GB2366316A

GB2366316A - Variable centre clinching tool

Info

Publication number: GB2366316A
Application number: GB0021489A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Strachan Harris
Original assignee: Standard Products Co
Current assignee: Standard Products Co
Priority date: 2000-09-01
Filing date: 2000-09-01
Publication date: 2002-03-06
Also published as: GB0021489D0

Abstract

Two rotatable spindles or rollers 7, 8 for clinching a channel shaped seal onto a flange have a variable spacing to accommodate flanges of different widths. A spur gear wheel 5, 6 is mounted on each spindle and driven by a double sided spur gear wheel 10 situated between the spindles. At least one of the driven gear wheels has convex teeth that allow its axis of rotation 4 to pivot about a hinge assembly 15 consisting of yoke arms 22 and pivot openings 24, 26, resulting in the angular separation of the two spindles. These spindles may be urged together by spring loading 33, so a ram or lever-and-cam system 35 is included to prise them apart for initial mounting on the flange. The device is specifically designed for the clinching of vehicle door seals.

Description

<Desc/Clms Page number 1> VARIABLE CENTRE CLINCHING TOOL This invention relates to an apparatus suitable for the variable clinching of a channel-shaped seal to a flange, particularly as used in the automotive industry.

BACKGROUND Seals can be made of metal reinforced rubber and/or plastic and often have a channel-shaped support portion with projecting sealing limbs. For ease of fitting, the seals may be manufactured with the side walls of the channel slightly splayed apart. After fitting on to the flange, the seal is then secured by clinching the support portion of the seal on to the flange. Although the flange can have a uniform thickness, variations in the thickness of flanges usually occur. If a fixed centre clinching tool is used, a sudden increase in thickness of the flange may result in a reduction of positive drive and may cause strain or damage to the apparatus.

STATEMENT OF INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided an apparatus suitable for clinching a channel- shaped seal on to a flange, the apparatus comprising two rotatable spindles each with its own driven spur gear wheel and a double sided driving spur gear wheel which meshes with the driven spur gear wheels, at least one of the driven spur gear wheels being a barrelled spur gear wheel, means being provided for tilting an axis of rotation of the barrelled spur gear wheel relative to an axis of rotation of the double sided driving spur gear wheel.

Preferably, the rotatable spindles have respective axes of rotation which lie in a plane, and the axis of rotation of the double sided driving spur gear wheel lies substantially in the said plane.

Preferably, the axis of rotation of the double

sided driving spur gear wheel is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of one of the rotatable spindles.

Preferably, each spindle is rotatably mounted in a respective housing. Preferably at least one of the housings is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the double sided driving spur gear wheel.

Preferably the tilting means includes a pivotal (or hinged) mounting which comprises a pair of yoke arms projecting from one of the housings and provided with pivot openings and a pair of plates with corresponding pivot openings, the plates being attached to opposite sides of the housing, the plates and yoke arms being interconnected by first and second pivot pins, the first pivot pin extending through the apertures in one of the yoke arms and the corresponding pivot plate, and the second pivot pin extending through the apertures in the other yoke arm and the corresponding pivot plate.

Preferably, the housings are resiliently urged together, preferably by two spring washer loaded tension bars.

In order to fit the apparatus on to the seal, it is convenient if the apparatus also includes a prising means for applying a prising force between the two housings, whereby the spacing between the two spindles can be increased. Preferably the prising means comprises a lever-and-cam, or a ram mechanism.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of the present invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a spur gear driving mechanism in accordance with the

present invention; Figure 2 is a partially cutaway side view of a variable centre clinching tool in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 3 is a partially cutaway end view of a variable centre clinching tool as viewed on arrow III in Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, there is shown a first housing 1 and a second housing 2, each of which has a centrally located spindle 3, 4 respectively. The spindle 3 is connected to a straight spur gear wheel 5 at one end and terminates in a clinching roll 7 at the other end, and the spindle 4 is connected to a barrelled spur gear wheel 6 at one end and terminates in a clinching roll 8 at the other end.

The two spur gear wheels 5, 6 mesh with a double sided driving right angled spur gear 10 which is mounted for rotation in the first housing 1 on an extension shaft 11. The extension shaft 11 has an axis of rotation A1 which is substantially parallel to a plane containing the axes of rotation Az, A3 of the spindles 3, 4 and is connected to the output shaft (not shown) of a nut runner 12 which is attached to the first housing 1.

The engagement of the gears is such that when the drive is applied to the nut runner 12, the nut runner 12 drives the right angled spur gear 10, causing rotation of the spur gear wheels 5, 6, which drive directly the spindles 3, 4 and hence the clinching rolls 7, 8. The two housings 1 and 2 are joined by a hinge assembly 15 which is aligned with the barrelled spur gear wheel 6 and is perpendicular to the axis of rotation A3 of the spindle 4 and the axis of rotation A1 of the extension shaft 11.

