US2891660A

US2891660A - Strip casting machines

Info

Publication number: US2891660A
Application number: US476230A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry T Honig
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-12-20
Filing date: 1954-12-20
Publication date: 1959-06-23
Anticipated expiration: 1976-06-23

Description

June23, 1959 H. T. HONIG 1,

STRIP CASTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 20, .1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR Henry 7. Hon/g ATTORNEY June 23, 1959 H. T. Home 2,891,660

STRIP CASTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 20. 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENTOR Henry 7.' Hon/g ATTORNEY nited State STRIP CASTING MACHINES Henry T. Honig, Dallas, Tex.

Application December 20, 1954, Serial No. 476,230

9 Claims. (Cl. 199-1) This invention relates to strip casting machines for making printers slugs, leads and rules, and more particularly to a pulling mechanism for pulling the strip from which such slugs, leads and rules are formed from a die or mold.

One object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pulling mechanism for pulling the strip from a mold or die.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved strip pulling mechanism, of the type described, having a clamp which alternately engages and releases the strip as said clamp is reciprocated longitudinally of the strip whereby the strip is pulled in the desired direction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a pulling mechanism, of the type described, wherein the base which carries the clamp may move rearwardly to a position to again grip and pull the strip only when the clamp is positively disengaged from the strip, whereby buckling of the strip due to incomplete disengagement of the clamp therefrom is prevented.

A further object of the invention is to provide a puller mechanism, of the type described, having adjusting means for varying the pressure of the clamp upon the strip.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a forming means between the die and the puller mechanism for working at least one side of the strip into a desired printing or rule face while the strip is pulled by the puller mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a puller mechanism wherein operating parts of the mechanism are quickly and readily detachable and replaceable, whereby such parts may be adjusted, removed and repaired or replaced without shutting down the puller mechanism for long periods of time or requiring the complete rebuilding of certain parts of the machine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved puller mechanism of simple, efiicient and economical construction, and having a minimum of easily fabricated components.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the reading of the following description of devices constructed in accordance with the invention, and reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, wherein:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the pulling mechanism showing it mounted on a table top of a strip casting machine which is not fully shown;

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the pulling mechanism showing the clamp in strip engaging position with the reciprocating base in its extreme right position wherein it has pulled the strip out of the die or mold.

Figure 3 is a view similar to that of Figure 2, showing the clamp in open position and the reciprocating base moving toward the left, toward the die or mold;

Figure 4 is a sectional view, with certain parts broken away, taken on the line 44 of Figure 3;

. Figure 5 is a vertical view, with portions broken away,

of the brake or holding means for frictionally holding or restraining the strip, and which is positioned between the die or mold and the puller mechanism, and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the forming means for forming the printing or rule face on the strip.

Referring now to the drawings, the reference numeral 20 designates a bench or table top of a strip casting machine used for forming continuous strips or bars of metal from a molten body thereof in the form of printers leads, slugs, rules and the like; said table top being supported -by side legs 21, only one being shown in Figure 1.

Mounted on the table top is the puller or pulling mechanism 22 which is driven by means of a longitudinal drive gshaft 23 rotatably mounted beneath the table top 20 in a suitable manner and rotated by a suitable prime mover, such as electric motor (not shown). The drive shaft 23 is provided with a cam 24 which engages a roller 25 rotatg'ably mounted on a shaft 28 between the dependent spaced legs 26 at the lower end of a rack gear 27. The rack gear is slidably mounted for vertical reciprocal movement in a housing 29 rigidly secured to the table top; the housing having ways 30 in which the rack gear moves, and is biased toward lowermost position by a torsion spring 30a connected at one end to the housing 29 and at its other end to a transverse shaft 31 having a pinion gear 31a mounted thereon and meshing with said rack gear, and, as the drive shaft 23 is rotated, the cam 24 moves the rack gear upwardly against the resistance of the torsion 'spring.

