PRECISION ROCKER PIN LOAD SUPPORT

Abstract

A rocker pin load support includes a base plate, a rocker pin bolt, and a rocker pin piece having a cylindrical recess of a diameter greater than a diameter of an upper portion of the rocker pin bolt. The rocker pin bolt is mounted pivotally via a ball-shaped underside thereof in a cylindrical recess of the base plate and pivotally mounting the rocker pin piece via a spherical topside thereof. A bell-shaped cover of elastic plastic has an upper edge portion connected hermetically sealed to the rocker pin piece, and a lower edge portion connected hermetically sealed to the base plate, thereby forming a space for receiving an air or gas filling with the proviso that the gas or air volume is greater than a sum of volumes of portions of the rocker pin bolt and the rocker pin piece which portions are enclosed by the air or gas filling.

Claims

1.-6. (canceled)

7. A rocker pin load support, comprising: a base plate designed to include a concentric cylindrical recess with a planar bottom surface; a rocker pin bolt designed to include a ball-shaped underside and a spherical topside; a rocker pin piece designed to include a cylindrical recess of a diameter which is greater than a diameter of an upper portion of the rocker pin bolt, and a centrally introduced depression, with the rocker pin bolt being mounted pivotally in the cylindrical recess of the base plate via the ball-shaped underside thereof and pivotally mounting the rocker pin piece via the spherical topside thereof; a bell-shaped cover of elastic plastic, said cover having an upper edge portion which is connected hermetically sealed to the rocker pin piece, and a lower edge portion which is connected hermetically sealed to the base plate, so that a space is formed; and an air or gas filling received in the space and governed with the proviso that the gas or air volume is greater than a sum of volumes of portions of the rocker pin bolt and the rocker pin piece which are enclosed by the air or gas filling.

8. The rocker pin load support of claim 7, wherein the cover is made of an antibacterial plastic.

9. The rocker pin load support of claim 7, further comprising an antibacterial coating applied upon the cover.

10. The rocker pin load support of claim 7, wherein the cover is made of at least two plastic layers.

11. The rocker pin load support of claim 7, further comprising a hygroscopic substance placed in the air or gas filling.

12. The rocker pin load support of claim 7, wherein the gas filling is an inert gas.

Description

[0018] The invention is explained in greater detail hereinafter with reference to schematic drawings:

[0019] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a rocker pin load support,

[0020] FIG. 2 shows a cross section of the rocker pin load support,

[0021] FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a second embodiment of a rocker pin load support,

[0022] FIG. 4 shows a cross section of a third embodiment of a rocker pin load support,

[0023] FIG. 5 shows a cross section of a fourth embodiment of a rocker pin load support, and

[0024] FIG. 6 shows the installed rocker pin load support during cleaning and disinfection.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0025] 1 Base plate [0026] 2 cylindrical recess in the base plate [0027] 3 planar bottom surface of the cylindrical recess [0028] 4 rocker pin bolt [0029] 5 ball-shaped underside of the rocker pin bolt [0030] 6 spherical topside of the rocker pin bolt [0031] 7 rocker pin piece [0032] 8 cylindrical recess in the rocker pin piece [0033] 9 conical depression in the rocker pin piece [0034] 10 bell-shaped cover [0035] 11 air or gas filling [0036] 12 antibacterial coating [0037] 13 hygroscopic substance [0038] 14 cleaning device

[0039] FIG. 1 shows a rocker pin load support in a perspective view. FIG. 2 shows the rocker pin load support in cross section. The rocker pin load support includes the following features: A base plate 1 made of stainless steel and having a topside on which provision is made for a concentric cylindrical recess 2 with a planar bottom surface 3, a rocker pin bolt 4 with a ball-shaped underside 5 and a spherical topside 6, a rocker pin piece 7 with a cylindrical recess 8 of a diameter which is greater than the diameter of the upper portion of the rocker pin bolt 4, and a centrally introduced conical depression 9. The lower portion of the rocker pin bolt 4 is inserted in the cylindrical recess 2 of the base plate 1 and the rocker pin piece 7 rests on the spherical topside of the rocker pin bolt 4.

[0040] A bell-shaped cover 10 of an elastic plastic is connected at its upper edge portion hermetically sealed to the rocker pin piece 7 and at its lower edge portion to the base plate 1 in a hermetically sealed manner. Preferably, the connection at the upper edge portion is an adhesive bond; if need be, however, the connection may also be a clamping. The connection to the base plate is preferably detachable, e.g. a clamping by bolting. The space underneath the cover 10 is filled with air or gas 11.

[0041] In the rocker pin load support shown in FIG. 3, only the outer surface of the cover 10 includes an antibacterial coating 12. This has the advantage that the cover can be made of a particularly flexible and gas-tight plastic and still have an antibacterial effect.

[0042] In the rocker pin load support shown in FIG. 4, the cover 10 is made of 6 layers of material. This arrangement has various advantages. For example, the outer material layer can be selected to be thin but resistant to aggressive cleaning agents. The inner layers are made of particularly soft elastic material. The individual layers are not connected to one another.

[0043] In the rocker pin load support shown in FIG. 5, a hygroscopic substance 13 is incorporated in the air or gas filling 11. This ensures that the lubricants remain effective for a long time.

[0044] FIG. 6 shows an installation situation in which the rocker pin load support that is installed in a facility is cleaned by means of a steam jet 14.