Quick connect/disconnect for clamps on fixtures

[partyanimallighting]

Hi all, I'm trying to find a solution to an ongoing issue with the clamping of some LED PARs. I have these PARs in 4 way cases and these cases are low profile, just a little above the height of the PARs and every time I have to fly these PAR's, I have to go through the process of bolting clamps to each unit and then, when the job is complete, remove the clamps so that the PARs can be packed back into the flight cases. I purchased some folding adapters similar to the Doughty   PL-T85850 but even with the clamps attached and folded flat, the flight case cannot close because the clamps are too wide. In the attached picture, you can see the fitting of the fixtures with clamps attached and in this position the lid can actually close (with a little pressure) but I can't be solving this jigsaw puzzle, positioning and re-positioning the fixtures just to get the lid to close every time a job is completed especially when I am completed exhausted after the job. What I would like is to use the folding adapter, with clamp connected and attached to the fixture, fold the four clamps flat and be able to close the lid. What's preventing this that the clamps are too wide at 38MM and can't fold flat next to each other (but I HAVE to use these clamps as they open as wide as 70MM and can fit marquee tent posts unlike standard 50MM clamps). I can either look for a suitable narrower clamp around 30MM wide (but must open >70MM) and hope that the lid will close. Or.....I can use some sort of quick connect/disconnect system using two pieces, one attached to the fixture, the other to the clamp and the two pieces fit together and are locked in place with a locking pin. Is there any sort of quick connect/disconnect out there that I have overlooked? I've even designed two types of disconnects but haven't been able to get a reasonable cost to fabricate a few of these for testing. If I go with something like my design, or there's something available out there, I can just toss the clamps in the case with the PARs and connect/disconnect as needed. Any ideas????

[ImagineerTom]

Wouldn’t it be easier / better to just extend the case lid so that bog standard clamps fit rather than designing whole new solutions with multiple complicated parts? 4 small pieces of wood and 4 short lengths of ali extrusion are all you’d need to remove the sides of the existing lid and replace them with larger ones to create a deeper lid.

 

[sunray]

I totally agree with Tom but if you wish to persist with this, I suggest you either learn how they fit as they are or look for other existing arrangements.

My first thought is a bolt and wingnut

Lynchpins and their derivitives used in agriculture in many, many situations:

or much more expensive: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274946547241?

 I can measure the diameter a bit later but I suspect 11-12mm

 

Or create something along the lines of these spring pins:

Edited September 7 by sunray

[sandall]

TV spigots? Relatively quick-release.

[Stuart91]

These might do the trick?

I've used them before, they're not super-heavy duty but I expect would be fine for LED pars. 

It would certainly eliminate the problem with the half-couplers fouling each other when folded down. 

[partyanimallighting]

12 hours ago, ImagineerTom said:

Wouldn’t it be easier / better to just extend the case lid so that bog standard clamps fit rather than designing whole new solutions with multiple complicated parts? 4 small pieces of wood and 4 short lengths of ali extrusion are all you’d need to remove the sides of the existing lid and replace them with larger ones to create a deeper lid.

 

Actually no. It's quite a few cases. Then there is the unavailability of flight case material ie: the actual laminated ply is not available in 9MM diameter. Then there's the task of removing foam then drilling out all the rivets etc. Then, as these cases are stacked 4 case high, there's the issue of the actual stack being too high and there's the risk of toppling over when the stacks are rolled around. As it is right now, 4 high is a bit unstable and any additional height will be too risky. And of course stacking 4 high is a necessity because of limited warehouse floor space.

 

[partyanimallighting]

9 hours ago, sunray said:

I totally agree with Tom but if you wish to persist with this, I suggest you either learn how they fit as they are or look for other existing arrangements.

My first thought is a bolt and wingnut

Lynchpins and their derivitives used in agriculture in many, many situations:

or much more expensive: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/274946547241?

