US3119173A - Apparatus for assembling interlocking extrusions and the like - Google Patents

Description

K. F. GLASER Jan. 28, 1964 APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING INTERLOCKING EXTRUSIONS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1961 FIG-l INVENTOR. KURT F. GLASER FIG-2 I /%ZZZM HIS ATTORNEYS United States Patent 0 This invention relates to an improved apparatus for assembling together interlocking extrusions or the like. More specifically, this invention relates to an improved apparatus for serially assembling together interlocking extrusions in aligned relation.

One type of articles or extrusions that the apparatus of this invention is adapted to assemble together each comprises a main body portion having a pair of opposed depending legs, one leg of each extrusion or article being adapted to be mechanically interlocked in a press-fit relation to another leg of another extrusion or article whereby the extrusions or articles are interconnected in aligned relation.

Such interconnected extrusions or articles have a wide variety of uses. For example, the interconnected extrusions or articles can be utilized for forming structural panels of buildings and the like, such as flooring, walls, roofing and the like. However, this invention is not to be limited to any particular use of the articles assembled together by the method and apparatus thereof.

One embodiment of the apparatus of this invention comprises a structural frame means for carrying the article or extrusion supporting means and the various operating parts of the apparatus which includes positioning means, holding means and clamping means.

The positioning means of the apparatus of this invention is adapted to move the already assembled extrusions on the support means of the apparatus so that the trailing extrusion thereof will be properly positioned to receive another extrusion to be subsequently assembled thereto in aligned relation.

The holding means of the apparatus of this invention is adapted to engage the outer leg of the trailing extrusion of the assembly thereof after the assembly has been properly positioned on the support means by the positioning means, the holding means preventing movement of the assembly of extrusions in a particular direction to provide backing means for the trailing extrusion so that the additional extrusion can be press-fitted thereto.

The clamping means of the apparatus of this invention is adapted to force a partially assembled extrusion into interlocking relation with the trailing extrusion of the assembly thereof, the clamping means and holding means cooperating together to effect such press-fit relation between the additional extrusion and the trailing extrusion.

Actuating means are carried by the apparatus of this invention and are so constructed and arranged that the positioning means, holding means and clamping means operate in the proper sequence to serially interconnect the extrusions together in aligned relation.

Accordingly, it can be seen that the apparatus and method of this invention provides means for readily assembling together interlocking extrusions or articles in a minimum of time and effort and with a relatively few basic operating steps whereby the apparatus can be inexpensively manufactured.

Therefore, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus for assembling together interlocking extrusions or the like and having one or more of the novel features set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent upon a reading of this description, which 3,119,173 Patented Jan. 28, 1984 ice proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the apparatus of this invention, the apparatus being adapted to assemble together interlocking extrusions or the like.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, perspective view illustrating extrusions interlocked together by the apparatus and method of this invention.

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary, side view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 2 and illustrates one of the operating positions thereof.

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 and illustrates the apparatus in another operating position thereof.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 and illustrates the apparatus in still another operating position thereof.

FlGURE 7 is a schematic view illustrating the hydraulic circuit for operating the various piston and cylinder arrangements of the apparatus of this invention.

While the various features of this invention are illustrated and hereinafter described as being particularly adaptable for interlocking together certain specific extrusions or articles, it is to be understood that the meth- 0d and apparatus of this invention can be utilized for interlocking together other types of extrusions or articles, as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments thereof illustrated in the drawings, as the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, an improved apparatus of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 1t and is utilized to assemble together a plurality of interlocking extrusions 11, FIGURE 3, in a manner hereinafter described.

As illustrated in FIGURE 3, each extrusion 11 comprises a flat top or body portion 12 having a pair of spaced, parallel and depending legs 13 and 14 extending downwardly from the outer peripheral edges thereof.