Downward movement of the rack gear is adjustabl: limited by a stop lever 32 which is pivoted in a yoke 33 on the under side of the table top. The position of the stop lever is adjusted by means of a threaded adjusting rod 34 extending downwardly through a threaded fitting in the table top and restrained against undesired movement by a spring 35 confined on the lower portion of the rod between the under side of the table and a pair of lock nuts 36 threaded on the lower end of the rod. The rod is provided at its upper end with a knob 37 by means of which the rod may be rotated, the threaded engagement of the rod in the fitting of the table causing the entire rod to move vertically upon rotation thereof, whereby the position of the stop lever 32 is adjusted. A laterally extending pin 26a on one of the legs 26 at the lower end of the rack gear engages the end of the stop lever opposite the adjusting rod and thus limits downward movement of the rack gear by such engagement.

The rack gear engages the small pinion gear 31a rigidly mounted on the transverse shaft 31 which is suitably journalled in bearings 40 on opposite sides of the housing 29. The opposite sides of the housing are also provided with ways 41 and 42, which receive and support the

lateral flanges

43 and 44, respectively, of the reciprocable base 45 of the pulling mechanism.

The base is provided with a horizontally disposed longi. tudinal groove or slot 46 in which a horizontal rack gear 47 is slidably mounted, and this rack gear meshes with a large pinion gear 48 rigidly mounted on the transverse shaft 31. The horizontal reciprocal movement of the horizontal rack gear 47 in the slot is limited by a pin 49 secured to the base and extending into a horizontally disposed elongate slot 549 formed in the horizontal rack gear.

The base 45 supports a clamp assembly which includes a stationary upper clamp member or plate 60 and a movable lower clamp member or plate 61 which is reciprocated toward and away from the stationary clamp plate in a manner to be hereinafter described. The two clamps are provided with protective and gripping

face linings

63 and 64, respectively, which are secured to the clamps by screws 65.

The upper clamp 60 is vertically adjustable by means of a ring nut 66 threaded on the threaded upper end of a rod 67 whose lower end extends into a socket 68 in the boss on the upper side of the upper clamp and is secured to said upper clamp by a pin 6) extending transversely through said base and rod. The threaded upper end of the rod extends through the bore in a head member 75 on the upper end of the base, the tin nut being disposed in a slot 71 in said head member. Thus. it will be apparent that by rotating the ring 6 5, the rod '67 can be moved vertically since rotation of the upper clamp is prevented by its sliding engagement with the base (see Fig. 4).

The lower clamp 61 is pivotally mounted on the upper end 72 of a bell crank lever 73 by means of a horizontally disposed pin 74 which extends through regstering apertures in a pair of depending ears in the middle of the under side of the clamp and the upper end of the lever which is disposed between said ears. The bell crank lever is pivotally mounted on the base by means of a transverse horizontal pivot shaft 75 which projects horizontally from the base and through a suitable bore pro vided intermediate the ends of the lever.

The lever is biased toward counter-clockwise pivotal movement about the shaft 75 by a spring 76 whose opposite ends are secured to the lever and to a downwardly projecting pin 77 on the under side of The lever is provided with a boss 78 providing a cam surf ce 79 which engages and rides against the end of the hori- Zontal rack gear for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

Counter-clockwise rotation of the bell crank lever is limited by an adjustable stop or screw which is threaded through a boss 31 on the base j st below the lower clamp member, and engages the upper arm of the bell crank lever. The stop screw is locked in any udjustc position by a lock nut 32. This stop prevents the bell crank lever moving past the vertical position, which movement would prevent the clamp member from gripping the strip of cast metal thcrebetween. Freferably, the stop is positioned to stop countcr-clocl" c movement of the bell crank lever before the upper "n '72 reaches a vertical position, as is clearly shown in gure 2.

the base.

A plunger 85 mounted in the bore 6 of a boss 87, formed on the base below the boss and below the pivot shaft 75, extends outwardly thereof to engage the lower arm of the bell crank lever as it is pivoted in a clockwise direction to cushion the impact between the lower clamp and the upper surfaces of the b e The plunger being yieldably biased outwardly by a ring in said bore 86, the spring 39 being retained in the bore by a screw 90 threaded in an enlarged portion of the and locked in adjusted positions by a lock nut 9i.

It will now be apparent that the torsion s ng resiliently biases the vertical rack gear downwmdly, the shaft 31 being rotated counter-clockwise (Fig. 7*) to move he horizontal rack gear to the left until its movement with respect to the base is stopped by the eng ment of the pin 49 with the right-hand end of the slot 3 i'hereupon the whole base is moved to the left, the b e being movable longitudinally horizontally on the ys 4i and '32 of the housing.

