US2661032A - Wire feed for stapling machines - Google Patents

Description

WIRE FEED FOR STAPLING MACHINES Filed April 21,1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 BY \kmlc l W wry/m;

Dec. 1, 1953 c. z. MONROE WIRE FEED FOR STAPLING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 21, 1949 wwg ll Illll I N VEN TOR.

M u mini/"I Dec. 1, 1953 C. Z. MONROE WIRE FEED FOR STAPLING MACHINES Fild April 21, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet s .3 I N VENT OR.

BY m m Dec. 1, 1953 c. z. MONROE 2,661,032

WIRE FEED FOR STAPLING MACHINES Filed April 21, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 l]? L 0/ E15 .7- 9/ I v I I I y I I 86 77 nun w T I I 76 i 67 Dec. 1, 1953 c. z. MONROE WIRE FEED FOR STAPLING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 21, 1949 I N VEN TOR.

MQ M

Patented Dec. 1, 1953 WIRE FEED FOR STAPLING MACHINES Charles Z. Monroe, Detroit, Mich, assignor to The Ex-Cell-O Corporation, Detroit, Mich, corporation of Michigan Original application December 17, 1946, Serial No. 716,761. Divided and this application April 21, 1949, Serial No. 88,780 l 7 Claims.- (01. 140 425) This invention relates to stapling machines and more particularly to machines for forming staples from wire and applying them to successive multi-ply units of sheet material, such as paper, in order to secure the layers together; as for example in fastening or securing the closure of a paper or paste-board container.

This application is a division of my copending application, Serial No. 716,761, filed December 1'7, 1946, now Patent No. 2,521,935, issued September 12, 1950.

The novel and improved stapling machine which comprises the subject matter of the present invention, while applicable to a variety of uses in the mechanical arts, is related primarily to the purpose of securing together the plies of folded material which comprise the top closure rib of a parafiin coated paper bottle, for example, one of the type disclosed in United States Patent No. 2,047,891, granted on July 14, 1936, to Henry T. Scott.- l

A stapling machine for use for similar purposes is disclosed in Patent No. 2,063,345 granted to Henry T. Scott on December 8, 1936, and it is the broad purpose and objectof the present invention to provide a novel and improved mechanism of the general type disclosed in that patent, but which is adapted for operation on articles, such as paper bottles, fed to the machine continuously rather than in step-by-step fashion. 7

In its more particular aspects, the present invention contemplates the provision of novel wire supplying mechanism in a continuous stapling machine adapted to constitute an operative unit in thefully automatic container making and filling'system disclosed in my copendingapplication Serial No. 638,899, file-d January 3, 1946, now abandoned, covering an apparatus for and method of fabricating paper containers. In this system, ,the containers, in the form of paper bottles, are delivered from the bottle forming machines to the charging device by which they are filled with milk or other fluent material, and thence to closing and sealing machines. a The forming machines are arranged either singly or in tandem or multiple,v whereby the capacity of the installation may be varied rather widely; and when running at maximum capacity the appropriate units must be such as to charge the fluid ata high rate without spillage, and to close, seal, and staple the filled containers properly at an equally high speed of operation. I

The stapling machine illustrated and described herein is adapted to perform oneof the last operations in the sequence of steps from the squaring out of the tubular paper blanks to the final delivery of the filled and sealed bottle, and it will contribute toward a fuller understanding of the invention if the units of the installation which precede the stapler are briefly reviewed by reference to the patents mentioned in the original application of which this application is a division,

In that original application the purposes, operation, and functions of my novel stapling machine are fully set forth, and it will be suflicient to state that the object of the present invention is to provide in such a stapling machine, or in an equivalent device for similar purposes, a novel and improved means for supplying wire or other filamentary material to the device, and the combined continuous and intermittent feeding of this material to the cutoff and staple forming mechanism. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, novel means are provided for interrupting the Wire feed at times when there are no containers on the conveyor at the entrance to the machine.

Other objects and features of novelty will be apparent from the following specification when read in connection with the accompanying drawings in which one embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a stapling machine embodying the principles of the invention, certain parts not directly related to thewire feeding being shown in elevation; 7

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine with the cover removed;

Figure 3 is a view in horizontal section taken on line's-d of'Figure l and showing the staple wire feeding rollers or disks; s

Figure 4 is a similar view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1 and showing the transmission gearing for the wire feed;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2, through the mating gears and disks of the first wire feed unit;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on line 66 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a detail view in vertical section through certain others of the feed disks and driving gears therefor, and taken on line 1-1 of Figures 2 and i;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view on an enlarged scale, taken on lin 8-8 of Figure l, and showing the clutch device for interrupting th wire feed drive;

Figure 8A is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on line 5A8A of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a fra mentary View in vertical section tak n on line 9 of Figure 2, and showing the intermittent feed for the staple wire supply;

Figure 10 is a vertical sectional view taken on line if%i t of Figure 9;

Figure 13. is a fragmentary view in horizontal section taken on line li-ll of Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a fragmentary view in horizontal section. of the device showing a stapler unit at the wire feeding and cutoif station, the section being taken substantially on line [2-42 of Figure 1; and

Figure 13 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially on line lS-l3 of Figure 1", and showing the initial position of the parts of a stapler unit in the process of cutting off a length of wire and forming a staple.