The legs 13 of the extrusions 11 each comprises an upper enlargement 15 having an outwardly and upwardly directed channel 16 formed between two flanges 17 and 18 of the enlargement 15. A pair of opposed flanges 19 and 21) extend in opposite directions from the lower end of the leg 13, with the flange 19 having an upwardly turned end portion 21 cooperating with the main body portion of the leg 13 to define a channel 22.

The legs 14 of the extrusions 11 each comprises an upper, outwardly and downwardly directed beaded portion 23 spaced from an arcuate portion 24 thereof to define a channel 25 therebetween. The head 23 is adapted to be snugly received in a channel 16 of a leg 13 while the flange 17 of the leg 13 is adapted to be received in the channel 25 of a leg 14.

An inwardly directed flange 26 is integrally interconnected to the lower end of the leg 14 and is adapted to be received in the channel 22 of a leg 13 of another extrusion 11 by a press-fit relation in a manner hereinafter described.

When it is desired to interconnect two extrusions 11 together, the bead 23 of a leg 14 of one of the extrusions 11 is angularly inserted into the channel 16 of a leg 13 of the other extrusion 11. However, the end 21 of the flange 1? of the leg 13 prevents the flange 26 of the leg 14 from being received in the channel 22, so that the partially assembled extrusions assume the partially assembled position as illustrated by the left-hand pair of extrusions 11a and 11b of FIGURE 5. By forcing the leg 14 of the extreme left-hand extrusion 11b of FIGURE 5 toward the leg 13 of the second left-hand extrusion 11a of FIGURE 5 with the apparatus of this invention, in a manner hereinafter described, the flange 22 of the leg 14 can be forced into the channel 22 of the leg 13, as illustrated in FIGURE 6, whereby a press-fit relation is effected between the extrusions and the same are mechanically locked together with the body portions 12 thereof being disposed in a common plane, as illustrated in FIGURE 3.

As illustrated in FIGURE 3, it can be seen that the legs 14 of the extrusions 11 are each interlocked to a leg 13 of another extrusion 11 by having the flanges 24 and 26 thereof slightly compressed between the flanges 17 and 19 with the turned up end 21 holding the two extrusions 11 in interlocking relation. The top flange 18 of the legs 13 cooperate with the beads 23 of the legs 14 to provide a flush upper surface of the interlocked extrusions 11.

The apparatus of this invention is adapted to serially interconnect together adjacent extrusions 11 to form an aligned assembly thereof in a simple and effective manner, as hereinafter described.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the apparatus 10 comprises a suitable frame means or structure 27 formed from various structural elements interconnected together in a manner well known in the art. The frame means 27 of the apparatus It carries an upper extrusion-supporting means 28 formed from a plurality of angle irons 29, 30, 31 and 32 or the like forming a rectangular opening 33 therebetween and having the upper surfaces thereof disposed in a common plane, the angle iron 32 having the outer end 34 of the upper leg thereof curved downwardly, as illustrated in FIGURE 2, for a purpose hereinafter described.

The frame means 27 of the apparatus 10 carries three main operating parts thereof and hereinafter referred to as positioning or pulling means 35, holding means 36, and clamping means 37.

The positioning or pulling means is adapted to serially advance the assembly of extrusions 11 resting on the support means 23 of the apparatus 10 so that the trailing extrusion 11a of the assembly thereof will be properly positioned in the apparatus 10 to receive another extrusion on the outer end thereof to be interconnected to the assembly of extrusions in a manner hereinafter described.

The holding means 36 is adapted to engage the inner side of the outer leg of the trailing extrusion 11a of the assembly of extrusions 11 resting on the support means 28 and properly positioned by the pulling means 35, so that an additional extrusion can be mechanically locked thereto by being forced in a direction to compact the outer leg of the trailing extrusion 11a against the holding or backing means 36.

The clamping means 37 of the apparatus 19 is adapted to force the leg 14 of the extrusion 11b to be assembled against the outer leg 13 of the trailing extrusion 11a of the assembly thereof in the manner illustrated in FIG- URE 6 to interconnect that extrusion 11b to the trailing extrusion 11a of the assembly of extrusions 11.

