Jointing clamp and method for producing a compression joint

Abstract

A jointing clamp for producing a compression joint, comprising: an upper jointing clamp half that can be pivoted about a first pivoting axis and has an upper main inlet contour, a lower jointing clamp half that can be pivoted about a second pivoting axis and has a lower main inlet contour, an upper contour element with an upper auxiliary inlet contour that cooperates with the upper jointing clamp half in such a way that a movement of the upper contour element is transmitted to the upper jointing clamp half and a lower contour element with a lower auxiliary inlet contour that cooperates with the lower jointing clamp half in such a way that a movement of the lower contour element is transmitted to the lower jointing clamp half. The invention furthermore relates to a corresponding method for producing a compression joint.

Claims

1. A jointing clamp for producing a compression joint, comprising: an upper jointing clamp half that is configured to be pivoted about a first pivoting axis and has an upper main inlet contour, a lower jointing clamp half that is configured to be pivoted about a second pivoting axis and has a lower main inlet contour, an upper contour element with an upper auxiliary inlet contour that is connected to and cooperates with the upper jointing clamp half in such a way that a movement of the upper contour element is transmitted to the upper jointing clamp half, and a lower contour element with a lower auxiliary inlet contour that is connected to and cooperates with the lower jointing clamp half in such a way that a movement of the lower contour element is transmitted to the lower jointing clamp half, wherein the upper jointing clamp half and the lower jointing clamp half is configured to be moved relative to one another from an open position into a closed position, wherein the upper auxiliary inlet contour is configured to be displaced relative to the upper main inlet contour, and wherein the lower auxiliary inlet contour is configured to be displaced relative to the lower main inlet contour, wherein the upper auxiliary inlet contour is configured to be displaced relative to the upper main inlet contour and is configured to thereby be activated, wherein the lower auxiliary inlet contour is configured to be displaced relative to the lower main inlet contour and is configured to thereby be activated, wherein each of the upper auxiliary inlet contour and the lower auxiliary inlet contour remains activated after displacement, wherein a driving element of a jointing clamp drive is configured to press the jointing clamp halves apart from one another, such that when the driving element comes in direct contact with and is moved along each of the upper main inlet contour and the lower main inlet contour, a first stroke of the jointing halves is performed and such that when, after moving the driving element out of an effective range of each of the upper main inlet contour and the lower main inlet contour and after displacement of each of the upper auxiliary inlet contour and the lower auxiliary inlet contour to be activated, the driving element comes in direct contact with and is moved along each of the upper auxiliary inlet contour and the lower auxiliary inlet contour, a second stroke of the jointing clamp halves is performed, wherein the upper and the lower auxiliary inlet contours are configured to be moved apart from one another during the second stroke, thereby moving the jointing clamp halves farther apart from each other and producing the compression joint.

2. The jointing clamp according to claim 1, wherein it further comprises: a first synchronization plate, to which the upper contour element is connected in such a way that a movement of the first synchronization plate is transmitted to the upper contour element, and a second synchronization plate, to which the lower contour element is connected in such a way that a movement of the second synchronization plate is transmitted to the lower contour element, wherein the jointing clamp is configured such that the first synchronization plate and the second synchronization plate can be respectively moved relative to the upper jointing clamp half, as well as relative to the lower jointing clamp half.

3. The jointing clamp according to claim 2, wherein at least one guide contour is respectively formed in the first and the second synchronization plates and cooperates with a counterpart configured be moved relative thereto.

4. The jointing clamp according to claim 1, wherein at least one guide contour is respectively formed in the upper and the lower jointing clamp halves and cooperates with a counterpart configured to be moved relative thereto.

5. The jointing clamp according to claim 1, wherein in the open position the upper jointing clamp half and the lower jointing clamp half are arranged relative to one another such that the upper and the lower main inlet contours lie inside and the upper and the lower auxiliary inlet contours lie outside an effective range of the driving element of the jointing clamp drive.

6. The jointing clamp according to claim 1, wherein in the closed position the upper jointing clamp half and the lower jointing clamp half are arranged relative to one another such that the upper and the lower main inlet contours lie outside and the upper and the lower auxiliary inlet contours lie inside an effective range of the driving element of the jointing clamp drive.

7. The jointing clamp according to claim 2, wherein the jointing clamp halves are configured in such a way that the upper jointing clamp half and the lower jointing clamp half need to be arranged in an intermediate position in order to respectively move the first and the second synchronization plates relative to the upper jointing clamp half, as well as relative to the lower jointing clamp half.

8. The jointing clamp according to claim 1, wherein the jointing clamp is configured such that the upper jointing clamp half and the lower jointing clamp half are blocked in an intermediate position.

9. The jointing clamp according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the upper jointing clamp half and the lower jointing clamp half respectively consists of a pair of plates, wherein the pair of plates comprise at least two plates of substantially a same shape that are arranged adjacent to one another in the transverse direction and spaced apart from one another, wherein a respective one of the first and the second synchronization plate is transversely arranged between the two plates of the pair of plates of each of the upper jointing clamp half and the lower jointing clamp half.

