US2564886A - Staple forming and setting machine - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 21, 1951 P. F. EPPLE EI'AL 2,564,336

STAPLE FORMING AND SETTING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 F'IG.7

45 34/ mmvroxs.

PAUL E EPPLE 6 ROBERT I. PRUPIS .4 ATTOE EYS Aug. 21, 1951 P. F. EPPLE ET AL ,886

STAPLE FORMING AND SETTING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1948 1 3 SheetsSheet 2 J INVENTORS.

PAUL F. EPPLE I48 I46 ROBERT I. PEUPIS n40 nsa. T BY Z I2 I58 16a FIEJO l F'IEJI ATTORNEYS Aug. 21, 1951 P. F. EPPLE ET AL 2,564,886

STAPLE FORMING AND SETTING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORS. PAUL F. EPPLE ROBERT I. PEUPIS ATTOE Y5 Patented Aug. 21, 1951 STAPLE FORMING AND SETTING MACHINE Paul F. Epple, Brooklyn, N. Y.,' and Robert I."

Prupis, Irvington, N. J., assignors to Conmar Products Corporation ration oi New Jersey Newark, N. .L, a corpo- Application May 15, 1948, Serial No. 27,306

8 Claims. (Cl. 1-2) This invention relates to staple forming and setting machines.

The primary object of the present invention is to generally improve such machines. A more particular object is to improve the staple forming and setting machine disclosed in U. S. Patent #2,314,184, issued March 16, 1943, to Rudolph E. Zeruneith. The machine in question is particularly intended to make and apply end stops to slide fasteners. The end stop is passed through the tapes of the slide fastener and clenched around the slide fastener elements, thus holding the lowermost elements in mutually interlocked engagement.

In accordance with the present slide fastener sales practice, such machines are not sold to the user, but rather are given free by the slide fastener manufacturer, as a goodwill gesture. Because a large number of such machines must be made and distributed to customers at a total loss, and without definite knowledge or promise as to the extent of slide fastener purchase by the customer, it is helpful to reduce the cost of making the machines. Accordingly an important object of the present invention is to greatly simplify the machine; to reduce its weight; to minimize the castings required; to minimize the number of springs and other mechanical parts compared to those heretofore needed. In consequence we have. devised a staple forming and setting machine which has been so greatly simplifled that the cost of manufacture is only a small fraction of what it was previously.

To accomplish the foregoing general objects, and other more specific objects which will hereinafter appear, our invention resides in the stapling machine elements, and their relation one to another, as are hereinafter more particularly described in the following specification. The specification is accompanied by drawings in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one end of a flat wire from which the staples are formed;

Fig. 2 shows a staple blank cut from the continuous wire;

Fig. 3 shows the same after the forming operation;

Fig. 4 shows the staple as clenched around the slide fastener elements, but separated therefrom;

Fig. 5 shows where the clenched staple is applied in relation to the slide fastener;

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a complete stapling machine embodying features of our invention;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the stapling head of the machine, with a part of the cover plate broken away;

Fig. 9 is a section taken in the plane of the line 9-9 of' Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 shows the stationary die, and the lower ends of the staple former and driver, drawn to enlarged scale;

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the same, with a portion of the cover plate of the head also shown;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line I2-l2 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary view of the stationary die and wire guide, and is explanatory of a feature of the invention;

Fig. 14 is a section through the staple former taken approximately in the plane of the line l4-|4 of Fig-11;

Fig. 15 is a rear elevation of the cover plate and the wire feed mechanism mounted thereon, with the cover plate removed from the machine;

Fig. 16 is a horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line l6l6 in Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is an exploded view showing many of the working parts in perspective;

Fig. 18 is a bottom plan view of the slide with the attached driver and pusher dog shown in Fig. 17;

Fig. 19 is explanatory of a modification, and is a vertical section through the driver and cam block, much as is shown at one part of Fig. 9; and

Fig. 20 is a horizontal section taken approximately in the plane of the line 20-40 in Fig. 6, to show the construction of the base of the machine.