For an understanding of the general arrange ment of the machine, the relative positioning of the principal parts, and its interrelation with the conveyor installation, reference is made to Figures 1 and 2 f the drawings. The stapling machine as a whole is indicated generally by the reference numeral It and it is associated with the conveyor track ii along which the containers Z move from the forming and filling units, through the stapler, and on toward the delivery point. Figure 2 shows that the stapling machine is located within a loop or bight of the conveyor track 5 i and, as will be understood as the description proceeds, the stapling steps are accomplished 00 upon each container while it is passing around the substantially semi-circular portion of the run of the conveyor within the confines of the stapling machine H3.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, it will be seen that the machine In is mounted upon a base casting I2 which com prises a hollow framework adapted to support the stapling machine and that portion of the conveyor which is associated therewith.

The upper wall of the base casing I2 is provided with an opening within which is received a downwardly extending axial portion of the pedestal element it. This pedestal is provided with a shelf-like extension which provides support for the conveyor track 2 l as it curves around the stapling unit. The track I I is provided with a lateral extension is to a flange of which there is bolted a side guard member it along which the containers Z are guided around the arcuate path r of the conveyor.

Through the center of the pedestal l6 there passes a hollow tubular stem or post which is rigidly clamped to the supporting pedestal It by means not shown but disposed within the hollow base casting l2. The post 26 extends upwardly from the base and the supporting pedestal and provides means for supporting the stapling machine it and an axle for the sprockets about which the conveyor chains are trained. Thus the upward portion of the post 2%? is provided with a flange ii to which is bolted the horizontal web or partition 22 which is an integral part of the housing casting 25 of the stapler It. The web 22 is provided with a downwardly extending hollow boss 26 through which the connecting bolts or screws 21 pass, these bolts serving to rigidly secure the stapler housing t the post 20.

A rotary hub member is adapted to revolve around an intermediate portion of the post 20, a

thereof being shown at 30. Fixed to the hub to are the upper and lower sprockets 32 and 33 which are separated one from the other by means of the ring t l. Beneath the lower sprocket 35 there is disposed a skirt 35 which is suitably secured to the hub 36 and serves to surround and protect certain of the moving parts.

The conveyor proper consists of the pair of superposed chains at which are trained about the sprockets 32. and 33 and follow generally the path of the conveyor track i i. In this connection reference is made to Figure l of the drawings The chain it supports the conveyor flights 5-5 and 48. These flights are roughly L shaped in configuration and comprise a rearwardly disposed projecting arm or blade ll and a forwardly disposed projection or lip iii. The rear arm ll of the upper flight s5 is displaced upwardly as clearly indicated in Figure l of the drawings, whereas the corresponding arms ll and 5,8 of the lower flight 56 are substantially coplanar. The rear arms 4'! of both flights serve to engage the rear wall of successive containers Z and push them along the track H, the outer guard rail i9 serving to keep the containers in alignment. The forward lip l3 aids in preventing the displacement of the containers, especially when rounding the curve within the stapling area.

Although the stapling machine may be driven from its own source of the power, independently of the drive of the complete container-sealing organization, in the illustrated embodiment the stapler takes its driving power from the conveyor itself. The conveyor chains ii] are driven from a remote source (not shown), and the chains 153 drive the sprockets 32 and 33 which are keyed to the hub 393 which is adapted to rotate about the axial post 20.

As the containers Z move around the substantially semi-circular orbit within the stapling zone, the crimped and folded top rib portions R formed at the peak of the roof-like closure section S of the container is moved about the stapler witl n the zone of operation of the stapler mechanism proper, which is given the general reference char: acter A The operative details of the step mechanism are described in the copending appli cation, and it is sufficient to state at this point that the mechanism comprises basically the turntable which carries a plurality of individual stapler members or units B adapted to move about the axis of the machine and to perform the stapling operation upon the successive containers Z as they pass at substantially uniform velocity around the track H within the machine. The turntable 50 is rotatably mounted upon the vertical hollow post 20 being separated therefrom by means of the cylindrical bearing bushing h l. The turntable or stapler carrier 5% is spaced above the rotary hub 38 and is adapted to be driven thereby. For this purpose upwardly projecting lugs 53 are formed as vertical extensions on the upper portion of the drive hub 39, and these lugs are rigidly secured to the under part of the carrier 59 by suitable means not shown.

