Rein Safety Connector Device

Abstract

A rein safety connector device comprises a ball component, a socket component and a retaining member. The ball component includes a ball and the socket component includes a socket shaped to receive the ball. The socket includes an opening having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the ball, the opening being configured for expansion upon application of a first force along a longitudinal axis of the socket component in a first direction by the ball of said ball component and retraction upon removal of said force. The retaining member is attachable to the socket component around the opening thereof to secure the ball of the ball component in the socket of said socket component, the ball being releasable from the socket when subject to a second force, greater than the first force along said longitudinal axis in a second direction.

Claims

1. A rein safety connector device, the device comprising a ball component including a ball, a socket component including a socket shaped to receive the ball, and a retaining member, the socket including an opening having a diameter smaller than the diameter of the ball, the opening being configured for expansion upon application of a first force along a longitudinal axis of the socket component in a first direction by the ball of said ball component and retraction upon removal of said force, wherein the retaining member is attachable to the socket component around the opening thereof to secure the ball of the ball component in the socket of said socket component, the ball releasable from the socket when subject to a second force, greater than the first force along said longitudinal axis in a second direction

2. A rein safety device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member is attachable to the socket component such that the retaining member is immediately adjacent to the opening of the socket component.

3. A rein safety device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member is attachable to the socket component by means of a rotational coupling wherein the retaining member and the socket component each comprise a respective part of the rotational coupling.

4. A rein safety device according to claim 3, wherein the rotational coupling comprises co-operating internal and external threads on respective ones of the socket component and the retaining member.

5. A rein safety device according to claim 1, wherein the opening is defined by a plurality of leaves, each leaf moveable outwards relative to said longitudinal axis when subject to said first or second force.

6. A rein safety device according to claim 5, wherein each leaf includes a region of reduced thickness, said region distal from the opening and forming part of the socket.

7. A rein safety device according to claim 5, wherein the retaining member is attachable to the socket component by means of a rotational coupling wherein the retaining member and the socket component each comprise a respective part of the rotational coupling and wherein the socket component part of the rotational coupling is situated beyond the leaves, distal from the opening.

8. A rein safety device according to claim 1, wherein the ball component comprises a central portion and wherein the ball is attached to the central portion by a ball connector.

9. A rein safety device according to claim 8, wherein the central portion includes a wall, the ball connector extending from the wall.

10. A rein safety device according to claim 9, wherein the wall surrounds an opening or a region of material.

11. A rein safety device according to claim 10, wherein the depth of the material surrounded by the wall is smaller than the depth of the wall.

12. A rein safety device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member is provided with grip elements.

13. A rein safety device according to claim 1, wherein each of the ball component and the socket component is provided with rein attachment elements.

14. A rein safety device according to claim 1, wherein the ball component is fabricated from a metal or a metal alloy, and the socket component and retaining member are respective one piece plastics mouldings.

15. A rein safety device according to claim 1, wherein each of the ball component, socket component and retaining member are respective one piece plastics mouldings.

16. A rein safety device according to claim 14, wherein the one piece plastics mouldings are is fabricated from nylon or polypropylene.

17. A rein safety device according to claim 14, wherein the ball component is a one piece metal or metal alloy casting.

18. A rein safety device according to claim 14, wherein the ball component is fabricated from a metal or metal alloy selected from the group comprising: zinc, aluminium and steel.

19. A rein safety device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining member is configured such that when the ball is subjected to the second force, the retaining member expands within its elastic limit.

20. The combination of the rein safety device according to claim 1 and a pair of reins, one of the pair attached to the socket component and the other of the pair attached to the ball component.

