EP0215771B1 - Foldable walking-stick - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a collapsible walking stick with a handle, in particular a hiking stick, mountain stick or the like, which consists of a plurality of pipe parts which can be plugged into one another, two pipe parts being connected to a continuously adjustable locking mechanism for adjusting the total length of the stick.

Such sticks are easy to disassemble and can then be accommodated in a relatively small case. Because of the different heights of the people carrying a stick, these sticks have to be produced with different overall lengths, which increases the manufacturing effort. In addition, it has been shown that the total length of a stick, for example when walking uphill, should be smaller than when walking downhill, ie two sticks of different overall length should actually be used. From GB-A 2 078 508 a stick of the type described above is known, which meets this requirement, in that the stick consists of an upper tube part with a handle and a lower tube part which is slidably inserted in the upper tube part and has a locking mechanism , so that the total length of the stick can be adjusted and fixed, etc. between maximum and about half the total length, ie the stick still occupies a relatively large space in the shortest state. In addition, the lower end of the upper tube part is flared to lock the stick and encloses a rubber ring, which is squeezed into the tapered end of the conical space when pressure is exerted on the upper tube and fixes the two tube parts against one another, while when it is pulled onto the inner tube it reaches the expanded end of the conical space so that the two tube parts can be pulled apart. The disadvantage of this construction is that the rubber ring comes to the tapered end of the conical space when the tube parts are pushed together, thus hindering or making it difficult to push the tube parts together.

From FR-PS 2 392 622 a walking stick consisting of two nested pipe parts is known, the length of which is gradually adjustable. For this purpose, cross bores are provided in both pipe parts, through which a threaded pin with lock nut can be inserted. Apart from the risk of losing the threaded pin or the lock nut and the cumbersome adjustment of the walking stick, a constant adjustment of the walking stick is also not possible.

The object of the invention is to provide a stick which, while avoiding the disadvantages of the known constructions described above, takes up a small space on the one hand when not in use and on the other hand is continuously adjustable and fixable in its entire length when in use.

This is achieved according to the invention in the case of a stick of the type mentioned at the outset in that the locking mechanism consists of an expansion dowel which is provided with an internal thread which can be brought into engagement with a threaded shaft at the end of the inserted tube part, the expansion dowel having wedge-shaped expansion arms in cross section, which with progressive engagement of the internal thread on the threaded shaft in a gap between the outer wall of the inserted pipe part and the inner wall of the inserted pipe part enveloping Penetrate pipe part.

Fig. 1

die Ansicht eines aus vier Rohrteilen bestehenden erfindungsgemäßen Gehstockes,

Fig. 2

einen Querschnitt durch den Stock nach Fig. 1 im Bereich des Verriegelungsmechanismus,

Fig. 3 und 4

jeweils einen Querschnitt durch den Stock nach Fig. 1 im Bereich der Verbindungsstellen der Rohrteile,

Fig. 5

den Stock im zusammengelegten Zustand, und

Fig. 6

den Stock im Gebrauchszustand.

The invention is subsequently explained on the basis of a preferred exemplary embodiment with the aid of the drawing. Show it

Fig. 1

the view of a walking stick according to the invention consisting of four pipe parts,

Fig. 2

1 in the area of the locking mechanism,

3 and 4

1 in the area of the connection points of the pipe parts,

Fig. 5

the stick in the collapsed state, and

Fig. 6

the stick in use.

In Fig. 1, 1, 2 and 3 designate three, first, second and third pipe parts which can be plugged into one another, the pipe parts 1 and 2 being essentially cylindrical, while the pipe part 3 tapers conically towards the tip. A fourth tube part 4, which carries the handle 5, is slidably inserted into the first tube part 1. At the end of the third tube part 3, a rubber stub 6 is attached, which can be removed at any time, so that e.g. a steel tip (not shown) becomes free. The rubber stubble 6 is used on normal roads, while the steel tip is suitable for terrain with ice and snow. A snow plate (not shown) in the form of an articulated or spherical plate can also be fitted at any time, which adapts to the respective terrain. The handle 5 can also be provided with a loop (not shown) so that the stick can be hung on the wrist if necessary.

The locking mechanism between the first tube part 1 and the fourth tube part 4 is that the end of the fourth tube part opposite the handle 5 carries an expansion anchor 7, preferably made of plastic or metal, which in the locked state has a rigid connection between the two tube parts 1 and 4, as will be explained later. The end of the fourth pipe part 4 initially has a slightly conical area 8 which merges into a strongly conical area 9 and continues initially as a threaded shaft 10 and then as a threadless shaft 11 of smaller diameter than the thread. At the end of the shaft 11 is a locking washer 12 or the like, for example a resilient washer with internal teeth. attached. The expansion dowel 7 consists of an externally and internally conically shaped area which, for example, has four longitudinal slots 13 on the circumference, so that four expansion arms 14 are formed. The outer cone is flatter than the inner cone, so that a wedge-shaped cross-section the spreading arms 13 are formed (FIG. 2). The conical region of the expansion dowel 7 is adjoined by an essentially cylindrical region with an internal thread 15. At the transition from the pipe part 1 to the pipe part 4, a protective cap 16, preferably made of plastic, is placed on the pipe part 1.

