GB2137586A - A combined magazine and fitting device for labelling sleeves - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for storing and facilitating the fitting of labelling sleeves to cables or conductors includes a magazine plate 1 having a plurality of mutually parallel, upwardly open grooves 2 and an elongated magazine finger 3 for receiving labelling sleeves 8 arranged in each groove. Each finger is pivotally anchored in its groove at the rear end at 4 and the forward end of the magazine can be swung up out of the groove and is formed with a bifurcated head 6 into which the end of a conductor can be inserted, so as to enable sleeves 8 to be slid along the finger and thus transferred to the conductor. A combined protecting and holding slide 7 is arranged for movement along the magazine plate 1. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A combined magazine and fitting device for labelling sleeves The present invention relates to a combined magazine and fitting device for sleeve-like labelling elements, hereinafter referred to as labelling sleeves, made of a resilient material which is preferably a plastics material. The sleeves are to be fitted to conductors of the kind intended to carry electrical or optical signals or the like, by sliding them into position on the conductors.

Labelling sleeves of this kind have long been used for identification of various conductors within, inter alia, the field of electrical apparatus. The labelling sleeves are provided with different symbols, such as numerals and letters, and are also manufactured in different colours. The sleeves are produced in a number of standard sizes, each intended for labelling conductors of corresponding diameters. To this end, the sleeves are normally provided with bellowslike folds, which enable the sleeves to expand, so that they can be fitted to and held by conductors of different diameters.

Such labelling sleeves must be threaded onto a cable from one end, and consequently the task of fitting a labelling sleeve can be extremely troublesome, particularly when the cable is of the kind comprising a variety of thin wires and the sleeve is to be fitted under cold weather conditions, in which the sleeves have the tendency to shrink and become less flexible.

In order to facilitate threading of the sleeves onto respective cables it has previously been proposed to utilise short pins or pegs on which a relatively small number of sleeves can be threaded. The pins have a diameter which increases towards one end, which is provided with a hole which extends axially from this end and into the pin. One end of a cable or wire can be inserted axially into the hole, to enable labelling sleeves arranged on the pin to be slid onto the cable orwire. Such mounting pins have not found wide use within the trade among other reasons because the pins are only able to carry a small number of sleeves; in practice it is necessary to take into account, and to work with, a relatively large number of individual pins, since a labelling operation may require up to fourteen different symbols.Moreover, it is at times relatively difficult to work with short, loose individual pins, particularly as it is relatively difficult to pass the sleeves over the expanding heads of the known pins.

In order to illustrate the aforementioned problems further, it can be mentioned that in large electrical plants,such as thermal power plants and the like, it is necessary to fit some half a million labelling sleeves.

In this case, the sleeves are joined together to form long strips wound on reels. The reels are normally stored centrally in the plant, and the various fitters fetch the labelling sleeves from these reels as the need arises. Consequently, it is important that each fitter can take a relatively large number of systematically arranged labelling sleeves, in order to assist the fitter in his work. The previously mentioned short, separate pins do not fulfil this requirement.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device which can be charged with a relatively large number of systematically arranged labelling sleeves all carrying the requisite symbols and colours, thereby to faciltate and to shorten the subsequent fitting of the sleeves to their respective cables.

The object is achieved in accordance with the present invention by means of a device comprising a magazine plate having a plurality of mutually parallel, upwardly open grooves each containing an elongated magazine finger for receiving labelling sleeves, which is pivotally anchored in the groove at its rear end and the forward end of which can be swung up out of the groove and is provided with a fitting head for receiving the end of a conductor in such a way as to enable sleeves to be transferred from the finger to the conductor.

Such a device enables a relatively large number of sleeves bearing all the requisite symbols to be stored in a systematic manner in a common device, facilitating the transfer of the sleeves onto respective conductors, among other things because the fingers are anchored to the magazine plate, which can be held firmly, for example, against the knee of the fitter as the sleeves are fitted to the conductors. This enables the fitter to concentrate totally on fitting the sleeves from respective magazine fingers to the respective conductors, without needing to hold the actual finger.Changes between the different magazine fingers, for transferring sleeves carrying all the requisite symbols onto the conductors, can also be done very quickly without appreciable risk of mixing sleeves of different symbols, since the magazine fingers are held firmly in the magazine plate in an ordered sequence determined by the fitter.

