Self locking safety spring clip

Abstract

Described is a self locking safety spring clip including at least a main body (21) provided with an opening (38) designed to receive a ring. The main body (21) houses a first locking element (25) equipped at an end with a hook-shaped part or hook (26) and rotatable about a first pin (27) integral with the main body, as well as a second locking element (29) opposite the previous one, rotatable about a second pin (30) integral with the main body, the second locking element (29) being equipped with a magnetic element (31) designed to attract the ring thus facilitating the coupling and simultaneously the locking to the hook-shaped part or hook (26).

Claims

1. A self locking safety spring clip, comprising: at least a main body provided with an opening designed to receive retaining means, wherein the main body houses: a first locking element equipped at an end with a hook-shaped part or hook and rotatable about a first pin integral with the main body, the first locking element, comprising a first tooth on a side of the first locking element opposite the hook, and a second locking element opposite the first locking element, rotatable about a second pin integral with the main body, the second element having a mechanical profile, comprising a second tooth operable with the first tooth of the first element, both the first tooth and the second tooth arranged outside the opening of the main body to move the first locking element from an open position to a closed position and vice versa, wherein the second locking element being equipped with an element designed to magnetically attract the retaining means thus facilitating coupling and simultaneously locking to the hook-shaped part or hook.

2. The self-locking safety spring clip according to claim 1, in which the main body (21) has, on one side, means for fixing to the retaining means and, on another side, the opening (38) is defined by forked protrusions (23, 24) which enable quick centering of the spring clip to an object to be fastened.

3. The self locking safety spring clip of claim 1, further comprising: a lever element rotatable about a third pin integral with the main body and positioned in contrast with a base of the first and second locking elements so as to interfere with both, the lever element being provided on one side with a socket and on the other side with a gripping element including fingers, the lever element operable for locking the spring clip in the closed position and operable as a control knob to allow the opening of the spring clip.

4. The self locking safety spring clip of claim 3, in an outer edge of the second locking element hinged on the second pin comprises a knurling (37) which acts as a gripping and pushing element for the fingers in an opposite direction relative to the gripping element (36) of the lever element.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other features and advantages of the invention will become clear on reading the description given below of one embodiment, provided as a non-limiting example, with the help of the accompanying drawings, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view highlighting the side of the base of the spring clip according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a schematic side view of the spring clip according to the invention;

(4) FIG. 3 is the schematic side view of the spring clip according to the invention rotated by 90? on the longitudinal axis relative to the previous view and with the locking devices in the closed position;

(5) FIG. 4 is the schematic view of the spring clip according to the invention with the locking devices in the open position;

(6) FIG. 5 shows a lateral view of the spring clip according to an angle of 180? relative to the view of FIG. 2;

(7) FIGS. 6 and 7 show cross sections of the spring clip according to the invention with the retaining means in the open position and the closed position, respectively;

(8) FIGS. 8 to 11 show schematic views of the spring clip according to the invention represented by two angles and in two different operating steps, in particular FIGS. 8 and 11 are in the open position and FIGS. 9 and 10 are in the closed position.

DESCRIPTION OF AN EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

(9) With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 20 denotes in its entirety a self locking spring clip according to the invention which, in the embodiment illustrated, substantially consists of four components mutually assembled together.

(10) These components are represented by: a main body 21 which on one side has means 22 for fixing, for example, to the strap of a leash or to another retaining element for example with the hands, and on the other side, that is, the side opposite the fixing means 22, the main body being equipped with guide means of the fork type with projections 23 and 24 which allow quick centring of the spring clip with the object to be attached; a first element 25, one end of which is shaped like a hook 26 which interferes in the guide area of the main body, the first element being mobile and rotating around a pin 27 restrained to the main body 21, the first element 25 being equipped with a tooth 28 in proximity to the pin 27; a second element 29 opposite the previous one with respect to the longitudinal centre line of the main body 21, movable rotatably about a pin 30 constrained to the main body 21, and equipped with a magnetic element 31, designed to attract the body to be retained facilitating the coupling and simultaneously equipped with a mechanical profile comprising a tooth which interacts with the tooth 28 of the first hook type element 25 so as to move it from an open position to a closed position and vice versa.

(11) This embodiment also comprises a third articulated element of the lever type 33, which performs safety means functions, movable rotatably about a pin 34 and positioned in contrast with a spring (not illustrated in the drawings) at the base of the two preceding elements 25, 29 so as to interfere with both, the lever being provided on one side with a shaped end 35 and on the other side with a element 36 for gripping with the fingers, the third lever element 33 constituting the element for locking the spring clip in the closed position and which must be operated like a control knob to allow the opening of the spring clip.

(12) Along the outer edge of the second element 29 hinged on the pin 30 and equipped with the magnetic element 31 there is a knurled surface 37 which acts as a gripping and pushing element for the fingers in the opposite direction relative to the gripping element 36 of the lever 33.

(13) From an operational point of view, the self locking spring clip according to the invention allows the element to be retained, which typically comprises a metal ring, in particular made of ferromagnetic metal, to be retained in the seat 38, positioned inside the guide fork of guide, which determines a fully automatic operation of the spring clip.

(14) Starting from the open position shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 8 and 11, the ring which is inserted in the seat 38 attracts towards itself the magnet 31 causing the angular movement of the element 29 which, rotating on the pin 30, moves the tooth 32 causing the consequent angular movement of the element 25, in such a way that the hook makes contact with the magnet 31, reaching the position illustrated in FIG. 7, in which the hook 26 closes the seat 38, by abutting against the magnet 31.

(15) During this step, the safety lever 33 being placed in contrast with a spring, when the end 39 of the second element 29 moves rotating towards the outside the spring clip is locked in the closed position. In effect, the end 39 of the second member 29 inserts inside a socket 35 provided at an end of the lever 33 thus blocking the return of the second element 29 which in turn prevents the first element 25 from opening, by the mutual interaction of the teeth 28 and 32.

(16) To open the spring clip, two fingers act on two opposite points, on one side on the gripping element 36 of the lever 33 and on the other side on the knurling 37 of the second element 29, allowing the teeth around the socket 35 to free the end 39 of the second element 29, whose rotation in the opposite direction to the previous one determines the opening of the hook 26 again freeing the seat 38, thus allowing the retaining element to be freed.

(17) If the retaining element is of the ferromagnetic type, that is to say, inert to magnetic fields, for example made of a non-metallic material, the closing of the spring clip according to the invention occurs in manual mode, by pressing on the second articulated element and more specifically on the knurled part which in this way becomes a button.

(18) In this case, the pressure exerted by the button determines the rotation of the second body 29 and the consequent rotation in the opposite direction of the first body 25, allowing the hook 26 to make contact with the magnet 31, creating also in this case a condition of safe closing since the lever 33 again interferes with the end 39, preventing the return.

(19) As may be seen, the spring clip according to the invention is simple and safe to use being equipped with dual safety which prevents the spring clip from opening accidently, avoiding the very dangerous situations described above which could have occurred with traditional spring clips which could also have caused unforeseeable events due to the lack of safety, speed and precision during the coupling and release steps.

(20) The invention as described above refers to a preferred embodiment. It is nevertheless clear that the invention is susceptible to numerous variations which lie within the scope of its disclosure and within the framework of the technical equivalents as described in the claims below.