The more specific details of the pulling means 35, holding means 36 and clamping means 37 will now be described.

As illustrated in FIGURES 1, 2 and 4, a pair of spaced, parallel structural elements 38 and 39 are carried by the frame means 27 and respectively have channels 49 formed therein and facing each other to receive the ends of a plate 41 slidably disposed in the channels 44) and carried by the structural elements 38 and 39.

A shaft or rod 42 has one end thereof interconnected to a piston of a conventional fluid-operated piston and cylinder arrangement 43 carried by the frame means 27. The other end of the rod 42 is interconnected to a yokelike member 44 pivotally secured to a pin 45 carried by the plate 41.

In this manner, the plate 41 is pulled to the right, as

4 illustrated in FIGURES l and 2 of the drawings, when the piston of the piston and cylinder arrangement 43 moves to the right. Similarly, the plate 41 will move to the left when the piston of the piston and cylinder arrangement 43 is moved to the left under the influence of fluid pressure, in a manner hereinafter described.

A fiat pulling member 46 is pivotally carried on the pin 45 of the plate 41 so as to be movable therewith, the pulling member 46 carrying a fiat plate 47 at the lower end thereof and spaced from the pivot pin 45 to cause the pulling member 46 to assume the pivotal position illustrated in FIGURE 2. Further counterclockwise pivotal movement of the pulling member 46 from the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 is prevented by the plate 47 resting against the plate 41. However, the pulling member 46 can be pivoted in a clockwise direction when a force is applied thercagainst but will return to the position illustrated in FIGURE 2 when that force is removed because of the weight of the plate 47 tending to pivot the pulling member 46 in a counterclockwise direction.

As illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, the pulling member 46 is adapted to move the assembly of extrusions 11 supported on the supporting means 28 of the apparatus to the right a predetermined distance in the following manner so that the trailing extrusion 11a of the assembly of extrusions will be properly positioned relative to the holding means 36 and clamping means 37.

When it is desired to move the assembly of extrusions 11 to a new position on the supporting means 28 of the apparatus 10 so that the trailing extrusion 11a will be properly positioned thereon to permit another extrusion 11b, FIGURE 5, to be assembled thereto in a manner hereinafter described, the pulling member 46 is moved from the position illustrated in FIGURE 4 to the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 by the piston and cylinder arrangement 43, whereby the upper end of the pulling member 46 extending above the plane of the support means 23 engages the interlocked legs 14 and 13 of the extrusions 11c and 11d and pulls the assembly of extrusions 11 therewith, as illustrated in FIGURE 5.

The piston and cylinder arrangement 43 is so constructed and arranged that when the pulling member 46 has been moved to the position illustrated in FIGURE 5, the outer leg 13 of the trailing extrusion 11a of the assembly thereof is properly positioned on the structural member 32 of the supporting means 28 of the apparatus 10 for a purpose hereinafter described.

After the pulling member 46 has moved the assembly of extrusions 11 to the right, the pulling member 46 is moved back to the left, as illustrated in dotted lines in FIGURE 5. As the pulling member 46 is moved to the left, the left-hand side thereof engages the interlocked legs 14 and 13 of the extrusions 11a and 11d and is pivoted clockwise thereby so that the pulling member 46 can pass beneath the same. However, when the pulling member 46 has passed beneath the interlocked legs 14 and 13 of the extrusions 11a and 11d, the weight or plate 47 thereof causes the pulling member 46 to pivot counterclockwise back to the position illustrated in FIGURE 4, whereby the outer end of the pulling member 46 projects above the supporting means 28 of the apparatus 10 so as to perform its pulling function in the above manner.

The holding means 36 of the apparatus 10 comprises a plurality of holding members 48 pivotally carried on the outer ends of movable members or arms 49 vertically movable in channel-defining members 50 carried by the frame means 27 of the apparatus 10.

The lower end of each movable member 40 is pivotally connected to a pair of links 51 interconnected in fixed positions on a rotatable shaft 52 by bushings 53, the shaft 52 being rotatably carried by the frame means 27 of the apparatus It).