A ring gear 55 is bolted to the central upper annular flange of the carrier 59 and serves to transmit driving force to the wire feeding mechanism disposed in the upper part of the casing or housing 25. The transmission of force from the ring gear 55 to the wire feeding elements will be but briefly described at this point, this transmission including a certain ole-clutching mechanism which will be described at a later point. Referprotruding flange ring now to Figure 7' oft he drawings, 'it' 'willbe seen that drive gear meshes witha pinion 56 rigidly carried by the lower countershaft's'ection 51, this portion of the countershaft "being provided with a frusto-conical part 58 seated in a similar part of the hollow suspension bearing 59, this bearing being seated within a flanged opening in the web 22 of the housing 25'and rigidly secured therein by means of the screws 60 which pass through the flange SI. I

The upper end of the lowercountershaft sec tion 57 is formed into a cup-like clutch portion 62 which is adapted to be engaged with and disengaged froin the mating clutch portion 65'of the upper tubular countershaftsection'fil -which is carried by the depending rod or shaft 68 having its upper end rotatably received within an open ing 69 in the supporting plate 'II. This plate casting H comprises a multiple bearing support for the various elen ents of the wire feed and is secured to the inwardly extending annular flange I2 of the housing 25 by means of the screws I3 (see Figure l) Formed on the upper countershaft section 61 is a drive pinion 15 which meshes with a gear 16 r0-' tatably carried by the lower end of the stub shaft 7? which is secured at its upper end to the Web or plate casting H by means of the nut I8 (see Figures 2 and '7). The gear 16 is keyed to a tubular extension I9 of the smaller gear fiil'which is of course also rotatably mounted onthe depending shaft II.

The gear -39 meshes with two gears Bland 33 which in turn mesh respectively with the idler gears 813 and 55 which are in approximate alignment with the gear at. The idlers 84 and 85 are rotatably carried by the depending shafts or axles 86 and 8'! which are respectively secured by means of the nuts 88 and 89 to the plate I I. The

idlers 8d and 85 mesh respectively with the gears 96 and ti as indicated in Figure 4.

Reference to Figures 1, 2, 4; 5, and 6 willjclearly establish the relationship of'these severartransmission gears and will also afford aclear understanding of the mounting thereof and their aseralized view of all four pairs of mating wire feeding members which comprise the constant speed feed. The gear 9! is fixed upon the lower end of the verticalstub shaft on' axle 92 and rigidly secured to the upper end of this shaft is the feed wheel 93, this wheel being provided with a feeding flange or disk portion M the periphery thereof being provided with a groove 98. This flange or wheel portion 94 is adapted to rotate in cooperation with the periphery of the smooth flange 85 of a mating wheel or 'disk felement' 96 fixed to the shaft 91 which is disposed infiarallel relation with the shaft fig to draw thewi'reforwardly from the supply. v V

Upon the lower end of the shafts; there is fixed the gear Q9 which meshes with the gear 99 and is driven thereby. Adjacent the shaft 92 the supporting web plate or casting II is provided with a hollow boss portion I00 within which the shaft 92 is adapted to rotate. Bearing bushings it! and It: are provided between the shaft 1 and the opening in the boss NH] and end washers I03 are also provided at the top and bottom of this boss section. The shaft 92 is flanged as at I 05 to provide ashoulder to prevent longitudinal movement thereof. A washer I06 provided The shaft 91' which carries the gear 99 and the feeding wheel 96'is rotatably mounted within the eccentric bushing I I0, suitable bearing bushings and washers being employed and given the same reference numerals as the corresponding elements used in connection with the shaft 92.

The eccentric bushing H0 is mounted within the hollow boss III of the supporting plane H and a" bearing bushing II2 intervenes therebetween The upper portion of the member IN) is provided with a flange Ht upon which an angular "arm 'I I5is formed. The bushing H6 is rotatably secured within the boss I I I by means of the'nut orlocking ring H6 and the washer and cotter arrangement II'i. The eccentricity of the mounting is clearly apparent in Figure 24.

As already mentioned, the same mating gears and feed wheels are repeated at the four points across the upper portion of the stapler housing as clearly indicated in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings, the additional driven gears associated with the grooved feed wheels being designated i20, I2I, and I22, these gears mating respectively with the gears 82 and 33 and 9%, in the same manner as the two gears 96 and 99. Similarly by reference to Figure 3 of the drawings it will be understood how the respective pairs of feed Wheels and connecting shafts are arranged, these elements being given the same designations as those in the first pair already described.

As indicated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings a bracket I 25 is bolted as at I 26 to the housing 255 or" the stapler Ill and this bracket carries an axle I27. upon which is rotatably mounted a reel I28 carrying a supply of wire W. The wire is threaded through a tubular eye 53%? screwed into or otherwise fixed in an opening in the wall of the housing 25 and aligned with the bites of the feed wheels 94and 95 of the wire feeding mechanism. Mounted upon posts I3! secured to bosses formed on the supporting plate 'II is the stationary wire supporting and guiding device I32 which bridges the'gaps between the successive feeding rollers or disks. The guide plate assembly consists of a lower plate I34'and an upper plate 535 which is clamped thereto by means of the screws 935. The lower plate I34 is centrally grooved as at I38 as clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawings and both plates are narrowed and cut away to ac commodate the pairs of feeding rollers, this being indicated in Figure 5 of the drawings. The wire W is fed along the groove its by the successive pairs of feed rollers and it emerges from the feed plateassernbly I32 at the point I iii, at which point it comes within the control of an intermittent feed device which will be presently described.-

The successive pairs of feed rollers and the guide plates I32 comprise the essential portions of theconstant speed wire feed for pulling the wire supply from the reel IZt and feeding it to the intermittent forwarding device to be de- 7 scribed. An important feature of this section of 3 tral pairs ofsaid rollers within the portion of the groove I38 designated Kit in Figure 3. This. arrangement serves to maintain the wire under tension and eii'ectively removes even the slightest kinks or distortions which may be present in the wire, for example, such as it might have acquired from having been wound upon the reel E28.

