EP0669175A1 - Improvement in strip feed mechanism - Google Patents

Improvement in strip feed mechanism Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0669175A1
EP0669175A1 EP95300347A EP95300347A EP0669175A1 EP 0669175 A1 EP0669175 A1 EP 0669175A1 EP 95300347 A EP95300347 A EP 95300347A EP 95300347 A EP95300347 A EP 95300347A EP 0669175 A1 EP0669175 A1 EP 0669175A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
strip
feed mechanism
pilot pin
flexure
pilot
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP95300347A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Michael Bridgman
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ABB Installation Products Inc
Original Assignee
Thomas and Betts Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Thomas and Betts Corp filed Critical Thomas and Betts Corp
Publication of EP0669175A1 publication Critical patent/EP0669175A1/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26D—CUTTING; DETAILS COMMON TO MACHINES FOR PERFORATING, PUNCHING, CUTTING-OUT, STAMPING-OUT OR SEVERING
    • B26D7/00—Details of apparatus for cutting, cutting-out, stamping-out, punching, perforating, or severing by means other than cutting
    • B26D7/01—Means for holding or positioning work
    • B26D7/015—Means for holding or positioning work for sheet material or piles of sheets

Definitions

  • the invention relates to strip feed mechanisms, particularly cable tie strip feed mechanisms which require accurate strip feed in incremental steps in order to advance a strip a predetermined amount.
  • the wire strip In a strip feed mechanism for a wire strip into a machine for cutting short lengths of strip to make barbs for insertion into cable tie heads, the wire strip has hitherto been a plain, flat steel wire strip. Because the cross section of the wire strip was constant, it was possible to use a simple feed mechanism in which the strip was driven forward by a slipping clutch drive into a stop such that when the strip reached the stop, a required length was cut from the free end of the strip to form the barb, which was then inserted into the cable tie head.
  • each barb has a flexure region at a desired position along its length, the flexure region being designed to reduce the resistance of the barb to flexure in that region and thereby ease insertion of a strap portion of the cable tie through the tie head in use.
  • a feed mechanism for advancing in steps an elongate strip of material, which strip has a series of flexure regions at a regular spacing along its length
  • the feed mechanism comprising means for locating the strip such that the flexure regions are at a predetermined position relative to the feed mechanism, means for advancing the strip by a distance corresponding to the spacing between flexure regions and control means for operating the locating means and the advancing means alternately such that before each advancement the strip is located with the flexure regions in such predetermined position relative to the feed mechanism.
  • the strip material is preferably metal, and preferably stainless steel.
  • Each flexure region is preferably provided by a portion of reduced strip width and the means for locating the strip comprises pilot means for engaging the profile which defines the portion of reduced strip width.
  • the pilot means preferably comprises a pilot pin having an end profile corresponding to the profile defining the portion of reduced strip width.
  • the end profile of the pilot pin is preferably tapered to allow entry of the pilot pin into the profile of the reduced strip width portion and adjustment of the strip location as the pilot pin engages the strip fully.
  • each flexure region may be provided by forming one or more holes in the strip, by forming one or more edge cut-out portions, or by otherwise reducing the cross-sectional area of the strap.
  • the pilot pin cannot start to enter the profile of reduced width to locate the strip.
  • sensor means for sensing pilot pin travel and means for stopping the feed mechanism if pilot pin travel is incomplete The sensor means preferably comprises a sensor for generating an electrical signal when the pilot pin is at a position intermediate a fully disengaged position and a position fully engaged with the strip, and a timer in the circuit such that if the length of signal from the sensor exceeds a predetermined time, the circuit is broken to switch off the mechanism.
  • the strip feed mechanism 10 forms part of a barb cutting and insertion machine which has a cutter for cutting a required barb length and means for driving a barb into a cable tie head.
  • the present invention is not concerned with barb cutting and insertion features and, for this reason, those features will not be described herein.
  • This invention is concerned with accurate step advancement of a flat wire strip 11 into the barb cutting and inserting machine, the strip 11 having regularly spaced flexure regions along its length.
  • the strip 11 is fed from a reel or other suitable store into the strip feed mechanism 10, passing first under a guide block 12 and over a holding piston assembly 13, the holding piston assembly 13 having a holding piston 14 which can be moved towards or away from the block 12 to hold or release the strip 11.
  • the holding piston assembly 13 is mounted on a main block 15 which serves also to support the guide block 12.
  • a shuttle 16 Slidably mounted on the main block 15 is a shuttle 16, the shuttle 16 having a shuttle strip guide 17 below which the strip 11 passes and a gripping mechanism 18 including a piston 19 mounted movably towards and away from the shuttle strip guide 17.
  • the shuttle 16 is fixedly mounted on a bar 20 movable through the main block 15 and controlled pneumatically as described later in this specification.
  • the strip 11 passes forward on a support track 25 leading to the barb cutting and inserting mechanism.
  • a pilot mechanism 26 which includes a pneumatically controlled pilot pin which can be moved into and out of engagement with profiles on the strip 11 which provide the flexure regions of the strip. Particular configurations of the flexure regions and the pilot pin 26 will be described later.
  • Figure 4a illustrates a portion of the strip 11, preferably made of steel, and having opposed cut-out portions 35 formed in the strip edges.
  • the cut-out portions are formed by a stamping operation although there are other ways of forming this edge profile.
  • the cut-out portions 35 provide a flexure region between them because the width of the strip has been reduced, thereby making flexure easier into and out of the plane of the strip represented by the plane of Figure 4a.
  • Each barb has one such flexure region in it.
  • Figure 4b shows a flexure region formed by stamping a series of holes 36 at regular intervals. Further alternative shapes could be used in order to achieve a flexure region.
  • FIG. 5 is a front view and shows a main pilot pin body 40 and strip edge cut-out engaging fingers 41, 42.
  • a side view of the pin is shown in Figure 6 in which the finger 42 and a further finger 43 can be seen. It will be appreciated that there are four fingers in all.
  • the fingers 41, 42, 43 and 44 (44 is not shown) have tapered ends to allow engagement of the fingers with the cut-out portions 35 of the strip 11 even if alignment of the strip with the pilot pin is not perfect. As the pin descends, the position of the strip 11 is adjusted accordingly until full engagement takes place.
  • pilot pin will be changed according to the nature of the flexure region profiles of the strip 11.
  • the pilot pin would have a pair of spaced apart, tapered fingers of circular cross section.
  • the strip feed mechanism is operated pneumatically, although alternative control mechanisms could be used.
  • the pneumatic circuit used is illustrated in Figure 7 and will be described in more detail below.
  • the pneumatic circuit has four valves, shown as V1, V2, V3 and V4; to an inlet port of each of V1, V3 and V4 is connected a compressed air supply 50, via lines 51, 52, 53 respectively. Valve switching is controlled electrically for V1 and V4 and pneumatically for V2 and V3.
  • Figure 7 shows the strip feed assembly at the start of a cycle, corresponding to the state shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.
  • Parts A and B connected below the pistons 14 and 19 are exhausted via ports 2 and 3 in V2 and ports 4 and 5 in V3 respectively.
  • Compressed air supplied through V1 enters port C to urge piston 55, and hence the bar 20 and the shuttle 16 to the left in Figure 7.
  • the pilot pin 26 is down in engagement with the strip 11, as piston 56 is depressed by air supply connected through ports 1 and 2 in V4 then through line 57.
  • a switch on the barb cutting and insertion machine which changes state at a particular stage in the operation of that machine alters electrically the state of valves V1 and V4.
  • Adequate movement of the pilot pin 40 is sensed by a sensor (not shown) in cylinder 70 in which the piston 56 travels. The sensor generates an electrical signal as the piston 56 passes the sensor, and the signal will be of extremely short duration when the pilot pin 40 is able to engage the strip 11 and thereby go beyond the signal generating position.
  • a proximity switch in the barb cutting and insertion machine switches the state of V1 and V4 and this has the following effects:

