GB2171351A - Fastener dispensing and affixing device - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for dispensing and affixing cable clips (104) to a surface has an impact head (10) movable in a cylinder (12). The impact head is movable against the force of a spring (16) by means of a piston (24) movable in a second cylinder (22) by fluid pressure generated in a hand-operated gear pump (26), to which piston (24) the impact head (10) is attached. The pump is operated to force fluid via a non-return valve (29) into the cylinder (22), thereby displacing the piston (24) and the impact head (10), allowing a clip (104) to move from a feed channel (80) into a dispensing channel (15). The impact head is held in its displaced position by the fluid pressure, due to a slide valve (48) situated in a passage (46). When the slide valve is opened, the fluid pressure is relieved and the spring (16) forces the impact head (10) to its initial position, thereby securing the clip (104) in the surface. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fastener dispensing and affixing device The invention relates to a fastener dispenser and affixing device, and in particular, but not exclusively, to a device for dispensing and affixing cable clips of the type comprising a plastics moulding which is shaped to fit around a cable and is provided with a metal pin passing through it to be driven into a surface in order to secure the cable to that surface.

At present, the only method of securing such clips is to knock the metal pins into the surface individually with a hammer. This is inconvenient and wasteful of time, since tens or even hundreds of cable clips may have to be secured, and it is especially inconvenient if the cable has to be secured to a ceiling or an underside surface.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a device which may be used with cable clips or like fasteners, for dispensing and securing the fasteners to a surface, and which can be used quickly and conveniently.

In accordance with the present invention, a device for dispensing and affixing cable clips or like fasteners to a surface comprises an impact head for dispensing the fasteners from a dispensing channel, a spring which biasses the impact head towards the dispensing channel, means for displacing fluid within the device such as to move the impact head away from the dispensing channel and to deform the spring resiliently, and means for releasing the displaced fluid to allow the spring to return the impact head towards the dispensing channel.

Preferably, the impact head is displaceable in a cylinder, and preferably the spring is a compression spring.

The means for displacing fluid may comprise a pump, preferably a gear pump. Preferably, the pump is operable by means of a hand-operated handle.

Preferably, the impact head is connected fixedly to a piston moving in a second cylinder, which piston is displaceable by the fluid so as to displace the impact head away from the dispensing channel.

Preferably, the means for displacing fluid and the second cylinder are connected by way of a non-return valve.

Preferably, the means for releasing the displaced fluid comprises a valve, movable between a first, closed position in which the valve does not allow passage of the displaced fluid, and a second, opened position in which the displaced fluid may flow through the valve. The valve may be a slide valve, and preferably the valve is opened by means of a trigger mechanism. Preferably, the valve comprises a slide valve, two compression springs, one situated at each end of the slide valve, and a pivotally mounted pawl which is biassed for pivoting in one direction by means of a spring and pivotable in the other direction by displacement of the trigger.

The fasteners to be secured to the base may, when the device is in use, be positioned in a feed channel within the device, which feed channel communicates with the dispensing channel, the fastenersbeing biassed towards the dispensing channel by means of a further spring. Preferably, the width of the fasteners and the width of the dispensing channel are equal. The fasteners may be in the form of a plurality of individual fasteners which are loosely secured together, the fastener being dispensed being separated from the other fasteners when engaged by the impact head.

Preferably, the device is provided with a guide which is shaped to be positionable over an object to be secured, e.g. a cable. The guide may be shaped to be positionable over a plurality of objects of different shape and/or size. Preferably, the guide comprises a bracket which is securable to the device and is preferably securable in a plurality of orientations.

The fluid preferably comprises a liquid, and more preferably comprises hydraulic fluid.

The fluid may comprise a gas, for example, compressed air.

By way of example only, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view, in part cross-section, of one embodiment of a device for dispensing and affixing cable clips according to the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a stack of cable clips for use with the device shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a positioning guide for use with the device.

Referring first to Figure 1, the illustrated device comprises an impact head 10 moveable in a first cylinder 12, of square cross section. A driving head portion 14 of the impact head is used to affix cable clips, as will be explained. The portion 14 is narrower than the rest of the impact head 10 and is moveable in a dispensing channel 15. The portion 14 is also provided with two short projections 17, as will be explained. The impact head 10 is biassed towards the left (as viewed in Figure 1) by means of a compression spring 16, which abuts the impact head 10 and the right-hand end of the cylinder. A rod 18 is attached to the impact head 14 and passes sealingly through a hole 20 in the righthand end of the cylinder 12, the hole 20 leading to a second cylinder 22, of circular cross-section.The other end of the rod 16 is connected to a piston 2d which is slideably received in the cylinder 22. The piston 24 is movable to the right, as viewed in Figure 1, against the restoring force of the spring 16, by application of hydraulic pressure, as will be explained.