During the leftward movement of the horizontal rack gear with respect to the base 45, its left end engaged tnc cam surface 79 and caused clockwise rota -1 of the bell crank lever 73, whereby the lower clamp 15 held down wardly away from the upper clamp 39 before any move ment of the base itself occurred. Thus, the lower clamp is held disengaged from the strip disposed between the upper and lower clamps during leftward or return movement of the base.

The base 45 is normally resilimtly held to its extra leftward position by the torsion spr g acting on the s? 31, and the vertical rack gear is free to actuated by the cam 24. \R/hen the cam is rotated to engage the roller 25 at the lower end of the vertical k gear,

vertical rack gear is lifted to rotate the pinion gear 4t thus moving the horizontal rack gear 47 to the right with respect to the base. Such movement of the horizontal rack gear is independent of movement of the base 45 until the left-hand end of the slot 56 engages the pin 49, and as the horizontal rack gear moves to the right the left end of said rack gear moves away from the cam surface 79 on the bell crank lever 73, whereby said bell crank lever is swung counter-clockwise by the spring 76 so that the lower clamp 61 is again raised toward the upper clamp to clamp the strip between said clamps before any movement of the base to the right can occur. The upper clamp member is so adjusted vertically that the lower clamp member engages and clamps the cast strip between the clamp members before the upper art of the bell crank lever member reaches a vertical position. so that force applied to the base member moving it to the right tightens the grip of the clamp members on the strip.

When the pin 4? engages the left end of the slot 553, further upward mo ement of the vertical rack gear causes the base 45 to move to the right and, since the strip is now held between the upper and lower clamps, the strip is pulled to the right as the base moves to the right. lust prior to the of the right hand or pulling stroke or movement of the base, the lower arm 91 of the bell crank lever '73 strikes the end of a trip rod threaded through the end wall of the housing 29 and disposed below and parallel to the horizont rack gear 47. The trip rod locked in adjusted positions by a lock nut threaded thereon and the housing wall. and said rod is so positioned that it engages the lower arm of the crank lever inst before the of the right-hand movement of the base 45, preferably about three-sire teenths of. an inch before the end of the stroke. This causes the bell crank lever to be swung clockwise, where-- by the lower clamp member 61 is moved downwardly away from the strip to positively release the tight grip of the clamp members on the strip.

As the peak or the cam 24 moves past the roller 25', the torsion spring acts on the shaft El to move the vertical ck gear downward-- ly and again move the horizontal rack gear and base to the left for a new grip on the strip of metal, the en gagement of the left end of the rack gear engaging the cam surface 79 of the bell crank lever to hold the clamp member downwardly during such return or left-hand movement or stroke of the body. This sequence of operations is r sated as long as the drive haft otates, thus intermittently pulling the strip to the right.

It will be apparent that the pulling movement is effected by engagement of the cam 24 with the vertical rack gear roller, and that the force with which the strip is pulled the length of each movement can be very delicately adjusted by rotation of the knob 37 to properly position the stop lever 32 to limit downward movement of the vertical rack gear, and thus similarly limit its upward movement and the length of the stroke of movement of said vertical rack gear. Such control of movement of the vertical rack gear will provide for a similar control of movement of the body 45 and the clamp members carried thereby.

Rigidly secured to one end of the housing 29 is a brake assembly ltltl which includes a vertical brake plate or body in having vertically elongate slots 102 through which bolts Till?) may extend into threaded bores in the housing 29 to secure the brake assembly to the housing. The use of vertically elongate slots permits vertical adjustment of the brake assembly relative to the clamp assembly, to provide for proper alignment of such assemblies and for movement of the cast strip therethrough without bending or the like.

The brake plate till is provided with a horizontal slot or mouth opening 104 in which are disposed upper and lower friction brake or restraining members 105' and 106. The lower friction brake member has a pair of dependent spaced legs 107 on its under side which are disposed on opposite sides of the lower jaw or extension 108 of the brake plate, said brake member being pivotally secured to said jaw member by a shaft 109 which extends through registering apertures in the jaw member and the legs 107 of the brake member.