The shaft 52 carries a bushing 54, FIGURE 1, which has a link 55 extending therefrom, the link 55 having the outer end thereof pivotally connected to a rod 56 inter connected to a piston of a conventional fluid-operated piston and cylinder arrangement 57 pivotally secured to the frame means 27, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

When the piston of the piston and cylinder arrangement 57 is moved to the right, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the movable members 49 are pulled vertically downwardly in the channel-defining means 50 whereby the holding members 48 are pivoted to positions aligned with the movable members 49 and are drawn downwardly into the channel-defining members 56 in the manner illustrated in full lines in FIGURE 4, so that the holding members 43 are disposed beneath the top surface of the supporting means 28 of the apparatus 10. When the holding means 48 are lowered into the channel-defining member 56, the assembly of extrusions 11 can be axially moved to the right by the pulling means 46 in the manner set forth above.

After the assembly of extrusions 11 have been properly positioned on the supporting means 28 of the apparatus by the pulling member 46, as illustrated in FIGURE 5, the piston of the piston and cylinder arrangement 57 is moved to the left whereby the movable members 49 are raised vertically upwardly and cause the holding members 43 carried thereby to cam against the undersurface of the body portion 12 of the trailing extrusion 11a and be pivoted counter-clockwise to the position illustrated in FIGURE 5. In this manner the holding members 48 engage the inner surface of the leg 13 of the trailing extrusion 11a to prevent further movement of the assembly of extrusions 11 to the right for a purpose hereinafter described.

The clamping means 37 of the apparatus 16 comprises a plurality of clamping members 58 respectively carried on the outer ends of C-shaped arms or links 59 having the other ends thereof interconnected to bushings 6t) fixedly carried on a shaft 61, the shaft 61 being rotatably carried by the frame means 27 of the apparatus 16. The clamping members 58 are so constructed and arranged that the same are adapted to be moved toward the raised holding members 48 when the shaft 61 is rotated in a clockwise direction as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

One of the bushings 60 fixed to the rotatable shaft 61 is interconnected to one end of an arm or link 62 having the other end thereof pivotally connected to a rod 63, the rod 63 having one end thereof interconnected to a piston of a conventional fluid-operated piston and cylinder arrangement 64 pivotally carried by the frame means 27, as illustrated in FIGURE 2.

When the piston of the piston and cylinder arrangement 64 is moved to the right, as illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the clamping members 58 are moved in a counterclockwise direction away from the holding members 48 and are disposed below the level of the upper surfaces of the supporting means 28 of the apparatus 10. When the piston of the piston and cylinder arrangement 64 is moved to the left, the clamping members 58 are moved in a clockwise direction toward the holding members 48 whereby the clamping members 58 are raised above the upper surface of the supporting means 28 of the apparatus 10 in a manner to be compacted against the holding means 48.

In this manner, the clamping means 58, as illustrated in FIGURES 5 and 6, are adapted to force the leg 14 of the partially assembled extrusion 1112 against the leg 13 of the trailing extrusion 11a in a manner to force the flange 26 of the extrusion 11!) into the channel 22 of the extrusion 11a to interconnect the extrusions 11b and 11a together with the body portions 12 thereof disposed in a common lane. P The fluid pressure system for operating the piston and cylinder arrangements 43, 57 and 64 is illustrated schematically in FIGURE 7 and comprises a pair of manual- 1y operated control valves 65 and 66, the control valve 65 operating the piston and cylinder arrangements 43 and 6 57, while the control valve 66 operates the piston and cylinder arrangement 64.

