NO336912B1 - Single leg cable clamp insert and magazine - Google Patents

Abstract

Weft device (1) for wrapping a single-legged cable clamp (2) in a substructure. The weft device (1) comprises a housing (3) comprising fastening means (4) for fastening a magazine (5a, 5b) for cable clamps. The housing (3) further comprises an elongate weft slot (6) provided with an entrance opening (8) through which a cable clamp is movable to enter the weft slot (6), and an exit opening (9) through which the cable clamp (2) is movable for to exit the impactor (1). The weft device (1) further comprises an weft means (7) guided relative to the housing (3) for movement inside the weft slot (6) along a first longitudinal axis (A), back and forth between a lower position in which the weft means (7) at least partially blocks the inlet opening (8) of the weft slot (6) so that a cable clamp (2) cannot pass through the inlet opening (8) and into the weft slot (6), and an upper position in which the weft device (7) is positioned to allow a cable clamp (2) enters through the entrance opening (8) and into the weft slot (6). The weft means (7) is further provided with a chamber (10) on opposite sides of the weft means (7) and along at least a portion of the length of the weft means (7). The ridges (10) are provided with respective lower portions (12) which gradually increase in width to upper wider portions (13). The housing (2) is provided along its weft slot (6) with first lateral recesses (11) to allow the ridges (10) to travel back and forth with the weft means (7) without coming into conflict with the housing (2). The housing (2) is adjacent to the entrance opening (8) provided with second recesses (14) extending from the first recesses (11), respectively, and past the entrance opening (8) of the weft slot (6).

Description

Insertion device and magazine for single-pin cable clamp Technical area

The present invention relates to devices for inserting fasteners in the form of cable clamps into an underlying surface for attaching a cable, for example, to a wall or a ceiling. The invention specifically relates to such devices comprising a magazine comprising several cable clamps.

Background

Fasteners for attaching cable to an underlying surface come in several forms, such as single-leg, two-leg, one-piece metal and two-piece metal and plastic. It should be understood here that single leg fasteners in the context of this description refer to fasteners that only have one leg on one side of the cable when installed. This bone, in turn, can be divided into several protrusions to pierce and grip the underlying surface. The various fasteners all have their own characteristics, and while some are designed to be held in the hand and driven directly into the underlying surface with a hammer, others require special tools to hold and guide the fastener as it is driven.

Improperly installed fasteners can be unsightly and can damage or pinch the cable, causing it to lose its data transmission capabilities or short out.

Some fasteners are surface-treated, for example with white paint, to protect the fasteners from corrosion and for aesthetic reasons. A problem with installing surface treated clamps is how to drive them in without damaging the treated surface.

The devices for wrapping fasteners can be divided into magazine devices and non-magazine devices. Magazine devices are designed to be loaded with a magazine containing multiple fasteners and are typically more complex and expensive than non-magazine devices, but allow for quick installation of multiple fasteners. Magazine devices are advantageous especially when working from a ladder or in a confined space, as the device does not need to be reloaded to drive in the fasteners for each individual fastener.

Cables come in a few standard dimensions and consequently there are a few standard sizes of cable clamps. Many professionals primarily use the single-leg clamps, as they allow the installation of a cable along internal corners (Fig. 12) due to the fact that the cable can be placed all the way into the corner without a second leg of the clamp requiring space between adjacent side surface and cable.

A particularly popular clamp is the single leg clamp without a continuous hook surface (figs. lla-j and 13). Clamps with a non-continuous hook surface (Fig. 14) are sometimes considered less aesthetic than clamps with a continuous hook surface, are more prone to collecting dust and dirt over time and are typically more difficult to keep clean.

A well-known device capable of driving in single-pin cable clamps is the Letti Insertion Tool (fig. 15) and 16, which are available in two different sizes, each capable of driving in a respective size of cable clamp. A disadvantage of this device is that several different fastening devices are needed to be able to drive in all common sizes of cable clamps. A further disadvantage is that the devices cannot be used with a magazine and are thus not very quick to work with if many cable clamps are to be attached.

Another well-known device is the Letti Batt-Mag 30) (Fig. 17. The device is a battery-powered magazine device designed to work with strips of 30) cable clamps connected side by side along a strip. A disadvantage of this device is that it requires battery power to operate. Another disadvantage is that it is large and wide and thus not always suitable for use in very narrow places, such as near walls or in internal corners of less than 90) degree angles.

