Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6170422
-
Patent Number
6,170,422
-
Date Filed
Thursday, December 16, 199924 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, January 9, 200123 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Forrest; Jack
- Shuster; Jacob
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 114 65 R
- 114 78
- 114 88
- 114 116
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
Equipment is removably connected by a load transfer element and a removable fastener bolt to a core sandwich type of bulkhead through a plug-in insert, adhesively bonded to the bulkhead at interface surfaces within a pocket formed in the bulkhead for reception of such insert.
Description
The present invention relates generally to the attachment of equipment to bulkhead type of support structures.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The attachment of equipment and distributed systems to stiffened steel bulkheads or overheads is straightforward and has been extensively used on board Naval vessels. The typical method is to weld a steel bracket or channel directly to a steel bulkhead or transverse frame to which the specific equipment is then directly attached by means of any suitable mechanical fastening arrangement. Welding attachment methods heretofore developed and utilized are not found to be suitable, reliable or desirable for survival of the shock and seaway loading of the attached equipment on composite sandwich core types of bulkheads. It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide for simple, affordable and more reliable attachment of equipment to composite sandwich construction types of support structure, such as that currently associated with marine vessel bulkheads.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, attachment of equipment to one of the rigid face skins of a bulkhead having a less rigid core sandwiched between such face skins, is initiated by formation of a pocket within the bulkhead at a selected location, into which a rigid insert is adhesively anchored. The insert which projects from such pocket is releasably attached by a toggle bolt fastener to a load transfer element located externally of the bulkhead in close spaced relation to the rigid face skin through which the insert projects into the pocket. Such load transfer element is attached by any suitable means to the equipment in spaced relation to the pocket location at which a relatively large load transfer interface surface is formed in the bulkhead by the pocket for adhesive bonding thereof to the insert.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING
A more complete appreciation of the invention and many of its attendant advantages will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing herein:
FIG. 1
is a partial side section view of an attachment at one location on a bulkhead, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a partial section view taken substantially through a plane indicated by section line
2
—
2
in
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
is a partial side section view of an attachment to the bulkhead, in accordance with second embodiment of the present invention; and
FIGS. 4 and 5
are partial section views taken substantially through planes indicated by section lines
4
—
4
and
5
—
5
in FIG.
3
.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawing in detail,
FIGS. 1 and 2
illustrate a typical installation of the present invention in accordance with one embodiment, involving the attachment of equipment to a bulkhead generally referred to by reference numeral
10
. Such bulkhead
10
is a sandwich core composite type of construction associated for example with a marine vessel, having inner and outer rigid face skins
12
and
14
made of a fiber reinforced mixture of E-glass fabric and vinyl ester resin for example, spaced apart by a non-metallic low density core
16
of generally known composition such as balsa wood or foam.
FIGS. 1 and 2
show the bulkhead
10
with an elongated load transfer channel
18
, made of steel for example, attached thereto on one side of the bulkhead in close spaced relation to its rigid face skin
14
by an attachment fastener assembly
20
. The channel
18
thereby transfers loading to the bulkhead
10
from equipment (not shown) suitably attached to the channel
18
in spaced relation to the attachment fastener assembly
20
interconnecting the channel
18
with the bulkhead
10
.
In the embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 1 and 2
, the attachment assembly
20
includes a rigid insert
22
which is plugged into a cylindrical pocket extending between a cylindrical opening
24
in the rigid face skin
14
and a cylindrical recess
26
axially aligned therewith in the internal face of the rigid face skin
12
. The insert
22
is externally covered by a paste adhesive
28
within the pocket for adhesive bonding to the bulkhead by contact with the interface surfaces of the pocket in the skins
12
and
14
and in the core
16
. The channel
18
is held attached to the insert
22
by a fastener bolt
30
having a head portion
32
at one end held in external abutment with the upper flange of the channel
18
by a nut
34
in threaded engagement with the bolt at its lower end in abutment with the lower flange of the channel
18
.
The attachment assembly
20
as hereinbefore described together with the pocket formed in the bulkhead
10
provides simple and novel means for creating an anchoring location in the bulkhead
10
having a low density core
16
which is ordinarily designed to carry shear loads between the skins
12
and
14
rather than bending loads. Such bending load supporting capability of the attachment assembly
20
obviates the need for undesirable through-bolt penetration of the sandwich core bulkhead or modifications thereof other than the formation therein of pockets for reception of plug-in inserts
22
through which static and dynamic loads are more broadly distributed.
FIGS. 3
,
4
and
5
illustrate another embodiment involving a load attachment
20
′ for the same type of bulkhead
10
having inner and outer rigid skins
12
and
14
and low density core
16
within which a pocket extends having a rectangular rather than a circular cross-sectional configuration. Thus, such rectangular pocket is coated by the paste adhesive
28
for adhesive bonding of the bulkhead to a rigid insert
22
′ as shown in FIG.
3
. Such insert
22
′ is rectangular, box-shaped to which heavy equipment is attached by a load transfer element
18
′ and at least one fastener assembly
20
′ having a fastener bolt
30
′ which extends into the pocket. The bolt
30
′ has a head portion
32
′ at one end held in abutment with the load transfer element
18
′ by a nut
34
′ threadedly mounted on the bolt
30
′ within the insert
22
′ inside of the pocket. The bolt
30
′ extends from the element
18
′ into the box-shape insert
22
′ through a spacer sleeve
36
clamped between the element
18
′ and the insert
22
′ as shown in
FIG. 3
, to sealingly separate the insert
22
′ from contact with the bolt
30
′ and the element
18
′.
Obviously, other modifications and variations of the present invention may be possible in light of the foregoing teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
Claims
- 1. In combination with a bulkhead having a relatively low density core sandwiched between spaced rigid skins, attachment means for connecting equipment to said bulkhead imposing bending and shear loads thereon, comprising: a load transfer element to which said equipment is attached externally of the bulkhead; a pocket formed in the bulkhead in spaced relation to said equipment; a rigid plug-in insert extending into the pocket through one of the rigid skins of the bulkhead; adhesive means for bonding the insert to the bulkhead within said pocket; and mechanical fastener means extending from the load transfer element into the insert for removable connection thereof to the bulkhead.
- 2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said pocket extends from an opening formed in said one of the rigid skins of the bulkhead through the low density core into a recess formed in the other of the rigid skins in axial alignment with said opening.
- 3. The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein said insert is cross-sectionally cylindrical and is clamped to the load transfer element externally of the bulkhead by the mechanical fastener means in close spaced relation said one of the skins of the bulkhead.
- 4. The combination as defined in claim 3, wherein the load transfer element is channel-shaped in cross-section.
- 5. The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein the load transfer element is channel-shaped in cross-section.
- 6. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said insert is of a rectangular, box-shaped configuration clamped to the load transfer element by the mechanical fastener means extending into the pocket.
- 7. The combination as defined in claim 6, wherein said pocket extends from an opening formed in said one of the rigid skins of the bulkhead through the soft core into a recess formed in the other of the rigid skins in axial alignment with said opening.
US Referenced Citations (5)