The upper brake member 105 is secured by a pin 111 to the lower end of a vertically adjustable rod 110, which extends upwardly through the bore of the upper jaw 112 of the brake plate and through the central aperture of a gland nut 113 threaded in the upper end of the bore of said upper jaw. The upper end of the rod is slotted to receive a cam lever 114 which is pivotally secured to the red by a pin 115. A spring 116 in the bore 112 bears against the under side of the gland nut 113 and against the upper surface of the upper brake member to bias the upper brake member downwardly. The areuate edge or cam face 117 of the cam lever curves outwardly and downwardly from a point adjacent the pivot pin so that when the lever is pivoted clockwise about the pin 115, to the position shown in Figure 5, the cam face engages the upper end of the gland nut and the rod 110 is lifted to lift the upper brake member 105 away from the lower brake member, while movement of the cam lever in the opposite direction permits the rod 110 to move downwardly so that the upper brake member moves toward engagement with the lower brake member to frictionally grip a cast strip therebetween to restrain the strip against undesired movement.

The pivotal mounting of the lower brake member provides for some movement of the latter to permit it to adjust its position as the strip moves between the upper and lower brake members. The brake members are provided with suitable facings or linings 118 secured thereto by screws 119, whereby the linings may be changed or replaced when desired.

A printing face forming assembly 125 may be secured to the brake plate member 101 for forming dash marks, dotted lines or the like on the printing face of the cast strip. The face forming assembly includes an angle bracket or base member 126 secured to the brake plate member by means of screws 127 extending through apertures 128 in the vertical leg of the bracket into threaded bores 129 in one of the dependent legs 107 of the lower brake member 106. Mounted on the horizontal leg of the angle bracket is a guide roller 130 which is rotatably disposed about a shaft pin 131 which is secured to the angle bracket by a nut 132 threaded on its lower end below said horizontal leg.

A second shaft pin 133 extends through a transverse slot 134 in the horizontal leg of the angle bracket to rotatably hold a forming tool on roller 135 disposed in spaced relation to the guide roller on the upper surface of the bracket or base member. A nut 136 secures the shaft pin 133 in place on said base member. The forming tool may be a roller such as that shown, having suitable grooves or projections, so that the strip in passing between the guide roller and the forming tool has suitable impressions formed thereby in the printing or ruling face thereof.

In use, the strip as it comes from the mold or die first passes between the guide roller and the forming tool; then between the frictional restraining or

brake members

105 and 106, which prevent any undesired movement of the strip; and then between the

clamp members

60 and 61.

The clamp members seize or engage the strip and hold it while the reciprocating base moves to the right, thus causing the strip to be pulled longitudinally past the forming tool and the brakes. Before the base moves to the left, the lower clamp is moved downwardly to free the strip from clamping engagement by the clamp members, the strip being then restrained against movement by the brake members as the base moves to the left to the position wherein the lower clamp member is again moved upward toward the upper clamp member to grip the strip and pull the same to the right as the base again moves to the right.

It will be apparent that a new and improved pulling mechanism has been illustrated and described, which includes a reciprocating base on which is mounted a clamp assembly comprising a vertically adjustable fixed upper clamp and a lower clamp member which reciprocates toward and away from the upper clamp member. It will also be apparent that a mechanism has been provided for reciprocating the lower clamp and the base alternately, such mechanism including a horizontal member or rack gear 47 mounted on the base for limited horizontal movement and engageable with a bell crank lever to hold the lower clamp member downwardly during movement of the horizontal rack gear in one direction relative to the base. It will also be seen that the lower clamp member is biased to its upper position by a spring 76, moving thereto when the horizontal rack gear moves away from said bell crank lever; and that the engagement of the lower clamp plate member with the strip occurs before the upper arm of the bell crank member reaches a vertical position, whereby the strip is firmly clamped between the lower and the upper clamp members. It is particularly manifest that the bell crank lever engages the trip rod 92 prior to the end of the pulling stroke, whereby the lower clamp member is positively moved downwardly to release the grip of the clamp members on the strip, and that the horizontal rack gear engages and holds the crank lever in such released position during the return or left-hand stroke of the body.

It will also be apparent that the horizontal rack gear member is so connected to the reciprocable base 45 that said base member is movable in either direction only when the horizontal rack gear member has moved to its extreme position in either direction relative to the base.

