BLOCK LOCK WITH A TWIST LOCK

Abstract

The invention relates to a block lock for connecting two chain ends which comprises two block lock halves which extend in the longitudinal direction and which engage with each other in a positive fit via pins and grooves and lock to form two seating openings, each one to receive a chain link. The seating openings are separated by a crossbar which extends from one of the block lock halves to the opposite block lock half, wherein the block lock halves are coupled so as to rotate about the crossbar and/or on an end of a block lock half, a pin which protrudes in the direction of the opposite block lock half, which engages laterally in one lateral seating groove formed on one end of the opposite block lock half, when carrying out a relative rotational movement of both block lock halves.

Claims

1.-14. (canceled)

15. A block lock for connecting two chain ends, wherein the block lock has two opposite block lock halves extending in the longitudinal direction which engage in an interlocking manner by means of pins and grooves and lock to form two seating openings for receiving a chain link at each end, wherein the seating openings are separated from one another by a two-part crossbar extending from one block lock half to the opposite block lock half, wherein the block lock halves are rotatably coupled via the crossbar and a pin projecting in the direction of the opposite block lock half is formed on each of the ends of a block lock half, which pin engages laterally in a lateral seating groove formed on the respective end of the opposite block lock half during a rotary movement of both block lock halves relative to each other, wherein each lateral seating groove has an opening in a side surface for swiveling on the pin and the openings are formed on opposite side surfaces of the block lock half.

16. The block lock according to claim 15, wherein the block lock halves are detachably coupled to each other at the crossbar by means of a pivot bolt.

17. The block lock according to claim 15, wherein the block lock halves are mounted for rotation about a perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the block lock.

18. The block lock according to claim 15, wherein on its pin end, the pin has a widening and the lateral seating groove has an undercut for receiving the widening.

19. The block lock according to claim 15, wherein, in the locked state, the two block lock halves are locked together by at least one securing bolt.

20. The block lock according to claim 19, wherein the securing bolt is a spring pin.

21. The block lock according to claim 19, wherein the securing bolt is inserted perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the block lock.

22. The block lock according to claim 21, wherein the securing bolt is inserted into a securing bolt recess via the side surface, a top surface and/or a bottom surface of the block lock.

23. The block lock according to claim 22, wherein the securing bolt recess is half-formed in each block lock half.

24. The block lock according to claim 22, wherein the securing bolt recess is arranged in the pin and in the corresponding lateral seating groove.

25. The block lock according to claim 15, wherein the pins and the lateral seating grooves have a curved configuration in the transverse direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] Other advantages, features, characteristics, and aspects of this invention are the subject matter of the following description. Preferred variants of embodiments are illustrated in the schematic figures. The purpose of the latter is to make the invention easily understood. Shown are:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows the block lock according to the invention in a longitudinal sectional view, with two ends of a chain engaged;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows the block lock in a perspective view;

[0026] FIG. 3 consists of Figures A-D and shows an upper block lock half in various views;

[0027] FIG. 4 consists of Figures A-D and shows a lower block lock half in various views; and

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the block lock of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] In the figures, the same reference signs are used for the same or similar components, although the description may not be repeated for the sake of simplification.

[0030] FIG. 1 shows a longitudinal sectional view of a block lock 1 according to the invention. The block lock 1 has an upper block lock half 2 as well as a lower block lock half 3 that engage with each other in an interlocking manner. On the inside the two block lock halves 2, 3 thus form two seating openings 4, which are coupled together by a two-part crossbar 5. A chain link 7 of an end of a respective chain 8 is seated with its rounded portion 6 in a respective seating opening 4 such that the latter are connected to each other in the pulling direction Z of the chain 8. In this embodiment, in each case one half of the two-piece crossbar 5 is formed by the upper block lock half 2 and by the lower block half 3, wherein the latter are divided in the crossbar 5 along a longitudinal mid-plane 9, where they come into interlocking contact. A pivot bolt 10 is integrated in an interlocking manner in the crossbar 5, wherein the pivot bolt 10 defines a rotation axis 11 that is arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 12 of the block lock 1. The upper block lock half 2 and the lower block lock half 3 are mounted for rotation about the rotation axis 11 such that they can be brought into or released from lockable engagement. Extending in the direction toward the lower block lock half 3, pins 14 are formed on the ends 13 of the upper block lock half 2 so that the upper block lock half 2 and the lower block lock half 3 engage in each other in an interlocking manner in the locked engagement illustrated in FIG. 1. The pins 14 are seated in an interlocking manner in lateral seating grooves 15, which are located in ends 16 of the lower block lock half 3.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates the locked engagement more clearly, where in the seated chain links 7 each surround the pins 14 laterally by their shanks 17 and, in the locked state, prevent rotary movement D about the rotation axis 11 and, during the operation, of the chain 8 connected to the block lock 1.

