the flattened front region being substantially transverse to an extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod; the flattened front region being skewed relative to the extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION ON THE BASIS OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

[0030] Expedient embodiments of the present invention are explained in further detail below with reference to drawings.

[0031] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment of a hydraulic implement according to the invention;

[0032] FIG. 2 shows a top view of the embodiment of the hydraulic implement according to FIG. 1;

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of the hydraulic implement according to FIG. 1 with opened tool halves;

[0034] FIG. 4 shows a top view of a second embodiment of the hydraulic implement not belonging to the invention;

[0035] FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the embodiment of the hydraulic implement according to FIG. 4 with opened tool halves;

[0036] FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of the pump housing including the control valve of the hydraulic implement according to the invention;

[0037] FIG. 7 shows a sectional view through the hydraulic tank of the hydraulic implement according to the invention;

[0038] FIG. 8a shows a sectional view in the region of the connection between additional tool half and spreading tool half in the locked state;

[0039] FIG. 8b shows a sectional view in the region of the connection between additional tool half and spreading tool half in the unlocked state; and

[0040] FIG. 8c shows a sectional view in the region of the connection between additional tool half and spreading tool half, with the spreading tool half pulled partially off.

[0041] Reference number 1 in FIG. 1 refers to the portable hydraulic implement according to the invention in its entirety. The implement 1 comprises a motor housing 39, a pump housing 10, a cylinder housing 22, and a front-side door-opening tool driven by the implement. An electric motor 23 for driving a hydraulic pump 2 that is accommodated in the pump housing 10 is located in the motor housing 39. To switch the implement 1 on and off, a main switch 27 is provided on the motor housing 39. A rechargeable battery 9, which is inserted in a manually detachable manner into a slot on the underside of the motor housing 39, serves as the power source.

[0042] Reference symbol 8 refers to a control valve in the form of a so-called star valve, which is used to control the direction of flow of the hydraulic fluid and thus the working movement of the tool (opening and closing).

[0043] The cylinder housing 22 contains a first cylinder space 46a as well as the second cylinder space 46b, which are separated from one another by the piston of a piston rod 11. In FIG. 1, the piston is located in its forward end position. To enable hydraulic fluid to travel from the hydraulic pump 2 to the second cylinder space 46b, a hollow rod 5 is arranged securely on the pump housing 10. A hole 47 for receiving the hollow rod 5 during the movement of the piston rod 11, as well as a flow opening 42 for the hydraulic fluid into the second cylinder space 46b, are provided in the piston rod 11.

[0044] The end of the piston rod 11 facing away from the pump housing 10 is connected via a reversing mechanism to two pivoting arms 12, 13, which spread out or pivot toward each other depending on the direction of motion of the piston rod 11. Reference number 52 refers to a retaining pin, which simultaneously forms the pivot axis of the two pivoting arms 12, 13.

[0045] At their end facing away from the pin 52, the two pivoting arms 12, 13 are embodied as additional tool halves 18, 19 to which spreading tool halves 16, 17 are attached.

[0046] In the exemplary embodiment, the spreading tool halves 16, 17 form together a door-opening tool.

[0047] FIG. 1 also shows harness supports 26, 33, which are used to fasten a harness (not shown) to the implement 1. Furthermore, a handle 31 is provided on the implement 1.

[0048] Reference number 25 refers to a holding fixture for an illumination unit (not shown). The illumination unit is preferably equipped with its own power supply.

[0049] The two spreading tool halves 16, 17 form a tool for opening doors or windows. For this purpose, the spreading tool halves 16, 17 each comprise a perpendicularly extending wall-like portion 20, 21 with changing wall thicknesses. When the two spreading tool halves 16, 17 are in the closed state, these two portions 20, 21 form on their front side a flattened front region 24 running perpendicular to the extension of the longitudinal axis of the piston rod 11. The front region 24 is used for insertion into the gap of a house door or house window. It enables the door-opening tool to be introduced into the gap with optimal force transmission. On their rear side opposite the flattened front region 24, the two spreading tool halves 16, 17 have flat wall portions 20a, 21a with increased material thickness that are used as a contact surface for a hammer (not shown) or an axe (not shown) or as a contact extension for a rod or crowbar (also not shown).

[0050] In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, the flattened front region 24 is formed by several flattened wall portions 20b and 21b, respectively, per spreading tool half 16, 17, which engage flush in one another in the manner of fingers when the spreading tool halves 16, 17 are closed.

[0051] According to FIG. 2, the flattened front region 24 of the two spreading tool halves 16, 17 is arranged so as to be offset laterally in relation to the longitudinal axis A of the implement 1 or the piston rod 11. In addition, the flattened front region 24 can be somewhat sloped toward the extension of the longitudinal axis A as needed. This design makes it possible to effectively use the implement 1 even in tight space conditions, for example on a door frame that is close to a door gap.

