US2325322A

US2325322A - Clip applying mechanism

Info

Publication number: US2325322A
Application number: US343361A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles F Jackson
Original assignee: Reynolds Spring Co
Current assignee: Reynolds Spring Co
Priority date: 1940-07-01
Filing date: 1940-07-01
Publication date: 1943-07-27
Anticipated expiration: 1960-07-27

Description

y 1943- c. F. JACKSON 2,325,322

CLIP APPLYING MECHANISM Filed July 1, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet l 51 CHARLES F JAEKEUN j m M12 7! y 27, 1943- c. F. JACKSON 2 2,325,322

CLIP APPLYING MECHANISM Filed July 1, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I CHARLEEFJAEKEUN July 27, 1943. c. F. JACKSON 2,325,322

CLIP APPLYING MECHANISM Filed July 1, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 gwvwm EHAF'LEE F .JAEKEUN Patented July 27,1943,

CLIP APPLYING MECHANISM Charles F. Jackson, Jackson, Mich, acsignor to Reynolds Spring Company, Jackson. Mich, a

corporation of Delaware Application July 1, 1940, Serial No. 348,361

29 Claims.

The present invention relates to an automatic wire clip forming and fastening machine, and

more particularly to such a machine adapted for use in the spring cushion industry.

In the manufacture of spring cushion seats, mattresses and the like wherein a plurality of helical springs on end are disposed adjacent each other, such springs are commonly secured together by wire clips known generally as pig or hog rings. The almost universal practice is to form these rings into generally U-shaped clips and then to close them together on work by means of manually operated pliers. This procedure is not only slow, but also is exceedingly hard on'the hands of the operators. The apparatus according to the present invention automatically forms the U-shaped clips and closes them about work. One of the principal features of the invention is its simplification brought about by the forming of one clip and the closing of another clip in a single downward movement of an operative member.

An object of the present invention is to automatically feed, form and close a clip about work upon a single cycle of movement of a reciprocating member.

Another object of the present invention is to automatically form and close a clip about work upon a single downward movement of an opera-. tive member.

Another object of the invention is to form clips, store them for subsequent use and to feed them into clip closing jaws.

A further object of the invention is to form a wire clip over a post, to store clips thus formed on the post and to feed stored clips, one at a time, from said post into clip closing jaws.

A still further object of the invention is to provide link actuated clip closing jaws, the movements of which are regulated by laterally disposed flcation when taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the machine according to the present invention, with the side cover plate removed from a portion of the operative structure,

Egg. 2 is a side elevation of the invention beinz use Fig. 3 is a section on the line Ill-III of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a section on the line IV-IV of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is a. section on the line VV of Fig. 1, FiFigl. 6 is a view taken on the line VI-VI of Fig. 'I is a section on the line VIIVII of Fig. 5,

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevational view of the Jaws, and

Fig. 9 is a section on the line IX-IX of Fig. 5.

Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the reference characters I indicate driving pulleys connected through a single cycle clutch mechanism 2 of some well known constructiomto a shaft 3 having at one end thereof 1 a crank 4. A connecting rod Ii is driven by the crank! and reciprocates a rod 8. The rod 8 actuates mechanism within the body 'I to form generally U-shaped clips 8 from wire 9 fed from some suitable source. Also actuated by the rod guides adjacent the path of movement of. said Jaws.

A still further object of the invention is to form a wire clip about a post, to store the clips thus formed on the post and to further form the clips while they are on the post.

A still further object of the invention is to provide wire clip forming dies and shearing means associated with said dies whereby as said dies are moved relatively together, a predetermined length of wire disposed between said dies is cut in advanceof the forming action of said dies.

These and other objects residing in the arrangement, construction and combination of the parts will be apparent from the following speci- 6 are clip closing jaws III, into which one clip at a time is fed and which operates to close the clip 8 about adjacent coils ii of closely arranged springs i2, shown enclosed in fabric casings it, moved on a table H beneath the body 1. It will be understood that the fabric casings ll about the coil springs i2 are not an essential part of the work on which the apparatus, according to the present invention, is adapted to operate, but comprise merely a portion of a cushion spring construction, a step in the manufacture of which is illustrated.