Referring to the drawing, and more particularly to Figs. 1 through 5, the staples are formed from a reel of continuous flat wire, a piece of which is indicated at I! in Fig. l. The point I at the end of the wire is formed by severance of the last preceding staple blank from the wire. The staple blank is shown at H5 in Fig. 2. The forward end 18 is pointed, and the trailing end 20 is bifurcated. These ends mate, the pointed end l8 of each staple being formed by the severance of the bifurcated end 20 of the preceding staple, without scrap or waste therebetween.

The cutting operation is immediately followed by a forming operation which bends the blank to U shape, as is best shown in Fig. 3. In its continued downward movement the staple is forced through the tapes and is then clenched, it being forced against a suitable clenching anvil on which the slide fastener rests. At this time the points are bent inwardly, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. The staple is not flattened because it is preferably applied around the lowermost fastener elements of the slide fastener, as is shown in Fig. 5. It will be understood that the slide fastener comprises tapes 22 and 24 hav-- ing interlockable fastener elements 26 and 28 secured along their respective beaded edges. The staple 30 acts as a bottom stop to limit downward motion of the slider (not shown) of the slide fastener. It also acts to hold the lowermost fastener elements in interlocked relation, thus preventing separation of the stringers beneath the slider.

The stapling machine is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. It comprises a base B, an upright column C, and a stapling head H secured at the top of column C. The mechanism of the stapling head H is operated by means of a foot treadle T.

As is best shown in Fig. 20, the base B comprises a pair of angle irons 32 and 34, bent and secured together to form an extensive stable base. A portion of the vertical flange 36 of angle iron 32 is secured to a portion of the. vertical flange 38 of the angle iron 34. The horizontal flanges 40 rest on the floor. In the particular form of base here shown each angle iron is bent once, and the two are secured together in Y shape.

The column 0 is made of a pair of upright members 42 and 44 which are arranged in collateral relation on opposite sides of the vertical flanges 36 and 38. The members are thus spaced apart somewhat by the flanges, and the operating arm 46 of treadle T is secured between the members 42 and 44 in the space provided by the flanges 36 and 38. In the present case the members 42 and 44 are channel irons arranged in back-to-back relation. The treadle is pivoted at 48 by means of a pin passing through the channels. Its rear end is bifurcated and receives the lower end of a generally upright link 50, the upper end of which is connected to an operating arm 52 pivoted on the head H at 54. The link is normally urged downwardly by means of a pull spring 56, thus raising the treadle T, and the mechanism within the stapling head.

In the particular structure here shown, a flat plate 58 of sheet steel is permanently secured to the top ends of channel irons 42 and 44, as by means of welding. receiving four bolts 60 by means of which the stapling head H is removably secured to plate 58 and thus to the upright frame. It will be seen that the frame is inexpensive and light in weight compared to a cast frame, for the angle irons of the base, and the channel irons of the column, are all standard rolled stock commonly available on the open market. The angle irons 32 and 34 are inexpensively secured together, and the channel irons 42 and 44 are inexpensively secured to the angle irons, by means of weldmg.

Coming now to the mechanism within the stapling head, and referring more particularly to Figs. 8, 9 and 1'7, there is a slide 62, the upper end of which is notched at 84 to receive the forward end 65 of the arm 52 previously referred to. The slide 62 moves in ways 68 (see Fig. 17) formed at the forward end of a cast support 10, the said casting being one of a very few parts in the entire machine which need be cast. The slide 62 has a staple driver 12 secured therebeneath, as by means of a pin I4, and these parts move together at all times. The slide 62 also functions to move a staple outside former 10,

This plate has four holes but in this case the movement is at first positive, and later yieldable, through aspring 82 and plunger 84 shown in Fig. 17.

