Lifting element for dies and the like

Abstract

 Lifting element for dies and the like, comprising:

• a base (12) provided with fastening means (14), and
• a throat (16) formed integrally with one end of the base (12) and able to be engaged by an eyelet (20) of a cable (22), the throat (16) being delimited in the axial direction by a head (24).

The lifting element comprises a safety device (32) against the release of the cable, comprising:

• a base element (34) mounted on said head (24) in freely rotatable fashion and secured to the head (24) in non removable fashion,
• a retaining member (38) articulated to the base element (34) and movable between a position of insertion and extraction of the eyelet (20) and a position of retention of the eyelet (20), and
• elastic means (48) positioned between the base element (34) and the retaining member (38) and tending to maintain the retaining member (38) in said retention position.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a lifting element for dies and the like.

[0002] Dies for sheet metal, in particular for pressing components of bodies for vehicles, have a weight in the order of several tons. Such dies are normally provided with lifting elements fastened to the body of the die in pre-determined positions. The lifting elements are able to be engaged by eyelets of metal cables for lifting and handling the die by means of lifting apparatuses such as overhead travelling cranes or the like.

[0003] The invention relates in particular to a lifting element of the type that allows to upset the die by means of a rotation about a horizontal axis whilst the die is suspended by means of a pair of cables. Lifting elements of this type are normally formed by a base provided with means for fastening to the die and with a throat, integrally formed at one end of the base and able to be engaged by an eyelet of a cable. The throat is delimited at one of its ends by a head with a greater diameter than the minimum diameter of the throat.

[0004] However, the widened head located at the end of the throat is not sufficient to provide safety assurances against the inadvertent release of the cable. A solution aimed at enhancing safety against the inadvertent release of the cable has already been proposed. This known solution provides for engaging to the head of the lifting element a separate element which can rotate relative to the lifting element and which, in the condition in which it is engaged to the head, forms a stop around the throat which prevents the release of the cable eyelet from the throat. The main drawback of this solution is that the element safeguarding against release is a separate and removable component with respect to the lifting element. The safety assurances against the release of the cable offered by this known system depend to a great extent on the diligence of the personnel handling the dies, assigned the task of engaging the safety element after inserting the cable into the throat. However, the element safeguarding against the release of the cable, being a separate component with respect to the lifting element, can be misplaced or the person who connects the cable to the lifting element may forget to apply the safety element.

[0005] The object of the present invention is to provide a lifting element offering greater safety assurances and which allows to overcome the drawbacks of the previously described known solution.

[0006] According to the present invention, said object is achieved by a lifting element having the characteristics set out in the main claim.

[0007] The present invention shall now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, provided purely by way of non limiting example, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of a lifting element according to the present invention,
• Figure 2 is a partially sectioned lateral view of the lifting element of Figure 1, and
• Figures 3 and 4 are respectively plan and elevation views according to the arrows III and IV of Figure 2.

[0008] With reference to the figures, the reference 10 designates a lifting element for dies and the like. The lifting element 10 comprises a base 12 provided with means for fastening to a die (not shown). In the example illustrated in the figures, the base has a substantially parallelepiped shape and the fastening means are constituted by through holes 14 able to receive fastening screws (not shown). Alternatively, the base 12 could be constituted by a threaded stem able to engage a threaded hole of the die.

[0009] A throat 16 is formed integrally with one end of the base 12. The throat 16 has a concave shape relative to an axis 18, which constitutes the axis of symmetry of the throat 16. The outer surface of the throat 16 is given by the rotation of a concave line relative to the axis 18 about the axis itself. The shape of the concave line that generates the profile of the throat 16 can be of various kinds. In general, said line will have its lateral edges raised to formed a lowered central area able to receive an eyelet 20 positioned at the end of a cable 22.

[0010] The throat 16 is delimited on one side by the base 12 and, on the opposite side, by a head 24 with a diameter exceeding the minimum diameter of the throat 16. Alternatively, if the base 12 is formed by a threaded stem, the throat 16 could have a head 24 at each of its ends. The head 24 has a cylindrical pivot 26, integral relative to the head 24 and coaxial relative to the axis 18 of the throat 16. The pivot 26 has an annular groove 28 able to receive an elastic ring 30 forming an axial shoulder.