The body I consists of a main housing i8, secured to a frame member l9. The frame member i9 is provided with a bored boss 20 for receiving and guiding the rod 6. The main housing It consists of side members 2| and 22, shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 6, connected by a central partition 23, shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 6. The side members 2| and 22 of the main housing l8 comprise two opposite sides of the body I. The other opposite sides of the body I are

side plates

24 and 25, shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 6.

Within the body iis a slide member 26, shown particularly in Fig. 5. The slide 26 is connected to the rod 6 for reciprocation therewith, by a pin 21. The slide 26 is provided with a block 28,

laterallythrough a vertical slot 26 in the side member 22 of the main housing l6. Vertically reciprocable in the slot 26 andsecured to the block 26 by a screw i a feeding dog holder 3|. The dog holder 3| is bifurcated at the lower end thereof to provide a slot 32 in which is mounted a feeding dog 33 by a pivot I14.

Mounted at one side of the body 1 is a casing into which the feeding dog 83 projects and which pivotally supports a star wheel 4 I fixed for rotation with a gear 42, meshing with a gear 43. The gear 43 in turn meshes with a gear 44, pivotally supported on a bell crank arm about a projection 46 extending from the casing 40. The gear 43 and 44 have fixed for rotation therewith grooved wire feeding rollers 41 and 43 respectively.

Each time the rod 6 moves down under the action of the crank 4, the dog holder 3| moves the dog 33 into engagement with the star wheel 4| to give the same a partial rotation, thereby rotating through the

gears

42, 43, and 44, the feeding rollers 41 and 48 to feed a predetermined length of the wire 9 into the body 1 for formation into a clip. Tension on the feeding rollers 41 and 48 is controlled by an adjustment screw 49 in threaded engagement with the vertical arm of the bell crank lever and bearing against the outside of the casing 40, a shown particularly in Fig. 1. In order to prevent the dog 33 from rotating the star wheel 4| in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 1, the dog 33 is held in outwardly projected position by a weak cantilevered leaf spring 56, 3| by a screw 5|, as shown particularly in Figs. 1 and 3. Thus, as the dog 33 moves upwardly, it will be cammed by the star wheel 4| out of operative relation therewith until it i in position above the star wheel 4| in which position it will be returned outwardl to its normal operative position by the spring 50.

The wire 9 after leaving the feeding rolls 41 and 48 passes through a tubular cut-off bushing 52, shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9, secured in a bore 53 in the side member 22 by a set screw 54. From the cut-off bushin 52, the wire 6 projects over a post 55 into position to be formed into a generally U-shaped clip over the post 55 by a moving die 56. The die 56 is secured to the slide 26 for reciprocation therewith, and is disposed directly above the wire 3 in its position over the post 55.

Arranged about the post 55, as disclosed particularly in Figs. 5 and 7, are three feeding pins 51, one on each side and one on the top for pushing clips along the post 55 after they are formed. In order that the pins 51 may obtain a suflicient bearing against the clips, they are recessed slightly into the post 55. Th pins 51 are fixed to a plate 60, shown particularly in Fig. 5. The pins 51 also are slidably disposed in a post support 6|, integral with the post 55, and secured to a post support holder 62, in turn connected to the main housing |8. The plate 66 together with pins 51, connected thereto, are laterally reciprocable against the action of two springs 63, shown in Figs. 5 and 6, disposed about pins 64, secured to the plate and sildable in a bracket 65 rigid with the main housing l8. Also secured to the plate 60 are two follower pins 66, shown in Figs 5 and 7. The follower pins 56 are slidable in the post support holder 62 into and out of the path of movement of camming finger 61 which are secured to the slide 26 adjacent the die and are reciprocable with the slide 26.

connected to the dog holder 45, pivoted 9,885,892 shown particularly in Figs. 1, 8 and 4', projecting From Fig. 5 it will be clear that the feeding pins 51 are normally positioned to the left as viewed in Fig. 5 of the position to which the wire 3 is fed by the feeding rolls 4! and 48.- As the slide 26 moves down under the action of the rod 6, the camming fingers '61 engage with the pins 66 to cam the plate 60 and with it the feedin pins 51 to the right against the action of the springs 63, bearing against the plate 60. This operation not only removes the feeding pins 51 from a position at which they would interfere with the operation of the die 56, but also places the feeding fingers 51 in a position from which they may move to the left under the action of the springs 63, following the raising of the camming fingers 61 from camming relation with the follower pins 66, to feed formed clips along the post 55.