A further known device capable of driving in single leg cable clamps is the Castor Staple Gun Impact Tool (fig. 18) and 19. The device is operated by a hammer and includes an integral magazine, which can be refilled by inserting cable clamps of the type shown in fig. 14. The clips for the Castor Staple Gun come pre-loaded in the form of a row of clips stacked front-to-back with a plastic rod running centrally through the cut-out in the head of the clips, as shown in the lower part of fig. 19. The plastic rod is used to hold the clamps during insertion into the tool, where after the plastic rod is pulled out of the tool, while the row of clamps is held back manually inside the tool. A disadvantage of this device is that it cannot be used to drive in clamps of the type indicated in fig. 13) which has a continuous hook surface. A further disadvantage is that the impact shock is applied to a very small surface area of the clamp, in the cutout above the leg, so that, depending on the choice of surface treatment, the coating is damaged during the impact of the clamp into an underlying surface. To reduce the risk of destroying the coating, it is conceivable to apply a higher number of weaker blows to drive in the clamp, but this has the disadvantage of being time-consuming.

Short description

An object of the present invention is to remedy or solve at least some of the deficiencies identified above.

A specific object is to provide a type of crimping device with an improved magazine, operable to crimp various sizes of single leg cable clamps of the continuous hook surface type so that only one crimping tool is required to install cables of varying sizes on varying underlying surface materials .

A further object is to provide a device capable of turning in single-pin cable clamps which have been surface treated, without destroying the treated surface.

A further object is to provide a magazine for such a wefting device which enables quick and easy loading of new clamps into the wefting device and allows rapid switching back and forth between clamp types.

These and other purposes are achieved with the help of a weft device, a magazine and a system according to the invention, respectively, as defined in the independent claims. Specific embodiments of the invention are defined in the independent claims. According to one aspect, the weft device comprises a housing comprising fastening means for fastening a magazine for cable clamps. The housing further comprises an elongated weft slot provided with an entry opening through which a cable clamp is movable to enter the weft slot, and an exit opening through which the cable clamp is movable to exit the weft device. The weft device further comprises a weft means guided in relation to the housing for movement inside the weft slot along a first longitudinal axis, back and forth between a lower position and an upper position. In the lower position, the wefting means at least partially blocks the entry opening of the weft slot, so that a cable clamp cannot pass through the entry opening and into the weft slot. In the upper position, the weft means is positioned to allow a cable clamp to enter through the entry opening and into the weft slot. The wefting means is provided with chambers on opposite sides of the wefting means along at least part of the length of the wefting means. The combs are provided with respective lower portions which gradually increase in width to upper wider portions. The housing is provided along its weft slot with first lateral recesses to allow the combs to travel back and forth with the weft means without impinging on the housing. The housing is adjacent to the entrance opening provided with other recesses extending from the respective first recesses and past the entry opening of the weft slot.

A weft device provided with such a weft means is advantageous, as it enables operation of the weft means back and forth between the upper and lower positions to directly control operation of a locking mechanism provided partially outside the weft slot, as there is room for extended portions of the locking mechanism to extend themselves from the outside of the weft slot and past the entrance opening through the second recesses to the first recesses so that they are moved by the cams for operation of the locking mechanism. Providing the locking mechanism at least partially outside the weft slot allows the locking mechanism to be integrated into a magazine that can be detached from the wefting device, which in turn makes it possible to form specific magazines for specific clamp designs, while adapting each locking mechanism to the specific type of clamp served by the magazine. The wedging device covered by the requirements also allows for a robust design with few moving parts.

In one embodiment, the locking means can be operated between an open position and a locked position depending on the position of the weft device along the longitudinal axis of the weft device's weft slot. The locking mechanism is further configured in its locking position to prevent one or more clamps in a magazine from moving forward from the outside of the weft slot towards the weft slot entrance opening, and in its open position it allows one or more clamps to move towards the weft slot entrance opening.

In one embodiment, the weft slot is open to the front and provided with a front member extending along the weft slot to define the weft slot forward. A lower part of the front element is movably attached to the housing by means of an eccentric mechanism, so that the front depth of the weft slot is adjustable by adjusting the eccentric mechanism. The adjustable front depth enables the weft device to be used with cable clamps of varying depth. The same weft device can thus be used to install a greater variety of cables. By making the weft slot open to the front, it is possible to provide the front element in front of the weft device, so that other parts of the weft device, and in particular those adjacent to the magazine entrance opening, can be made rigid without the need for adjustability. This provides a robust design with few moving parts.

In one embodiment, a magnet, referred to as the first magnet, is provided in a rear wall of the weft slot near the lower part of the entrance opening. Such a position of the first magnet enables the wefting device to attract the tip of the leg to a leading cable clip in a magazine attached to the wefting device to thereby at least guide the leg inside the wefting slot and also to assist in moving the cable clip out of the magazine and into the weft slot.

