US2242050A - Stapling machine - Google Patents

Description

May 13, 1941. s. F. BAUwENs STAPLING MACHINE Filed March 23, 1939 u N VE N TO 2J #R575 wwe/15 M144 C/I TTO @Ej/$- o/ a L @WW Patented May 13, 1941 UNTED STT STAPLING MACHINE Application March 23, 1939, Serial No. 263,636

11 Claims.

.The invention relates to improvements in stapling machines and has particular utility as applied to a machine for shaping a ribbon or band in the form of an accurately dimensioned bow and stapling the band to hold it in such configuration.

One object of the present invention is to provide a machine of the type set forth which is rugged in construction, economical to manufacture, and so simple to manipulate that it may be used eiiciently by even a comparatively unskilled operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide a machine for stapling a band or ribbon, such as is used, for example, on mens hats, in a bow form while utilizing a minimum of ribbon and with al1 of the staples neatly arranged in concealed positions.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stapling machine capable of accurately and precisely determining the length of the various parts of a decorative bow formed in a ribbon or band and for stapling the material to hold it in such configuration.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a stapling machine embodying a novel staple clinching mechanism of such character that the legs of the staples are clinched fiat against the material to which they are applied without any unsightly bowing or bulging. clinching the staples with such a mechanism they are particularly adapted for use in a decorative bow of ribbon or the like where any bulging of the staples is especially undesirable although they may, of course, be used for other purposes.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of the rear side of a stapled bow made on the stapling machine of Fig. 2.

Fig. 1a is a front View, on reduced scale, of the bow of Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a stapling machine embodying the invention.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of a portion oi the machine shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a stop motion view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the gauging 'device of the machine in operated position.

Fig. 5 is a detail vertical sectional View along the line 5 5 in Fig. 4.

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variety of diierent forms of stapling machines.

Accordingly, even though a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in some detail, there is no intention to thereby limit the invention to such embodiment but, on the other hand, the appended claims are intended to cover all modications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

The decorative bow of Fig. l is formed from a band or strip of ribbon I0 folded upon itself to form inner and outer layers Illa and Illb for the bow with the end lllc turned in so that the raw end is hidden between the `layers and a complete loop formed. Transverse stiieners, shown as ber strips,v il and l2, serve not only to hold the ends of the bow against `sagging but also facilitate the stapling of the band or ribbon in its necessary loop shape for the bow. The strip l l is held to the inner bow layer Illa at the closed end of the loop by tie hooks I4, while theother strip l2 is Xed to the inner bow layer lila, at what may be termed the open end of the loop, by staples i3. In each case, the staples extend only through the adjacent stiffening strip and the inner layer of the bow so that when the bow is viewed from the front (as in Fig. la) the staples are entirely hidden from view by the outer layer lb. Ii desired, of course, a center cross bar for the bow may be added before it is applied to a hat.

The tie hooks lll are of a form disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 310,898, filed December 26, 1939. Each of these tie hooks is formed from a generally U-shaped staple and one leg is clinched iiat `against the inner bow layer lila to clamp the same against the stiffening strip ll while the other leg is bent outwardly in a hook shape in order to serve as a means for attaching the bow to a hat. In fashioning the bow of Fig. 1, these tie hooks I4 are rst secured in position and clamp the stii'fening strip Il in place. Thereafter, the bow of Fig. 1 is completed by the machine herein disclosed.

To identify briefly the principal parts of the machine (Fig. 2), it should be noted that it includes a stapler head I5 which may be depressed to clamp a portion of the ribbon material beneath it and to drive one or more staples through the material. Beneath the stapler head I5 is a die unit I6 against which the material is clamped and which serves to clinch the emerging ends of the staple legs, which have been driven through the material, into an accurately flattened position on the underside of the material which is being stapled.

Cooperating with the die unitIB is a gauge,

designated generally by the numeral I1, which is shiftable bodily away from the die unit I6 a'selected distance so as to draw out, for a corresponding distance, the overlapping parts of the band or ribbon I which is wrapped around the die unit and the gauge. Thus,. when the gauge I1 moves from the position of Fig. 3 to that of Fig. 4, it pulls the loop in the ribbon Ill out so that the inner and outer layers IIIa and II)b of the loop are Aof selected length. By thus positively limiting the range of movement of the gauge, the point of overlap at which the ribbon end IOC is to be stapled to the body or illet` of the ribbon is accurately determined for the formation of a bow of predetermined size and of the form of that of Fig. 1.

