US3185510A - Linkage interconnection - Google Patents

Description

May 25, 1965 R. A. HucKlNs ETAL 3,185,510

LINKAGE INTERCONNECTION Filed Feb. 27, 196s United States Patent O poration, East Hartford, Conn., "a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 27,1963, Ser. No. 251,372 1 Claim. (Cl. 287-100) The present invention relates to a device for interconnecting two levers, which may be, for example, a part of a control linkage, in such a way as to prevent undesirable flexing of the offset control rods.

One feature of the invention is an arrangement of the joint between two links such that the joint is self-aligning but will limit the movement of the linkage members in one plane. A further feature is the arrangement of mechanical bumpers incorporated in the pivotal connection which will allow one of the rods to move in a plane connection other than rotation about centerline of pin to some extent butvwill prevent the other rod from moving in a plane at any selected angle to this plane other than rotation about center line of pin connection.

Other features and advantages will be apparent from the specification land claim, yand `from the accompanying drawing which illustrates an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the two rods with the interconnecting joint with parts broken away to show the invention more clearly.

FIG. 2 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a side view looking in the direction of the arrow 3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view substantially along line 4-4 of FIG. 1.

Referring iirst to FIG. 1, the rods Zand 4 located substantially at right angles to one another are pivotally connected by the clevis joint 6 in such a way as to provide for motion of the rod 2 in the direction represented,

by the arrows 8 of FIG. 2 but which will eiectively prevent movement of the link 4 with respect to the joint in the direction of the arrow 10 in FIG. 3.

To accomplish this, the rod 2 has an end cap 12 with an integral disc 14 which tits between discs 16 and 18 on the end of the link 4. A pivot pin 20 extends through the several discs and provides a pivotal connection between the ends of the links. The `disc 14 is thinner than the space between the discs 16 and 18 so that there is normally some clearance therebetween and the disc 14 is held in position between the discsV 16 and 18 by lianges 22 onV a part-spherical aligning bearing 24, the periphery of which forms a section of a sphere and is received'in a mating spherical recess 26 in the central disc 14. With this arrangement, it is clear that the disc 14 is free to pivot on the spherical bearing within limits dened by ice A the spacing between the central disc 14 and outer discs 16 and 18.

To prevent free unlimited oscillating movement of the end of the link 4 in the direction represented by the arrow 10, the opposite sides of the disc 14 have machined thereon radially extending humps 28 adjacent to the periphery of the disc and in a position to engage with the overlying discs 16 and 18. Obviously, there are two sets of these humps located at points diagrammatically opposite to each other as shown in FIG. l Where the top disc 16 is broken away. Thus with this arrangement, although the link 2 is free to move to a limited degree in the direction of the arrows 8, the link 4 is not free to move in the direction represented by the arrows 10, being prevented by these humps.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiment herein illustrated and described, but may be used in other ways without departure from its spirit as defined by the following claim.

We claim.

A pivotal connection between two rods located approXimately at right angles to each other, including a substantially annular flat disc element on the end of one rod, a bufurcated element including a pair of Hat discs on the end of the other rod, said pair of discs being spaced apart to receive between them said iirst flat disc element, the spacing of said pair of discs being greater than the thickness of said disc element to provide clearance therebetween, a part-spherical bearing positioned in said iirst flat disc element, the latter having a partspherical internal surface engaging with said bearing, a pin extending through said discs and through said bearing element to hold said bearing in position between said pair of discs, said bearing providing for pivotal movement of said llat disc element about the axis of said bearing, and a pair of projections located on each side of said llat disc element and projecting into contact with said pair of flat discs, each of said projections extending radially outwardly with respect to said pin, and said projections of each pair being diametrically opposite each other with respect to said pin in a plane including the axis of said bifurcated element to limit relative movement between said rods in a selected direction.

References Cited by the Examiner CARL W. TOM-LIN, Primary Examiner.

Images