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the hinge assembly 15 comprises two titanium hinge plates 16, 18 which are fixed to opposite sides of the housing 2 by means of bolts or rivets 20. The top of the housing 1 comprises a yoke having two yoke arms 22, 23 which are spaced from the barrelled spur gear wheel 6 and project on opposite sides of the barrelled spur gear wheel 6. Pivot openings 24, 25 provided through the yoke arms 22, 23 align with corresponding openings 26, 27 formed in each hinge plate 16, 18. On one side of the first housing 2, a short hinge pin 28 is fitted through the opening 26 in the hinge plate 16 and though the corresponding pivot opening 24 in the yoke arm 22. On the opposite side of the housing 2, a second short hinge pin 29 is fitted through the opening 27 in the hinge plate 18 and through the corresponding pivot opening 25 in the yoke arm 23. With this pivot arrangement, the second housing 2 is able to pivot relative to the first housing 1, in the directions D1, D2 in Figure 1, about the hinge pins 28, 29, without the hinge pins 28, 29 interfering with the barrelled spur gear wheel 6. It will be appreciated that because the spur gear wheel 6 is barrelled and is centred on the hinge line L-L of the hinge assembly 15, it remains fully in mesh with the right angled spur gear wheel 10 throughout the full range of movement of the second housing 2 relative to the first housing 1.

The spindles 3 and 4 run in ball bearings or needle roller bearings 30a, 30b, 30c, 30d situated at the outer end of each housing 1, 2, and at the inner end of each spindle 3, 4 adjacent the respective spur gear wheels 5, 6. The extension shaft 11 is supported at one end by the nut runner 12 and at the other end by a needle roller bearing 31 situated within a brass end screw 32 which is threaded into an end of the first housing 1.

The two housings 1, 2 are held closed by two spring washer loaded tension bars 33, 34 which bias the two clinching rolls 7 and 8 together. As best shown in Figure 3, an opening cam assembly 35 is provided which can be moved in a direction D to force the second housing 2 to pivot away from the first housing 1 against the biasing force of the two spring washer loaded tension bars 33, 34, thereby to cause the two clinching rolls 7 and 8 to be moved apart.

There is thus provided an apparatus suitable for the clinching of a channel shaped seal to a flange, in which the clinching unit is driven by a spur gear mechanism. The apparatus is hinged about the barrelled spur gear wheel 6 and can accommodate a range of flange thicknesses without loss of positive drive.

There is also provided a mechanism 35 by which the two clinching rolls 7, 8 of the apparatus may be prised apart, for example to facilitate positioning of the apparatus on the seal before clinching.

In the illustrated embodiment, only one of the spur gear wheels is a barrelled spur gear wheel. However it is to be understood that both spur gear wheels may be barrelled spur gear wheels, so that both of their axes of rotation A2, A3 can be tilted relative to the axis of rotation A1 of the right angled spur gear wheel. Such a modification would require the spindle 3 to be pivotably connected to the first housing 1. This could be achieved for example by employing the same pivoting arrangement as is used to pivot the second housing 2 relative to the first housing 1 in the above described embodiment.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Apparatus suitable for clinching a channel- shaped seal on to a flange, the apparatus comprising two rotatable spindles each with its own driven spur gear wheel and a double sided driving spur gear wheel which meshes with the driven spur gear wheels, at least one of the driven spur gear wheels being a barrelled spur gear wheel, means being provided for tilting an axis of rotation of the barrelled spur gear wheel relative to an axis of rotation of the double sided driving spur gear wheel.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which the rotatable spindles have respective axes of rotation which lie in a plane, and the axis of rotation of the double sided driving spur gear wheel lies substantially in the said plane.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2, in which the axis of rotation of the driven spur gear wheel is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation of one of the rotatable spindles.
4. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which each spindle is rotatably mounted in a respective housing.
5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4, in which the tilting means includes a pivotal mounting which comprises a pair of yoke arms projecting from one of the housings and provided with pivot openings and a pair of plates with corresponding pivot openings, the plates being attached to opposite sides of the housing, the plates and yoke arms being interconnected by first and second pivot pins, the first pivot pin extending through the apertures in one of the yoke arms and the corresponding pivot plate, and the second pivot pin extending through the apertures in the other yoke arm and the corresponding pivot plate.
6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 4 or 5, in

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which the housings are resiliently urged together.
7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6, in which the housings are resiliently urged together by spring washer loaded tension bars.
8. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including prising means for applying a prising force to increase the spacing between free ends of the spindles.
9. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the prising means comprises a lever-and-cam mechanism or a ram.
10. Apparatus suitable for clinching a channel- shaped seal on to a flange, substantially as described herein with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.