Returning now to Figures 2 and 5 of the drawings it will be seen that each of the crank arms H5 is formed on one of the eccentric bushings i ll] which support the shafts 9'5, upon the respective upper and lower ends of which are secured the feed disks or rollers and the gears 535. It will be apparent that slight angular movements of the H5 will, by rotating the eccentric bushings iiil. cause the smooth -periphery feed wheels to release their grip upon the wire which is clamped between these wheels and the grooved m 1g wheels es, and will release the frictional bite on the wire. Each of the arms l Ed is bifurcated as at MS and straddles the lon gitudinally adjustable rod or shaft 345. One end of this shaft is received within the hollow boss i i-5 formed upon the casing A. stop abutment i l? is threaded into this boss and provides means for limiting the movement of the shaft M5 to the right in Figure 2. A set screw M8 threaded into the boss i3 5 projects into a groove or slot use in the rod hi5 and prevents rotation of the rod its.

The left-hand end of the rod M5 is threaded as at his and is screwed into the open threaded end of a rotatable cylindrical member ltd. The member 555i is received in a boss 552 formed on the housing wall and is held against longitue dinal movement therein between the handle or knob and the nut ice. It will thus be readily seen that rotation of the knob ta l which is pinned as at I53 to the bushing or sleeve ESi will cause the rod M5 to move in the direction of its length,

by virtue of the threaded connection between the portion E56 of the rod and the internally threaded bushing ltl.

At proper intervals along the rod hi5 there are secured the stop sleeves 558, an additional step 559 being provided beyond the right-hand crank arm H5. Slidably mounted on the rod I are the sleeves or collars E and these are adapted to contact the left-hand face of the bifurcated portion MP: of the crank arms l l 5. of the stop sleeves and the slidable collars lei] there are disposed the coil springs ISi. It will thus seen that the springs Nil will tend to urge the crank arms H5 in a clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 2 and cause the eccentrically mounted. wire feeding disks or wheels 95 to resiliently bear upon the wire W occupying the shallow grooves 98 in the feed Wheels 94. This spring pressure may be applied, released, or adjusted by rotation of the knob its which will cause the fixed abutment sleeves 158 to advance or retract with relation to the crank arms H5. Thus the gripping pressure of the feed wheels may be released during the threading of the wire through the feed device or at any other desired or necessary time.

Also, during threading of the wire into the feed device, or upon other occasions, it may be found necessary to operate the feed wheels slowly or intermittently through manual means. A device for accomplishing this purpose is associated with the top cover or lid which is applied to the stapler housing 25. This cover or closure comprises the dome-like element m5 shown in Figure l which has a flanged sealing contact as at I66 Between each with'the upperzrim'of the housing 25. The cover IE5 is hinged to the housing as shown in Figure 2. Spaced ears or lugs I-S'I are formed in the top plate or partition ll of the housing and between each pair of these lugs there are pivotally mounted upon the pintles I63 the hinge arms IE9 formed on the under side of the cover IE5.

At a point directly above one of the vertical shafts or axles 82, preferably the one which carries the gear 83 and one of the feed rollers B l, there is provided in the cover MS a, hollow boss Hi3 through which projects a pin I'II having a downwardly facing cup-like socket portion I72 having its walls notched as at [13 to interlock with the corresponding projections H4 in the nut H5 which is keyed to the upper end of the shaft 92. Fixed to the upper end of the pin or shaft I'lI is the crank handle II'i by means of which. when the lid or cover I65 is lowered, the socket H2 is engaged with the nut H5 and the shaft 92 may be rotated manually to feed the wire between the four pairs of feed wheels, while the drive from the conveyor is idle. This is possible by virtue of the one-way or over-running nature of the clutch 62 (Figure 7) interposed between the upper and lower sections 5"! and El of the countershaft which forms a part of the wire feed transmission.

As related earlier, the actual stapling mechanism A comprises the turntable 50 which carries a plurality (in this case four) of individual stapling members B which move around the semicircular path of the containers Z as they pass through the machine. Each of these stapler units is supplied with the proper length of wire to form one staple, this length being cut ofi from the wire supply W as each successive unit passes a wire receiving station. Now in order to insure that the proper length of wire is fed into the individual units quickly while they are momentarily at the wire receiving station, and to prevent projection or feeding of the wire toward the path of the units while a succeeding unit is coming into position, provision must be made for converting the steady constant speed feed of the wire W by means of the feed rollers just described, into an intermittent feed timed to project a length of wire into the stapler unit at the proper instant and to withhold. the supply until the next unit is in receiving position. This intermittent feed is accomplished by the mechanism now to be described. In line with the direction of feed of the wire by the feed rollers 96, 95 there is provided an opening I (Figure 3) in the wall of the housing 25. Secured to the exterior face of the housing and covering this opening is a supplemental casing or sheath I8I (Figure 1) which may be made of sheet metal and is bulged slightly for a purpose to be described. The sheath extends downwardly along the outer surface of the housing and terminates in the vicinity of the stapling mechanism A. Within this sheath there is suspended a somewhat flexible tube I82 the lower end of which is substantially fixed adjacent the delivery point of the wire to the stapler units. The upper end of the tube is carried by an oscillating support which is adapted to be moved to and from the point I48 at which the continuous length of Wire W passes from the control of the constant speed wire feed.

Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3, 9, 10, and 11 of the drawings it will be seen that the upper end of the tube I82 is fixedly secured within the block I84 as by means of the welded flanges I85. The block I84 is swiveled, to accommodate roacetone .hollow boss 1% one portion of which is prolonged downwardly beneath the plate II vas at I94 See Figure 9. One of the arms I93 has its cylindrical end I95 keyed to a shaft I96 which is rotatably received within one portion of the boss I93. A similar cylindrical portion is formed on the other arm I99 and is keyed to a longer shaft IQ'I which extends rotatably through the lower boss portion I94. Fixed upon the lower end of the shaft I9? is the angular crank arm I98, the free end of which is provided with a cam follower roller I99 which is adapted to follow the peripheral cam surface 286 formed on the-element $5 of the countershaft 5'5, 61. In order to maintain the cam follower in contact with the cam surface are the cylindrical hub portion I95 of one of the arms I90 (preferably the one which is carried by the elongated shaft I9?) is provided with an arm 22! which is connected by a spring 202 with a fixed point 203 on the plate II. By this means the tube carrying bracket I88 is urged toward the constant speed delivery point I40 to the position shown in Figures 1, 10, and 11 of the drawings. I

Recalling that the lower end of the wire carrying tube I82 is relatively stationary, it will be readily understood that by the action of the cam 262 the bracket E58 which supports the upperend of the tube :82 is oscillated back and forthin the direction of thelength of the wire supply W, the bulged part of the casing I 8| accommodating this movement of the relatively flexible tube. Obviously this displacement toward the right in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the drawings will have the effect of elongating the total path of the wire from the receiving point I40 to the delivery point to the stapler unit and this elongation is of an amount equal to the length of wire needed for forming a single'staple. Thus, during the movement of the wire carrying tube I 82 toward the right at a speed equivalent 'to the rate of movement of the wire due to the feed rollers 94', 95 will have the net effect of causing the lower end of the wire adjacent the stapler units to remain stationary. Then upon return movement of the upper end of the tube carried by the bracket I88 to the point I40, the wire will be quickly fed into the properly positioned stapler unit.

The lower end of the tube 582 (Figure 13) is fixedly secured within a block 205 which is pivotally supported upon the needle bearings 206 which are carried by the two side brackets 20! which may be cast integrally with the insertable housing section 2H! which is attached in any suitable way to the main housing 25 at the lower right-hand corner thereof as viewed in Figure 1. From the mouth of the tube I82 in the lower end thereof the wire W passes through an opening 2! I in the guide block 2 I 2 which is rigidly secured between the side frames 201, as for example by means of the bolts 2I3. Within the forward end of the opening 2 there is situated a hardened steel bushing 2I5 which cooperates with a part of each of the successive stapling units in shearlng pif the required length of wire torform a staple. v

;So much of the stapling mechanism itself as is necessary to the understanding of the present vention will now be described by reference to FiguresLlZ, and 13. The turntable or carrier member 50 (Figure 1) is provided with four circumferentially spacedopenings within which are .rotatably secured the stub crank shafts 220 upon the lower end of each of which is formedlthe vbody portion 22! of a staplerunit which is of the general top plan configuration shown in Figme 12 of the drawings. To the lower part of this bodyportion 22I there is secured, as by means of the s'crews or bolts 222, an outside former whichcomprises the combined shear and grippingmember and isdesignated generally by the reference numeral 225.

This member comprises two side portions 226 connected by a lower bridging web. Between these side bars 226 of the member 225 and within the space provided between the lower part of the body portion 22! and the bottom web, there is disposed the sliding driver element 230. This element comprises a forwardly disposed plate-like portion 23I and a rearward bifurcated block portion 232 between the forks of which is rotatably disposed a cam following roller 233 rotatable upon the axle 23 5. The driver member 230 is adapted to slide between the side arms of the member 225. In order to urge the member 239 rearwardly toward its retracted position a coil spring 238 has-one of its ends seated in a socket in the forward part of thebody portion 22I of the unit. The rear end of the spring sits in a socket formed in the block 232 of the member 230.