In one embodiment, a plurality of magnets, referred to as second magnets, are provided in a rear wall of the weft slot and distributed along the length of the weft slot between the weft slot's entry opening and exit opening. Such an arrangement of magnets enables the weft device to attract the leg to a cable clamp in the weft slot to guide it laterally to hold it in proper position in the weft slot during its travel through the weft slot and into the substructure. Incorrect alignment of the cable clamp will cause excessive wear on the weft device and may lead to incorrectly installed cable clamps.

According to one aspect, a magazine for cable clips includes an elongate body provided with a longitudinal guide slot for supporting a row of single leg cable clips in a front-to-back arrangement within the elongate body and for allowing the row of cable clips to move forward along its length of the guide slot towards an exit opening to the magazine provided at a front end of the magazine. The magazine is provided with a locking mechanism comprising at least one pair of arms located on opposite longitudinal sides of the guide slot. The arms are movable between a respective inner arm position and an outer arm position. The arms are provided with respective engaging means configured to partially block the guide slot for engaging a cable clip in the magazine from opposite sides when the arms are in their respective inner arm positions, to prevent the clip from moving forward toward the magazine exit opening. The respective gripping means are also configured to allow the cable clamp to move past the gripping means toward the magazine exit opening when the arms are in their respective outer arm positions. End portions of the arms protrude in front of the magazine exit opening. Such a magazine is advantageous, as it has an integrated locking mechanism and can thus be detached together with the magazine from the weft device. This allows specific magazines to be tailored for specific clamp designs by adapting each locking mechanism to the specific clamp type served by the magazine. Furthermore, as the end portions of the arms protrude in front of the exit opening, the end portions can be operated by cams which are swept past the magazine in front of its exit opening, thus enabling operation of the locking mechanism by arrangement of cams on opposite sides of the wedging means of a wedging device to which the magazine is attachable. Consequently, the same weft device and chamber can be used regardless of clamp type, which means that only one weft device is needed to supply several different types of single leg clamps of varying shape and size. Furthermore, the magazine covered by the requirements is robust and has few parts and also enables a robust design of the weft device with few moving parts.

In one embodiment, a forward portion of the magazine includes a recessed portion within the exit opening to allow a leading clamp to move diagonally away from the row of clamps in a first direction substantially along the length of the leg of the leading clamp. This concentration of the magazine enables movement of the clip in a direction substantially along the leg of the clip and partially through the outlet opening of the magazine. This in turn allows the use of a magnet located near the lower portion of the magazine to attract the tip of the leg of the leading cable clip to move the clip out of the magazine and into a weft position within the weft slot, ready to be forced out of the weft slot by of the input device. Accordingly, this concentration of the magazine enables the use of a simple mechanism to move the clamp out of the magazine by means of a magnet and without the use of additional moving parts. It should be understood that this concentration allows a magnet to attract the tip and back of the cable clamp and not a front portion of the cable clamp. Attracting the front part of the cable clamp at the clamp head would not work well and would require a much stronger magnetic field. Pulling the back of the clamp leg further makes it possible to keep the clamp leg aligned along the back wall of the weft slot.

In one embodiment, guide grooves, referred to as first guide grooves, extend along the guide slot to guide clamps along the guide slot, wherein the first guide grooves terminate with the recessed portion spaced from the magazine exit opening. Second guide grooves extend from the first guide grooves diagonally substantially in the first direction toward a lower front portion of the magazine. The second guide grooves provide improved stability for the leading clip as it moves in the first direction through the magazine exit opening and, with the help of the second guide grooves, provide support to the left and right portions of the head of a cable clip moving along the second grooves.

In one embodiment, a lower front portion of the magazine is provided with one or more third magnets oriented such that their magnetic field is capable of attracting the tip of the leg to a front clip in the magazine to move the clip out of the magazine. Such provision of one or more magnets in the magazine allows, compared to the provision of magnets only in the weft device, adaptation of the position of the magnets for each type of clamp to be supplied by the magazine, so that the magnetic effect to move the leading clamp out of the magazine is tailored to the specific the clamp design. Provision of magnets on the magazine does not per se preclude provision of magnets for the same or similar purpose in a rear wall of the wefting device's weft slot near a lower portion of its entrance opening.

In one embodiment, the guide slot is provided with an elongated opening along at least part of the length of the magazine. The oblong opening enables an outer arm to have access to bias clamps towards the magazine exit opening. Such an arm is typically integrated into the weft device as part of a biasing means for use with the magazine. Consequently, the need for internal biasing means for the cable clamp is avoided, effectively reducing magazine cost, complexity and material usage.

In one embodiment, the magazine is provided with a biasing means to bias a row of clamps in the magazine towards its exit opening. This can be advantageous if the weft device is not provided with a means to bias a clamp in the magazine towards its exit opening.