10. The jointing clamp according to claim 2, wherein the first synchronization plate and the second synchronization plate are arranged adjacent one another in the transverse direction and rotationally symmetrical to one another.

11. The jointing clamp according to claim 2, wherein the first synchronization plate and the second synchronization plate are made of sheet metal.

12. The jointing clamp according to claim 1, wherein the upper and the lower jointing clamp halves or the upper and the lower contour elements consist of a metal casting or metal punching.

13. A pressing tool comprising the jointing clamp according to claim 1.

Description

(1) A number of options are available for modifying and additionally developing the inventive jointing clamp, the inventive pressing tool and the method according to the invention. In this respect, we refer to the claims that are subordinate to claim 1 on the one hand and to the description of exemplary embodiments in connection with the drawings on the other hand. In these drawings:

(2) FIG. 1a) shows a side view of an inventive jointing clamp,

(3) FIG. 1b) shows a front view of the jointing clamp according to FIG. 1a),

(4) FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the jointing clamp according to FIG. 1a),

(5) FIGS. 3a) to g) show different working positions of the jointing clamp according to FIG. 1a) as part of a pressing tool during the production of a compression joint, and

(6) FIG. 4 shows the function of a locking mechanism for the jointing clamp according to FIG. 1a).

(7) FIGS. 1a) and b) respectively show a side view (FIG. 1a)) and a front view (FIG. 1b)) of a jointing clamp 1 for producing a compression joint. The jointing clamp 1 features an upper jointing clamp half 2 that can be pivoted about a first pivoting axis X1 and has an upper main inlet contour 2.1 and a lower jointing clamp half 3 that can be pivoted about a second pivoting axis X2 and has a lower main inlet contour 3.1. According to FIGS. 3a) and b), the main inlet contour 2.1 and the main inlet contour 3.1 cooperate with a driving element 12.1 in the form of a pair of rollers that forms part of a jointing clamp drive 12. In this case, the jointing clamp drive 12 or the driving element 12.1 respectively can be hydraulically moved in the direction from the rear jointing clamp end toward the front jointing clamp end (indicated with an arrow) and thusly presses the jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 apart from one another at the rear end of the jointing clamp such that the jointing clamp halves respectively move toward one another or close at the front end, i.e., at the compression opening.

(8) The jointing clamp 1 furthermore features an upper contour element 4 with an upper auxiliary inlet contour 4.1 and a lower contour element 5 with a lower auxiliary inlet contour 5.1. The upper contour element 4 cooperates with the upper jointing clamp half 2 in such a way that a movement of the upper contour element 4 is transmitted to the upper jointing clamp half 2. This also applies accordingly to the lower contour element 5 that cooperates with the lower jointing clamp half 3 in such a way that a movement is transmitted to the lower jointing clamp half 3.

(9) According to FIGS. 3a) to g), the upper jointing clamp half 2 and the lower jointing clamp half 3 can be moved from an open position (FIG. 3a)) into a closed position (FIG. 3g)) via an intermediate position (FIGS. 3b) to e)). In this case, the upper auxiliary inlet contour 4.1 can be displaced relative to the upper main inlet contour 2.1 and the lower auxiliary inlet contour 5.1 can be displaced relative to the lower main inlet contour 3.1 as described in greater detail below.

(10) FIGS. 3a) and b) show how a first stroke from the open position into the intermediate position is carried out in that the jointing clamp drive 12 moves the driving element 12.1 with its rollers along the main inlet contours 2.1 and 3.1. FIGS. 3c) to e) show how the auxiliary inlet contours 4.1 and 5.1 are in the intermediate position displaced from an inactive position into an active position, in which they partially cover the respective main inlet contour 2.1 or 3.1 toward the rear jointing clamp end and protrude into the effective range of the driving element 12.1. In order to realize the change-over from the inactive position into the active position, the jointing clamp drive 12 is initially returned into the initial position that it originally assumed in FIG. 3a). After the auxiliary inlet contours 4.1 and 5.1 have been activated, the jointing clamp drive 12 is once again actuated such that the jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 carry out a second stroke from the intermediate position into the closed position as illustrated in FIGS. 3e) to g). In the closed position (FIG. 3g)), the opening angle of the compression opening is 0.

(11) The components that respectively allow the activation and deactivation of the auxiliary inlet contours 4.1 and 5.1 or their displacement between the inactive and the active positions are illustrated in detail in the exploded view according to FIG. 2. The jointing clamp 1 features a first synchronization plate 6 and a second synchronization plate 7. The first synchronization plate 6 is rigidly screwed to the upper contour element 4, namely in such a way that a movement of the first synchronization plate 6 is transmitted to the upper contour element 4. The second synchronization plate 7 is accordingly connected to the lower contour element 5. The first synchronization plate 6 and the second synchronization plate 7 can be respectively moved relative to the upper and the lower jointing clamp halves 2 and 3.