Turning now to a more detailed consideration of the elements of the machine, the stapler head I is of conventional'form and is carried by a.

swinging arm I8 (Fig. 2) pivoted at I9 on a frame or bed for the machine which also supports the inner end of the die unit I6. The arm I8 is yieldably urged to its upper or inactive position (shown in Fig. 2) by a compression spring 2I. To -drive the staple or staples into a portion of material positioned beneath the stapler head I5, one or more axially movable plungers 22 in the stapler head are utilized. This plunger is yieldably held in its retracted or inactive position by a heavy compression spring 23. Staples are supplied to the driving plunger 22 on successive actuations of the stapler head Vby a magazine (not shown) housed within the stapler head and arm I8. Magazines and staple driving heads of this general form `are well known in the art and consequently further detail of description is believed to be unnecessary.

To swing the stapler head l5 downward into clamping engagement with the material to be stapled and to actuate the staple driving plunger or plungers 22, a manual operating lever 24 is.

provided (Fig. 2). This lever is pivoted at 25 on a bracket 26 projecting upwardly from the frame 20. A contractile spring 21 normally urges the operating lever 24 into a retracted position against a stop pin 28. When the lever 24 is swung in a clockwise direction (as viewed in Fig. 2) a wear plate 29 thereon contacts the head of the plunger or plungers 22. Since the spring 23 is stiffer than the spring 2 I, however, the pressure exerted on the head of the plunger 22 causes the arm I8 to swing -downwardly until the stapler head I5 abuts against the material to be stapled which rests on the die unit I6 thus securely clamping the same in place. Thereafter, continued pressure on the plunger 22 causes it to move axially downward within the stapler head I5 andv drive a staple (two staples and two plungers lare used in the particular machine shown) into the material which is presented to it.

The die unit I6 is in general fashioned to clinch the legs of the staples into an accurately attened configuration along the underside of the material being stapled. Upon reference to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the staples I3 are initially U-shaped, conventional wire staples of this type being suitable for the purpose. After being driven through the overlapping portions of the ribbon II) and stiffener strip I2, the legs I3 and I3b of the staples are bent into the form shown in Fig. 6;

The particular die unit I6 illustrated, includes a top plate 30 (Fig. 3) hereinafter referred to as a carrier pivoted by a rib 3I along its rear edge on a bottom plate 32 supported at one end on the frame 20 so as to project laterally therefrom into the path of the staple head I5. Both the carrier 30 and the bottom plate 32 are substantially rectangular in form and dene a generally blocklike structure. The pivoted carrier 30 is yieldably urged into its projected or uppermost position (shown in Figs. 3 and 4) by one or more compression springs 33, upward movement under the bias of these springs being limited by a stop pin 34 (Fig. 4) xed to the bottom plate 32 and projecting through a registering aperture in the carrier 30. A recess 35 in the top of the carrier receives the head of the stop pin 34, the recess being of suiiicient depth to allow the carrier to execute its full stroke without having the'pin head project above the top surface of the same. The top surface of the carrier thus remains smooth and unobstructed at all times.

The foot of the 'stapler head I5 is notched out as indicated at 36 (Fig. 2) to accommodate the material placed on the top of the die unit I6. Directly beneath the staple driving plunger 22 in the head I5, a recess 31 (Fig. 4) is fashioned in the die unit carrier 30. This recess is positioned to receive the staple legs I3-I3b as they are driven through the ribbon I0 and stiffening strip I2. Within this recess 31 are located two sets of clinching dogs or dies 33-39 and 40-4I (Fig. 5). One of these sets of dogs acts on the legs of one of the staples I3 and the .other set acts in identical manner on the legs of the other staple. Accordingly, a description of the action of one set of the clinching dogs will suilice for both.