The foregoing description of the invention is explanatory only, and changes in the details of the constructions illustrated may be made by those skilled in the art, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A pulling mechanism including: a fixed structure; a base mounted on said fixed structure for reciprocable movement in one plane; a movable member mounted on said base for limited reciprocable movement relative to said base in said one plane; means operatively connecting said movable member with said base whereby said movable member may be moved to move said base; clamping means mounted on said base and comprising a clamp member movable perpendicularly with respect to said one plane between open and clamping positions; means connected to said movable member to move said movable member and said base reciprocally in said one plane; said base being movable by said movable member only upon cessation of movement of said movable member relative to said base; and means engageable by said movable member for moving said clamp member positively to open position upon movement of said movable member in one direction relative to said base whereby said clamp member is positively held in open position during movement of said base in said one direction.

2. A pulling mechanism of the character set forth in claim 1, wherein brake means is mounted on said fixed structure in longitudinal alignment with said clamping means adapted for holding a strip extending through said clamping means and said brake means, said brake means being adapted to grip said strip to prevent longitudinal movement thereof in either direction except when gripped by said clamping means and pulled thereby when said base is moved away from said brake means.

3. In a device of the type described, a pulling mechanism for pulling strips from a die, comprising: a fixed structure; a base mounted on said fixed structure for reciprocable movement in one plane toward and away from said die; a movable member mounted on said base for limited reciprocable movement relative to said base in said one plane and toward and away from said die; a

pin and slot connection between said movable member and said base providing said limited reciprocable movement therebetween and providing for a positive ri operating connection by which said movable member moves said base; clamping means mounted on said base and comprising a stationary member and a clamp mem ber movable perpendicularly with respect to said one plane between open and clamping position with respect to said stationary member; means connected to said movable member to move said movable member and said base reciprocably in said one plane, said pin and slot connection providing means whereby said base is movable only upon cessation of movement of said movable member relative to said base; means carrying said movable clamp member engageable by said movable member for moving said movable clamp member to positiveiv holding it in open position upon movement of said mova ble member relative to said base and toward said die; and means biasing said clamp member toward closed position. said clamp member moving to closed position upon move ment of said movable member relative to said base and away from said die; said clamping means seizing said strips when said clamping member is moved to clamping position.

4. In a device of the character set forth in claim 3. brake means mounted on said fixed structure between said clamping means and said die and in alignment therewith for positively holding the strip against movement in either longitudinal direction while the movable clamping memher is in open position.

5. A pulling mechanism for strip including: a fixed structure; a base mounted on said structure for reciprocable movement in one plane; a rack gear mounted on said base for limited reciprocable movement relative to said base in said one plane in the same directions as the movement of the base relative to said fixed structure: a pin and slot connection between said rack gear and said base providing said limited reciprocable movement therebetween and also providing a positive rigid operat ing connection by which said rack gear moves said base; means engageable with said rack gear for moving said rack gear reciprocably; clamping means mounted on said base and comprising a stationary member and a clamp member movable perpendicularly with respect to said one plane between open and clamping positions with respect to said stationary member; means connected to said clamping member and engageable by said rack gear for moving said clamp member to and positively holding it in open position upon movement of said rack gear in one direction; and means biasing said clamping member toward closed position; said pin and slot connection providing for movement of said rack gear a limited distance with respect to said base before moving said base whereby said clamp member is in either open and clamping positions before movement of said base can occur.

A pulling mechanism for strip including: a fixed structure; a base mounted on said structure for recipro cable movement in one plane; a rack gear mounted on said base for limited reciprocable movement relative to said base in said one plane in the same directions as the movement of the base relative to said fixed structure; a pin and slot connection between said rack gear and said base providing said limited reciprocable movement therebetween and also providing a positive rigid operating connection by which said rack gear moves said base; means engageabl with said rack gear for moving said rack gear reciprocably; clamping means mounted on said base and comprising a stationary member and a clarrip member movable perpendicularly with respect to said one plane between open clamping positions with respect to said stationary member; means connected to said clamping member and engageable by said rack gear for moving said clamp member to and positively holding it in open position upon movement of said rack gear in one direction; and means biasing said clamping member tit toward closed position; said pin and slot connection providing for movement of said rack gear a limited distance with respect to said base before moving said base whereby said clamp member is in either open and clamping positions before movement of said base can occur, said means for moving said rack gear including a shaft rotatably secured to said fixed structure; a gear fixed to said shaft and meshing with said rack gear; drive means for rotating said shaft in one direction; and means biasing said shaft for rotation in the opposite direction.