A part of the outside former acts also as a movable punch cooperating with a stationary die I48 (Fig. 8) to sever the blank from the wire, before the blank is bent to U shape around an inside former I20 (Fig. 9) by means of the outside former. The inside former then moves out of the way and the staple is carried downwardly by the outside former and driver to the work on the stationary clenching anvil I68, where the staple is clenched by the continued positive movement of the driver.

Considering'the mechanism in greater detail, the flat vnre stock is carried on a reel I02 (see Figs. 6 and 7) freely rotatable on a rod I04 carried at the upper end of an arm I08, the lower end of which is secured to the side of the cast head 10 previously referred to. Wire from the reel is fed downwardly to feed mechanism best shown in Figs. 15 and 16. Fig. 15 is a rear view of the front plate I08 for the head of the machine. The wire I2 is fed through a guide hole III) and thence between a knurled feed wheel H2 and a pressure wheel H4. The wire then passes through a hollow guide tube II6 which is bent at II8 on a large radius to feed the wire horizontally over the inside former I20. The knurled feed wheel 2 is either made integrally with or is fixedly secured to a suitable ratchet wheel I22. These parts are rotatable on a shaft I24, but are frictionally restrained against free movement by means of a relatively powerful compression spring I26 which urges the wheels against the inner face of the plate I08. The brake action caused by the spring restrains the feed wheels against overtravel by inertia.

The pressure wheel H4 is preferably a metal rimmed wheel having a rubber core I28. This permits the wheel to yield, as is indicated by its eccentric relation to the shaft I30, shown in Figs. 15 and 16. Such a pressure wheel may be built up specially, but we have found that a standard part commonly available in the commercial market for another purpose. We refer to a Lord shockmount, the normal purpose of which is to so mount apparatus as to dampen vibration. It will be understood that the rubber portion I28 is disposed between inner and outer metal portions, the inner metal portion or hub rotating on the stationar shaft I30, and the outer metal portion or rim acting as a pressure wheel coopcrating with the knurled feed wheel I I2.

The feed movement. is obtained by means of a pawl carried by the slide 62 previously referred to, the said pawl being operative during the upward movement of the slide, and idling past the ratchet wheel during downward movement of the slide. The wire feed pawl is shown at I32 in Fig. 17, it being received in a notch I34 in slide 62, and being pivotally mounted on a pin I36. The corner I3! is cut away to permit the pawl to turn upwardly. The operative position of the pawl I32 is shown in phantom in Fig. 15. Its confinement between the slide and the cover plate I08 is shown in Fig. 9. In Fig. 8 the slide is in uppermost position, and the pawl I32 comes to rest against stop surfaces I38. As is best shown in Fig. 1'7, the stop surf aces I38 form the upper ends of long recesses I40 formed in the forward edges of the ways 68 of the cast head 10. In Fig. 17 note the lower horizontal surface I42 at the bottom of notch I34 in slide 62. -This holds the pawl I32 in horizontal position during upward movement of the slide after the pawl has been turned downward about the pin I36.

It should be understood that as the slide moves downwardly the free end of the feed pawl I32 rises and moves idly past the ratchet wheel. At the lower end of the stroke the feed pawl is forced to horizontal position, if it has not fallen of itself to horizontal position, by contact of the rear end of the feed pawl with the lower end I44 (Fig. 17) of notch I46. During upward movement of the slide the pawl remains in horizontal position and engages a tooth of the ratchet wheel I22. In the present case the wheel has nine teeth and is moved one-ninth of a revolution by the feed pawl. The feed is terminated when the slide reaches its uppermost position, the feed pawl then being held in horizontal position by the'horizontal surface I42 on the slide 62.

The flat wire is moved over a stationary die surface and is severed by the action of a movable punch. Referring to Figs. 10, 11, 12 and'13, the top of the die is indicated at I46, and the triangular portion which cuts the notch or bifurcated end in the blank is shown at I46. These are in the lower portion of a stationary member I56 which extends upwardly and acts as a guide at one side of the outside former I6. The triangular portion also extends upwardly, as indicated at I52, and its shape is best shown in Fig. 12. To form the die surfaces I46 and I46 3. large notch I54 is cut in the member I 56, as is best shown in Fig. 11. The top surface of die I46 is preferably ground at an angle or bias as is clearly shown in Fig. 10, "thus providing a shearing cut when the punch portion of the outside former reaches the wire I2 on the die. The section of Fig. 12 clearly shows how one side of the outside former I6 is channeled to precisely flt the die, thereby acting as a shearing punch as well as acting as a. staple former.