The inner end of the cut-off bushing 52 is provided with a shearing edge 68 disposed at an angle to the direction of movement or the wire 6. Cooperating with the shearing edge 68 on the cut oil bushing 52 is a shearing edge 69 at one side of the die 56. As shown particularly in Fig. 7, the shearing edge 69 of the die '56 is somewhat in advance of the active portion of the die 56 shown in dotted outline in Fig. 7. Thu as the die 56 moves downwardly under the action of the slide 26, the shearing edges 68 and 69 cooperate toshear oil. the predetermined length of wire 6 that has been fed over the post 55. Following the shearing action the die 56 immediately engages the predetermined length of wire 9 and forms the same over the post 55 into a clip substantially U-shape in configuration. In order to improve the forming action of the die 56, the sides of the post 55, cooperating with the die 56, are slightly undercut. An undercut of 2 has been found to be satisfactory. As the die 56 and the camming fingers 61 move upwardly under the action of the slide 26, following the clip forming operation, the camming fingers 61 move out of engagement with the follower pins 66 to permit the springs 53 to actuate the pins 51 to move the newly formed clip slightly to the left along the post 55. The apparatus is now in position to form another clip. Thus, as the slide 26 moves down, it not only moves with it the dog 33 to feed a predetermined length of wire 9 over the post 55, but also cooks the feeding pins 51 to free the post 55 for another clip forming operation.

Associated with the post 55 and secured to the post holder 6| is a stripper bar 69 to strip clips from the die 56 as the die 56 moves upwardly following the forming operation, the clips being disposed between the post 55 and the bar 6|. A recess 10, shown particularly in Fig. 7, is provided in the die 56 to receive the stripper bar 69 during the actual clip forming operation.

The slide 26 in addition to actuating the die 55 and the camming fingers 61 also actuates the jaws III which are connected to the slide 26 by link 1| each provided with pivotal connections at each end. The jaws ID are each pivoted to movable plates 12 by pins 13. When the jaws l6 are in their upper position, the portions thereof below the plates 12 are disposed adjacent the end of the post 55 and are spaced apart as shown in Fig. 1 to receive clips from the post 55. The portions of the Jaws l0 above the plates 12 ex-- tend generally straight upwardly, but have the links 1| pivoted thereto at positions spaced laterally outwardly tween and the slide 26, so that when the slide 25 moves downwardly it will tend to act through the link 1| to pivot the jaws i0 about the pins from the pivotal points therebeto provide parallel channels 14 and cavities 15 in which the upper ends of jaws it slide during movement of the slide 28. During the first portion or the downward movement of the jaw l0, their upper ends are guided by the channels 14. However, during the latter part of their downward movement, due to the outward expanding action of the links 1|, the upper ends of the jaws III will move outwardly into the cavities 15 swin ing the lower ends of the jaws together about a clip therein to close the clip on work placed beneaththe jaws III.

In order to insure a strong closing action by the jaws l0, there is provided adjacent the lower path of movement of the jaws ID, a stop 18, which is carried by a pair of rods 11, slidably disposed in and guided by a bar 18, projecting laterally from and preferably comprising a part of the cover plate 25. The rods 11 also .project through a freely movable tie bar 18 and have disposed on them between .the

bars

18 and 18, springs 80. The stop 15 projects through an opening 8| in the side plate and is disposed in the path of movement of the outside plate 12 to which the jaws I8 are pivotally supported. Thus,'dur-ing downward movement of the jaws l8, when the plate 12 strikes the stop 15, further downward movement will be resisted by the action of the springs 80 with the result that the links 1| will forcefully close the jaws Hi to close a clip therein on the workbeing operated upon.