[0011] The lifting element 10 according to the present invention comprises a device 32 safeguarding against the release of the cable 22 from the throat 16. The safety device 32 comprises a base element 34 having a hole 36 which rotatably engages the pivot 26. The elastic ring 30 prevents the base element 34 from being released from the pivot 26, but leaves the base element 34 free to rotate with respect to the pivot 26 about the axis 18.

[0012] The safety device 32 comprises a retaining member 38 articulated to the base element 34 about an axis 40 orthogonal to the axis 18 of the throat 16. The articulation between the retaining member 38 and the base element 34 is achieved by means of a pivot 42 that engages aligned holes 44, 46 of the base element 34 and of the retaining member 38. An elastic element 48 is positioned coaxially to the pivot 42 and applies an elastic force between the base element 34 and the retaining member 38.

[0013] In the resting position, under the action of the spring 48, the retaining member 38 is positioned substantially parallel relative to the axis 18. The retaining member 38 can be made to oscillate about the axis 40 against the action of the spring 38 until reaching a position delimited by an end stop element 50 integral with the base element 34 or fastened thereto. In the resting position, the retaining member 38 forms a closure about the throat 16 which prevents the eyelet 20 of the cable 22 from exiting the throat 16. In particular, one end 52 of the retaining member 38 faces an end of the throat 16, at a shorter distance than the diameter of the cable. To insert or extract the eyelet 20 of the cable 22, the retaining member 38 is made to oscillate as shown with dashed and dotted lines in Figure 2. In this position, the user can insert the eyelet 20 of the cable 22 on the groove 16 or extract the eyelet 20 from the groove 16.

[0014] The safety device 32 is free to rotate about the axis 18 of the throat 16, so it does not hinder the rotation of the lifting element 12 about the axis 18. The safety device 32 is connected to the head 20 of the lifting element 12 in non removable fashion, so the function of safeguarding against release cannot fail because of an omission or oversight by the personnel handling the dies.

[0015] As Figure 2 shows, when the retaining member 38 is in its resting position it extends substantially over the entire length of the throat 16 forming a closed seat around a portion of the eyelet 20.

[0016] The connecting element 10 is generally made of steel and it is obtained by machining. The base element 34 and the retaining member 38 of the safety device 32 are also made of steel and are preferably obtained by pressing. The shape and the dimensions of the lifting element 10 and of the safety device 32 may be subject to numerous variants relative to what is described and illustrated by way of example herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A lifting element for dies and the like, comprising:

- a base (12) provided with fastening means (14), and

- a throat (16) formed integrally with one end of the base (12) and able to be engaged by an eyelet (20) of a cable (22), the throat (16) being delimited in the axial direction by a head (24),

   characterised in that it comprises a safety device (32) against the release of the cable, comprising:

- a base element (34) mounted on said head (24) in freely rotatable fashion and secured to the head (24) in non removable fashion,

- a retaining member (38) articulated to the base element (34) and movable between a position of insertion and extraction of the eyelet (20) and a position of retention of the eyelet (20), and

- elastic means (48) positioned between the base element (34) and the retaining member (38) and tending to maintain the retaining member (38) in said retention position.

2. Lifting element as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the retaining member (38) is articulated to the base element (34) around an axis (40) that is orthogonal to the axis (18) of the throat (16) .

3. Lifting element as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the head (24) has an integral pivot (26) engaged in freely rotatable fashion by a hole (36) of said base element (34), the integral pivot (26) having an annular groove (38) engaged by an elastic ring (30) forming an axial abutment against the release of the base element (34).

4. Lifting element as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the retaining member (38) in its retaining position extends in substantially parallel direction to the axis (18) of the throat (16).

5. Lifting element as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that the retaining member (38) extends substantially for the entire length of the throat (16).

6. Lifting element as claimed in claim 4, characterised in that one end (52) of the retaining member (38) in said retaining position faces one end of the throat (16) at a smaller distance than the diameter of the cable (22).

Drawing