In one embodiment, the magazine comprises the row of single leg cable clamps stacked in a front-to-back position inside the magazine's guide slot. Magazines comprising cable clamps are preferred, as they allow rapid dispensing of cable clamps without having to first fill the magazine with clamps.

According to one aspect, a system comprising a weft device and a magazine according to any aspect above is provided. Such a system can be used to wrap various sizes of single leg cable clamps of the continuous hook surface type, so that only one wrapping tool is required to install cables of varying sizes on varying underlying surface materials. Surface treated clamps can be driven in without damaging the treated surface as the wedging slot allows the use of clamps without a continuous hook surface, which in turn provides a larger impact area for the wedging tool to engage and effectively distributes stress over a large area so that finishes, paints etc. not crack or be damaged. Furthermore, the system enables quick and easy loading of new clamps into the wefting device and allows rapid switching back and forth between clamp types, even with half-full magazines.

In one embodiment of the system, the wedging device is provided with left and right resilient members, such as leaf springs, configured to bias the magazine's respective left and right arms toward their locking positions when the magazine is attached to the wedging device. This enables the design of a less rigid magazine with less rigid arms and thus saves material, cost and the environment, while still being able to force the arms' gripping members into the guide slot with sufficient force to ensure that the clamps are not inadvertently forced past the gripping means.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Fig. 1-8x show different views of a weft device according to an embodiment of the invention. More specifically, fig. 3x-8x a sequence of steps in an initial cycle of operation of the wedging device to feed a clip from the magazine and strike it out of the wedging tool and into an underlying surface (not shown). Fig. 1 is a perspective view where the weft device is loaded with a magazine, where the rod is in a fully inserted position at the end of a weft stroke, and where a cable clamp is driven in by the rod.

Fig. 2 is a split view in perspective seen from above.

Fig. 3a-e show different views of the wefting device in a first cycle stage where the bar is completely retracted and all clamps are locked in the magazine by means of locking means for locking arms in the magazine in a locked position. Fig. 4a-e show different views of the wefting device in a second cycle stage where the bar is completely inserted into the housing of the wefting device. As best shown in fig. 4e, cams of the rod force opposing arms of the magazine apart into their respective open positions in which the clips are free to move forward in the magazine, as the locking means no longer stops the clips from moving forward. A biasing mechanism (spring not shown) forces the row of clamps forward where the leading clamp is stopped by the rod, and remaining cable clamps are stopped by the first clamp (and not by the locking means of the arms). Fig. 5a-c show various views of the wefting device in a third cycle stage where the bar is again withdrawn. As shown, the rod chamber is not withdrawn from the magazine arms, so that the arms are again in their locking position and prevent the remaining clamps from moving forward in the magazine. The tip of the leg of the leading clamp is attracted by a magnet which moves it in the direction D partly through the exit opening of the magazine. Fig. 6a-c show various views of the weft device in a fourth cycle stage where the bar is still sufficiently retracted to allow the leading free clip to continue its movement out of the magazine exit opening. As shown, the magnet positioned below the magazine attracts the tip of the clip sufficiently to rotate it out of the exit opening and causes the clip to remain positioned against the inner wall of the exit slot. Fig. 7a-c show different views of the wefting device in a fifth cycle step where the bar is again inserted further into the weft slot (6, and drives the clamp towards the weft slot's exit opening (6. Note that the bar has not yet been sufficiently inserted to move the arms to their respective open positions. Fig. 8a-e show various views of the weft device in a sixth cycle stage similar to the fourth cycle stage and briefly described above with reference to Fig. 4a-e, but this time having a clamp turned out of the exit opening. Similar to Fig. 4e forces the cam of the rod opposing arms of the magazine apart and into their respective open positions in which the clips are free to move forward in the magazine, as the locking means no longer stops the clips from moving forward. The feed mechanism (a spring which not shown, forces the row of clamps forward, with the leading clamp stopped by the bar, and remaining cable clamps stopped by the first clamp (and not by the locking device of the arms. Fig. 9a-g shows various perspective views of a large version of the magazine, suitable for accommodating Letti 8025 cable clamps (longer clamps than Letti 8016). Fig. 10a-g show various perspective views of a small version of the magazine, suitable for accommodating Letti 8016 cable clamps (shorter clamps than Letti 8025).

The two embodiments of the magazine are functionally the same, but are configured to be used with different clamps of different lengths.

Detailed description

Embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying figures.

It should be understood that terminology such as left and right, upper and lower, is used to denote relative positions useful in understanding the design, and that the wrapping device according to embodiments of the invention can be used to wrap cable clips in any orientation , such as upwards in a ceiling, sideways in a wall or downwards in a floor or a bench.