As shown particularly in Fig. 5, as the clips 8 are formed about the post 55, they are stored on the post 55, being stepped laterally by the action of the feeding fingers 51. Adjacent the cut off bushing 52, there is disposed a pair of forming fingers 82, pivoted to the partition 23, about pins 53. The forming fingers are disposed on opposite sides of the post 55 and have forming surfaces 84 adapted to engage with the sides of the clips 8 disposed on the post 55 as they pass opposite the fingers 82. The fingers 82 are actuated by a wedge cam 85, comprising a portion of the follower 25 and movable downwardly therewith. The Wedge cam is arranged to cam outwardly the upper follower ends 85 of the forming fingers 82. To cooperate with the forming surfaces 84 of the forming fingers 82, the post 55 is provided with materially undercut sides 81, shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 7, at the portion thereof opposite and past the forming fingers 82. Thus, as the die 55 moves downwardly to form a spring clip, the cam 85 also moves downwardly to cam the forming surfaces 84 against previously formed clips to further form them against the undercut side portions 81 of the post 55. It will be understood that each time a clip is formed, it is moved along the Post 55 by the feeding fingers 51 and that therefore the clips will be fed following their forming into position opposite the forming fingers 82.

When the post 55 has been filled with formed clips, as shown particularly in Fig. 5, an additiona1 feeding movement of the feeding pins 51 will force a clip 8 from the post 55 into the space between the jaws Hi. The jaws l5 each are provided with clip receiving recesses88, shown in Fig. 8 and are arranged so that they may yield apart slightly in order to permit the reception of a clip 8 and then resiliently close against a clip moved therebetween to resiliently support the same prior to the downward movement of the slide 25 carrying with it the jaws III. This result is accomplished by arranging the jaws I8 so that when they are in their upper position, as disclosed inFig. l, the inside edges 88 thereof are resiliently held apart by a spring 88 disposed in pockets in the jaws It. It will be understood that since the jaws III are pivoted about pins 13, if the upper inside faces 88 are yieldably held apart, the lower active portions of the jaws l0 maybe yieldably urged apart. a

For the purpose of forcefully urging the lower clip engaging portions of the jaws l8 apart when they are in their upward clip receiving positions, and thereby insuring that the jaws 18 are spaced apart sufilciently to receive a clip 8, notwithstanding any playthat might exist in the parts, there are provided in the cover plate 25 and in the partition 23 respectively, shoulders 83 constituting upper limits or stops for the movement of the jaw pivoting plates 12. When these plates hit the stops 83, slight continued upward movement of the slide. results in the links 1| pulling the upper ends'of the jaws l8 together and pivoting the lowerends thereof outwardly.

In order to provide an additional forming of the clips 8 disposed on the post 55, the jaws I0 are undercut to provide forming surfaces 84,

shown particularly in Figs. 5 and 8. These surfaces are disposed in recesses into which the end of the post 55 projects. Thus, as the jaws H] are moved downwardly under the action of the slide 25 through the links 1|, and the lower ends of the jaws ID are moved together to close a clip therein on the work being operated upon, the surfaces 84 will come together and urge the clips 8 opposite the surfaces 84 against the undercut sides 81 of the post 55 to further form the clips.

From the foregoing specification, it will be clear that the machine, according to the present invention, operates as follows: The clutch mechanism 2 is tripped to automatically give the shaft 3 one complete revolution. With the parts in the position as shown in the drawings, the machine is about to start a cycle of operation, and a clip 8 is disposed in the jaws [0. As the shaft 3 rotates, the rod 5 is moved downwardly under the action of the crank 4 and the connecting rod 5 to move the slide 25 downwardly. As the slide 25 moves downwardly, it forces the dog 33 against the star wheel 4| to rotate the feeding rollers 41 and to feed a predetermined length of wire 8 into position to be formed into a clip between the post 55 and the stripper bar 68. Continued downward movement of the slide 26 causes the camming fingers 61 to cam the follower pins 86 to the right, as viewed in Fig. 5, to move the plate 68, carrying with it the feeding fingers 51 to the right. The feeding fingers 51 are timed to move to the right to avoid interference with the wire 8 being fed through the cut-oif tube 52 into position to be formed into a clip by the die 55. The'die 56 is provided with a shearing edge 58 for cooperating with a shearing edge 88 on the cut-off tube 52 to cut off the predetermined length of wire 8 disposed over the post 55, just prior to the forming by the die 55. Following the cutting off of the wire 8,

