Dual interlocked safety spring assembly and methods and machines for the manufacture thereof

Claim 2

A dual safety tension spring for association with two connecting points in an apparatus for exerting tension forces therebetween, comprising first and second spring coils each having a plurality of turns, each of certain of said plurality of turns of said first coil being in non-intersecting substantial parallelism with a pair of adjacent turns of said second coil and disposed therebetween, and connection means at each end of one of said coils for connecting said coil to the connecting points.

Claim 3

The combination of claim 1 in which said connection means is a shank integral with said coil and a hook integral with said shank.

Claim 4

The combination of claim 1 further including connection means at each end of the other one of said coils for connecting said other one of said coils to the connecting points.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 3 in which each of said connection means is a shank integral with said coil and a hook integral with said shank at each end of each said coil, and in which the two hooks at one end are connectable with one connecting point and in which the two hooks at the other end are connectable with the other connecting point.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 4 in which said hooks at each end are substantially parallel.

Claim 7

The combination of claim 1 in which each of said coils is generally circular cylindrical, in which said coils are substantially coaxial, and in which said first and second coils are substantially of the same diameter.

Claim 8

The combination of claim 6 in which the outer diameter of each of the coils is greater than the inner diameter of the other one of the coils.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 7 in which upon rupture of either of said springs, movement of at least a portion of said ruptured spring in translation along the longitudinal axis of said coils is terminated by interlocking engagement between portions of said portion of said ruptured spring and portions of the other spring.

Claim 10

A dual safety tension spring for association with two connecting points in an apparatus for exerting tension force therebetween comprising first and second generally circular spring coils, each having a plurality of turns, at least portions of certain of the turns of one of the coils overlying at least portions of certain of the turns of the other one of the coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation along the longitudinal axes of said coils during tensioning, at least substantial portions of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being spaced from the turns of the other one of said coils when said dual safety spring is tensioned between the connecting points, each of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being interlocked with a turn of the other one of said coils for preventing full separation of said coils by relative translation in a direction lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils, and connection means for connecting said coils to the connecting points.

Claim 11

A dual safety tension spring for association with two connecting points in an apparatus for exerting tension force therebetween comprising first and second generally circular spring coils, each having a plurality of turns, at least portions of certain of the turns of one of the coils overlying at least portions of certain of the turns of the other one of the coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation along the longitudinal axes of said coils during tensioning, at least substantial portions of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being spaced from the turns of the other one of said coils when said dual safety spring is tensioned between the connecting points, each of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being interlocked with a turn of the other one of said coils for preventing full separation of said coils by relative translation in a direction lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils, and connection means for connecting said coils to the connecting points.

Claim 12

The combination of claim 9 in which said coils are generally cylindrical and substantially coaxial and of substantially the same diameter.

Claim 13

The combination of claim 10 in which the outer diameter of each of the coils is greater than the inner diameter of the other one of the coils.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 10 in which upon rupture of either of said springs movement of at least a portion of said ruptured spring in translation along the longitudinal axes of said coils is terminated by interlocking engagement between portions of said portion of said ruptured spring and portions of the other spring.

Claim 15

A dual safety tension spring for association with two connecting points in an apparatus for exerting tension force therebetween comprising first and second generally circular coil springs each having a plurality of turns, at least portions of certain of the turns of one of the coils overlying at least portions of certain of the turns of the other one of the coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation along the longitudinal axes of said coils during tensioning, the turns of each of said coils being in non-interlocked relation with the turns of the other one of said coils for permitting separation of said coils by relative translation lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils, and a plurality of clips securing portions of each of certain of the turns of one of the coils to adjacent portions of each of certain of the turns of the other one of said coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils.

Claim 16

A dual safety tension spring for association with two connecting points in an apparatus for exerting tension force therebetween comprising first and second generally circular coil springs each having a plurality of turns, at least portions of certain of the turns of one of the coils overlying at least portions of certain of the turns of the other one of the coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation along the longitudinal axes of said coils during tensioning, the turns of each of said coils being in non-interlocked relation with the turns of the other one of said coils for permitting separation of said coils by relative translation lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils, and a plurality of clips securing portions of each of certain of the turns of one of the coils to adjacent portions of each of certain of the turns of the other one of said coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils.

Claim 17

A dual safety tension spring for association with two connecting points in an apparatus for exerting tension forces therebetween comprising first and second generally circular coil springs each having a plurality of turns, at least portions of certain of the turns of one of the coils overlying at least portions of certain of the turns of the other one of the coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation along the longitudinal axes of said coils during tensioning, the turns of each of said coils being in noninterlocked relation with the turns of the other one of said coils for permitting separation of said coils by relative translation lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils, and a tubular sleeve surrounding said coils over a major portion of their lengths and having an inner diameter substantially less than the sum of the outer diameters of said coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils.