As shown in fig. 1 and 2, a weft device 1 according to a first embodiment of the invention comprises a housing 3 formed by a left and a right housing element 3a, 3b. The housing 3 is preferably formed of injection-molded plastic, although other suitable materials and manufacturing methods are possible within the scope of the invention. The left housing element 3a can be attached to the right housing element 3b by means of four screws shown in fig. 2, as positioned in the left housing element 3a. When the housing elements 3a, 3b are assembled together, they together form an oblong weft slot 6 provided with an entrance opening 8 (see Figs. 3c and 4c) through which a cable clamp 2 is movable to enter the weft slot 6, and an exit opening 9 through which the cable clamp 2 is movable to exit the weft device 1 to be driven into a substructure, such as a roof, a wall or a floor.

The housing 3 is provided with a part (extending to the right in Fig. 2) which includes means 4 for attaching the magazine 5a to the housing 3 in the form of a slot in which the magazine 5a, 5b can be easily inserted. In this embodiment, the slot into which the magazine 5a can be inserted is provided with two sets of left and right recesses 34, 35 which extend along a portion of the length of the slot to receive the magazines 5a, 5b of different sizes, respectively in different positions .

The largest magazine shown together with the weft device 1 in fig. 1-8c is provided on its outside with left and right grooves extending along part of the length of the magazine 5a to guide the magazine 5a in the upper right and left recesses 34 to the slot 4 into which the magazine 5a can be inserted. A smaller embodiment of the magazine 5b for use with shorter clamps is shown in fig. 10a-g. The smallest magazine 5b can likewise be inserted into the lower recesses 35 of the fastener 4 and is also provided on its outside with left and right grooves extending along at least part of the length of the magazine 5b to guide the magazine 5b in the left and right recesses 35 to the slot 4 in which the magazine 5b can be inserted. The height of the upper left and right recesses 35 is less than the height of the lower left and right lower recesses 34. The height of the outer left and right grooves of the largest magazine 5a is low enough to fit into the upper recesses 34, and the height of the left and right outer grooves of the smallest magazine 5b is greater than the height of the upper left and right recesses 34, so that it cannot be inserted into the upper left and right recesses 34, but only into the lower left and right the recesses 35. This prevents incorrect insertion of smaller magazines 5b.

As will be further described, the magazines 5a, 5b are designed so that the tip of the leg of the leading cable clamp in each magazine, after it has been released from the locking mechanism and moved forward towards the wedging means 7, is located near a lower front part of the magazine. Furthermore, the magazines are configured to be inserted in a respective position where the bottom of the magazine 5a, 5b is close to the bottom of the slot of the fastener 4, so that the tip of the clamp is positioned in the same position in the weft device 1 regardless of clamp size. This sets the first magnet 17 of the weft device 1 in a position to pull the leading clamp 2 out of the magazine regardless of clamp size (see fig. 5c and 6c). The wedging device 1 also comprises an wedging means 7 in the form of an elongated metal rod with a square cross-section and a rounded upper head which is suitable for being driven into the wedging means 7 by using a hammer. Other materials and cross-sectional shapes can be used within the scope of the invention. The rod is guided relative to the housing 3 for movement inside the weft slot 6 along a first longitudinal axis A (see fig. 3b and 3d, back and forth between a lower position (see fig. 4a-e and 8a-c) in which the weft means 7 at least the weft slot 6 partially blocks the entrance opening 8, so that a cable clamp 2 cannot pass through the entrance opening 8) and into the weft slot 6, and an upper position in which the weft means 7 is positioned to allow a cable clamp 2 to pass through the entrance opening 8 and into the weft slot 6. Movement of the rod is limited by the provision of an elongated stop slot 28 on the front side of the rod 7 and a stop element 29 provided on a front element and extending into the oblong stop slot 28, where the front element is attached to the housing 3 When the stop element 29 reaches its upper or lower extreme point, the stop element 29 engages respectively with the upper or lower end of the oblong stop slot 28. Instead of a In addition to stop slot 28 and stop element 29, other means with the same functionality can be provided within the scope of the invention. However, as the stop slot does not protrude from the rod, the rod can be pulled back and out of the housing 3 after the front element 17 has been moved away from the housing 3. The stopper element 29 is optional, and in other embodiments the rod 7 can be moved freely out of the housing 3.