the die 55 immediately forms the cutoif piece of wire over the post 55 into a clip. The side walls of the post 55 at the portion thereof cooperating with the die 56 are only very slightly undercut so'that the clip as originally formed is generally U-shaped in configuration. As the clip is being formed by the die 56, the wedged cam 85 cooperates with the follower portions 88 of the forming fingers 82 to urge the forming surfaces 84 of the forming fingers 32 into engagement with previously formed clips on the post 58 and to force them against the materially underout sides 81 of the post 55. This second forming operation has the result of providing the clips th a partially closed contour as distinguished from a substantially U-shaped form. At the same time, the jaws l8 are being moved downwardly by the links H to close the clip 8 in the jaws l over work being operated on. As the jaws III are being closed, the forming surfaces 84 of the jaws 18 are brought into engagement with clips adjacent the outer end of the post 55 to urge them against the materially undercut sides 81 of the post 55 to further form the clips.

When the hereinabove enumerated operations have been completed, the slide 28 has reached the bottom of its movement and starts to move upwardly under the action of the crank 4 through its connecting rod and the rod 8. As the slide 26 moves upwardly, the jaws [0 open under the action of the links H and the channels H. At the same time, the camming fingers 5! move away from camming relation with the follower pins 66 to permit the plate 60 and with it the feeding pins 51 to move to the left to step the newly formed clip one step to the left as viewed in Fig. 5, and at the same time, to feed a previously formed clip into the recesses 88 of the jaws Ill.

Having thus described my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim is:

1. In a machine of the character described, a vertically movable member having clip forming means and separate clip closing means, and means cooperating with said member to form a clip from one end of a continuous length of wire and to close another clip, previously formed thereby, on work upon a single downward movement of said member.

2. In a machine of the character described, a vertically movable member having clip forming means and separate clip closing means, means to feed a length of wire into operative relation with said member, and means cooperating with said member to out said wire into a predetermined length, to form said wire into a clip and to close another clip, previously formed thereby, on

work upon a single downward movement of said member.

3. In a machine of the character described, a vertically movable member having a clip forming die and separate clip closing means, apost disposed in operative relation to said clip forming die and normal to the path of movement of said die, means to feed a length of wire between said post and clip forming die, and means cooperating with said member to out off a predetermined length of wire, to form said wire into a clip over said post and to close another clip, previously formed thereby, on work upon a single downward movement of said member.

4. In a machine of the character described, a vertically reciprocable member having a clip forming die and a pair of clip closing jaws, a post in operative relation with said clip forming die and normal to the direction of movement thereof, means to feed a predetermined length of wire between said post and said die, and means cooperating with said member to cut off said predetermined length of said wire, to form a clip from said length of wire, about said post for storage thereon, and to feed a previously formed asaasaa clip stored on said post into said jaws and to actuate said jaws to close said last named clip on work upon a.single cycle of movement of said member.

5. In a machine of the character described, a substantially horizontal post, means to form substantially U-shaped clips on said post and to store the same thereon, forming fingers cooperating with said post to shape said clips, a pair of clip closing jaws adjacent one end of said post, means to feed a clip from said end of said post into said jaws, and means on said jaws upon actuation thereof to further form clips on said post prior to being fed.

6. In a machine of the character described, a substantially horizontal post, means to form substantially U-shaped clips on said post and to store the same thereon, a pair of clip closing jaws adjacent one end of said post, means to feed a clip from said end of said post into said jaws, and means on said jaws upon actuation thereof to further form a clip on said post prior to being fed.

7. In a machine 01' the character described, clip forming means, clip closing means, means for receiving clips as they are formed, means to feed a clip at a time from said receiving means into said clip closing means, means to actuate said clip closing means to close a clip therein on n work, and means operable with said actuating means to cook said feeding means.

8. In a machine of the character described, clip forming means, clip closing means, means for receiving clips as they are formed, spring actuated means to feed a clip at a time into said clip closing means, a reciprocable member, a connection betweensaid reciprocable member and said clip closing means to actuate the same to close a clip therein on work, and means connected to said reciprocable member to cook said feeding means while said closing means is being actuated.