'To the upper end of each of the crank shafts 220 which rotatably support the stapler units 'there is clamped, as at 242; the crank arm 2245,

upon the outer end of which is carried a roller "245 which follows the cam groove 24'! formed in the cam plate 248 bolted as at 249 to the under side of the partition'22. As more fully described in the original application, the stapler units 13 in their travel around the machine proceed past a. series of stations, only two of which are definitely'shown in the present disclosure, namely station I which will be seen at the right-hand site side of 'the machine, is the point where the staple is driven thro'ugh'the rib R of the container Z. r

When a stapler unit B is disposed at station I in Figures 12 and 13, it is in the position to have the wire W fed to it from the tube I82 through the mouth of the opening 2 in the feed block l I .l Referring'now more particularly to Figures 1,

'12, and 13, it will be seen that there is provided,

beneath the path of the stapler unit B, an inside former which comprises'a swinging anvil or holding-lever and is designated generally by the-numeral 25E). -Thislever is pivotally mounted upon the housing insert casting 2 :e and has its angled forward portion 252 urged upwardly by a spring means (not shown). l a a I The upwardly directed forward end 252 of the inside former 250 is slotteda-s at 2653 receive the end portion of the wire W when it is fed 11 through the feed block 2 l 2, as most clearly shown in Figure 13 of the drawings.

It will be seen that the forward ends of the side blocks 226 of the outside former 225 of the stapler unit are provided with the V-shaped notches 262, and the inner walls of the forward parts of the portions 226 are also provided with the grooves 263 of the gauge of the wire W. The side walls of the plate portion 23! of the sliding driving member 235} are also grooved as at 2% adjacent the grooves 263 of the member 225. The forward edge of the plate 23i of the driver is provided with a groove or notch 285 of a peculiar configuration, the central portion of the notch 265 being somewhat wider and deeper than the end portions thereof. Also a hardened steel shear-plate insert 258 is secured to the side wall of the side bar 2% of the former 225 to cooperate with the hardened tubular insert 2E5 set in the feed block 2 l2, in severing the wire.

A detailed description of the operation of the stapler units will be found in the copending application, and it will be sufficient for present purposes to state that upon advancing the unit B from the position shown in Figure 13, where the inside former 250, 252 has received the projected end of the wire W, the cooperating shearing portions 2 l and 266 sever the wire from the supply W as the unit passes the feed block 2 92. At this point the groove 259 in the forward end 252 of the inside former 256 is in substantial alignment with the notches 262 in the forward ends of the two side bars 225 of the outside former 225. The present phase of the invention is not concerned with the further progress of the unit past the cutoff station I and for a disclosure of subsequent steps in the staple forming and driving operation, reference must be made to the copending application.

Associated with each of the stapling units B e and likewise carried by the turntable or carrier 50 are individual clincher devices C which cooperate with the staple driver element on the units B by backing up the staple on the remote or outer side of the rib B of the container, and these de-- 1 vices C are adapted to be brought into and released from their operative positions as the stapler members B are respectively moved to stations III and I. Referring more particularly to Figure 1, there are pivoted to the carrier 50 clincher elements C, by means of the pintle 21%, upon which the ears 2'31 of the element are pivoted. A spring element 286 is coiled about each pintle 216 and a portion of the spring bears against the inner side of the member 0 while another portion of the spring bears against a fixed part of the carrier s), the spring being initially tensioned to urge the member C outwardly and upwardly toward the position shown at the righthand side of Figure 1.

Each of the clincher elements C is provided with a cam follower roller 285. Secured to the end of the member C is the clincher plate 288. The forward inwardly directed operative edge of the clincher plate 288 is adapted, at station HI, to contact the outer face of the rib R of the con tainer Z upon which the stapler is to operate. This is shown clearly in Figure 1 of the drawings. There is carried by the turntable an annular ring 292 which has a downwardly projecting flange providing shoulders against which the rib R of the containers is guided during the semicircular path of the containers through the operating zone of the machine.

' Carried upon the bottom edge 295 of the housing 25 is a generally circular cam member 295 which has its inwardly facing surface 291 formed with differently sloped camming areas. The cam element 296 may be broken away in the vicinity of station I since the clincher elements C are in their raised idle positions at this point and their outwardly and upwardly swinging movement is limited by the abutment indicated at 298' in Figure 1. The operative cam edge against which the roller 2&5 bears during the actual clinching operation may be supplied by a hardened wear resisting insert 29%.

Surrounding the central vertical hollow post 29 of the stapler (Figures 1, l1, and 12) and disposed between the upper end of the rotary hub 3t and the turntable 58 there is fixed, as by means of a set screw 399, a ring or collar 39!, this collar being horizontally slotted upon one segment thereof as at 3132, in order to receive the cam element are which is pivoted to a collar and guided by means of the spin 369. The surface of the cam am is curved or rounded and adapted to be contacted by the roller 233 of the staple driving member 23%.