The hydraulic pressure is generated by means of a gear pump 26 and is transmitted to the cylinder 22 by way of a passage 28 of the device, in which a non-return valve 29 is positioned. The gear pump comprises a chamber 30 of circular section having two meshing gears 32,34 rotatably mounted therein. One of the gears 34 may be rotated by means of an external gear 36 which is connected to a ratchet (not visible) which allows the gear 36 to rotate in a clockwise sense only, as seen in Figure 1. The gear may be driven by an arcuate rack 38 which is part of a handle 40 pivotally mounted on the device. The handle is biassed by a leaf spring 42 to assume the position shown in Figure 1.A reservoir chamber 44 supplies the gear pump with hydraulic fluid and this reservoir is connected to the passage 28, downstream of the non-return valve 29, by means of a second passage 46, which is interrupted by a slide valve arrangement 48. A release mechanism for opening the slide valve arrangement is provided on the device. This comprises a trigger 48 slidably mounted on the dispenser at 50. A slide valve 52, having a throughportion 56 therein is mounted for sliding movement in a channel 58. The cross-section of the through-portion 56 is the same as the cross-section of the passage 46. The valve 52 is held in a closed position (as illustrated) by a first compresssion spring 60 and a second compression spring 62.

The tension of the upper spring is variable by rotation of a screw-threaded mounting 64. The threaded mounting 64 serves to vary the affixing force of the device, as will be explained later. The lower spring 62 is seated on the edge 66 of the trigger and on one side of the valve 52. In the closed position illustrated, neither of the springs 60,62 is tensioned.

A pawl 68 is pivotally mounted on a pin 70 passing through the dispenser. One side of the pawl is acted upon by a compression spring 72. The opposite edge of the pawl (on the same side of the pawl) is in contact with a finger 74 which is an extension of the trigger. The pawl is normally seated in a recess 76 in the slide valve.

In operation, the trigger is pulled, and the finger 74 of the trigger pushes against one end of the pawl, rotating it against the force of the spring 72 in an anti-clockwise direction as shown in Figure 1.

The pawl, which is engaged in the recess 76, pushes the valve against the spring 62 which at the same time is itself pushed up with the trigger. The trigger continues to be pressed, which moves the valve slide and the spring together, until the pawl has been rotated so much that it ceases to engage in the recess 76. Since the valve slide at this point is no longer subject to a force against the force of the spring 62, which has been considerably compressed, due to the movement of the spring and the valve, the valve is moved to the right in Figure 1, very rapidly by the spring 62, and the through portion 56 communicates momentarily with the passage 46.

On its rapid movement, the valve compresses the upper spring 60, and depending upon the adjustment of the screw-threaded mounting 64, the amount which the through portion 56 communicates with the passage 46 can be varied. When the trigger is released, the spring 60 forces the trigger and the valve back to the position shown in Figure 1, and the pawl 68 engages with the recess 76.

Thus, the trigger mechanism is cocked, ready to be used again.

Turning now to Figure 2, a plurality of clips 104 for use with the clip dispenser, is shown. In general, each clip comprises an inverted, flat-bottomed U-shaped plastics body, one of whose legs 106 is thickened and contains a longitudinal bore in which there is positioned a metal pin 108. The upper side of the plastics body has a rectangular pro Section 110 which is used to guide the clips when in the device. The clips are moulded together and are held to adjacent clips by a thin film of plastics material which remains after moulding. Thus, the clips comprise a cartridge of clips joined together.

In use, the cartridge fits into a clip feed channel 80, provided in the device on the opposite side from the reservoir chamber 44. The clip feed channel 80 is generally T-shaped in cross-section and has a slot 82 on one side, into which slot the pins 108 fit.

A metal bar 84, shaped to receive the rectangular projections 110, is fitted into the channel 80 and is held in contact with the clips by a leaf spring 86.

The clips are biassed towards the dispersing channel 15 by means of a compression spring 88, and each clip is equal in width, measured in the direction of the channel 80, to the width of the dispensing channel 15.

Referring to Figure 3, a guide 120 for fixing over the exterior device near the dispensing channel 15 is illustrated in Figure 3. The guide comprises a sheet of metal bent to form a right angle. At four locations 122, the metal is cut away to form cutouts in the shape of four thicknesses of cable. In use, the correct cut-out for the type of cable is selected and the guide is secured to the device by means of screws 123 (Figure 1) passing through holes 124 in the guide and securable in threaded holes (not shown) in the device.

