APPARATUS FOR FORMING A SEAL-LESS TYPE JOINT IN OVERLAPPED FLAT STRAPPING

• US 3,794,086 A
• Filed: 08/30/1972
• Issued: 02/26/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L&P Property Management Company (Leggett & Platt Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Carl E. Krack, Marchand B. Hall
• Inventors: Hall, Marchand B., Krack, Carl E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Larson, Lowell A.
• Application Number:
  US05/284,841
• Time in Patent Office: 545 Days
• Field of Search: 140/93,93.2,93.4,113 100/29,30,33
• US Class Current: 140/93.2
• CPC Class Codes: B21F 9/02 by tools adapted also for making connections
• CPC Class Codes: B65B 13/30 by deforming the overlapping ends of the strip or band

Abstract

Apparatus includes a pair of opposed jaws mounted at one end for pivotal movement toward and away from each other. Mating notches are provided on the opposing faces of the jaws remote from their pivoted ends for forming a fixed die for receiving overlapped flat strapping. A punch is disposed for reciprocal movement between the opposed edges of the jaws toward and away from the fixed die formed by the notched portions of the jaws. The punch is shaped so as to form interconnecting tabs in the overlapped portion of the flat strapping resting on the fixed die. A cutter is mounted on the punch for movement therewith which serves to cut the length of strapping proximate to the source of flat strapping. A linkage system is provided connected with each jaw which is actuatable by the punch as it travels away from the fixed die to open the jaws to release the overlapped portions of the strapping after the punch has joined them together and the cutter has cut the strapping from its source. Spring means are provided connected with the linkage system to constantly urge the jaws toward each other. The apparatus also includes a micrometer adjusting means to adjust the clearance between the jaws.

Claims

1. Apparatus for forming a seal-less joint in the overlapped portion of flat strapping fed from a strapping source and tensioned around an article, The strapping of said overlapped portion remote from said article being proximate to said strapping source, and apparatus comprising a pair of spaced elongated frame plates, means connecting said plates in rigid spaced parallel relation, a pair of opposed elongated jaws pivotally mounted by one end in spaced relation between said frame plates, the facing edges of said jaws having mating notches in the ends thereof remote from their pivoted ends forming a fixed die when said jaws are in parallel relation for receiving said overlapped strapping thereon, a punch adapted to cooperate with said fixed die to punch interlocking tabs in said overlapped strapping resting on said fixed die, said punch being mounted for longitudinal movement between said jaws toward and away from said fixed die, means connected with each of said jaws for holding said jaws together while said punch moves toward said fixed die, and means connected with each of said jaws for moving the same away from each other after said joint has been made, said jaws each having a substantially oval shape opening therethrough, the major axis of each of said openings extending longitudinally of its respective jaw, bearings mounted one in each of said openings for reciprocal linear movement along the major axis thereof in rolling engagement with the walls thereof, said means connected with each of said jaws for moving the same away from each other being connected with said bearings whereby said bearings are moved along their respective openings by said last-named means to pivot said jaws away from each other as said punch moves away from said fixed die.

2. Apparatus as defined by claim 1 in which each of said means connected with each of said jaws for moving the same away from each other includes a pair of spaced elongated links, the links of one pair being rotatably mounted by one end on a shaft extending through and between said pair of frame plates adjacent one edge thereof and extending normal to said shaft one link adjacent each of the two opposite faces of one of said jaws transversely of the opening in said one of said jaws, the links of the other of said pair of links being rotatably mounted by one end on a shaft extending through and between said pair of frame plates adjacent the edge thereof opposite said one edge and extending normal to said last-mentioned shaft one link adjacent each of the two opposite faces of the other one of said jaws transversely of the opening in said other one of said jaws, abutments are on said jaws adjacent the edges of each of said openings remote from the pivoted ends of said jaws adapted to engage and support said links, the bearing in each of said jaws has a stub shaft projecting from opposite sides thereof connected with said links adjacent the opposite faces of said jaws, a pawl is rotatably mounted by one end in the free end of each of said links, a spring is disposed in each of said links with one end projecting therefrom and bearing against the free end of the pawl disposed in the link to constantly urge the free end of the pawl outwardly into the path of said punch, a connecting plate is attached to and extends between the links of each pair intermediate the respective shafts and jaws, and a coil spring is disposed bearing at one end against each of said connecting plates and at the other end against a cap plate extending between said frame plates remote from said connecting plates, a pin attached by one end to each of said connecting plates and extending therefrom through each of said coil springs to an attachment by its other end with each of said cap plates, said coil springs constantly urging said links against said supporting abutments and said jaws toward each other, said punch has bearing surfaces thereon adapted to engage the outwardly urged end of said pawls as said punch moves away from said fixed die to thereby rotate said links and move said bearings along the walls of said openings to pivot said jaws away from each other.

3. Apparatus as defined by claim 2 in which spaced pairs of eccentric peripheral portions are formed on each of said shafts and said links are mounted one on each of said eccentric peripheral portions, the ends of said shafts project from opposite sides of said frame plates, securing means are disposed on the projecting ends of said shafts to secure said shafts in position and said frame plates in spaced rigid relationship, and the ends of said shafts projecting from one side of said pair of frame plates being formed with a substantially square cross section intermediate said securing means and said one side of said pair of frame plates.

4. Apparatus as defined by claim 3 including indexing means for adjusting the clearance between said jaws, said indexing means comprising an index plate fixedly mounted on said square cross-sectional portion of each of said shafts and abutting said one side of said pair of frame plates, said index plates each having a substantially square center openings therethrough in which the square cross-sectional portion of its respective shaft is snugly received and a plurality of holes therethrough spaced in a substantially circular pattern around the perimeter of its respective shaft, said one side of said pair of frame plates against which each of said index plates abuts having a plurality of holes therethrough spaced around the perimeter of each shaft adjacent the square cross-sectional portion thereof, said last-mentioned plurality of holes each being juxtapositioned with the plurality of holes in said index plates, the number of holes in each of said index plates exceeding the number of holes in the plurality of holes in said one side of said pair of frame plates juxtaposed thereto, said index plates being adjustably rotatable to rotate said shafts to rotate said peripheral eccentric portions thereof to thereby vary the clearance between said jaws, and a pin adapted to be inserted in a pair of holes one in each of said index plates and one in each of said plurality of holes in one side of said pair of frame plates which are aligned after said shafts are rotated to desired position.