The rod 7 is provided with left and right chambers 10 which extend along part of the length of the weft means 7. The combs 10 are provided with respective lower parts 12 which gradually increase in width along the length of the rod 7 to upper wider parts 13. The combs 10 are formed from a suitable material, such as plastic or metal. The rod is attached to the rod 7 by press fitting into corresponding left and right recesses of the rod 7, but can in other embodiments be attached to the wedging means 7 in any suitable way. The housing 3 is provided along the weft slot 6 with left and right first recesses 11 shaped to allow the combs 10 to travel back and forth together with the rod 7 without the combs touching the housing 3. As shown, the first recess 11 can be separate from the weft slot 6, but can in other embodiments be part of the weft slot. It may be advantageous to separate the weft slot from the first recesses, as it allows a closer fit between the weft means 7 and the weft slot 6, so that it effectively allows for better lateral guidance of a clip which is moved through the weft slot 6. The housing 3 is further provided with left and right second recesses 14 which extend from the respective first recesses 11 and past the weft slot 6 entrance opening 8 from the inside of the weft slot 6 to the outside of the weft slot 6, so that an external object, such as arms for a magazine, can be moved into the first recesses 11 from the outside of the weft device 1. The other recesses 14 further serve to provide space around the combs for objects that protrude from the housing 3 through the entrance opening 8 of the weft slot 6 to be moved by the combs 10, for example forced away from the weft means 7 from the first recesses 11 to the left and right side of the impact device respectively 7. Items ne which protrude into the housing, are typically front parts of the left and right arm 23 of a locking mechanism for controlling the feeding of clamps through the weft device 1 towards the entrance opening of the weft slot 6. Such arms 23 are typically integrated with the magazine, but in some embodiments may instead be provided as part of the weft device 1. In the illustrated embodiments, the other recesses 14

The weft slot 6 is open to the front (see Fig. 3a and 3c), and the weft device 1 is provided with a front element 15 which extends along the weft slot 6 to delimit the weft slot 6 forwards. A lower part of the front element 15 is movably attached to the housing 3 by means of an eccentric mechanism 16, so that the front depth dl of the weft slot 6 (see fig. 3c) is adjustable by turning an outer arm of the eccentric mechanism 16. The adjustable front depth to the weft slot 6 enables the weft device 1 to be used with cable clamps of varying depth. It should be understood that providing an oversized weft slot, i.e. of fixed depth large enough to accommodate the largest clamp for which the weft device is to be used, will not always work well, as the smallest clamps will sometimes be driven in at an angle in the underlying substructure. The depth adjustable weft slot 6 enables the depth of the weft slot to be adjusted to closely match the depth of the clamp to be driven in, thereby providing a front wall to the weft slot to support the clamp as it is driven in.

A first magnet 17 is provided in a rear wall 18 of the weft slot 6 near a lower part of the entrance opening 8 (see Fig. 2). Such a position of the first magnet 17 enables the wefting device 1 to attract the tip of the leg to a leading cable clip in a magazine attached to the wefting device, thereby at least guiding the leg inside the wefting slot 6 and also helping to move the cable clip out of the magazine and into the weft slot. Furthermore, two other magnets 19 are provided in the back wall 18 of the weft slot 6 and are distributed along the length of the weft slot 6 in a straight line between the input slot 6's input opening 8 and exit opening 9. The other magnets 18 attract the leg of a cable clamp 2 in the weft slot 6 to guide it laterally to keep it in the correct position in the weft slot in a straight path of movement during its travel through the weft slot 6 and into the substructure. Improper alignment of the cable clamp 2 will cause excessive wear on the weft device 1 and may lead to incorrectly installed cable clamps 2. In this illustrated embodiment, a straight central recess 30 is provided along the rear wall 18 of the weft slot to help guide the leg to a cable clamp, while the other magnets 18 attract the leg into the straight central recess 30. This recess is also to guide a central projection 31 on the rear side of the clamping heads, shown in fig. 11a-j, especially in fig. Ili.

The wedging device 1 is also provided with a biasing mechanism comprising an arm 32 which is slidably guided in the left and right guide slots 33 along which the arm 32 is forced forward by a spring (not shown). The arm 32 hangs rotatably in the guide slots 33 to rotate back and forth between an active position and an inactive position. In the active position, the arm 32 folds into the slot of the fastener 4 to extend into a magazine 5a, 5b, where the arm 32 is able to function to force clamps forward towards the exit opening 22 of the magazine 5a, 5b. In the inactive position, the arm 32 is folded backwards away from the guide slots 33 of the fastener 4, so that magazines 5a, 5b can be inserted into and pulled out of the weft device 1.