[0032] The inventive principle of the twistable engagement is illustrated even more clearly in FIGS. 3 and 4. With reference to FIGS. 4A) and B), the respective lateral seating groove 15 with an opening 18 is formed on opposite side surfaces 19 on the lower block lock half 3 illustrated therein. A rotary movement D can thus be performed about the rotation axis 11 such that the pins 14 of the upper block lock half 2 illustrated in FIGS. 3A), 3B), and 3C) are each inserted, in an interlocking manner, into the lateral seating groove 15 via the opening 18. In particular so that the rotary movement D can be carried out in a controlled and guided manner, in each case a seating opening 20 is provided in a part of the crossbar 5 for receiving the pivot bolt 10 illustrated in FIG. 1.

[0033] In particular so that an interlocking engagement with simultaneously high tensile loading and increased load bearing capacity can be established between the pins 14 and the lateral seating grooves 15, the latter have a curved configuration 30 in the transverse direction Q.

[0034] FIG. 5 shows a side view of the block lock 1 according to the invention, in which it is again evident that the left, with respect to the image plane, pin 14 is inserted into a lateral seating groove 15. Not illustrated is the engagement of a pin engaging behind, with respect to the image plane, the block lock, which pin is inserted into the side surface behind the image plane, into the lower block lock half 3. Two securing bolts 21 are employed for maintaining the block lock 1 in the locked state, wherein said securing bolts 21 are inserted in the block lock 1, specifically in the transverse direction thereto, wherein with respect to the longitudinal section illustrated in FIG. 1, half of a securing bolt receptacle 22 is formed in the pin 14 and in the lateral seating groove 15, respectively.

[0035] In the illustration according to FIGS. 3B) and C), it is furthermore clearly discernible that the pin 14 has, on its pin end 23, a widening 24 that according to FIG. 3A) preferably also has a curved configuration 30, wherein the widening 24 correspondingly engages in an interlocking manner in an undercut 25 according to FIGS. 4A) and 4C) of the lateral seating groove 15. In particular the two block lock halves 2, 3 are prevented from shearing off from each other in the vertical direction V, according to FIG. 5. In FIG. 4C) in particular, it is again shown that the resulting seating openings 4 are formed by a respective crossbar base 26 with a contact surface 27, on which the inner side of the rounded portion 6 of the respectively seated chain link 7 comes to rest, wherein the crossbar base 26 then, as illustrated in FIG. 4A, has a back surface 28, behind which a supporting surface 29 of the upper block lock half 2 interlockingly engages in the longitudinal direction.

[0036] For locking and unlocking, the chain links 7 illustrated in FIG. 2, which are engaged in each case they are pivoted with respect to the block lock 1 in such a way that the rotary movement D about the rotation axis 11 can be performed, thereupon withdrawing the chain links 7 or pulling the block lock halves 2, 3 apart in the vertical direction V.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0037] 1—block lock [0038] 2—upper block lock half [0039] 3—lower block lock half [0040] 4—seating opening [0041] 5—crossbar [0042] 6—rounded portion of 7 [0043] 7—chain link [0044] 8—chain [0045] 9—longitudinal mid-plane [0046] 10—pivot bolt [0047] 11—rotation axis [0048] 12—longitudinal direction of 1 [0049] 13—end of 2 [0050] 14—pin [0051] 15—lateral seating groove [0052] 16—end of 3 [0053] 17—shank of 7 [0054] 18—opening of 15 [0055] 19—side surface of 3 [0056] 20—seating opening [0057] 21—securing bolt [0058] 22—securing bolt receptacle [0059] 23—pin end [0060] 24—widening [0061] 25—undercut [0062] 26—crossbar base [0063] 27—contact surface [0064] 28—back surface [0065] 29—supporting surface [0066] 30—curved configuration [0067] Z—pulling direction [0068] D—rotary movement [0069] Q—transverse direction [0070] V—vertical direction