In order to facilitate use of a device according to the invention, the fitting heads of respective magazine fingers preferably project beyond the end of the magazine plate. In this respect, a protective holding slide may be displaceably arranged on the magazine plate, which while the plate is being carried from place to place, can be caused to project out beyond the end of the plate, to protect the free ends of the magazine fingers, and when the device is to be used, can be displaced towards the rear end of the plate, to permit the magazine fingers to be swung up in the order in which the sleeves are to be transferred to respective conductors.

In one embodiment of the invention, the fitting head of each magazine finger includes two blade-like elements, which form therebetween a gap for receiving the end of a conductor. For this purpose, at least one of the blade elements is resiliently flexible.

Preferably, however, the whole of each magazine finger is made of resiliently flexible material.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention each magazine finger comprises two resilient strips held together at their rear ends, the forward ends of the strips forming the blade-like elements and at least one strip being bent at its forward end to form the gap. In this respect, the strips are superimposed and the free end of the lower strip projects out beyond the corresponding end of the upper strip. In this case it is preferred that the lower strip is bent at its free end, to form the gap.

The invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined magazine and fitting device according to the invention; Figure 2 illustrates the manner in which labelling sleeves are transferred from a magazine finger to a cable or like line; and Figure 3 is a part sectional view of the rear part of the device according to Figure 1, illustrating the manner in which a magazine finger is fastened.

The combined magazine and mounting device according to Figure 1 includes a magazine plate 1, provided with a plurality of mutually parallel, upwardly open grooves 2. Arranged in each of the grooves 2 is an elongated magazine finger 3, which is pivotally anchored in a respective groove at its rear end.

In the illustrated embodiment, the magazine finger 3 comprises two elongated leaf spring elements, one located above the other, the elements being held together at their rear ends by means of a shrinkage sleeve 4 made of a plastics material and passed over the rear portions of the leaf spring elements, in the manner illustrated in Figure 3. In order to provide a simple and effective anchorage of the magazine fingers 3 in respective grooves 2, the aforementioned portions are bent over and inserted through holes 5 in the rear part of respective grooves 2, as seen in Figure 3. This provides reliable anchorage of the magazine fingers in respective grooves, while allowing the fingers to be swung up out of the grooves, for example, in order to permit further labelling sleeves to be stored in the magazine.

The forward ends of respective magazine fingers 3, are provided with a head 6, which in the illustrated embodiment includes a gap between the upper and lower leaf spring elements of respective magazine fingers. In the illustrated embodiment, this gap has been provided by bending each lower leaf spring element which is somewhat longer than the upper element. The reference 7 in Figure 1 identifies a combined shielding and holding slide, which can be moved along the magazine plate 1, and which is made of a transparent plastics material. The reference 8 identifies labelling sleeves stored on the magazine fingers and carrying different symbols and colours. The underside ofthe labelling sleeve 8 is suitably provided with a bellows-like fold, to permit the sleeves to be expanded slightly when fitting the sleeves onto a respective conductor.

When using a device according to the invention, labelling sleeves 8 are first placed on the various magazine fingers 3 in accordance with a system determined by the fitter. For this purpose, the slide 7 is removed from the magazine plate 1 and the magazine fingers 3 are lifted from the grooves 2, about the rear, pivotable attachment in the magazine plate 1. The labelling sleeves transferred to the magazine fingers are normally joined together by breakable pieces of connecting material. Since the magazine fingers 3 are flexible, it is a relatively simple matter two separate the various labelling sleeves from one another, by bending respective fingers so that the sleeves are slightly spaced apart, whereafter the various sleeves can be separated by means of the thumb, for example.The magazine fingers are then returned to their positions in respective grooves 2 in the plate 1, as shown in Figure 1, and the slide 7 is replaced on the plate 1.