Fluid pressure is delivered from any suitable source thereof (not shown) through an inlet conduit means 67 having a shut-off valve 68 and a filter 69 disposed therein. The inlet conduit means 67 leads to the control valve 65 and is interconnected to a branch conduit 70 leading to one side of the piston and cylinder arrangement 57 and having a pressure regulator 71 therein. A conduit means 72 leads from the control valve 65 to one side of the piston and cylinder arrangement 43 and has a speed control valve 73 therein. The other side of the piston and cylinder arrangement 43 is interconnected to a conduit means 74 having a speed control valve 75 therein, the conduit means 7 4 being interconnected to a conduit means 76 leading from the other side of the piston and cylinder arrangement 57 and having a speed control valve 77 therein. The conduit means 76 is, in turn, interconnected to a conduit means 78 interconnecting the control valves 65 and 66 together.

A conduit means 79 interconnects the control valve 66 to one side of the piston and cylinder arrangement 64 while a conduit means 86 interconnects the control valve 66 to the other side of the piston and cylinder arrangement 64.

The control valve 65 is so constructed and arranged that the same is adapted to selectively raise and lower the holding members 48 of the apparatus 10.

When it is desired to operate the pulling member 46 to advance the assembly of extrusions 11 on the support means 28 of the apparatus 16, the control valve 65 is moved to a certain position thereof to cause the holding means 4% to be lowered and, thereafter, the pulling means 46 is advanced to the right as illustrated in FIGURE 5. When the control valve 65 returns the pulling means 46 to the left, as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the control valve 65 causes the holding means 48 to be raised to the position illustrated in FIGURE 5 whereby the holding means 48 engages the inner side of the outer leg 13 of the trailing extrusion 11a. Subsequently, the control valve 66 is operated to raise and loWer the clamping members 58 to perform their clamping operation.

The operation of the apparatus 1% will now be described.

Assuming that the operator of the apparatus 10 desires to form an assembly of extrusions 11, the operator takes one extrusion 11 and places the same on the support means 28 of the apparatus 10 with the flange 20 of the leg 13 thereof disposed between the holding members 48 and the supporting element 32 so that the holding means 43 engage the inner surface of the leg 13 thereof.

Thereafter, the operator takes another extrusion 11 and angularly inserts the head 23 of the leg 14 thereof in the channel 16 of the leg 13 of the first extrusionl 11', in -.the manner illustrated by the extrusions 11b and 11a in FIG- URE 5.

The flange 21 of the extrusion 11a prevents the extrusion 11b from being disposed in a common plane thereof whereby the extrusion 11b assumes the angular position illustrated in FIGURE 5.

The operator then manipulates the control valve 66 to cause the piston and cylinder arrangement 64 to raise the clamping members 55 toward the holding members 48 whereby the clamping members 58 compacts the leg 14 of the extrusion 1111 against the leg 13 of the extrusion 11a to force the flange 26 of the extrusion 11b into the channel 22 of the extrusion 11a to mechanically interconnect the extrusions 11a and 11b together in the manner previously described.

Subsequently, the clamping members 58 and holding members 48 are lowered by the control valves 65 and 66 whereby the pulling member 46 is adapted to move the assembled extrusions 11a and 11b to the right to position the outer leg 13 of the extrusion 11b in the proper posi-' tion on the support means 28 of the apparatus 10 so that the holding members 48 can back up the leg 13 thereof in the manner previously described.

Thereafter, another extrusion 11 can be assembled to the assembled extrusions 11a and 11b in the above manner whereby the apparatus continuously assembles together the interlocking extrusions 11 in aligned relation.

Therefore, it can be seen that the apparatus of this invention not only mechanically interlocks the extrusions 11 together between the holding members 48 and clamping members 58 thereof, but also re-positions the thus assembled extrusions 11 on the apparatus 19 by the positioning or pulling means 45 so that an additional extrusion 11 can be interconnected thereto in the above manner.