Landscapes

  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Forests & Forestry (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Advancing Webs (AREA)
  • Registering, Tensioning, Guiding Webs, And Rollers Therefor (AREA)
EP95300347A 1994-01-28 1995-01-20 Improvement in strip feed mechanism Withdrawn EP0669175A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9401668 1994-01-28
GB9401668A GB2286375A (en) 1994-01-28 1994-01-28 Improvements in strip feed mechanisms

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0669175A1 true EP0669175A1 (en) 1995-08-30

Family

ID=10749498

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP95300347A Withdrawn EP0669175A1 (en) 1994-01-28 1995-01-20 Improvement in strip feed mechanism

Country Status (4)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0669175A1 (ja)
JP (1) JP2603453B2 (ja)
CA (1) CA2141234A1 (ja)
GB (1) GB2286375A (ja)

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3533619A (en) * 1968-07-26 1970-10-13 Resistance Welder Corp Sheet feeding means for roll forming mill
GB2130516A (en) * 1982-11-05 1984-06-06 Hans Schoen Improvements relating to gripper feed systems
GB2148172A (en) * 1983-09-21 1985-05-30 Albert W Scribner Pneumatic feeder for punch presses
DE4127779A1 (de) * 1990-08-23 1992-03-05 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Vorrichtung zum vorschub eines abschnitts einer duennen materialbahn mit vorbestimmter schrittlaenge

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH664127A5 (de) * 1984-07-31 1988-02-15 Sig Schweiz Industrieges Vorrichtung zum abtrennen von gruppen bestimmter laenge von einem stapel kontinuierlich zugefuehrter gegenstaende.
US4671722A (en) * 1985-10-30 1987-06-09 Zenith Electronics Corporation Automatic positioning of electronic components on a walking beam
JPH01104555A (ja) * 1987-10-15 1989-04-21 Nec Corp 連続用紙の自動位置決め方式

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3533619A (en) * 1968-07-26 1970-10-13 Resistance Welder Corp Sheet feeding means for roll forming mill
GB2130516A (en) * 1982-11-05 1984-06-06 Hans Schoen Improvements relating to gripper feed systems
GB2148172A (en) * 1983-09-21 1985-05-30 Albert W Scribner Pneumatic feeder for punch presses
DE4127779A1 (de) * 1990-08-23 1992-03-05 Mitsubishi Electric Corp Vorrichtung zum vorschub eines abschnitts einer duennen materialbahn mit vorbestimmter schrittlaenge

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9401668D0 (en) 1994-03-23
JP2603453B2 (ja) 1997-04-23
JPH07285713A (ja) 1995-10-31
GB2286375A (en) 1995-08-16
CA2141234A1 (en) 1995-07-29

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