US2453872A - Upholsterer's application tool - Google Patents

Description

Nov., 15, 194s.

. E. J. STAUFFER UPHOLSTERER S APPLICATION TOOL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 28, 1944 Nov. 16, 1948. E. J. sTAUFFER 21,453,872

UPHOLSTERERS APPLICATION TOOL Filed Aug. 2s. 1944 2 sheets-sheet 2 f www Patented Nov. 16,y 1948 UPHOLSTERERS APPLICATION 'roL `Edward Jg Stauieig Naperville,- Ill., assigner to Kroehlerv Mfg. C0., Naperville, lll., a2 corpora- `tion` of Illinois Application August' as, 1944, serial No. 551,585

The present invention relates te clip applicator tools and more particularly to a power actuated magazine storage device` for applying assembly clips to coil spring structuresof thefkind utilized in upholstered furniture. i,

The principal object ofthe present invention is to providea power .actuated mechanism for advancing upholsterers assembly clips from a storage magazine position toan application 'position and tov thereafter apply the clip by crimping its lug formations to wrap about andsecurely hold the coil spring units to an upholstery loutlining frame of wire or rod material.r

In many classes of upholstered furniture, spring cushioned seats, etc.,h'elical or c onicalcoil springs are assembled in vrows and secured in position to a perimetric framework. VAt the point of tangency of the upper convolutions of each coil to a metallic wire which constitutes the perimetric frame, mechanical securernentfiseffected by the application of an encircling clip in addition to which the-coils are secured tomeach other by various inter-connecting devices, such as coill springs, rope ties and other media'.` `inthe process of assembling coordinate rows of coil springs, an operator is required to hold 'eachspring in position and then to exert a manualforcesufcient to eect the necessary shaping ofthe binding clip. While placing the clip with,` its applicator tool, a slight exertionof force `isfnecessary in order to retain the clipin position within the applicator tool. These various PICcautions are excessively bothersome and require skill in order to be performed at even a low rate of assembly.

The present invention proposes any apparatus which will retain a `substantial supply ofjapplicator clips in a, magazinecolumn tobe fred one at a time to the clamping position.` In` addition, means lare provided for retaining the clip in the clamping position against inadvertent displacement and in readiness to beset down upon a spring and frame assembly with but little `skill requirement durin-g operation. The apparatus is adapted to be suspended by counterpoise-weights so as to afford exceeding facilityform'anipulation with one handandso tobe operated by the same hand as is used in holding, leaving the other hand free to perform adjustments and placement operations when necesary. By exerting a slight squeezing pressure, which may be executed with great facility regardless of the position angularly in which the machine is held, lvan air cylinder Claims. (Cl. y14u-55 operating plunger is actuated to effect the clamping operation and upon its release, clip `feed. mechanism is automatically responsive to v-posif 2 tion a succeeding clip in readiness for another operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the present invention consists of a simple and compact arrangement as will now be described in particular detail, having yreference to'the ac-y companying drawings and to the following cle-1 tailed specification, in which like reference numerals designate correspondingparts throughout and, in which:

Fig. lis a side elevation of an vautomatic up-` holsterers clip applicator vtool havingembodied therein certain features ofthe present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse` sectional viewtaken approximately on kline Z--Zof Fig.,` l and featuring the clamping 'jaws' in relaxed position;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View similar to Fig. 2 showing theclamping jaws in operated position; v i vFig. 4 is a fragmentaryvdetail view taken approximatelyion line f4 of Fig, l; v

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of an upholstery frame 'assembly showing the` manner in which the clips may be employed for securing the contiguous coil convolutions to the perimetric Wire frame;

Fig.6 is a transverse sectional View taken approximately on line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is aperspective View of one of the clips;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view of one of the clips applied onto the tangent point between a coil spring and a perimetric frame rod; and

Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail section taken approximately on line 9 9 of Fig. 8. i