Thus, an indefinite number of interlocking extrusions 11 can be interconnected together by the apparatus 10 in a simple and effective manner with a minimum of manual steps and personnel.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for assembling together interlocking extrusions each having a body portion provided with opposed depending legs, one of the legs of each extrusion being adapted to be mechanically interlocked with the other leg of another extrusion, the apparatus comprising frame means, support means carried by said frame means for supporting an assembly of said interlocking extrusions, means carried by said frame means for moving said assembly of extrusions to a predetermined position on said support means, means carried by said frame means for engaging one side of the outer leg of the trailing extrusion of said assembly after said assembly has been moved to said predetermined position, and means carried by said frame means for forcing one leg of another extrusion against the other side of said outer leg of said trailing extrusion to interlock said other extrusion to said assembly of extrusions.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for moving said assembly of extrusions to a predetermined position on said support means comprises an axially movable shaft carried by said frame means, a pulling member pivotally mounted to said shaft, means carried by said shaft for limiting pivoting movement of said pulling member beyond a predetermined position in one direction, said pulling member when in said predetermined position being engageable with a pair of interlocked legs of said assembly of extrusions to pull said assembly along said support means when said shaft is moved in a particular direction.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for engaging one side of the outer leg of the trailing extrusion comprises an axially movable member having an engaging member pivotally connected to the outer end thereof, and means for moving said movable member adjacent said one side of said outer leg of said trailing extrusion to cause said engaging member to pivot toward said outer leg and be disposed in engagement therewith.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for forcing one leg of another extrusion against the other side of said outer leg of said trailing extrusion comprises a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means, a plurality of arms carried by said shaft and movable therewith, said arms having outer free ends, and means for rotating said shaft to cause said outer free ends of said arms to engage said one leg of said other extrusion and force the same toward said outer leg of said trailing extrusion.

5. Apparatus for assembling together interlocking extrusions each having a body portion provided with opposed depending legs, one of the legs of each extrusion being adapted to be mechanically interlocked with the other leg of another extrusion, said apparatus comprising frame means, support means carried by said frame means to support one of said extrusions, holding means carried by said frame means to engage one side of one of the legs of said one extrusion and prevent movement thereof in a particular direction, means carried by said frame means for forcing a leg of another extrusion against the other side of said one leg of said one extrusion in said particular direction to interlock said extrusions together, and pulling means carried by said frame means for pulling said assembly of said extrusions in said particular direction to position said other extrusion in a predetermined position on said support means.

6. Apparatus for assembling together interlocking extrusions each having a body portion provided with opposed depending legs, one of the legs of each extrusion being adapted to be mechanically interlocked with the other leg of another extrusion, said apparatus comprising frame means, support means carried by said frame means to support one of said extrusions, holding means carried by' said frame means to engage one side of one of the legs of said one extrusion and prevent movement thereof in a particular direction, clamping means carried by said frame means and movable generally in said particular direction to force a leg of another extrusion against the other side of said one leg of said one extrusion to interlock said extrusions together to form an assembly thereof, means to move said holding means out of engagement with said one leg of said one extrusion, and pulling means carried by said frame means or engaging the other leg of said one extrusion to pull said assembly of said extrusions in said particular direction to position said other extrusion in a predetermined position on said support means.

7. Apparatus for assemblng together interlocking extrusions each having a body portion provided with opposed depending legs, one of the legs of each extrusion being adapted to be mechanically interlocked with the other leg of another extrusion, said apparatus comprising frame means, support means carried by said frame means to support one of said extrusions and having an opening provided therein, a movable member carried by said frame means and disposed on one side of said support means, and a pulling member pivotally mounted to said movable member and having an end thereof extending to the other side of said support means when said pulling member is in one pivotal position relative to said movable member to engage one leg of said extrusion and pull said extrusion on the support means in one direction when said movable member is moved in said one direction, said pulling member being disposed on said one side of said support means when said pulling member is in another pivotal position relative to said movable member to permit said pulling member to pass under the leg of said extrusion when said movable member is moved in the opposite direction.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said pulling member is pivoted against said movable member when said pulling member is in said one pivotal position thereof.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein a fluid operated piston and cylinder arrangement is carried by said frame means and said piston is operatively interconnected to said movable member to cause movement thereof.