[0052] The front tip of the flattened front region 24 has a chamfer 34 that enables the tip of the tool to be pressed into a narrow gap of a door or window under application of force.

[0053] A hammer or an axe can be struck on the wall portions 21a and 20a running vertical in relation to the drawing plane of FIG. 2, or a contact extension provided for this purpose can be used. Reference symbol 32 refers to a cover for the two pivoting arms 12, 13 of the implement.

[0054] FIG. 3 shows the door-opening tool in the opened state. The two spreading tool halves 16, 17 of the door-opening tool are attached to the two additional tool halves 18, 19. The additional tool halves 18, 19 form a preferably toothed cutting profile 37, 38 (see also FIG. 5), which makes it possible to cut through a door chain after the door or window is opened by means of the door-opening tool.

[0055] Furthermore, it can be seen from FIG. 3 that a preferably transversely extending nonslip contour 40a, 40b is providedin the form of a knurl, for examplein the vicinity of the flattened or flat wall portion 20a of the spreading tool half 16. It is provided so that a contact extension, such as a crowbar, for example, is provided with a hold and does not slip off. In addition, between the flattened rear-side region and the individual front-side wall portions 20b, the spreading tool half 16 has a wall region 41 that is oriented at an angle in relation to the wall portions 20b and serves as a stop.

[0056] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the implement 1 in which, instead of the door-opening tool of the embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3, a spreading tool with a triangular outer contour is located on the front side of the implement 1. This spreading tool possesses two spreading tool halves 16, 17 and is also attached to the two additional tool halves 18, 19 in the aforedescribed manner. The type of locking is the same as in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3. The toothed cutting profile 37, 38 of the two additional tool halves 18, 19 is readily visible.

[0057] As can be seen from FIG. 5, the spreading tool halves 16, 17 have an outer surface 49, 50 in the outer region that can be preferably provided with a profile. Furthermore, the two spreading tool halves 16, 17 each have a contact surface 35, 36 on the inside, which can also have a profile. The contact surface 35, 36 is interspersed with a cutting profile 44, 45 that extends to the tip of the two spreading tool halves. The cutting profile 44, 45 is preferably rectilinear and can also project slightly over the plane of the contact surfaces 35, 36. As can be seen from FIG. 5, the cutting profile 44, 45 can lie in the extension of the cutting profile 37, 38 of the two additional tool halves 18, 19 to which the spreading tool halves 16, 17 are attached.

[0058] The illustration according to FIG. 6 shows a partial representation of the pump housing 10, and of the control valve 8 without motor housing and with partially covered electric motor 23 inserted. The pump housing 10 has a ring-like projection 51 that serves to ensure a connection of the cylinder housing 22 to the pump housing 10. Also visible is the hollow rod 5 on the pump housing 10, which simultaneously serves as a line for the hydraulic fluid toward the second cylinder space 46b. Numeral 6 refers to additional hydraulic lines that lead from the pump housing 10 to the first cylinder space 46a (cf. FIG. 1).

[0059] The implement according to the invention has a hydraulic tank 4, which is accommodated in the pump housing 10. For this purpose, the pump housing 10 comprises an opening that can be closed by a lid 7 in which a compensating device is located, for example in the form of a cup-shaped rubber diaphragm 30.

[0060] The lid 7 can be connected to the pump housing 10 using screws. The holding fixture 25 for the illumination unit to be mounted is located on the top side.

[0061] FIG. 7 shows an enlarged representation of the tank 4 of the implement. As can be seen, the lid 7 forms, together with the underlying pump housing 10, a compensation chamber 43 into which the compensating device in the form of the rubber diaphragm 30, for example, extends more or less depending on the position of the hydraulic cylinder 3. The pump housing 10 thus comprises a tank 4 that simultaneously represents the compensation volume 43 for the rubber diaphragm 30. In this way, the weight of the implement can be reduced substantially. An opening 48 is located in the lid 7 that makes it possible for air to escape into the compensation chamber 43 when the rubber diaphragm 30 expands.

[0062] FIG. 8 shows enlarged partial representations of a coupling 28 for manually locking and unlocking the spreading tool halves 16, 17 to be attached to the additional tool halves 18, 19 in various states. FIG. 8a shows the locked spreading tool halves, FIG. 8b shows the unlocked spreading tool halves, and FIG. 8c shows the spreading tool halves in the state of pushing-in or pushing-off.

