AU541103B2 - Tool for tightening and clamping wire - Google Patents

Description

"TOOL FOR TIGHTENING AND CLAMPING WIRE"

THIS INVENTION relates to a tool for tightening and clamping wire and more particularly to a tool and a method for using such tool for forming wire clips about pipes, hoses, ducts or other objects or for holding a number of such objects together.

There are presently available a number of clips which are used for clamping, for example, hoses and pipes. Often such clips consist of a steel band which is closed about the pipe to be clamped by co-operating screw threaded members, for example a screw co-operating with threaded portions formed in the surface of the strip. Such clips, however, have tended to be expensive and as each clip has limited adjustability, different sized clips are required for different sizes of pipes. Furthermore, such clips are suitable only for pipes of generally circular external form.

Alternatively, an inexpensive pipe or hose clip can be made by winding a length of wire about a pipe and twisting the free ends together. However, although such a clip is suitable for objects of any cross-sectional shape, the wire cannot be tensioned to a sufficient extent to enable it to closely conform to the external surface of the object. Another disadvantage of such clips is that the twisted ends of the wire tend to project outwardly from the object which is clamped which may present a dangerous catching or tearing protrusion. Further, if the ends are excessively twisted to tighten the clip they may break off thus destroying the clamping action.

The present invention aims to overcome the above disadvantages by providing a tool which enables inexpensive wire clips to be formed about pipes, hoses, ducts and other objects of any size or to hold a number of objects together and the tool of the present invention enables the wire to be tightened to a sufficient extent such that a reliable and efficient clip may be produced. Further, the so-formed clip does not have any dangerous ends protruding from the object which is clamped. In another aspect, the present invention provides a method of using the tool to enable such wire clips to be formed.

With the above and other objects in view, this invention resides broadly in a tool for tightening and clamping a length of wire about an object including an elongated frame, a transversely extending jaw arranged at the forward end of said frame and adapted to accommodate an intermediate portion of said length of wire, clamping means disposed rearwardly of said jaw and adapted to receive and clamp respective free ends of said wire and actuator means operatively associated with said frame and said clamping means and adapted to move said clamping means rearwardly with respect to said jaw to tighten said wire about said object. In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:- Fig. 1 illustrates an elevational view of a tool according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates a plan view of the tool of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates a front elevational view of the tool of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 illustrates a length of wire formed into a U shape prior to applying about an object;

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the wire illustrated in Fig. 4 is applied about an object to be clamped; and

Fig. 6 illustrates a resultant clip produced by the tool of Figs. 1 to 3. Referring to Figs. 1 to 3, the tool 10 according to the present invention includes an outer frame 11 formed of steel strip or the like bent to the shape illustrated. The frame 11 includes two parallel portions 12 joined at one end by a rear transverse portion 13 and at their opposite ends by portions 14 which converge towards each other and are joined to each other by a weld 15 at their forward ends.

As can be seen in Fig. 2, the portions 14 also taper in width towards their respective forward ends. The forward ends of the portions 14 are cut away to form a recess which constitutes a transversely extending wire receiving jaw 16 which jaw is adapted to partly or wholly accommodate portion of a length of transversely arranged wire. The rear portion 13 of the frame 11 has an aperture 17 extending therethrough adapted to freely receive a threaded rod member 18 which rod member includes a collar 19 adapted to engage with the rear portion 13 adjacent the hole 17 and a manually operable handle 20. The forward end of the threaded rod 18 threadedly engages with a threaded hole 21 extending through a clamping block 22 which is disposed between the parallel portions 12 of the frame 11 so that rotation of the handle 20 in either direction will cause the block 22 to reciprocate within the frame 11 and between the parallel portions thereof. Preferably a coiled spring 23 is disposed about the threaded rod 18 between the clamping block 22 and the rear portion 13 of the frame 11 to ensure that the block 22 is always biased to a forward position. The clamping block 22 also includes a pair of substantially parallel wire receiving apertures 24 disposed on opposite sides of the threaded hole 21 and threaded holes 25 are arranged transversely to communicate with each aperture 24 which holes 25 are adapted to receive a respective thumb screw 26.

In operation, a piece of wire inserted into the aperture 24 is retained therein by screwing up of the respective thumb screw 26 into engagement with the piece of wire. Preferably the threaded hole 25 projects a small distance on the opposite side of each bore 24 so as to improve the efficiency of the wire clamping action.

