Actuating means able to be activated by fluid action

Abstract

An actuating means adapted for fluid activation has a contractile hose terminally secured by clamping on at least one head piece. The contractile hose fits into an annular clamping gap or nip, whose wall bears saw tooth serrations, the saw tooth serrated areas being so arranged that their teeth are radially opposite each other and arranged in pairs each at the same level. The outer saw tooth serrated area is located on a compression sleeve, which is radially pressed to join it with the hose end section surrounded by it.

1 . An actuating means able to be activated by fluid action comprising a contractile hose, extending between two head pieces and adapted, under fluid action in the space within it, to undergo radial expansion while simultaneously exerting axial tension forces on the head pieces involving a tendency to draw same together, the contractile hose having a hose body of a material with rubber elastic properties and a strand structure embedded in the wall of the hose body with a coaxial arrangement, said contractile hose being secured to at least one head piece by having an end section thereof clamped in an annular clamping gap, which is defined by the outer periphery of an inner head piece part extending axially into the contractile hose and the inner periphery of an outer head piece part coaxially surrounding the contractile hose at the level of the inner head piece part, wherein the outer periphery of the inner head piece part and the inner periphery of the outer head piece part have saw tooth serrated areas, whose direction of serration is in the axial direction, the flat tooth flanks facing the clamping gap opening with the contractile hose extending through it, the two saw tooth serrated areas are so arranged that their teeth, lying at the same axial level, are respectively radially opposite each other in pairs and the outer head piece part is designed in the form of a compression sleeve radially compressed, with radial deformation, with the hose end section surrounded by it.  
   
   
       2 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein prior to such radial pressing the compression sleeve is able to be slipped from the front side opposite to the axial clamping gap opening coaxially onto the inner head piece part and owing to mutually engaging abutment faces provided on the one hand on the compression sleeve and on the other hand on the inner head piece part an axial slipping on position of the compression sleeve is set, in which the teeth of the two saw tooth serrated areas are opposite to each other in pairs at the same axial level.  
   
   
       3 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein abutment faces provided for setting the slipping on position possess an annular configuration.  
   
   
       4 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the compression sleeve possesses a radially inwardly protruding annular projection, which during radial pressing fits into a radially open locating groove in the inner head piece part.  
   
   
       5 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 4 , wherein prior to such radial pressing the compression sleeve is able to be slipped from the front side opposite to the axial clamping gap opening coaxially onto the inner head piece part and owing to mutually engaging abutment faces provided on the one hand on the compression sleeve and on the other hand on the inner head piece part an axial slipping on position of the compression sleeve is set, in which the teeth of the two saw tooth serrated areas are opposite to each other in pairs at the same axial level and wherein the abutment faces are constituted by respectively one flank of the annular projection and the locating groove.  
   
   
       6 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein at the front side axially opposite to the axial clamping gap opening the clamping gap merges with an annular gap extending in a radially outward direction and defined between the inner head piece part and the compression sleeve, into which gap hose body material may be displaced during pressing.  
   
   
       7 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the resulting envelope lines running in the longitudinal direction and radially opposite to each other, of the two saw tooth serrated areas extend in parallelism to each other.  
   
   
       8 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the two saw tooth serrated areas widen conically toward the axial clamping gap opening, which has the contractile hose extending through it.  
   
   
       9 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the radial distance apart between the envelope faces defined by the tooth tips of the two saw tooth serrated areas is equal to at least the radial dimensions of the strand structure embedded in the wall of the hose body.  
   
   
       10 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the rear end section, directly adjoining the axial clamping gap opening, of the clamping gap is free of teeth and has a smooth surface.  
   
   
       11 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the height of the teeth of the saw tooth serrated areas is approximately equal to one quarter of the wall thickness of the hose body.  
   
   
       12 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein one tooth is provided per millimeter length of the saw tooth serrated areas.  
   
   
       13 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the strand structure comprises strands arranged in a cross over pattern.  
   
   
       14 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the strand structure comprises two strand groups arranged in a cross over configuration with flexurally bending strands extending alongside each other and with the same longitudinal orientation within a strand group, such strand groups being constantly held at a radial distance apart from each other by the material of the hose body.  
   
   
       15 . The actuating means as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the contractile hose is secured at both ends as set forth in  claim 1  at a head piece.