[0063] FIG. 8a shows the second tool half 18, which is inserted into a recess 65 of the first spreading tool half 16. FIG. 8a shows the locked state in which the spreading tool half 16 and the additional tool half 18 are securely interconnected by the coupling 28. The coupling 28 comprises a large-surface, plate-shaped actuation element 56 that is located in a recess 57, a ring 58 (see FIG. 8b), and a locking element 53. The locking element 53 is located in a hole 54 of the additional tool half 18 and is biased by a spring 55 in the direction toward the actuation element 56.

[0064] In the embodiment shown here, the actuation element 56 has a preferably annular projection 60 that coacts with a correspondingly annular recess 62 so that the actuation element 56 can be pressed. Expediently, the actuation element 56 has an additional center projection 67 that lies opposite a hole 66 on the spreading tool half 16. The hole 66 is expedient for creating space for the locking element 53 in order to lock the spreading tool halves 16, 17 in place. The purpose of the projection 67 is, upon actuation of the actuation element 56, to displace the locking element 53 out of the hole 66 against the force of the spring 55 into the hole 54. This enables the coupling 28 to be unlocked. An annular projection 61 is located next to the hole 66. A corresponding recess 63 lies opposite the projection 61 in the actuation element 56. Upon actuation of the actuation element 56, the projection 61 is sunk into this recess 63. The actuation element 56 is thus guided.

[0065] FIG. 8b shows the unlocked state. The locking element 53 is completely sunk into the hole 54, and the actuation element 56 is pressed in by the operator. The actuation element 56 has an annular recess 59 on the outside. In the locked position (FIG. 8a), the recess 59 is filled by the ring 58, and an actuation plane of the actuation element 56 is thus created that is flush with the surface of the tool 18.

[0066] FIG. 8c clarifies how the spreading tool half 16 can be attached to the additional tool half 18 and how they can be separated from one another. As a result of the force of the spring 55 during the retraction of the additional tool half 16, the locking element 53 is pressed out of the hole 54 at the beginning of a chamfered edge 64 located on the spreading tool half 18. The chamfered edge acts as an insertion chamfer during the placement of the spreading tool half 16 onto the additional tool half 18, and, during attachment, the locking element 53 is pressed by virtue of the chamfered edge 64 into the hole 54 and then plunged into same once the hole 66 is reached. In this way, the spreading tool half 16 is locked with the additional tool half 18.

[0067] The implement according to the invention is characterized by a low weight and small dimensions. Moreover, it offers a very high level of variability of use and is therefore very especially suitable as an accompanying tool for firefighters that enables quick access into a building. The implement according to the invention is also very especially suitable for use by special task forces.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

[0068] 1 Implement [0069] 2 Hydraulic pump [0070] 3 Hydraulic cylinder [0071] 4 Hydraulic tank [0072] 5 Hollow rod [0073] 6 Hydraulic line [0074] 7 Lid [0075] 8 Control valve [0076] 9 Rechargeable battery [0077] 10 Pump housing [0078] 11 Piston rod [0079] 12 Swivel arm [0080] 13 Swivel arm [0081] 16 Spreading tool half [0082] 17 Spreading tool half [0083] 18 Additional tool half [0084] 19 Additional tool half [0085] 20 Portion [0086] 20a Wall portion [0087] 20b Wall portion [0088] 21 Portion [0089] 21a Wall portion [0090] 21b Wall portion [0091] 22 Cylinder housing [0092] 23 Electric motor [0093] 24 Flattened front region [0094] 25 Holding fixture for illumination unit [0095] 26 Harness support [0096] 27 Main switch [0097] 28 Coupling [0098] 29 Coupling [0099] 30 Rubber diaphragm [0100] 31 Handle [0101] 32 Protective cover [0102] 33 Harness support [0103] 34 Chamfer [0104] 35 Contact surface [0105] 36 Contact surface [0106] 37 Cutting profile [0107] 38 Cutting profile [0108] 39 Motor housing [0109] 40a Contour [0110] 40b Contour [0111] 41 Wall region [0112] 42 Flow opening [0113] 43 Compensation volume [0114] 44 Cutting profile [0115] 45 Cutting profile [0116] 46a First cylinder space [0117] 46b Second cylinder space [0118] 47 Hole [0119] 48 Lid opening [0120] 49 Outer surface [0121] 50 Outer surface [0122] 51 Annular projection [0123] 52 Pin [0124] 53 Locking element [0125] 54 Hole [0126] 55 Spring [0127] 56 Actuation element [0128] 57 Recess [0129] 58 Ring [0130] 59 Recess [0131] 60 Projection [0132] 61 Projection [0133] 62 Recess [0134] 63 Recess [0135] 64 Chamfered edge [0136] 65 Recess [0137] 66 Hole [0138] 67 Projection