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the reference character Il designates a principal supporting body shaped at I2 to afford convenience for gripping so that the operators hand' may be confined by the limits of the hilt ridges I3 and I4. Cross-sectionally the bodyis substantially circular, as loestindicated` in Fig. 6, and is provided with a rectangular channelway I5, in which there may` be received a supply column of clips l'nested one upon the other, after the manner best designated in Figs- 1 and 4. Each clip is provided on one side with a.v central tab or tongue I1 and on its other side with a pair of spaced tabs I8. The spacing and arrangement of vthe .tabs I1 and I8 is preferably such 'that thev space intervening the tabs I8 is equivaurged downwardly inthe magazine chute I5 by retention means through which the clips may bey inserted sidewardly. The lowermost clip is designed to rest upon a track afforded' by the-underhanging ribs 26 and 2l of the facefplate 28, Fig. 5, which member is secured asvby the screwsj29- to the body stock I l. A `shuttle carriage 3|, which rests upon the track Z--Z'Ll is provided with a sidewardly extending arm 32 pivot'ally' engaged as at 33 to the lowermost extremity of a telescoping arm extension 34 of a bell crank lever, whose principal arm 35 is spring urged in a clockwise direction about the pivot 35`by a helical spring, 3T..

The opposite arm. 38 of the bell crank hasits extremity bent over. at right angles-so as. to eX tend inwardly through a slot 39 of the body and' begreceived in an aperture 4|. of a piston rod 42 The upper extremity of piston rod tzextends. into al pistonhousing 43` and is integrally asso` ci'ate'diwith the air. operated piston 44`in the conventional manner. The lower extremity of rod 42 is slightly offset, as best indicated at 4,5 in dottedou'tline, Fig. 1', and terminates with a common pivotv 4G for a pair of"symmetricall`y oppo-l site'leverage links 4l and' 43, the former of` which ispivot'edA as at 49' toy one clamping jaw. 5| and thelattertothe. opposite clampingjaw 52..

Clampingjaws and I52 are mutually pivoted atl 53 and are providedwith appropriate jaw sec.- tions to correspondwith the lugs and I8 ofthe clips |6th`at is tosay, jaw 5| has a single and centralI jaw'element 54 to. engage. the single lug l1, while jaw 52' has a pair of" spaced jawelements; each for" engaging one ofi the lugs-` IS in order toelect' the`A clamping; operation indicated inrig. 3. A f

When the piston 44"is actuated by permitting the entrance to its operating side of'air under pressure through a control valve. 55, rod 4'2" is. thrust do-wnwardly spreadingr theA link'levers 4T and 48, after the manner 'indicatedinFig 3; rock'- ingthe jaws`5l and 52"'intothe positionshown in this illustration,y and rocking bell crank" lever -38fcounteraclockwi`se ab'outit's pvot'36'. As Ya result-'ofI the -lattermovement; .a pivot' 33`is moved.

rightwardly as arm extension 34 slides within the conningflips 56'lof`arm 35i'and'shuttle 3| is. apreviously supported movedto theright so that clip` l'lwhichhadfbeen resting on theshoulders 5T offthelshuttle 3| descends to` be supportedinstead uponthe tracks 26 and" 21. upon i the resumption of normal position. by, the elementsv actuated through piston rod' 42; bell crank 35i-38 resumes its shuttle Tis moved lto the left, Fig. 1.

This `movement on-the part of shuttle 3| causes the ultimataclip bef brought into iin-eter wire 6| and'the coil "wire 62' in readiness.

for the forming of the clipintothe holding-clamp.

Itwill beobserved 'further that 'j aw l 52is. recessed.

Thereafter,

clockwise position and I6 tol be shiftedleftwardly and. alinement` with the supporting lips-EB-"and 59, which are. integrally formediwith. respectively. The positionof tlieclipy I6 awaiting the operation cf the clamp 4. as at 63 to accommodate the greater radius diameter which is to be formed around the relatively thicker perimeter wire 6|, whereas the jaw 5| is provided with a smaller cut-away portion 64 to correspond with the relatively smaller diameter of the coil wire 62.

Upon each operation of the apparatus, the shuttle 3| is moved rightwardly to permit a succeeding clip I6 to drop to the level of the track 26-21 and upon the restoration movement, shuttle 3| resumes its left hand position, as shown in Fig. 1. In order to make for greater convenience,

it isproposed that automatic clamping units of the type described be supported from a counterbalanced weight. so that the weight of the apparatus itself may be: eliminated as a labor factor and the counterpoise may be suitably fastened to the unit by providing an element integral with thepiston housing or cylinder wall 43.