9. In a machine of the character described, a

ing said arms intermediate their ends to said body, a clip closing jaw at one end of each of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected to the other ends of said arms to reciprocate the same in a direction generally axially of said arms, and when exerting a force toward said jaws to exert a relatively outwardly acting force on said arms, means to restrain the downward movement of said arms under the action of said reciprocating means,and means to control the pivotal movement of said arms with respect to said body when said reciprocating means exerts a force toward said jaws whereby upon the exertion of said last named force said arms move in a general axial said body to bring said direction until said restraining means become operative and then are pivoted with respect to jaws together to close a clip therein.

10. In a machine of the character described, a relatively fixed body, a pair of arms reciprocable in said relatively fixed body in a generally axial direction, a movable body, means pivoting said arms intermediate their ends to said body, a clip closing jaw at one end of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected to the other ends of said arms .to reciprocate the same in a direction 'generally axially of said arms, and when exerting a force toward said jaws to exert a relatively outwardly acting force on said arms, and guides on said relatively fixed body adjacent the outer sides of said arms respectively to limit the outward movement of the upper part of said arms under the action of said reciprocating means and to determine the closing action of said jaws, said guides being so shaped that upon exertion of a downward force on said arms by said reciprocating means said arms move downward in a general axial direction for a predetermined distance and then are pivoted with respect to said movable body to brin said jaws together to close a clip therein.

11. In a machine of the character described, a pair of arms, means to support said arms for pivotal movement about points intermediate their ends, a clip closing jaw at one end of each of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected to the other ends of said arms to reciprocate the same in a direction generalLv axially thereof, and means to control the pivotal movement of said arms during their axial movement, whereby in one position of axial movement of said arms, a clip may be fed into said jaws and in another position of axial movement of said arms, the clip in said jaws is closed thereby.

12. In a machine of the character described, a pair of arms, means to support said arms for pivotal ,movement about points intermediate their ends, a clip closing jaw at one end of each of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected .to the other end of said arms to reciprocate the same in a direction generally axially thereof, means to control the pivotal movement of said arms during their axial movement whereby in one position of axial movement of said arms said jaws are spaced apart to receive a clip and in another position of axial movement of said arms said jaws are closed on said clip to close the same, and resilient means operative when said jaws are relatively open to permit them to yield slightly apart during the feeding of a clip thereinto, whereby a clip fed to said jaws is resiliently gripped thereby.

13. In a machine of the character described, a pair of arms, means to support said arms for pivotal movement about points intermediate their ends, a clip closing jaw at one end of each of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected to the other ends of said arms to reciprocate the same in a direction generally axially of said arms, means to control the pivotal movement of said arms during their axial movement, whereby in one position of axial movement oi said arms a clip may be fed into said jaws and in another position of axial movement of said arms a clip in said jaws is closed thereby, a horizontally extending post adjacent said jaws having a plurality of clipsstored thereon, and means coordinated with the movement of said jaws to feed said clips one at a time into said jaws.

14. In a machine of the character described, a pair of arms, means to support said arms for pivotal movement about points intermediate their ends, a clip closing jaw at one end of each the clip in said jaws is closed thereby, a horizontally extending post having one end thereof adjacent said jaws and having a plurality of Dartially formed clips disposed thereon, a forming shoulder on each of said arms adjacent said jaws overlapping said end of said post, and movable into forming relation with clips on said post during the closing of a clip in said jaws whereby at least one partially formed clip on said post is 0D- erated upon by said forming shoulders each time said jaws come together in clip closing relation.