3 shows the plug connection between the first pipe part 1 and the second pipe part 2. For this purpose, the first pipe part 1 has an end region with a reduced outer diameter which is essentially the same or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the second pipe part 2. In the plug connection shown in Fig. 4 between the second pipe part 2 and the pipe part 3, the pipe part 3 has an outer diameter which is substantially the same or slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the third pipe part 3, with a circumferential groove 17 in the pipe part 2 as a stop serves for the pipe part 3. As can be seen from Fig. 1, a rubber cord 18 connects the pipe parts 1 to 3 with each other. The ends of the rubber cord 18 are fastened in the tube parts 1 and 3, the rubber cord 18 being under a slight prestress.

Fig. 5 shows the stick in the collapsed state, the fourth pipe part 4 is almost completely inserted into the first pipe part 1. In order to bring the stick into the use state shown in FIG. 6, the pipe parts 1 to 3 are first put together, the prestressed rubber cord 18 having a supporting effect, whereupon the fourth pipe part 4 is pulled out of the first pipe part 1 with the handle 5 until the desired total length of the stick has been reached. This takes place in the unlocked state of the locking mechanism, as shown in FIG. 2. Ie the internal thread 15 of the expansion anchor 7 is located in the area of the threadless shaft 11. Now hold the pipe part 1 with one hand and with the other hand turn the fourth pipe part 4 with the handle 5 while simultaneously Applying a slight pressure towards the end of the stick, the threaded shaft 10 comes into engagement with the internal thread 15 of the expansion anchor 7, the friction of the expansion arms 14 with the inner wall of the first pipe part 1 preventing rotation of the expansion anchor 7. The maximum diameter of the expansion anchor 7 at the ends of the expansion arms 14 is greater than the inside diameter of the first pipe part 1 when the expansion anchor 7 is removed, so that the expansion arms 14 press resiliently against the inner wall of the first tube part 1 when the expansion anchor 7 is installed, thereby the friction is increased. As the rotary movement continues, the expansion dowel 7 thus moves in the direction of the strongly conical region 9 of the fourth pipe part 4 until the ends of the wedge-shaped expansion arms 14 touch the transition between the strongly conical region 9 and the slightly conical region 8, then are expanded and into the Penetrate space between the slightly conical area 8 and the inner wall of the first tube part 1, so that the first tube part 1 is firmly wedged with the fourth tube part 4 and the stick is ready for use. If you want to dismantle the stick again or change the overall length, you only need to turn the fourth pipe part 4 in the opposite direction until the spreading arms 14 are outside the slightly conical area 8 of the first pipe part 1, or until the expansion anchor 7 again assumes the position shown in FIG. 2, the locking washer 14 preventing the expansion anchor 7 from detaching from the shaft 11.

In the illustrated embodiment, the locking mechanism is provided between the first and fourth tubular parts 1 and 4. There is also the possibility of arranging the locking mechanism between the second and third tube parts 2 and 3, in which case the connection between the first and fourth tube parts 1 and 4 is designed as a plug connection and the rubber cord 18 connects the tube parts 4, 1 and 2.

Claims (5)

1. A collapsible walking-stick with a handle, in particular a hiking stick, alpenstock or the like, consisting of several telescopable tube parts, two tube parts being connected to a continuously adjustable bolting mechanism for the purpose of adjusting the total length of the stick, characterised in that the bolting mechanism consists of a straddling dowel (7) provided with an inner thread (15) which can be brought into engagement with a threaded shank (10) at the end of the inserted tube part (4), the straddling dowel (7) having straddling arms (14) of wedge-shaped cross-section which, during progressive engagement of the inner thread (15) on the threaded shank (10), penetrate a cleft between the outer wall of the inserted tube part (4) and the inner wall of the tube part (1) which envelops the inserted tube part.
2. A walking stick according to Claim 1, characterised in that the end of the inserted tube part (4) has at the beginning a slightly conical region (8) which passes over into a very conical region (9) and is continued as a threaded shank (10) and subsequently as a threadless shank (11) of smaller diameter than the thread, the cleft for accommodating the straddling arms (14) being formed between the slightly conical region (8) and the inner wall of the enveloping tube part (1).
3. A walking-stick according to Claims 1 and 2, characterised in that the straddling dowel (7) has a region which is conical in shape outside and inside, the outer cone being flatter than the inner cone, thus forming the wedge-shaped cross-section of the straddling arms; in that several longitudinal slits (13) are provided on the circumference of the conical region, thus forming four straddling arms (14), and in that a substantially cylindrical region, having the inner thread (15), adjoins the conical region.
4. A walking-stick according to Claims 2 and 3, characterised in that a lock washer (12) is slipped on at the end of the threadless shank (11).
5. A walking-stick according to any one of the preceding claims 1 to 4, characterised in that the inserted tube part (4) is the upper tube part which is at the end and which carries the handle (5).

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