Claim 18

A dual safety tension spring for association with two connecting points in an apparatus for exerting tension forces therebetween comprising first and second generally circular coil springs each having a plurality of turns, at least portions of certain of the turns of one of the coils overlying at least portions of certain of the turns of the other one of the coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation along the longitudinal axes of said coils during tensioning, the turns of each of said coils being in noninterlocked relation with the turns of the other one of said coils for permitting separation of said coils by relative translation lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils, and a tubular sleeve surrounding said coils over a major portion of their lengths and having an inner diameter substantially less than the sum of the outer diameters of said coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils.

Claim 19

A dual safety compression spring for association with two connecting points in an apparatus for exerting compression forces therebetween comprising first and second generally annular spring coils each having a plurality of turns, at least portions of certain of the turns of one of the coils overlying at least portions of certain of the turns of the other one of the coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation along the longitudinal axes of said coils during compression, at least substantial portions of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being spaced from the turns of the other ones of said coils when said dual safety spring is compressed between the connecting points, each of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being interlocked with a turn of the other one of said coils for preventing full separation of said coils by relative translation in a direction lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils.

Claim 20

A dual safety compression spring for association with two connecting points in an apparatus for exerting compression forces therebetween comprising first and second generally annular spring coils each having a plurality of turns, at least portions of certain of the turns of one of the coils overlying at least portions of certain of the turns of the other one of the coils for preventing separation of said coils by relative translation along the longitudinal axes of said coils during compression, at least substantial portions of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being spaced from the turns of the other ones of said coils when said dual safety spring is compressed between the connecting points, each of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being interlocked with a turn of the other one of said coils for preventing full separation of said coils by relative translation in a direction lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils.

Claim 21

A dual safety spring system for exerting a tension force between connecting points in an apparatus at a preselected rate comprising a first tension spring having a plurality of turns and Exerting a tension force at a first rate between the connecting points, a second tension spring having a plurality of turns and exerting a tension force at a second rate between the connecting points and acting primarily in parallel with said first tension spring when both springs are intact, said springs conjointly exerting a tension force between the connecting points at said preselected rate, and means effective upon breakage of either of said springs for maintaining the tension force between the connecting points at a rate greater than each of said first and second rates comprising means for selectively connecting at least a portion of the broken spring in tension force exerting relationship with at least a portion of the intact spring, said means comprising a locking interengagement between at least one of the turns near the break in the broken spring and at least one of the turns of the intact spring, said locking interengagement becoming effective upon the breakage of the spring.

Claim 22

A dual safety spring system for exerting a tension force between connecting points in an apparatus at a preselected rate comprising a first tension spring having a plurality of turns and Exerting a tension force at a first rate between the connecting points, a second tension spring having a plurality of turns and exerting a tension force at a second rate between the connecting points and acting primarily in parallel with said first tension spring when both springs are intact, said springs conjointly exerting a tension force between the connecting points at said preselected rate, and means effective upon breakage of either of said springs for maintaining the tension force between the connecting points at a rate greater than each of said first and second rates comprising means for selectively connecting at least a portion of the broken spring in tension force exerting relationship with at least a portion of the intact spring, said means comprising a locking interengagement between at least one of the turns near the break in the broken spring and at least one of the turns of the intact spring, said locking interengagement becoming effective upon the breakage of the spring.

Claim 23

The combination of claim 16 in which said locking interengagement connects at least a portion of the broken spring effectively in series with a portion of the intact spring and effectively in parallel with another portion of the intact spring.

Claim 24

A dual safety tension spring in association with two connecting points in an apparatus comprising first and second generally circular spring coils, each having a plurality of turns, at least substantial portions of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being spaced from the turns of the other one of said coils when said dual safety spring is tensioned between the connecting points, each of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being interlocked with a turn individual thereto of the other one of said coils and preventing full separation of said coils by relative translation in a direction lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils, and connection means for connecting said coils to the connecting points.

Claim 25

A dual safety tension spring in association with two connecting points in an apparatus comprising first and second generally circular spring coils, each having a plurality of turns, at least substantial portions of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being spaced from the turns of the other one of said coils when said dual safety spring is tensioned between the connecting points, each of at least certain of said turns of each of said coils being interlocked with a turn individual thereto of the other one of said coils and preventing full separation of said coils by relative translation in a direction lateral to the longitudinal axes of said coils, and connection means for connecting said coils to the connecting points.