7. A pulling mechanism for pulling strips of printers rule and the like, including: a fixed structure; a base slidabiy mounted on said fixed structure for reciprocal movement thereon longitudinally of the strip; a rack gear slidably mounted on said base for reciprocal movement relative to said base in the same direction as the movement of said base relative to said fixed structure and said strip; a pin and slot connection between said rack gear and said base providing a positive connection between said rack gear and said base by which said rack gear may move said base; means carried by the fixed structure engageable with said rack gear for moving said rack gear reciprocably; clamping means mounted on said base and comprising an adjustable stationary member and a movable clamp member movable toward and away from said stationary member between clamping and open positions; means carried by the base and movably supporting said clamping member thereon, said supporting means being cngageable by said rack gear for moving said clamp mem ber to and positively holding it in open position upon movement of said rack gear in one direction; said pin and slot connection between said rack gear and said base permitting said rack gear to move into such engagement with said supporting means before said rack gear moves said base; and means biasing said movable clamping member toward clamping position; said pin and slot connection between said rack gear and said base permitting said rack gear to move out of engagement with said supporting means before said rack gear moves said base in an opposite direction, whereby said biasing means bisases said movable clamp member toward clamping position before said rack gear moves said base in said opposite direction.

8. A pulling mechanism of the character set forth in claim 7 wherein brake means is mounted on said fixed structure in a position to engage the strip being pulled in advance of engagement of said strip by said clamping means, said brake means holding said strip against movement in either direction longitudinally while the movable clamping member is in open position.

9. in a printing rule strip forming machine, a pulling mecl.anism for pulling rule strips from a die including: a fixed structure; a base mounted on said fixed structure for rcciprocable movement in one plane toward and away from said die; a movable member mounted on said base for limited reciprocable movement relative to said base in said one plane and toward and away from said die; a pin and slot conn ction between said movabie member and said base providing said limited reciprocable movement therebetween and providing for a positive rigid operating connection by which said movable member moves said base; clamping means mounted on said base and comprising a stationary member and a clamp member movable perp ndicularly with respect to said one plane between open and clamping positions with respect to said stationary member; means connected to said movable member to move said movable member and said base reciprocably in said plane, said pin and slot connection providing means whereby said base is movable only upon cessation of movement of said movable member relative to said base; means :arrying movable clamr member engageable by said movable member for moving said clamp member to and positively holding it in open position upon movement of said movable member relative to said base and toward said die; means biasing said r 1 W l."

clamp member toward closed position, said clamp member moving to closed position upon movement of said movable member relative to said base and away from said die; said clamping means seizing said rule strip when said clamping member is moved to clamping position; brake means mounted on said fixed structure between said clamping means and said die and in alignment therewith for positively holding the rule strip in a plane parallel to said one plane against longitudinal movement in either direction while the movable clamping member is in open position, a supporting member mounted on said fixed structure between said brake means and said die and disposed vertical to said one plane and co-acting with each brake means by engaging one lateral edge of said rule strip formed by said die for holding the rule strip against movement laterally in one direction in said plane parallel to said one plane, and a forming means removably secured to said rigid structure between said brake means and said die and disposed in a plane perpendicular to said one plane and positioned to engage the opposite printing face edge of said rule strip opposite the edge engaged by said supporting member for holding the strip against lateral movement in said plane parallel to said one plane and for forming and modifying the printing face of said rule strip as said rule strip is pulled past said forming means by said pulling mechanism, said pulling means and said supporting means thus co-acting with said brake means to hold said strip against displacement laterally, vertically or longitudinally while said pulling means is moved from pulling position to a new gripping engagement with said rule strip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 998,377 Munthe et al. July 18, 1911 1,826,498 Bignell Oct. 6, 1931 2,514,554 Nowelsky July 11, 1950 2,663,566 Grimm Dec. 22, 1953 2,698,081 Rice Dec. 28, 1954 2,730,916 Gavurin Ian. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 178,649 Great Britain Apr. 27, 1922