The centering of the wire laterallyof the die is controlled by means of a flanged wheel I56 (Figs. 10 and 11). The top surface of die portion I46 is preferably ground on a curve, as is indicated at I56, to conform to the periphery of the wheel I66.

This permits the wheel to continue to effectively guide and center the wire I2 even after grinding away some of the top surface of the die to sharpen the same. This is indicated in Fig, 13 by the change from the dotted line surface I46 to the solid line surface I46, which change represents the amount that may be ground away in the course of succe-sive sharpenings before the guide wheel I56 will lose its guiding action.

The sides of the flanges of the wheel are very slightly bevelled in order not to shave the side edges of the wire. This bevel is shown in Fig. 11,

III]

operation is performed by the outside former I6 surrounding the staple driver I2. To move the outside former and punch I6 downwardly there is a pusher dog I8 (Fig. 9) pivotally mounted on the slide 62, said dog in one of its positions having its lower end bearing on the top of the outside former 16, as shown in Fig. 9, and in its other position passing by said outside former into the space indicated at 86. Fig. 1''! best shows the spring 82 and pusher pin 84 which yieldably urge the outside former I6 downwardly even when the pusher dog I8 is disengaged. The pusher pin 84 is also shown in Fig. 18. When the outside former I6 comes to rest against the clinching anvil to act as a staple guide while the driver continues its positive downward movement, the former is held down by the spring 82 and pusher pin 64. To control the movement of the pusher dog a stationary camming pin 86 (Fig. 9) is provided, the said pin preferably having a rounded tip and cooperating with the pusher dog, as is best shown in Fig. 9, to insure engagement with the outside former when the slide is elevated. However, during the downward movement of the slide a sloping part 68 on dog I8 reaches and is pushed inwardly by the camming pin 66, thereby moving the lower end of the pusher dog toward the right, as viewed in Fig. 9, and so terminating the positive engagement between the dog and the outside former.

The outside former I6 is disposed immediately around the staple driver I2, as is best shown in Fig. 12. The outside former bends the blank to U shape around the inside former shown at I26 in Figs. 9 and 15. The inside former is pivoted at I22, the pivot being so offset from the inside former that downward pressure on the inside former tends to cause it to swing outwardly out of the way of the staple driver. The inside former comes between the sides of the staple former, as is best shown in Fig. 14. The inside but it should be understood that the showing there is greatly exag erated. and that in pract ce the bevel is so slight as not to materially affect accurate feed of the wire as the die surface is ground away.

The lateral or side-to-side position of the guide wheel may be adjusted, and for thispurpose the guide wheel is mounted on a stud the shank of 'which is threadedly received in the die body I56.

former I26 to swing out of the way. This is after i the staple has been formed, and permits the staple to be carried downwardly by the continued motion of the outside former and driver. Upon upward movement of the staple driver the camming block 96 (and with it the outside former) is carried upwardly by a pin 96 on the staple driver, as a result of which the inside former is moved back into position during the upper part of the stroke.

A modified arrangement for moving the camming block 96 is shown in Fig. 19, in which it will be seen that the staple driver 98 is cut away at I66 to receive the camming block 96. The recess I66 is of such length as to afford a desired amount of lost motion between the upward and downward movements of the camming block.