21. A bridle including the combination of claim 20.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] In the Drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention, and are by way of example:

[0029] FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a ball and socket safety device according to the invention;

[0030] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the safety device illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of the component including the ball of the safety device illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0031] FIG. 4 is a plan view of the component illustrated in FIG. 3;

[0032] FIG. 5 is a cross-section on axis A-A of the component illustrated in FIG. 4;

[0033] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the component including the socket of the safety device illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0034] FIG. 7 is a plan view of the component illustrated in FIG. 6;

[0035] FIG. 8 is a cross-section on axis A-A of the component illustrated in FIG. 7;

[0036] FIG. 9 is an end view of the component illustrated in FIG. 6;

[0037] FIG. 10 is cross-section on axis C-C;

[0038] FIG. 11 is an end view of a retaining ring component of the safety device illustrated in FIG. 1; FIG. 12 is a cross-section on axis A-A of the component illustrated in FIG. 11;

[0039] FIG. 13 is a cross-section on axis C-C of the component illustrated in FIG. 12;

[0040] FIG. 14 is an exploded view of the safety device of the invention in a state of partial assembly;

[0041] FIG. 15 is an end view of the safety device illustrated in FIG. 1;

[0042] FIG. 16 is a longitudinal cross-section on the axis A-A of FIG. 15; and FIG. 17 is a schematic illustration of bridle and rein set according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0043] The disclosed rein safety device is directed to an improved releasable connector for connecting together the free ends of a pair of reins, and further, to a pair of reins including such an improved releasable connector.

[0044] Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the safety device 1 of the invention comprises a ball component 2, a socket component 3 and a retaining ring component 4. As can be appreciated from FIGS. 1 and 2, the ball of the ball component is passed through the ring component 4 and is pushed into the socket component 3. The retaining ring component 4 has a larger inner diameter larger than the diameter of the ball 2d, allowing the ball 2d to pass through the ring component 4.

[0045] In the illustrated example, the ball component is formed as a one-piece zinc casting which comprises a central portion from which extend elongate side members 2b which are connected together by a cross-member 2c at the ends of the elongate side members 2b remote from the central portion 2a. The ball 2d of the ball component 2 is also connected to the central portion 2a by a connector 2e. In use, a free end of one rein of a pair passes around the cross member 2c to fasten the rein to the ball portion 2. The ball component may also be formed as a one-piece plastics molding.

[0046] The socket component 3 is formed as a one-piece plastics molding comprising a socket element 3a from which extend side members 3b. The ends of the side members distal from the socket element 3a are connected together by a cross-member 3c at the ends of the elongate side members 3b. The socket element 3a (which is described in greater detail in FIGS. 6 to 10) comprises a socket base 3a and a plurality of socket leaves 3a and an externally threaded region 3d.

[0047] The retaining ring component 4 comprises an internal thread 4a which is configured to co-operate with the external thread 3d of the socket component. The retaining ring 4 is provided with external grip elements provided by depressions 4b formed in the outer surface of the retaining ring 4.

[0048] The ball component 2 is illustrated in greater detail in FIGS. 3 to 5. The central portion 2a comprises an outer wall 2a having a first depth and a region 2a that is surrounded by the wall 2a and which has a depth less than the thickness of wall 2a. The central portion 2a therefore provides a convenient part to grip when a user is connecting the ball 2d of the ball component 2 to the socket 3a of socket component 3. In the illustrated embodiment, the region 2a has a diameter of 12 mm and the outer wall 2a has a diameter of 14 mm, the wall having a thickness of 1 mm. The wall 2a adds strength and rigidity to the whole ball component 2 as well as providing a suitably dimensioned element for the connector 2e to extend from. In the illustrated embodiment, the wall has a depth of 7.3 mm, whereas the region 2a has a depth of 3.3 mm.

[0049] FIGS. 6-10 illustrate the socket component 3 in greater detail. The socket 3a comprises a socket base 3a in which the ball 2d is received and an open end through which the ball 2d is inserted, the open end defined by a plurality of adjacent socket leaves 3a. The internal diameter of the socket base 3a has substantially the same diameter as the external diameter of the ball 2d.