When labelling a cable comprising a plurality of conductors, the fitter places the flat mounting device on his knee, where the device can be held firmly by the elbow or forearm. The under surface of the plate 1 may be provided with a frictional material. In order to fit a labelling sleeve bearing a given symbol onto its intended conductor, a corresponding magazine finger 3 is lifted from its groove, as schematically illustrated in Figure 1, this movement of the magazine finger being made possible by its resilience. The remaining magazine fingers are held in their respective grooves by the slide 7.Thefitterthen moves the end of the relevant conductor iaterally into the gap of the mounting head 6 of said magazine finger, where said end can be firmly held by one hand while transferring one or more labelling sleeves from the magazine finger onto the conductor, with the other hand, see Figure 2. Since the labelling sleeves substantially only abut the thin edge surf- aces of the magazine fingers, they can be displaced along the fingers without meeting any appreciable resistance. One important advantage afforded by the described method is that the fingers are anchored in the magazine plate land hence the fitter need not secure a magazine finger with one hand the same time as a sleeve is moved along said magazine finger.

In addition to holding the magazine fingers 3 in their respective grooves, the slide 7 also serves as a protective cover during transportation or storage of the device. Thus, slide 7 can be moved forwards so as to completely cover the mounting heads 6 on the magazine fingers 3. In this respect, the magazine plate 1 and the slide 7 can have mutually co-acting recesses and projections, arranged to temporarily lock the slide in its protecting position.

The aforedescribed device can be dimensioned for labelling conductors of widely varying diameters, and also enables extremely slender conductors to be labelled. One particular advantage, particularly in the case of multi-core conductors, is that the end of the conductor can be inserted laterally into the mounting head. The design of the mounting heads of the magazine fingers, however, can be varied as desired, the illustrated design being found most suitable at present.

The magazine fingers suitably comprise flat-rolled tempered steel strips, but may, of course, also be made of a plastics material. Instead of being planar, they may be profiled, for example have a shallow cup-shaped cross section. Each magazine finger may also have the form of a single, elongated strip having arranged at one end a suitable mounting head. Any desired number of magazine fingers may be provided, although the device preferably includes at least fourteen fingers, since this number of symbols is required for certain labelling operations. The length of the magazine plate 1 and the magazine fingers 3 may be varied in accordance with requirements, although it is preferred that the magazine fingers have a length of at least 400 mm.

The rear ends of the magazine fingers can be anchored to the magazine plate in any desired manner, provided that the magazine fingers are attached in a manner which ensures that they will not be loosened when transferring sleeves therefrom onto a respective conductor. The fingers should also be mounted in a manner which enables them to be swung out of the grooves, to enable further labelling sleeves to be placed thereon. The attachment, however, may be such as to enable the magazine fingers when occupying the upwardly swung position to be released from the plate, so that labelling sleeves can be inserted, for example, onto the rear ends of the magazine fingers.

Claims (8)

1. A combined magazine and fitting device for labelling sleeves, the device comprising a magazine plate having a plurality of mutually parallel, upwardly open grooves each containing an elongated magazine finger for receiving labelling sleeves, which is pivotally anchored in the groove at its rear end and the forward end of which can be swung up out of the grooves and is provided with a fitting head for receiving the end of a conductor in such a way as to enable sleeves to be transferred from the fingers to the conductor.

2. A device according to claim 1 in which the fitting heads of respective magazine fingers project beyond the end of the magazine plate.

3. A device according to claim 1 or claim 2 in which a combined protecting and holding slide is displaceably arranged on the magazine plate.

4. A device according to any one of claims 1 to 3 in which the fitting head of each magazine finger comprises two blade-like elements, which form therebetween a gap for receiving the end of a conductor.

5. A device according to claim 4, in which at least one blade element is resiliently flexible.

6. A device according to claim 4 or claim 5 in which the whole of each magazine finger is made of a resiliently flexible material.

7. A device according to claim 6, in which each magazine finger includes two strips of resilient material held together at their rear ends, the forward ends of the strips forming the blade-like elements and at least one strip being bent at its forward end to form the gap.

8. A device according to claim 7, in which the bent strip is located below the other and its free end projects beyond the corresponding end of the upper strip.