Adjustable compression, adjustable tension rod indicator, and adjustable extension rod

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9618069-B2
Application number	US-201313899005-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 21, 2013
Priority date	May 21, 2013
Publication date	Apr 11, 2017
Grant date	Apr 11, 2017

Abstract

A biasing device that returns to a rest position when the biasing device is subjected to one of a first compression by a first object and a first tension by a second object in which the first tension causes a second compression of a third object, in which the first compression causes a second tension of the third object, in which elongation of the rod assembly simultaneously occurs with the first tension and the second compression, and in which elongation of the rod assembly simultaneously occurs with the second tension and the first compression.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus with adjustable compression, tension, and extension, comprising:
a housing component comprising a hollow tube having a first end and a second end, wherein threads are inside the hollow tube at the first end of the housing component,
a compression rod having a threaded outer surface, a third end, and a fourth end, wherein the compression rod is screwed partially inside the first end of the housing component, wherein the fourth end of the compression rod extends away from housing component, and wherein the fourth end of the compression rod is attached to a device via a first attachment;
a spring connected to the third end of the compression rod;
a coupling nut screwed onto the compression rod, the coupling nut disposed between the third end and the fourth end of the compression rod and outside the housing component; and
a tension rod partially inserted in the second end of the housing component, the tension rod having a fifth end extending away from the housing component and a sixth end connected to the spring opposite the compression rod, wherein the fifth end of the tension rod is attached to the device via a second attachment.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device is a clamping device.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein alterations to at least one of compression and tension of the spring promote the clamping device to alter clamping pressure.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the clamping device comprises a rod connected to the fourth end of the compression rod, a lever connected to the fifth end of the tension rod, an arm connected to the rod, and a clamp connected to the arm; such that moving the lever will cause a force on the tension rod to change and transmit the force via the spring, the compression rod, the rod, and the arm, and thereby will adjust a clamping force the clamp imposes on an object.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the tension rod further comprises indicia which indicate an amount of force being imposed on the tension rod, the indicia calibrated to a spring constant of the spring.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a swivel hook connecting the compression rod to the spring and an eyelet connecting the tension rod to the spring.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a threaded hole disposed in the housing component; and
a screw screwed in the threaded hole, wherein the screw maintains a rigidity of the apparatus.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:
a hole disposed in the coupling nut; and
a pin disposed in the hole, wherein the pin locks the coupling nut to the compression rod.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the device comprises:
the first attachment; and
the second attachment, configured such that using the device at the second attachment to pull the spring results in a tension of the spring and using the device at the second attachment to push the spring results in a compression of the spring.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 , wherein the spring returns to a resting position after the device has been pushed or pulled at the second attachment and wherein the spring is under compression when the spring is in the resting position.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein a position of the coupling nut on the compression rod determines a compression exerted on the spring when the spring is at rest.

12. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the apparatus is attached to a lever and configured such that pulling the lever in a first direction causes the clamping device to apply clamping pressure.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , configured such that pushing the lever in a second direction causes the clamping device to remove clamping pressure.

14. A method for controlling an amount of force required to retain and release at least one object through clamping and holding, the method comprising:
attaching a rod assembly to a clamping device, the clamping device comprising jaws for applying a first compression to an object, the clamping device further comprising a handle in which pulling the handle causes the jaws to apply the first compression to the object and in which pushing the handle causes the jaws to release the first compression on the object, wherein the rod assembly comprises:
a housing component comprising a hollow tube having threads inside the hollow tube at a first end of the housing component and, at a second end of the housing component, the hollow tube has a smooth inner surface, the housing component having a first outer diameter;
a compression rod having a threaded outer surface, a third end, and a fourth end, wherein the compression rod is screwed partially inside the first end of the housing component and wherein the fourth end of the compression rod extends away from housing component;
a spring connected to the third end of the compression rod;
a coupling nut screwed onto the compression rod, the coupling nut disposed between the third end and the fourth end of the compression rod and outside the housing component, and the coupling nut having a second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter of the housing component; and
a tension rod partially inserted in the second end of the housing component, the tension rod having a fifth end extending away from the housing component and a sixth end connected to the spring opposite the compression rod, wherein the tension rod further comprises indicia which indicate an amount of force being imposed on the tension rod, the indicia calibrated to a spring constant of the spring, and wherein the tension rod is connected to the handle;

turning the coupling nut to set a tension of the spring until the tension is exhibited on the indicia, the tension causing a second compression against the object when the handle is pulled; and
moving the handle to apply or release compression on the object.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the indicia are calibrated to a spring constant of the spring.

16. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
screwing a screw into a threaded hole disposed in the housing component to maintain a rigidity of the rod assembly.

17. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
inserting a pin in a hole disposed in the coupling nut to lock the coupling nut to the compression rod.

18. An apparatus with adjustable compression, tension, and extension, comprising:
a housing component comprising a hollow tube having a first end and a second end, wherein threads are inside the hollow tube at the first end of the housing component; a spring inside the housing component;
a compression rod having a threaded outer surface, a third end, and a fourth end, wherein the compression rod is screwed partially inside the first end of the housing component, wherein the fourth end of the compression rod extends away from housing component, wherein the spring is connected to the third end of the compression rod, and wherein adjustments to positioning of the compression rod relative to the housing component towards the spring places the spring into compression;
a tension rod partially inserted in the second end of the housing component, the tension rod having a fifth end extending away from the housing component and a sixth end connected to the spring opposite the compression rod, wherein the fifth end of the tension rod is attached to a clamping device, and wherein the clamping device pulling the tension rod away from the compression rod removes the spring from compression and places the spring into tension;
wherein the tension rod further comprises indicia which

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Destories Jason Gerald
• Schmier Ii Mark Andrew

Classifications

• B25B5/12

  using toggle links · CPC title

• B25B5/04 Primary

  with pivoted jaws · CPC title

• B25B5/16

  Details, e.g. jaws, jaw attachments · CPC title

• B25J15/0028

  with movable, e.g. pivoting gripping jaw surfaces · CPC title

• F16F1/00 Primary

  Springs (working with fluid F16F5/00, F16F9/00) · CPC title