Another feature of the novel stapling machine comprises interrupter means whereby no wire will be fed to a stapler unit B passing station I if there is no container Z to occupy this position on the conveyor. To accomplish this purpose there is provided alongside of the straight ap proach section of the conveyor track l l a pivoted arm 3E5 (Figures 1 and 2), the pivot pin or shaft of this arm being indicated at tit and passing through the tubular bearing bosse 3i! and sit provided on the base casting it. (See Figures 1 and 2.) The arm Bit comprises a slotted stub portion 365A to which a contact blade HEB is adjustably secured as by means of the bolts 3 i 5C. The lower end of the rod or shaft tit within the base casting i provided with a crank arm 3251 the free end of which is connected by means of a rod 32l to a crank 322 secured to the lower end of the vertical axial rock shaft 325 which passes through the hollow interior of the central post 28 of the machine. Secured by means of the screws 3% to the upper end of the post it is the searing plate through which the upper end of the rod or shaft 325 passes. (See Figures 7 and 8.) To this upper end of the shaft 325 there is fixed a crank 323 which carries a roller 336 at its free end. This crank 328 with its roller see is directed toward the clutch assembly which connects the two parts El and El of the countershaft which drives the wire feed (Figures 1 and 8A). The cupped upper portion 62 of the lower shaft portion 5'! surrounds an inner member 335 which is rotatably disposed upon the depending rod 68. The outer peripheral wall of the member 335 is provided with a notch 336 which provides a shoulder 53! which functions as a ratchet tooth within which the pawl 338 is normally disposed. The pawl is pivotally carried b the member 62 by means of the pin 33%). The tail 3% of the pawl is urged outwardly by means of the plunger 34! which is resiliently pressed by means of the spring 5352 seated in a socket 55:33 in the member 62. The tail 35E} of the pawl is also provided with a rounded protuberance 3&5 which normally, duringfi: the rotation of the part 62, clears the roller 53-3 However, when a container Z is missing from the approach portion of the track I I and the detector arm 3 l 5 is allowed to move inwardly across the track under the urging of the spring 346, the crank 320 moves-outwardly and the other transmission element 32!, 322, 325, and 32B are also rotated inwardly whereupon the roller 330 is brought into the path of the protuberance 345 on the pawl 333 and the pawl is tripped, withdrawing its operative end from the ratchet shoulder 33'; of the inner member 335. Thus the drive from the lower portion 31, 62 of the countershaft and the driven member 335 is broken'and the driven end of the countershaft 35, 3? is idle. Thus both the constant and intermittent feed mechanism for the wire W is interrupted until a container again moves the detector on 3l5 outwardly to its position shown in Figure 2.

In order to eliminate the possibility of'shock of starting, stopping, operating, or'interrupting the wire feed drive, a resilient transmission section is introduced in the countershaft assembly. The inner element 335 of the interrupter clutch is provided with a widened upper flange portion 350 which is provided in its overhanging portion with a series of spaced slots 35! (Figure 8). Projecting downwardly from the clutch member 35, which also provides the cam element 251i], are a series of arcuate lugs 352which conform substantially to one end portion of the slots 35! in the flange 355, but are of considerably less arcuate extent toprovide space for the coil springs 355 which urge the lugs 352 toward the forward ends of the slots; Thusthe drive'is through the flange 353, the spring 355, and the lug 352 in transmitting the driving force from the member 335 to the member 55.

The member 335 is carried rotatably upon the lower portion of the vertical shaft or'axle 68, a nut 35? being threaded upon the shaft and a bearing washer 358 being interposed between the nut and the member 335, both of these elements being received within a central recess in the element 335.

Various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiment illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention a defined by the subjoined claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is: y l

1. In a stapling machine of the class described, in combination, wire feeding mechanism comprising a series of pairs of feed roller adapted to resiliently grip the wire between their peripheries, means for driving said pairs of rollers at the same speed, one roller on each pair being provided with an eccentric mounting, and means for urging said roller to swing toward wire engaging position, and for swinging the roller in the opposite direction to release the feeding tension, said means including crank arms on the respective eccentric mountings, a longitudinally shiftable rod, the ends of said crank arms being disposed adjacent said rod, longitudinally slidable abutments on said rod adapted to bear against said respective crank arms, fixed abuments on said rod, coil springs between said fixed and sliding abutments, and a handle for adjusting said rod longitudinally to adjust, release, and apply spring tension to said crank arms and thus .to said wire gripping feed rollers.

2. In a stapling machine of the class described, in combination, wire feeding mechanism comprising a series of pairs of feed rollers adapted to grip the wire between their peripheries, means for driving said pairs of rollers at the same speed, said means comprising a transmission which includes a resilient drive coupling and an overrunon the wire feeding mechanism in starting and stopping the drive or during the operation of the device. V

3. A wire feeding device for machines which are adapted for intermittent reception of the wire, such as stapling machines or the like, which device comprises, in combination, a carrier for a continuous supply of wire, means on the device for positively feeding said wire from said carrier at a substantially uniform speed to a certain point in its travel to said machine, operative means disposed on the device in a position beyond said point for alternately shortening and lengthening the path of the wire from said point to the machine, whereby in spite of the constant feed of the wire from said carrier, the end of the wire is presented intermittently to the machine, said operative means comprising a somewhat flexible tube through which said wire passes, the delivery end of said tube being swivelled on transverse pivots carried by the device but fixed against longitudinal movement adjacent the point of reception and use of the wire in said machine, and'the entrance end of the tube being oscillatable to and from said certain point longitudinally of the wire, means on the device for oscillating said entrance end whereby the wire feed from the delivery end of said tube is intermittent, means also on the device for swivelling the entrance end of said tube also to permit any necessary rocking movement to accommodate itself to the smooth passage of the wire.