A first embodiment of a magazine 5a for cable clamps 2 will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The magazine 5a shown for example in fig. 9a-g comprises an elongated body provided with a longitudinal guide slot 20 to support a row 21 of single leg cable clamps in a front-to-back arrangement within the elongated body and to allow the row 21 of cable clamps to move forward along the length of the guide slot 20 towards an exit opening 22 to the magazine 5a. The exit opening 22 is provided at a front end of the magazine 5a and is illustrated by the plane P. As shown, the magazine 5a is not flat around the exit opening 22, but the plane P illustrates a plane in front of which the impact means 7 is free to pass in front of the exit opening 22 and thereby to drive away the clamp 2, which clamp has moved out of the exit opening 22. As shown in fig. 9g, the exit opening 22 can be provided at an angle a ± in relation to the longitudinal axis AX of the magazine 5a, the angle al. The angle al is preferably chosen so that the plane P is substantially parallel to a frontal plane P2 through the tip and through the foremost part of the head of the first clamp of a row of clamps in the magazine 5a, as illustrated in fig. 3c. In other words, the angle al is chosen so that the exit opening 22 is parallel to the front plane P2 of the foremost clamp. This in turn makes it possible for the leading clamp to be stopped by the wedging means 7 without too much free space around the clamp, and so without being able to move around between the wedging means 7 and the second clamp in magazine 5a, which could have leading to the risk of clogging the magazine 5a or to the unwanted release of the second clamp. The magazine 5a is provided with a locking mechanism comprising at least one pair of arms 23 placed on opposite longitudinal sides, i.e. respectively the left and right sides of the guide slot 20. The arms 23 are movable between a respective inner arm position (see fig. 3e) and a respective outer arm position (see fig. 4e). Furthermore, the arms 23 are provided with respective gripping means 24 in the form of cone-shaped projections which extend normally to each arm and into the guide slot 20 to partially block the guide slot 20 to engage a cable clamp 2 in the magazine from opposite sides when the arms 23 are in their respective inner arm positions. The cone-shaped protrusions 24 thus help to prevent a clamp 2 from moving forward and past the gripping means 24 towards the exit opening 22 of the magazine 5a. The respective cone-shaped protrusions 24 are also configured to allow the cable clamp 2 to move past the cone-shaped protrusions 24 towards the magazine exit opening 22 when the arms 23 are in their respective outer arm positions. In other embodiments, the gripping means may take other forms, such as rubber pads, metal tips, or simply a surface with sufficient friction to allow gripping clamps. End parts 25 of the arms 23 protrude in front of the outlet opening 22 of the magazine 5a, as shown in fig. 2. Furthermore, opposite left and right leaf springs 36 are provided on the housing 3 to bias the respective left and right arms 23 towards their locking positions. The provision of leaf springs or similar resilient members 36 to bias the arms 23 enables the design of a less rigid magazine with less rigid arms, thus saving material, cost and the environment, while still being able to force the arms 23 gripping members into the guide slot 20 with sufficient force to ensure that the clamps are not inadvertently forced past the gripping means 24.

A front portion of the magazine 5a includes a recessed portion inside the exit opening 22 to allow a leading clamp 2 to move diagonally away from the row of clamps in a first direction D substantially along the length of the leg of the leading clamp 2 after being released past the locking mechanism's gripping means 24, and so after the weft means 7 has been moved so that it does not block the entrance opening of the weft slot 6.

The guide slot 20 of the magazine 5a is provided with an elongated opening 25 along the length of the magazine 5a through which an outer arm 26 is movable to bias a row of cable clamps 21 towards the exit opening 22 of the magazine 5a. Such an outer arm 32 is provided as part of the clamp biasing mechanism of the weft device 1 described above.

The magazine can preferably be sold pre-loaded with a row of single-leg cable clamps stacked in a front-to-back position inside the magazine 5a guide slot, so that the cable-attaching craftsman can quickly load new clamps into the wrapping device only by withdrawing an empty magazine from the wrapping device 1 and insert a new magazine into the weft device's 1 fastener 4.

A first embodiment of a system according to the invention comprises the weft device 1 and the magazine 5a described above.

Claims (13)