The clinching dogs 38 and 39 are loosely pivoted by pins 42-43, respectively, on the die unit top plate or carrier 30. The adjacent ends of the dogs are relieved as shown (Fig. 5) so that they do not interfere with each other in their swinging movement about their pivots. The free ends of the dogs 38-39 rest onv a wear plate 44 fixed to the stationary die lunit bottom plate 32. Accordingly, when the carrier 30 is pressed downward, from its projected position of Fig. 5 to its retracted position of Fig. 6, the dogs 38-39 are swung upwardly about their pivots l2-43. This motion of the ldogs is utilized to complete the clinching of the staple legs I3a-I3b.

The upper surfaces of the dogs 38--39 are substantially at, being inclined downwardly toward each other when in their initial position shown in Fig. 5. Consequently, as the staple legs I3al and I3b emerge from the underside of the stiffener strip I2 through which they have been driven, their `paths are intercepted by the respective top surfaces of the dogs 33-39 so that the legs are deilected inwardly during the nal portion of their :advance through the material which they pierce. Continued downward motion of the stapler head l5 presses the carrier 30 downward so that the dogs 38-33 are finally swung into the position of Fig. 6. In this position their flat top surfaces are pressed against the bottom of the stilener strip I2. The result is that the staple legs I3a--I3b are clinched by being bent inw-ard Iin a precise right angle configuration without any humping or bulging at the point of bending. This precise clinching of the staples is particularly desirable in stapling a `decorative bow of the form shown in Fig. 1, since it prevents any unsightly distortion of the outer layer Illb of the bow by the .underlying staple legs.

The gauge I'I embodies a generally rectangular block 45 (Fig. 3) dimensioned so that its top and bottom surfaces lare arranged substantially in alinement with the top and bottom surfaces of the die unit I6. This block 45 is fixed on the forward end of a table 46 which is in turn mounted for sliding movement `toward and away from the die unit I6 along a guideway fashioned on the machine frame 25. A contractile spring 4'I, an-

chored at its opposite ends to pins 48 and 49 fixed respectively on an extension 49a (Fig. 5) of the bottom plate 32 and the table 46, serves to yieldably urge the gauge unit I'I toward the die unit I6. .A recess 50 in the outer face of the block 45 is dimensioned to receive the 4previously attached stiiening strip I I on the ribbon I0 so .that the ribbon may be looped loosely about the gauge block 45 and .projecting end of the die unit I6 in the manner sho-wn in Fig. 3 with the closed end of the loop accurately located on the block 45 by the engagement of the strip II with the recess 50. Then to draw the loop in the ribbon out to the desired length it is simply necessary to pull Ithe gauge unit Il away from the die unit I 6 by depressing a treadle 5I (Fig. 1), which is connected to the gauge unit `carrier 46 by a cord 52 led over a pulley 53. Such outward movement of the gauge unit is limited by an adjusts-bly positioned stop pin 54 (Figs. 1 and 3) which can be set in any one of a series of holes 55. The stop pin 54 is, of course, set at a point corresponding to the displacement of the gauge unit I I required for pulling the ribbon out to `a point where the end I0c will be overlapped with :the main portion of -the ribbon just a suffi-cient distance for stapling.

In some instances it may be desirable to make one of the layers Ia---Ib of the bow in Fig. l longer than ythe other. For this purpose a plate 56 (Fig. 3) is arranged for movement transversely of the ribbon wound around the gauge block. For this purpose, the plate is adjustably fixed in position on the forward face of the block 45 by a screw 5l passing through a vertical slot 58 in the plate. It will be evident that by shifting the plate up or down, the length of the por-tion of ribbon passing over the top of the die unit and gauge block between the attached stiiening member II and .the point at which the staple I3 is to be driven can be readily adjusted. This adjustment, however, does not aiect the length `of the material passing around the under side of the unit, hence the inner and outer llayers of the completed loop are non-uniform.