4. In a stapling machine of the class described, which includes means positioning an article to be stapled, the sub-combination of wire feeding mechanism comprising a series of pairs of feed rollers adapted to grip the wire between their peripheries; means operatively connected with said mechanism for driving said pairs of rollers at the, same speed said means comprising a transmission which includes a continuously rotatable drive shaft, means for driving said shaft in synchronism with the stapler machine, a driven member coaxially disposed with respect to said drive shaft, and gearing connecting said driven member with said feed rollers; an overrunning clutch in the transmission between said drive shaft and said driven member; supplemental means operatively connected with the mechanism for manually actuating said Wire feed rollers, said cverrunning feature permitting such manual operation without affecting the said mechanical driving means; and means adjacent said article positioning means for disengaging said overrunning clutch in the event an article to be stapled is missing from its proper position in said machine.

5. In a stapling machine of the class described, which includes means positioning an article to be stapled, the sub-combination of wire feeding mechanism comprising a series of pairs of feed rollers adapted to grip the wire between their peripheries; means operatively connected with said mechanism for driving said pairs of rollers at the same speed, said means comprising a transmission which includes a continuously rotatable drive shaft, means for driving said shaft in synchronism with the stapler machine, a driven member ccaxially disposed with respect to said drive shaft, and gearing connecting said driven member with said feed rollers; an overrunning clutch in the transmission between said drive shaft and said driven member; supplemental means operatively connected with the i iechanism for manually actuating said wire feed rollers, said overrunning feature permitting such manual operation without affecting the said mechanical driving means; and means adjacent said article positioning means for disengaging said overrunning clutch in the event an article to be stapled is missing from its proper position in said machine, said overrunning clutch comprising an annular driving element carried by said shaft and a coaxial driven element carried by said driven member and enclosed by said annular driving element, a ratchet notch in said driven element and a pawl pivoted to said driving elemerit and normally spring pressed into said notch, a cam nose on said pawl and an interrupter element adapted to be moved into the path of said cam nose and dislodge the pawl from said ratchet notch, in the absence of an article from its proper position in said machine.

6. A wire feeding device for machines which are adapted for intermittent reception of the wire, such as stapling machines or the like, which device comprises, in combination, a carrier for a continuous supply of wire, means for feeding said wire from said carrier at a substantiall uni-- form speed to a certain point in its travel to said machine, operative mean-s disposed on the device in a position beyond said point for alternately shortening and lengthening the path of the Wire from said point to the machine, whereby in spite of the constant feed of the wire from said carrier, the end of the wire is presented intermittently to the machine, said operative means comprising a. somewhat flexible tube through which said wire passes, the delivery end of said tube being swivelled on transverse pivots carried by the device but fixed against longitudinal, movement adjacent the point of reception and use of the wire in said machine, an oscillatable support for the entrance end of said tube, a parallel crank motion connected with said support and adapted to oscillate the sup-port in an approximately strai ht line longitudinally of the path of the wire at the point of entrance, whereby the entrance end of said tube is also oscillatable to and from said certain point longitudinally of the path of the wire.

7. In a stapling machine of the class described, in combination, means for positively and continuously feeding wire lengthwise at a snfbstantially constant speed in a certain direction, a tubular conduit receiving the wire from said constant speed feeding means and mounted for osci1- latory movement, means receiving said wire from said tubular conduit and guiding it to a stapling station, said tubular conduit being substantially U-shaped and thus conforming the container portion of the wire to a similar configuration, means for oscillating said conduit for alternately lengthening and shortening said bight for causing said wire to be intermittently moved toward said receiving means, and means for synchronizing the oscillation of said conduit with the constant speed feeding means and with the operation of said stapling machine.

CHARLES Z. MONROE.

References Cited in the file or this patent UNETED STATES PATENTS Eiumber Name Date 137,413 Eclzerson -1 Sept. 30, 1800 864,860 Randall Sept. 3, 1907 933,890 Cummings Sept. 14, 1902 999,372 Kempster 1- Aug. 1, 1911 1,711,160 Swangren Aug. 3 3, 1929 1,798,143 Davidson Mar. 10, 1931 1,837,910 Kleinschmit Dec. 22, 1931 1,896,661 Breece Feb. '7, 1933 1,909,451 Breece May 16, 1933 2,032,260 Chapman Feb. 25, 1936 2,063,345 Scott Bee. 8, 1936 2,089,554 Magidson Aug. 10, 1937 2,101,860 Lewis Dec. 14, 1937 2,216,453 Paulin Set. 1, 1940 2,312,520 Bradley Mar. 2, 1943 2,379,087 Katz -1 June 26, 1945 2,390,096 Goepfert Dec. 4, 1945 2,391,679 Burge Dec. 25, 19% 2,521,935 Monroe Sept. 12, 1950

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