1. Insertion device (1) for inserting a first cable clamp (2) into a substructure, in which the insertion device (1) comprises a housing (3) comprising fastening means (4) for attaching a magazine (5a, 5b) for cable clamps, where the housing ( 3) further comprises an elongated entry slot (6) provided with an entry opening (8) through which a cable clamp is movable to enter the entry slot (6), and an exit opening (9) through which the cable clamp (2) is movable to exit out of the wefting device (1), wherein the wefting device (1) further comprises a wefting means (7) guided relative to the housing (3) for movement in the wefting slot (6) along a first longitudinal axis (A), back and forth between a lower position in which the wefting means (7) at least partially blocks the entrance opening (8) of the wefting slot (6) so that a cable clamp (2) cannot pass through the entrance opening (8) and into the wefting slot (6), and an upper position in which the wefting means (7 ) is positioned to t allow a cable clamp (2) to enter through the entrance opening (8) and into the weft slot (6), characterized in that the wefting means (7) is provided with chambers (10) on opposite sides of the wefting means (7) and along at least part of the wefting means (7) length, wherein the combs (10) are provided with respective lower portions (12) which gradually increase in width to upper wider portions (13), wherein the housing (2) along its weft slot (6) is provided with first lateral recesses (11) to allow the cams (10) to travel back and forth with the weft means (7) without impinging on the housing (2), and wherein the housing (2) is provided, adjacent to the entrance opening (8), with second recesses (14) extending from the respective first recesses (11) and past the entrance opening (8) to the weft slot (6). 2. Weft device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the weft slot (6) is open forward (FW) and wherein the weft device is provided with a front element (15) which extends along the weft slot (6) to define the weft slot (6) forward, wherein a lower part of the front element (15) is movably attached to the housing (2) by means of an eccentric mechanism (16) so that the front depth (dl) of the weft slot (6) is adjustable by adjusting the eccentric mechanism (16). 3. Weft device 1 according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a first magnet (17) provided in a rear wall (18) of the weft slot (6) near a lower part of the entrance opening (8). 4. Weft device 1 according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a plurality of other magnets (19) provided in a back wall (18) of the weft slot (6) and distributed along the length of the weft slot (6) between the entrance slot (6) and the entrance opening (8) ) and outlet opening (9). 5. Magazine (5a, 5b) for cable clamps (2) comprising an elongated body provided with a longitudinal guide slot (20) for supporting a row (21) of single leg cable clamps in a front-to-back arrangement within the elongated body and for allowing the row (21) of cable clamps to move forward along the length of the guide slot (20) towards an exit opening (22) of the magazine (5a, 5b) provided at a front end of the magazine (5a, 5b), wherein the magazine (5a, 5b) is provided with a locking mechanism comprising at least one pair of arms (23) placed on opposite longitudinal sides of the guide slot (20), in which the arms (23) are movable between a respective inner arm position and a respective outer arm position, wherein the arms (23) are provided with respective gripping means (24) configured to partially block the guide slot (20) to engage a cable clamp (2) in the magazine from opposite sides when the arms (23) are in their respective inner arm positions for to prevent the clamp (2) from moving forward towards the exit opening (22) of the magazine (5a, 5b), wherein the respective gripping means (24) are also configured to allow the cable clamp (2) to move past the gripping means (24) towards the exit opening (22) of the magazine when the arms (23) are in their respective outer arm positions, and in which end portions (25) of the arms (23) protrude in front of the outlet opening (22) of the magazine (5a, 5b). 6. A magazine according to claim 5, wherein a front portion of the magazine (5a, 5b) comprises a recessed portion inside the exit opening (22) to allow a leading clip to move diagonally away from the row of clips in a first direction (D) substantially along the length of the leg to the front clamp (2). 7. A magazine according to claim 6, wherein first guide grooves (26) extend along the guide slot (20) to guide clamps along the guide slot (20), wherein the first guide grooves (26) terminate with the recessed portion at a distance from the magazine exit opening (22), and wherein second guide grooves (27) extend from the first guide grooves (26) diagonally in the first direction (D) towards a lower part of the magazine (5a, 5b). 8. A magazine (5a, 5b) according to any one of claims 5-7, wherein a lower front portion of the magazine (5a, 5b) is provided with one or more third magnets oriented so that their magnetic field is capable of attracting the tip of the leg of a leading clip (2) in the magazine (5a, 5b) to move the clip out of the magazine. 9. A magazine (5a, 5b) according to any one of claims 5-8, wherein the guide slot (20) is provided with an elongated opening (25) along the length of the magazine (5a, 5b) through which an outer arm (26) is movable to bias a row of cable clamps (21) against the outlet opening (22) of the magazine (5a, 5b). 10. A magazine (5a, 5b) according to any one of claims 5-8, provided with biasing means for biasing a row of clamps (21) in the magazine (5a, 5b) towards the outlet opening of the magazine (5a, 5b). 11. A magazine (5a, 5b) according to any one of claims 5-10 comprising the row (21) of single leg cable clamps stacked in a front-to-back position inside the guide slot of the magazine (5a, 5b). 12. System comprising a weft device according to any one of claims 1-4 and one or more magazines according to any one of claims 5-10. 13. System according to claim 12, wherein the wedging device (1) is provided with left and right springing elements (36), such as leaf springs, configured to bias the respective left and right arms (23) of the magazine towards their locking positions when the magazine is attached to the wedging device.