15. In a machine of the character described, a pair of arms, a freely movable body, means pivoting said arms intermediate their ends to said body, a clip closing jaw at one end of each of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected to the other ends of said arms to reciprocate the same in a direction generally axially of said arms, and when exerting a force toward said jaws to exert a relatively outwardly acting force on said arms, means to restrain the downward movement of said arms under the action of said reciprocating means, means to control the pivotal movement of said arms with respect to said body when said reciprocating means exerts a force toward said jaws whereby upon the exertion of said last named force said arms move in a general axial direction until said restraining means becomes operative and then are pivoted with respect to said body to bring said jaws together to close a clip therein, a horizontally extending post having one end thereof adjacent said jaws and having disposed thereon a plurality of partially formed clips, and means coordinated with the movement of said jaws to feed clips one at a time into said jaws from said post, said jaws having forming shoulders overlapping said end of said post and movable into forming relation with clips on said post when said jaws are moved together into clip forming relation.

16. In a, machine of the character described, a pair of arms, means to support said arms for pivotal movement about points intermediate their of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected to the other ends of said arms to reciprocate the same generally axially of said arms, means to control the pivotal movement of said arms whereby in one position of axial movement of said arms a clip may be fed into said jaws and in another position of axial movement of said arms ends, a clip closing jaw at one end of each of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected to the other ends of said arms to reciprocate the same in a direction generally axially thereof, means to control the pivotal movement of said arms during their axial movement, whereby in one position of axial movement of said arms a clip may be fed into said jaws and in another position of axial movement of said arms the clip in said jaws is closed thereby, a clip forming die connected to said reciprocating means for operation therewith, a post in operative relation to said clip forming die and having one end adjacent said jaws, means to feed a predetermined length of wire between said post and said clip forming die, means cooperating with said reciprocating member to cut of! said predetermined length of wire whereby said die cooperating with said post may form a clip from said wire about said post for storage thereon, and means to feed a previously formed clip stored on said post from said post into said jaws.

17. In a machine of the character described,

being connected to said member, a cam connected to said member, andmeans' connected to said reciprocating member for reciprocating the same whereby as said member is reciprocated said die forms clips and said cam actuates said fingers to further form said clips.

clip along said post following the forming oper- 18. In a machine of the character described,

means to form substantially U-shaped clips from one end of a continuous length of wire, means to receive a plurality of said clips for temporary storage as they are formed, means to perform a forming operation on said clips while being stored, clip closing jaws, means to actuate said jaws, and means to feed a clip at a time from said receiving means to said jaws for being acted upon by said jaws.

19. In a machine of the character described, means to form substantially U-shaped clips, means to receive a plurality of said clips for temporary storage, a pair of supplementary forming fingers for performing a forming operation on said clips while being stored, a cam for actuating said forming fingers, clip closing jaws, means to actuate said jaws, and means to feed a clip at a time from said receiving means to said jaws for being acted upon by said jaws.

20. In a machine of the character described, a movable die for forming substantially U-shaped clips, means to receive a plurality of said clips for temporary storage, a pair of pivoted fingers for performing a forming operation on said clips while being stored, a cam for actuating said fingers, common means supporting said cam and die for actuating the same, clip closing jaws, means to actuate said jaws, and means to feed a clip at a timefrom said receiving means ation, said feeding operation also feeding a previously formed clip from said post into said clip closing, means for closing the same on work.

24. In a machine of the character described, clip forming means including movable means, clip closing means, a post for receiving clips as they are formed, a pin projecting axially of said post and into overlapping relation with that portion of said post on which said clips are received as they are formed, a spring pressed member to which the said pin is connected and which resiliently urges said pin into said overlapping relation, a cam movable with said clip forming means,-anda follower member connected to said spring pressed member and projecting into the path'oi movement of said cam whereby as said movable forming means moves in One direction to form a clip, said cam actuates said follower to move said spring pressed means to move said pin from said overlapping relation and as said movable forming means moves in the opposite direction following the clip forming operation, said cam moves from operative relation with said follower, said pin is moved axially of said post by said spring pressed member to feed the formed clip along said post and at the same time to feed a previously formed clip from said post into said clip closing means for closing the same on work.

25. In a machine of the character described, a relatively fixed body, a pair of arms reciprocable in said relatively fixed body in a generally axial direction, a movable body, means pivoting said arms intermediate their ends to said body, a

to said jaws for being acted upon by said jaws.