In the operation of the machine `described above, the loperator irst places a iiber stiffening strip I2 on the die unit I5 above the clinching dogs 38-39 and 4I! and 4I `and against guide plate 59 secured to the unit. This guide plate serves to hold the strip exactly at right angles Ito the ribbon and locates it in proper position for stapling. A length of ribbon having the stirlening strip II previously stapled to it at a point proper for the length of bow which -is `desired is then procured. This length of ribbon is loosely wound `about the platen I6 and gauge unit I'I in loop formation as shown in Fig. 3. The stiIIening strip II is, of course, placed in the recess 55 in the louter side of the gauge block 45. The gauge plate 56 is set so that the portion of ribbon I0a which is led over it will 4bear a predetermined dimensional relation to the lower portion I0". Similarly, the stop pin 54 is set so that when the gauge unit I'I is pulled out against it, the lower portion of the loop IIIb will be pulled out to `a point where the ribbon end section IIJe just underlies the stapler head I5 (Fig. 4). It will be understood that in ordinary practice a large number of identical bows are usually made in succession so -that the adjustments of the gauge plate 56 and stop pin 54 are comparatively infrequent.

After the machine has been preliminarily adjusted in the manner described above, and the ribbon I Il wound loosely in loop formation, as shown in Fig. 3, the operator depresses the treadle 5I. Such actuation of the treadle draws the gauge unit Il outward against the stop pin 54 and the loop in the ribbon is vdrawn out taut in the :configuration shown in Fig. 4. During this operation, the operator holds his lingers on the overlapping portions of the ribbon on top of the second stiffening strip I2 so as t'o keep both sides of the loop taut and properly positioned for stapling. Then the manual operating lever 24 is swung down so that the stapler head I5 is ydepressed into clamping engagement with the overlapped portions of the ribbon.

Upon continued depression of the -operating lever 24, the plunger 22 drives the staples I3 through the loverlapped portions of the 4ribbon and also through the stifener strip I2. Continued pressure lon the operating lever 24 nally causes the carrier 36 to be Idepressed so that the sets of dogs 38-39 and III-4I are swung to the position `of Fig. 6, as previously described, and the staple legs I3a-|3 b neatly clinched against the underside of the stiifener strip I2. rThereafter, the operator has only to release the operating lever 24 Iand treadle 5I which return automatically to their initial positions under the bias of the respective springs 2l and 4l. The bow of Fig. 1, which is thus completed, may then be slipped from the die unit I5 and gauge unit I'I which project laterally free of the machine frame 25, and another portion of ribbon placed in the machine for stapling in the same manner,

I claim:

l. A stapling machine comprising, in combination, a movable staple driving,r plunger, an opposed die unit located beneath said plunger. a gauge member located adjacent said unit and adapted to receive a piece of ribbon or the like wrapped about said unit and said member in loop coniiguration and overlapped at a point beneath said plunger, and means for shifting said gauge member a selected distance from said unit to pull the ribbon out until a predetermined length thereof is comprised in the loop.

2. In a stapling machine, the combination with movable means for driving the legs of a staple through a strip of ribbon material and a stifening member presented thereto, of a die unit for clinching the staple legs against the underside of the stifiening member, said die unit including an elongated carrier pivoted at one end and having its free end located in opposed relation to the staple driving means. staple clinching means supported in a recess in the free end of the carrier, guide means on said carrier for locating the vstiffeningmember with respect tothe staple clinching means, means yieldably holding the carrier in a position to permit the staple legs to be driven through the material and the stiftening member, said carrier being movable with the driving means after the staple has been driven, and means operative in the movement of the carrier for actuating the clinching means to clinch the staple legs ilat against the underside of the stiffening member.

3. A machine for forming loops in strips of ribbon material comprising, in combination, a stationary member, a movable member shiftable toward and from the stationary member, means yieldably holding said movable member closely adjacent the stationary member While a strip of ribbon material is wound around the members in loop formation, means for shifting the movable member away from the stationary member to pull the ribbon into a loop of predetermined length, and means for securing the overlapping portions of the ribbon together to close the loop.

4. A machine for forming loops in strips of ribbon material comprising, in combination, a stationary member, a movable member shiftable toward and from the stationary member, means yieldably holding said movable member closely adjacent the stationary member while a strip of ribbon material is wound around the members in loop formation, adjustable means for determining the limit position of the movable member, means for shifting the movable member to its limit position to pull the ribbon into a loop of predetermined length, and means for securing the overlapping portions of the ribbon together to close the loop.