Referring now to Figs. 4 to 6 when it is desired to provide a wire clip about an object a suitable length of soft wire 27 is bent into a generally U-shaped form as shown in Fig. 4. The bent wire 27 includes two elongated portions 28 joined by a transverse connecting portion 29 constituting the base of the 'U' which portion 29 is slightly longer than the width of the tool jaw 16. The wire is then passed about an object 30 to be clamped and both ends of the elongated portions 28 are passed under the transverse portion 29 as illustrated in Fig. 5

The ends of the wires 28 are then passed through respective apertures 24 in the clamping block 22 which is adjusted to a forward position within the tool 10 and the jaw 16 of the tool is moved into engagement with the transverse portion 29 of the wire. The thumb screws 26 are then tightened to lock the respective elongated portions 28 of the wire to the block 22 and the hendie 20 is then rotated clockwise to move the clamping block 22 rearwardly with respect to the jaw 16 to place the required tension on the wire by reaction between the transverse portion 29 and the elongated portions 28 thereof so that the wire is closely conformed to the shape of the object. After the wire has been tensioned to a sufficient extent the tool 10 is then pivoted in a direction opposite to the tensioning direction about the portion 29 of the wire whilst the jaw 16 remains in contact therewith so that the elongated portions 28 are bent about the transverse portion 29 which further tensions the clip and ensures that the wire remains tightly clamped about the object. The thumb screws 26 are then released from locking engagement with the portions 28 and the tool is then removed from the wire. Finally, the wire ends are cut off adjacent the portion 29 and the cut off ends 31 are tapped down into contact with the formed loops of wire as shown in Fig. 6 so that a snag free clip is formed. Alternatively, the cut off ends may be tapped down into contact with the surface of the object so as to be flush with the formed loops. Thus it can be seen that the present invention provides a tool which enables wire to be tensioned extremely tightly about an object and held in that state with little possibility of the wire breaking unless the breaking strain thereof is exceeded. A clip formed by the tool of the present invention when used as a pipe clamp applies pressure about the full circumference of the pipe and as freely available wire is used, extremely inexpensive clamps may be formed. Furthermore, clips can be made to suit any size of hose by using the same tool and merely changing the length of wire.

The tool as well as being particularly useful in providing hose clamps is also suitable for example for bending wire about cases or holding a number of objects together such as an antenna onto a post. The tool may also be made in any size so that it is suitable for large gauges of wire.

In a modification of the frame 11 and for ease of construction, the forward ends of the portions 14 may be bent parallel to eachother and spot welded together. The frame 11 is preferably formed of galvanized steel strip and the spring 23 is preferably stainless steel so that a durable and lasting tool may be provided. While the above has been given by way of illustrative example, it will be realised that many modifications of constructional detail and design may be made to the above described embodiments by persons skilled in the art without departing from the broad scope and ambit of the invention as is defined in the appended claims.

Claims (9)

1. A tool for tightening and clamping a length of wire about an object including an elongated frame, a transversely extending jaw arranged at the forward end of said frame and adapted to accommodate an intermediate portion of said length of wire; clamping means disposed rearwardly of said jaw and adapted to receive the clamp respective free ends of said wire, and actuator means operatively associated with said frame and said clamping means and adapted to move said clamping means rearwardly with respect to said jaw to tighten said wire about said object.

2. A tool according to Claim 1, wherein said actuator means includes a screw threaded rod having a manually operable handle at one end thereof and being adapted to engage with a threaded hole in said clamping means.

3. A tool according to Claim 2, wherein spring means are disposed about said threaded rod and are arranged between said clamping means and said frame to bias said clamping means towards said jaw.

4. A tool according to Claims 2 or 3, wherein said clamping means is constituted by a block member, said block member including a pair of apertures disposed on either side of said threaded hole, each said aperture being adapted to receive a respective free end of said wire, and said wire free ends being clamped in said apertures by thumb screws arranged transversely to said apertures and communicating therewith.

5. A tool according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said frame is formed of strip material and includes a pair of parallel portions joined at one end by a transversely disposed rear portion and at their opposite ends by a pair of portions which converge from said parallel portions towards each other, said converging portions being joined at their forward ends.

6. A tool according to Claim 5, wherein said jaw is defined by a recess formed in the forward ends of said converging portions.

7. A tool according to Claim 5 or Claim 6, wherein said clamping means is disposed between said parallel portions and wherein said actuator means passes through an aperture in, and engages with said frame rear portion.

8. A method of forming a wire clip about an object using a tool as defined in any one of the preceding claims, including the steps of bending a length of wire into a generally 'U' shaped form, said wire having two substantially parallel elongated portions joined by a transverse portion constituting the base of the 'U'; passing said so-formed wire about said object and said elongated portions beneath said transverse portion, engaging said tool clamping means with said elongated portions and said tool jaw with said transverse portion; locking said elongated portion to said clamping means; moving said clamping means rearwardly with respect to said jaw by operation of said actuator means to tension said wire about said object; pivoting said tool about said transverse portion to bend said elongated portions about said transverse portion and unlocking said clamping means and removing said tool from said wire.

9. A method according to Claim 8, including the steps of cutting said elongated portions adjacent said transverse portion and tapping down the cut ends of said elongated portions.