 I can measure the diameter a bit later but I suspect 11-12mm

 

Or create something along the lines of these spring pins:

Hi sunray, wingnuts create the same scenario...having to bolt and unbolt each and every clamp, plus the dropping and losing of the wing nits, flat washers and lock washers. I believe that the quick connect I designed will work fine, not only in this case, but for every other fixture I have that could use this connector. I'll just have to connect and pin together with the locking pin, which will remain harnessed to the clamp so it won't be misplaced. Two seconds and the clamp is securely attached. If the units need to be placed on the floor, the attached connector half won't create any issues with placement, unlike the scenario where a large clamp is attached to the fixture.

[Dave m]

If stacking cases, ratchet straps?

Hard to see in your photos but the yokes could be folded to give more internal space.

You could fit spigots or studs and use manfrotto superclamps?

Edited September 7 by Dave m

[partyanimallighting]

8 hours ago, sandall said:

TV spigots? Relatively quick-release.

A quick Google search revealed this. This will work fine at 10MM threading but I can't seem to find the other half of the connector online. I'm assuming it's something identical to this with a wing nut on the side.

[partyanimallighting]

4 minutes ago, Dave m said:

If stacking cases, ratchet straps?

Hard to see in your photos but the yokes could be folded to give more internal space.

You could fit spigots or studs and use manfrotto superclamps?

The yokes are folded at different angles just to get a fit. But it's a jig saw I do not want to assemble or memorize after every job.

[partyanimallighting]

1 hour ago, Stuart91 said:

These might do the trick?

I've used them before, they're not super-heavy duty but I expect would be fine for LED pars. 

It would certainly eliminate the problem with the half-couplers fouling each other when folded down. 

Yup! Something like this. The bolt is a little long but nothing a hacksaw won't solve. And at 10KG that'll be fine for PARs, even these outdoor rated units which are a bit on the heavier side.

[partyanimallighting]

Hey all, I did some more Googling and, besides Stuart91's recommendation, I see that Global Truss has something along the required lines that seems to be very neat and unobtrusive. I also found some other products but I'll invest more time into the Terralec, the Global Truss and also see if I can find a CNC machine shop that can provide me with a few samples of my design. Any other recommendations are very welcome.

[Dave m]

https://www.thomann.co.uk/showgear_slide_3.0.htm?glp=1&gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADuDMCX0EcCa7IyBlE6vK4aqnM_uk&gclid=Cj0KCQjw8--2BhCHARIsAF_w1gy7GiuLDs7ULwSzS3KNg5_GuPsMXmUo0w-_I2415QEFlyfXZVpTzuEaAnh2EALw_wcB
 

any good?

[ImagineerTom]

That’s a readily available, stock size of laminate over here, as is the extrusion. Any uk flightcase manufacture (including my team) could pre cut the parts and drop them into a package that would ship anywhere on the planet in a couple of days…..

Based on your comments so far the cases would only need to be a few CM taller to accommodate simpler solutions. Even if each case requires a 10cm increase then your total tower would be 40cm taller - if that increase makes your towers catastrophically unstable then frankly your current towers are probably questionable.  It sounds a lot like you’re hooked on the idea of an overly engineered tech solution for the sake of it rather than actually looking for a simple solution?

 

[partyanimallighting]

8 minutes ago, ImagineerTom said:

That’s a readily available, stock size of laminate over here, as is the extrusion. Any uk flightcase manufacture (including my team) could pre cut the parts and drop them into a package that would ship anywhere on the planet in a couple of days…..

Based on your comments so far the cases would only need to be a few CM taller to accommodate simpler solutions. Even if each case requires a 10cm increase then your total tower would be 40cm taller - if that increase makes your towers catastrophically unstable then frankly your current towers are probably questionable.  It sounds a lot like you’re hooked on the idea of an overly engineered tech solution for the sake of it rather than actually looking for a simple solution?

 

The laminate isn't readily available in this little island and the task of disassembling all the tops just for this modification doesn't make sense to me. And the cost to ship and clear Customs here locally with their exorbitant taxes (20% on CIF plus 12.5% V.A.T. across all costs plus 7% online tax plus local handling charges).....well, you do the math. Too much work when I can look for a simpler (not overly engineered) solution which will not apply only to these 48 LEDs, but to every other fixture in my rental. I'm thinking I could even offer these quick connects to other local companies.