(12) Synchronization contours in the form of respective guide slots 6.1 and 7.1 are formed in the first and the second synchronization plates 6 and 7 and cooperate with counterparts in the form of respective guide pins 8a and 8b. In this case, the respective guide pins 8a and 8b are anchored on the respective jointing clamp half 2 or 3 that lies adjacent to the respective guide slot 6.1 or 7.1 in the transverse direction X.

(13) Furthermore, respective first guide slots 2.2 and 3.2 and respective second guide slots 2.3 and 3.3 are formed in the two jointing clamp halves 2 and 3. The guide slot 2.2 cooperates with a guide pin 10a and the guide slot 3.2 cooperates with a guide pin 10b. The additional guide slot 2.3 cooperates with another guide pin 9a and the additional guide slot 3.3 cooperates with a guide pin 9b. All guide pins are respectively anchored on the synchronization plate 6 or 7 that lies adjacent to the corresponding guide slot 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3 in the transverse direction X. The two guide pins 10a and 10b are furthermore provided with handles 11a and 11b, by means of which the pins 10a and 10b can be displaced in the respective guide slots 2.2 and 3.2.

(14) All guide slots 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3, 6.1, 7.1 in the jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 and in the synchronization plates 6 and 7 respectively extend in such a way that an actuation or displacement of the guide pins 10a and 10b causes the synchronization plates 6 and 7 to be turned and displaced together with the contour elements 4 and 5, namely such that the corresponding auxiliary inlet contours 4.1 and 5.1 can be changed over between an inactive position and an active position in the above-described fashion.

(15) In the open position, the upper jointing clamp half 2 and the lower jointing clamp half 3 are arranged relative to one another, in particular, in such a way that the upper and the lower main inlet contours 2.1 and 3.1 lie in the effective range and the upper and the lower auxiliary inlet contours 4.1 and 5.1 lie outside the effective range of the driving element 12.1 of the jointing clamp drive 12. In the closed position, the upper and the lower jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 are arranged such that the upper and the lower main inlet contours 2.1 and 3.1 lie outside the effective range and the upper and the lower auxiliary inlet contours 4.1 and 5.1 lie in the effective range of the driving element 12.1.

(16) Furthermore, the two jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 and the synchronization plates 6 and 7 are arranged and shaped in such a way that the jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 need to be arranged in the above-described intermediate position in order to respectively move the synchronization plates 6 and 7 relative to the jointing clamp halves 2 and 3. The synchronization plates 6 and 7 are realized and arranged in a rotationally symmetrical fashion in this case and blocked in any position other than the intermediate position.

(17) FIG. 2 shows very clearly that the jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 respectively consist of a pair of plates, namely of respective plates 2a, 2b and 3a, 3b of the same shape that are arranged adjacent to one another in the transverse direction X and spaced apart from one another. The thusly realized jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 are held together by side plates 13a and 13b that in turn serve for accommodating two main pins 14a and 14b, on which the jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 are ultimately supported in a pivoting fashion.

(18) FIG. 2 furthermore shows that various tension springs 15 are provided, wherein some tension springs promote the movements of the components causing the displacement of the auxiliary inlet contours 4.1 and 5.1 between the active position and the inactive position and some tension springs assist in preserving different positions of the components relative to one another due to their prestress.

(19) FIG. 2 ultimately also shows that so-called locking pins 16a and 16b are respectively provided on each jointing clamp half 2 and 3 and make it possible to block the jointing clamp halves 2 and 3 in the intermediate position. The thusly realized locking mechanism is described below with reference to FIG. 4.

(20) In order to realize the aforementioned two strokes in the jointing clamp 1, it is advantageous that a locking mechanism blocks or locks the opening of the jointing clamp 1 between the first stroke and the second stroke such that the operator does not have to remove the jointing clamp 1 and interrupt the pressing operation. The locking mechanism has four switching positions that are illustrated in Picture 11 of FIG. 4 and can be stabilized with a spring-loaded spherical thrust member. The locking pin 16a can be switched in the axial direction y.sub.s and in the direction of the oblong hole 20 in the hollow bolt 17a. At the beginning, the locking pin 16a is engaged in the side plate 2a that is illustrated in Picture 1 of FIG. 4 and then switched into the opposite side plate 2b (FIG. 4, Pictures 2 and 3) in the axial direction y.sub.s by the guide groove 18a in the side plate 2a as the closing movement progresses. An undercut in the side plate 2b subsequently prevents a reversal of the rotational movement of the jointing clamp 1 (FIG. 4, Picture 10). As the closing movement progresses, the locking pin 16a is switched inward in the direction of the oblong hole 20 (FIG. 4, Pictures 4 and 5). After the completion of the pressing operation, the locking pin 16a returns to the second guide groove and is initially switched axially (FIG. 4, Pictures 6 and 7) and then outward in the direction of the oblong hole 20 (FIG. 4, Pictures 8 and 9). In this way, the locking pin 16a is once again returned into the initial position illustrated in Picture 2 of FIG. 4 such that the jointing clamp 1 can be completely opened again.