21. In a machine of the character described, means to feed a predetermined length of wire, means to cut offsaid predetermined length of wire, means including movable means to form a substantially U-shaped clip fromsaid predetermined length of wire, means to receive clips from said forming means as they'are formed for temporary storage, clip closing jaws, and common means for supporting and moving said movable forming means and clip closing jaws and for actuating said feedingmeans, saidrclip closing jaws and said movable forming means.

22. In a machine of the character described, means to feed a predetermined length of wire, means to cut off said predetermined length of wire, means to form said predetermined length of wire into a substantially U-shaped clip, means to receive clips from said forming means as they are formed for temporary storage, clip closing jaws for yieldably receiving a clip at a time from said receiving means, means to actuate said jaws to move them toward work to be operated upon and to close a clip therein upon work, and means to feed a clip at a time from said receiving means to said jaws for being acted upon by said jaws.

23. In a machine of the character described, clip forming means, clip closing means, a post for receiving clips as they are formed, a plurality of pins extending axially of .said post and into overlapping relation with that part of the post on which said clips are received as they are formed, means to resiliently maintain said pins in said position, and means movable with said clip forming means to axially move said pins from said overlapping relation during the clip forming operation and for permitting said resilient means to move said pins axially into said overlapping relation to axially feed the formed clip closing jaw at one end of each of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected to the other ends of said arms to reciprocate the same in a direction generally axially of said arms, and when exerting a force toward said jaws to exert a relatively outwardly acting force on said arms, guides on said relatively fixed body adjacent the outer sides of said arms respectively to limit the outward movement of the upper part of said arms under the action of said reciprocating means and to determine the closing action of said jaws, said guides being so shaped that upon exertion of a downward force on said arms by said reciprocating means said arms move downward in a general axial direction for a predetermined distance and then are pivoted with respect to said movable body to bring said jaws together, to close a. clip therein, and a yieldable stop for yieldably resisting movement of said movable body for accentuating the outwardly acting force transmitted by said reciprocating means upon downward movement thereof to insure the closing action of said jaws.

26. In a machine of the character described, a pair of arms, means to support said arms for pivotal movement about points intermediate their ends, a clip closingjaw at one end of each of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating with each other, means connected to the other end of said arms to reciprocate the same in a direction generally axially thereof, meansto control the pivotal movement of said arms during their axial movement whereby in one position of axial movement of arms said jaws are spaced apart to receive a clip and in another position of axial movement of said arms said jaws are closed on said clip to close the same, resilient means operative when said jaws are relatively open to permit them to yield slightly apart during the feeding of a clip thereinto,

whereby a clip fed to said jaws is resiliently gripped nearby, and a yieldable stop for yieldably rmisting the downward movement of said arm supporting means at a predetermined point in their movement in jaw closing direction for cooperating with said pivotal movement control-- ling means to insure the closing of a clip in said aws.

27. In a machine of the character described, clip forming means including a movable clip forming die, actuating means for said movable die, rollers for feeding wire into operative relaiion with said clip forming means, a star wheel for rotating said rollers in feeding direction, a pivoted dog for rotating said star wheel, means driven by said actuating means for reciprocating said dog alonga predetermined path for rotating said star wheel a step during each reciprocation, and resilient means for projecting said dog into the path of said star wheel and for permitting the pivoting of said dog out of the path of said star wheel by said star wheel under predetermined conditions of operation.

28. In a machin of the character described,

a post, a movable die for cooperating with said 25 post to form a wire clip thereover, means to feed a predetermined length or wire over said post to be operated upon by said movable die, a stripper comprising a bar between said wire and said movable die, and a recess in said movable die for receiving said stripper while said clip is being formed.-

29. In a of the character described, means to form substantially U-shaped clips, means to receive a plurality of said clips for temporary storage,v a. pair of arms, means to support said arms for pivotal movement about points intermediate their ends, a clip closing jaw at one end of each of said arms, said jaws being adjacent to and cooperating each other, means connected to the other ends of said arms to reciprocate the same in a direction generally axially thereof, means to control the pivotal movement of said arms during their axial movement whereby in one position of axial movement a clip may be fed to said jaws and in another position of axial movement of said arms the clip in said jaws is closed thereby, and means to feed a clip at a time from said receiving means to said jaws for being acted lmon. by said jaws.

F. JACKSON.