Air for operating the piston 44 may be admitted through a supply pipe' under the control of-a doubl'econtro-l" valve. 'of-v any conventional designL 55, one on eachside asrepresented in Fig. l.V The valve', may be actuated by a bellv crank lever 6lA when' the latter is pulled downwardly byr a` control link 68. Each controllink Ellis pivoted asiat 89'` to an arm 'Il' integrally formed with a pivotedgripping lever l2 for which appropriate recessing may be provided in the wall of the body and for which pivoted support may be hadas at 'I3 in pivot' rods that extend through hilt ridge I3.

During operation it is-necessary but for the operator to exert' a rmer grip or squeeze upon the handle regioni! in order to effect the actuationof one or 'both of the-control handles ofV the, controlgrips 12, whereby tovcausetheopening of Upon relaxation of thisv the control valve 55.. pressure, the valve, 55 seals and blee'der` ducts in wellknowny manner permit the escapeof the actuating uid whereupon by appropriate spring pressure' the elements resume their normalcondition;

While the present invention has been explainedl and described with reference. to a particular embodiment, .itis to be understood nevertheless'thatnumerous variations and mod'ications are contemplated within the realm ofthe disclosure. Itl is accordingly not intended to be/limited by thev details featured in the'A accompanyingy drawings;

norbythe precise languageoffthe foregoing speci1"ication,.except` as indicated -in. thehereunto ap pended claims.

'Ihe inventionclaimedis:

1'. A vpower operatedclamping apparatus comprising.. a vertical housing. member enclosingf'a magazine channelway for. a-vstacknof nested'up4- holsterersjclip's longitudinally? thereof and enf closingalsoa journatfor anfoperating rod par-- allelingv said channelway, porting the lowermosttained-in said..magazine1channelway for transverse. shuttle movementfa. setv-of-y clamping jaws for processing. each clip.l after itL has'been ad;

vanceduin said'shuttle movement, a bell cranklever. operatedgby saidrxrod to lshuttle each clip.- from its magazine channelway position' toits` clamping jawl position andto return for-a-subse" quent clip.- f

2.,Thecombination set'. forth in claim 1,V including a fluid loperated piston, a'supporting-.zgrip defining.. a. central portion of said housing andf control meansfonsa-idipiston located a't'arld' actuated byv squeezing fthe supporting lzgr'ipfofsaid fr apparatus.

3 A power-1 operated-.apparatus=forlstoringand I:

trackway means for sup-v4 of a-series of clips con-'- applying strapping clips comprising, a vertical member having a magazine channelway longitudinally thereof for carrying a stack of upholsterers clips in straddled alignment and a bore paralleling said magazine channelway, an operating plunger extending through said bore, means for supporting the lowermost of said stack of upholsterers clips contained in said magazine at a lowermost portion of said Vertica1 member for subsequent transverse shuttle movement, a set of clamping jaws actuated by said operating plunger for forming each clip after it has been advanced through said shuttle movement, a bell crank lever actuated by said plunger in a direction from shuttle advancement position to a new clip engagement position and spring means acting upon said bell crank lever upon the return movement of said plunger to advance a clip from its magazine storage to its jaw clamping position.

4. In a device for storing and applying upholsterers clips, a main body member supporting at one end thereof a pneumatic piston actuator and at its other end clip feeding and clip clamping mechanisms, and an intermediate portion to said main body member comprising a shaped handle susceptible of being encircled by an operators manual grip and including a portion affording a passageway for a piston rod connecting said actuator and said clamping mechanism, a

portion affording a passageway and magazine tral handle support of such slender proportions as to be encircled by an operators grip, a pneumatic actuator mounted at the upper end of said member including a thrust rod extending through a longitudinal bore in said handle support, a storage and feed magazine curving into and extending longitudinally through said handle support for housing and directing a nested stack of upholsterers clips, valve control triggers ilanking said handle support for regulating the admission of operating fluid to said actuator, a pair of clip forming jaws and toggle levers acted upon by said thrust rod for closing each of said clips about upholstery frame elements, and a terminal portion at the lower end of said body member through which said clips are directed to clamping position including a bell crank lever spring urged to clip advancing movement and returned to engage succeeding clips by a camming action imparted by said piston rod during its clamp actuating stroke.

EDWARD J. STAUFFER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,062,098 MacChesney Nov. 24, 1936 2,145,461 smith Jan. 31, 1939 2,147,976 Harrison Feb. 21, 1939 2,195,889 Maynard Apr. 2, 1940 2,205,690 Green June 25, 1940 2,208,819 Smith July 23, 1940 2,325,322 Jackson July 27, 1943

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