To prevent the bent staple from moving outwardly with the inside former, the outside former is preferably provided with steps, best shown at I64 in Fig. 14. The staple driver and the staple occupy the full width within the steps in the Outside former I6, which conforms to the outside dimension of the staple. The inside former I26, however, conforms to the inside dimension of the staple. The steps correspond to the thickness of the staple blank, and accordingly restrain the staple against outward movement when the inside former I20 swings outwardly. The steps I64 also help hold the staple firmly against tilting during the subsequent staple driving and clenching operation. The material forming the steps I64 may be milled away at a higher level, and this is indicated by the curved dotted line I66 in Fig. 11, the said line corresponding to the outline of the milling cutter used in machining the outside former.

The clenching anvil is shown at I60 in Figs. 6, 7, 8 and 9. This is a stationary member fixedly secured to a forwardly extending part I10 of the cast head I previously referred to. The anvil is provided with a locating pin I12. The tapes of the slide fastener are supported on the anvil, with the fastener elements brought as far as the pin "2, before depressing the treadle T to operate the machine. It will be understood that during the operation the outside former moves downwardly under spring pressure as far as the material of the slide fastener, and then acts as a stationary guide for the staple. The staple driver I continues its downward movement under positive downward pressure from the treadle, and forces the points of the staple through the fabric and against the conventional curved bending surfaces of the stationary clenching anvil. These turn the points inwardly, and finally the staple is clenched tightly around the fastener elements.

When the treadle is released the restoring spring (56 in Fig. 7) pulls the slide upwardly. ihis pulls the staple driver upwardly, and that in turn moves the camming block 90. The camming block 90 serves to take the outside former l6 upwardly with it, the said block being seated in the notches I14 best shown in Fig. 17. During the continued upward movement the inside former I20 is moved back into position beneath the wire, the pusher dog I8 is forced back to a position above the outside former, and the feed pawl feeds another unit length of wire forwardly over the die and inside former.

Sometimes during the cutting operation a fine shred or sliver of metal may remain on the side of the cutting punch. These slivers tend to be drawn upwardly during the upward movement of the punch, and if not relieved may accumulate, with increased friction and wearing action on the punch. We accordingly provide a sliver escape passage. This passage is a hole I16 drilled through the front plate I08 and best shown in Figs. 11 and 15. A sloping top surface I18 (Figs. and 11) at the upper end of the die member I50 leads downwardly to the sliver escape passage I16. Upward movement of the punch tends to bring the slivers up to the. sloping surface I18, where they are deposited, and if they acc'umulate the vibration of the machine during operation tends to shake them down into the escape passage I16 where they can do no harm,- and from which they can escape.

The front plate I08 is secured to the cast head by means of two screws I80, best shown in Figs. 8 and 15. There are also two locatin dowels I82. The location of the screws and dowels is also indicated in Fig. 17. By simply removing the two screws I80 the front plate may be removed, thus exposing all of the internal mechanism for ready removal and examination.

It is believed that the construction, assembly and operation of our improved stapling machine, as well as the advantages thereof, will be ap- 8 parent from the foregoing detailed description. The machine requires relatively few parts, and these are comparatively simple in construction and light in weight. Nearly all of the springs heretofore required have been eliminated, as well as numerous adjustments heretofore provided. The mechanism is so simple and fool-proof that it functions well over a long useful life without adjustment or repair other than an occasional grinding of the top surface of the stationary die and the bottom surface of the punch. The assembly is simple and rapid, and the parts are readily accessible for examination or repair on removal of only two screws. The machine may be built at only a small fraction of the cost heretofore incurred. Despite the simplicity of the machine, many refinements are included, such as the biased die for progressive shearing of the staple blank, the provision for sliver escape, the yieldable pressure on the wire at the feed wheel, the positive control of the feed pawl for dimensional accuracy in the feed of the wire,

and so on.

It will be apparent that while we have shown and described our invention in a preferred form, changes and modifications may be made, without departing from the spirit of the invention, as sought to be defined in the following claims.

We claim:

1. In a staple forming and driving machine for forming staples out of a strip of flat wire, a stationary die, and guide means for guiding the wire accurately over the die, said guide means comprising a flanged roller, and adjustable means for rotatably carrying the roller including a stud having a threaded shank carried by a threaded hole in the machine, whereby rotation of the stud adjusts the roller and consequently the wire laterally for proper position over the die; and locking means for fixing the rotational adjustment of the threaded stud.