[0050] In order to attach the ball 2d to the socket 3a the ball 2d is presented up to the open face of the socket 3a. As the outer surface of the ball 2d engages the end faces of the socket the leaves 3a, the socket leaves 3aare pushed outward thereby allowing the ball 2d to be pushed into the socket base 3a. The diameter of the open end of the socket 3a is 12 mm as shown in FIG. 2. Whereas the diameter of the socket is 13 mm. The diameter changes at the plane Y-Y illustrated in FIG. 16. When the widest part of the ball 2d moves past the plane Y-Y in the direction Z, the socket leaves 3a return to their closed configuration, and assist in pushing the ball into the position shown in FIG. 16 where the outer surface of ball 2d is in contact with the inner surface 3e of the socket 3a. FIG. 14 illustrates the sequence of assembly of the ring 4 relative to the ball component 2 and the socket component 3. The ball 2d is passed through the ring 4. The internal diameter of the ring 4 is larger than the external diameter of the ball 2, the ring having an internal diameter of 16 mm compared to the external diameter of 13 mm of the ball 2d, in the illustrated example. After the ball has been pushed into the socket 3a, the ring 4 is presented up to and aligned with the threads 3d of the socket 3a. The ring 4 is then rotated relative to the socket so that the internal threads 4a of the ring engage with the external threads 3d of the socket 3a. The ring 4 is rotated until it is tight relative to the socket 3a.

[0051] In this example, the socket component and retaining ring component of the safety device 1 are formed from a polypropylene material, preferably the same polypropylene material. The plastics material from which these components are formed is sufficiently flexible to allow the ball and socket to be pulled apart when sufficient force is applied, without fracturing any components and without deforming any components beyond their elastic limits. In the event that an incident occurs in which the reins become caught on an object, if sufficient force is applied to the safety device 1 pulling the ball 2d out of socket 3a, those components will separate. In most circumstances the disconnection of the ball from the socket will allow the reins to pull free from the object upon which the rein was caught. In order to reassemble the safety device 1, the ring 4 is rotated such that the threaded region 4a of the ring 4 comes away from the threaded region 3e of the socket 3a. The ring 4 is passed over the ball 2d as described above, and the ball 2d is inserted into the socket 3a. The ring 4 is then tighten onto the socket 3a as described above.

[0052] FIG. 17 illustrates a bridle 5, including a bit 6, with a rein set 7 attached to the bit 6. The rein set includes a safety device 1 of the type described in FIGS. 1 to 16, the rein 7a being attached to cross-member 3c and the rein 7b being attached to the cross-member 2c, the respective other ends of reins 7a, 7b being attached to bit rings 6a and 6b respectively.

[0053] In a preferred example, suitable for child riders weighing up to approximately a maximum of 30 kg, the ball component is fabricated from a zinc casting and has a diameter of approximately 11.5 mm. The socket component 3 and the retaining ring component 4 are each formed as one-piece polypropylene moldings. The retaining ring component has an inner diameter of 15.8 mm.

[0054] In a further preferred example, suitable for riders weighing up to approximately a maximum of 50 kg, the ball component is fabricated from a zinc casting and has a diameter of approximately 12.1 mm. The socket component 3 is formed as a one-piece nylon molding, and the retaining ring component 4 is formed as a one piece polypropylene. The retaining ring component has an inner diameter of 15.8 mm.

[0055] In a further preferred example, suitable for riders weighing up to approximately a maximum of 80 kg, the ball component is fabricated from a zinc casting and has a diameter of approximately 12.1 mm. The socket component 3 and the retaining ring component 4 are each formed as one-piece nylon moldings. The retaining ring component has an inner diameter of 15.8 mm.

[0056] All of the parts of the safety device of the invention which are described as being fabricated from metal or metal alloys could also be fabricated from plastics; and the parts described as being fabricated from plastics materials could also be fabricated from metal without deviating from the scope of the invention.