5. A machine for forming loops in strips of ribbon material comprising, in combination, a stationary member, a movable member shiftable toward and from the stationary member, means yieldably holding said movable member closely adjacent the stationary member while a strip of ribbon material is wound around the members in loop formation, adjustable stop means for limiting the displacement of the movable member with respect tothe stationary member, means for shifting the movable member into engagement with said stop means to pull the ribbon into a loop of predetermined length, and means for securing the overlapping portions of the ribbon together to close the loop.

6. A machine for forming loops in ystrips of ribbon material each having a stiffening member attached at a point corresponding tothe closed end of the loop, said machine comprising, in combination, a pair of members one movable laterally toward and away from the other, means urging said members together While a strip of ribbon material is Wound around the members in loop formation, one of said members having a recess adapted to receive the attached stiiening member, means for moving the l:shiftable member away from the other member to determine the final lengthy of the loop, a gauge plate adjustably supported on one of said members for movement transversely of the ribbon wound thereon and operative todisplace one side of the loop'` and thereby increase its length with respect to the other side of the loop, and means for securing overlapping portions of the ribbon together.

'7. A machine for forming loops in strips of ribbon material each having a stiifening lmember attached at a point corresponding to the closed end of the loop, a pair of members one movable laterally toward and from the other,

means urging said one member toward the other while a strip of ribbon material is wound around the members in loop formation, said one member having a recess adapted to receive the attached stiffening member and thus prevent movement of the ribbon relative to that member, guide means on the other member for locating a second stiifening member to be secured to the ribbon adjacent the other end of the loop, means for moving said one member away from the other member to determine the length of the loop, a gauge plate supported on one of said members for movement transversely of the ribbon Wound thereon to vary the length of ribbon between the stiffening members at one side of the loop.

8. A machine for forming closed loops in strips of ribbon material each having a stiffening member attached at a point corresponding to the closed end of the loop, said machine comprising, in combination, a pair of members one shiftable laterally away from the other to determine the length of a loop formed in a ribbon wound around the members with the stiffening member held in fixed relation to said one member, guide means mounted on the other member and located within the coniines of the loop for holding a second stifening member in predetermined relation to the ribbon, and means associated with said other member for stapling the overlapped portions of the ribbon and the second stiiening member together.

9. A machine for forming a loop in a strip of ribbon material having a stiffening member attached thereto at a point corresponding to the closed end of the loop, said machine comprising, in combination, a staple driving plunger, a staple clinching die unit located in opposed relation to said plunger, a gauge member supported for movement toward and from the unit, means yieldably holding said member closely adjacent the unit to permit the strip of ribbon material to be wrapped about the unit and the member in loopconiiguration, said gauge member having a recess in one side for receiving the stiifening member attached to the material, means for shifting said gauge member a selected distance from the unit to pull the ribbon into a loop of predetermined length, and means for operating said plunger to drive a staple through the overlapping portions of the ribbon at the open end of the loop, said die unit cooperating with the plunger to clinch the staple.

10. A machine for forming a loop in a strip of ribbon material having one stiifening member attached thereto at a point corresponding to one end of the loop,v said machine comprising, in combination, a staple driving plunger, a staple clinching die unit located in opposed relation to said plunger, guide means on said unit for locating a second stiiening member in position to be secured to the ribbon adjacent the other end of the loop, a gauge member supported for movement toward and from the unit, means yieldably holding said gauge member closely adjacent the unit to permit a strip of ribbon. material to be Wrapped about the unit and the member, the second stiffening member and the gauge member, said gauge member having a recess in one side for receiving the first mentioned stiiening member, means for moving said gauge member away from the unit to pull the ribbon into a loop of predetermined length with the stiffening members located substantially at opposite ends thereof, and means lfor operating said plunger to drive a staple through the overlapping portions of the ribbon and the second stiiening member, said die unit cooperating with the plunger to clinch the staple.

11. A stapling machine comprising, in combination, a plurality of members one shiftable laterally away from the other to determine the length of a. loop of ribbon or the like wound about the same, means located adjacent said other member for driving a staple through the overlapped portions of the ribbon, and means carried by said other member for clinching the staple.

SERAPHINE F. BAUWENS.

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