The dispenser is assembled and is filled with light hydraulic fluid, and is then ready for use. In use, the handle 40 is depressed by an operator, which causes the gears 32,34 to rotate and pump the hydraulic fluid along the passage 28 and through the non-return valve 25. The fluid can not pass along the passage 46 because the slide valve 52 closes off the passage. The fluid then flows into the cylinder 22 and pushes the piston 24 to the right, as shown in Figure 1. Since the piston 24 and the impact head 10 are connected by the piston rod 18, the impact head is moved against the force of the spring 16. The handle is released, but the pump is not driven backwards, because of the combined gear 36 and ratchet. The handle is depressed a further three times in the above manner, which causes the impact head to be moved, against spring 16. Since the driving head 10 portion 14 is no longer in the dispensing channel 15, the cartridge of clips 104 is pushed along by the spring 118, and since each clip and the clip dispensing portion are the same width, as stated previously, one clip is positioned in the dispensing channel 15. The pumping action causes a force of about 250 pounds to be exerted on the spring 102.

The guide is positioned on a surface, over the cable to be affixed thereto. The trigger 49 is then pulled, causing the slide valve 52 to open rapidly as described above, causing the through portion 56 to communicate with the passage 46. Opening the slide valve 52 allows the hydraulic fluid to discharge very rapidly into the reservoir chamber 44, which is aided by a partial vacuum in the reservoir chamber 44 caused when the hydraulic fluid is pumped from the reservoir chamber. The rapid discharge of fluid allows the spring 16 to force the driving head 14 rapidly towards the clip dispensing portion, such that when the driving head contacts the clip in the dispensing channel 15, the clip is sheared off from the cartridge and driven into the backing surface, thus securing the clip to the backing surface. The projections 17 on the impact head come into contact with those portions of the clip either side of the projection 110 on the clip to dispense the clip.

Depending on the surface, the force with which the clip is driven into the backing surface may be varied by adjustment of the screw-threaded mounting 64. The mounting may be screwed in more or out more to allow slower or faster release of the pressurised hydraulic fluid according to the extent of communication of the passage 46 and the through portion 56, and thus provide a smaller or larger force with which the impact head contacts the clip.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment. For example, the device may comprise a single piece of metal which is then machined, or may comprise two castings of metal which are subsequently secured together.

Claims (20)

1. A device for dispensing and affixing cable clips or like fasteners to a surface, the device comprising an impact head for dispensing the fasteners from a dispensing channel, a spring which biasses the impact head towards the dispensing channel, means for displacing fluid within the device such as to move the impact head away from the dispensing channel and to deform the spring resiliently, and means for releasing the displaced fluid to allow the spring to return the impact head towards the dispensing channel.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the impact head is displaceable in a cylinder.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the spring is a compression spring.

4. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the impact head is connected fixedly to a piston moving in a second cylinder, which piston is displaceable by the fluid so as to displace the impact head away from the dispensing channel.

5. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the means for displacing fluid and the second cylinder are connected by way of a non-return valve.

6. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the means for displacing fluid comprises a pump.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the pump is a gear pump.

8. A device as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the pump is operable by means of a handoperated handle.

9. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the means for releasing the displaced fluid comprises a valve, movable between a first, closed position in which the valve does not allow passage of the dispensed fluid, and a second, opened position in which the displaced fluid may flow through the valve.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the valve is opened by means of a trigger mechanism.

11. A device as claimed in claim 9 or claim 10, wherein the valve is a slide valve.

12. A device as claimed in claim 11, wherein the valve comprises a slide valve, two compression springs, one situated at each end of the slide valve, and a pivotally mounted pawl which is biassed for pushing in one direction by means of a spring and which is pivotable in the other direction by displacement of the trigger.

13. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the fastener to be secured to the base are, in use, positioned in a feed channel within the device, which feed channel communicates with the dispensing channel, the fasteners being biassed towards the dispensing channel by means of a spring.

14. A device as claimed in claim 13, wherein the width of the fasteners and the width of the dispensing channel are substantially equal.

15. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the fasteners are in the form of a plurality of individual fasteners which are loosely secured together, the fastener being dispensed being separated from the other fasteners when engaged by the impact head.

16. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the device is provided with a guide which is shaped to be positionable over an object to be secured.

17. A device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the guide is shaped to be positionable over a plurality of objects of different shape and/or size.

18. A device as claimed in claim 16 or claim 17, wherein the guide comprises a bracket securable to the device.

19. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the fluid comprises a liquid.

20. A device for dispensing and affixing cable clips or like fasteners to a surface, substantially as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.