2. In a staple forming and driving machine for forming staples out of a strip of flat wire, a stationary die having a grindable top surface, and guide means for guiding the wire accurately over the die, said guide means comprising a flanged roller, said roller being recessed into a trough on top of the die in order to accommodate sharpening or grinding of the top of the die.

3. In a staple forming and driving machine for forming staples out of a strip of fiat wire, a stationary die having a grindable top surface sloping on a bias to produce a shearing cut, and guide means for guiding the wire accurately over the die, said guide means comprising a flanged roller, said roller being recessed into an arcuate trough on top of the die in order to improve the guiding action produced on the wire and in order to accommodate sharpening or grinding of the top of the die.

4. In a staple forming and driving machine for forming staples out of a strip of fiat wire, a stationary die having a grindable top surface and guide means for guiding the wire accurately over the die, said guide means comprising a flanged roller carried by a threaded stud whereby rotation of the stud adjusts the roller and consequently the wire laterally for proper position over the die; and locking means for fixing the adjustment of the threaded stud, said roller being recessed into a trough in order to accommodate sharpening or grinding of the top of the die.

5. In a staple forming and driving machine for forming staples out of a strip of flat wire, a

asegese stationary die having a grindable top surface sloping on a bias to produce a shearing cut, and guide means for guiding the wire accurately over the die, said guide means comprising a flanged roller carried by a threaded stud whereby rotation of the stud adjusts the roller and consequently the wire laterally for proper position over the die, and locking means for fixing the adjustment of the threaded stud, said roller being recessed into an arcuate trough in order to improve the guiding action produced on the wire and in order to accommodate sharpening or grinding of the top of the die.

6. A staple forming and driving machine comprising a staple driver, an outside former disposed around said driver, a stationary cutting die cooperating with a part of said outside former, a sliver escape passage, and an inclined surface alongside the cutting side of the outside former and leading to said escape passage, to relieve any accumulation of slivers resulting from use of the machine.

7. A stapling machine including guideways and a reciprocable slide for moving wire cutting, forming and driving means, and wire feed means to intermittently feed a wire to said cutting, forming and driving means, said wire feed means including a knurled feed wheel, a ratchet wheel coaxial therewith for driving the same, a metal rimmed pressure roller cooperating with said knurled feed wheel, said pressure roller being provided with a rubber bushing for yieldability, and a feed pawl for moving said ratchet wheel, said feed pawl being so pivoted on said slide that it tilts upwardly and idly passes the ratchet wheel during downward movement of the slide, but is positively arrested against downward movement during upward movement of the slide and engages a tooth of the ratchet wheel, thus feeding the wire forwardly during upward movement of the slide.

8. A stapling machine including guideways and a reciprocable slide for moving wire cutting, forming and driving means, and wire feed means to intermittently feed a wire to said cutting, forming and driving means, said wire feed means including a knurled feed wheel, a ratchet wheel coaxial therewith for driving the same, a compression spring for holding said wheels frictionally against movement, a metal rimmed pressure roller cooperating with said knurled feed wheel, said pressure roller being a rubber bushinged shockmount for yieldability, and a feed pawl for moving said ratchet wheel, said feed pawl being so pivoted on said slide that it tilts upwardly and idly passes the ratchet wheel during downward movement of the slide but is positively arrested against downward movement during upward movement of the slide and engages a tooth of the ratchet wheel, thus feeding the wire forwardly during upward movement of the slide.

PAUL F. EPPLE.

ROBERT I. PRUPIS.

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

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 595,108 Levedahl Dec. 7, 1897 999,372 Kempster Aug. 1, 1911 1,119,510 Heim Dec. 1, 1914 2,314,184 Zeruneith Mar. 16, 1943 2,390,096 Goepfert Dec. 4, 1945

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