10. Apparatus for assembling together interlocking extrusions each having a body portion provided with opposed depending legs, one of the legs of each extrusion being adapted to be mechanically interlocked with the other leg of another extrusion, said apparatus comprising frame means, support means carried by said frame means to support one of said extrusions, a shaft rotatably carried by said frame means, an arm carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, said arm having an outer end, said outer end of said arm being disposed on one side of said support means when said shaft is in one rotatable position and said outer end of said arm being disposed on the other side of said support means when said shaft is in another rotatable position to force one leg of another extrusion against the other leg of the first-named extrusion to interlock said extrusions together.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim wherein a plurality ct said arms are provided and a clamping member is interconneoted to the router ends of said arms.

12. Apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein a fluid operated piston and cylinder arrangement is carried by said frame means and said piston is operatively interconnected to said shaft to cause rotational movement thereof when said piston is moved.

13. Apparatus for assembling together interlocking extrusions each having a body portion provided with opposed depending legs, one of the legs of each extrusion being adapted to be mechanically interlocked with the other leg of another extrusion, said apparatus comprising frame means, support means carried by said frame means to support one of said extrusions, a movable member carried by said frame means and having an outer end, a holding member pivotally secured to said outer end of said movable member, said holding member being pivoted to one position relative to said movable member when said movable member moves said holding member to one side of said support means to have said holding member engage one leg of said extrusion and said holding memher being pivoted to another position relative to said movable member when said movable member moves said hoiding member to the other side of said support means to have said holding member in a posit-ion to permit said extrusion to be moved on said support means.

14. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said holding member and said movable member are received in a channel-defining means carried by said frame means when said holding member is moved to said other side of said support means.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein a fluid operated piston and cylinder arrangement is carried by said frame means and said piston is operatively interconnected to said movable member to cause movement thereof.

16. Apparatus for assembling together interlocking extrusions each having a body portion provided with opposed depending legs, one of the legs of each extrusion being adapted to be mechanically interlocked with the other leg of another extrusion, said apparatus comprising frame means, support means carried by said frame means to support one of said extrusions, a movable member carried by said frame means and disposed on one side of said support means, a pulling member pivotally mounted.

to said movable member and having an end thereof extending to the other side of said support means when said pulling member is in one pivotal position relative to said movable member to engage one leg of said extrusion and pull said extrusion on said support means in one direction when said movable member is moved in said one direction, said pullling member being disposed on said one side of said support means when said pulling member is in another pivotal position relative to said movable member to permit said polling member to pms under said one leg of said extrusion when said movable member is moved in the opposite direction, a shaft rotatably' carried by said frame means, an arm carried by said shaft and rotatable therewith, said arm having an outer end, said outer end of said armbeing disposed on said one side of said support means when said shaft is in one rotatable position thereof and said outer end of said arm being disposed on the other side of said support means when said shaft is in another rotatable position to force said one leg of another extrusion against the other leg of the first named extrusion to interlock said extrusions together, a second movable member carried by said frame means and having an outer end, a holding member pivotaliy secured to said outer end of said second movable member, said holding member being pivoted to one position relative to said second movable member when said second movable member moves said holding member to one side of said support means to have said holding member in a position to permit said first named extrusion to be moved on said support means and said holding member being pivoted to another position relative to said second movable member when said second movable member moves said holding member to the other side of said support means to have said holding member engage the other leg of said first-named extrusion.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said outer end of said arm is moved toward said holding mem her when said holding member is on said other side of said support means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,278,045 Sisson Sept. 3, 1918 2,304,581 Lyon Dec. 8, 1942 2,716,804 Johnson Sept. 6, 1955 2,832,130 Harvey Apr. 29, 1958 2,878,555 Hess Mar. 24, 1959

Claims (1)

1. APPARATUS FOR ASSEMBLING TOGETHER INTERLOCKING EXTRUSIONS EACH HAVING A BODY PORTION PROVIDED WITH OPPOSED DEPENDING LEGS, ONE OF THE LEGS OF EACH EXTRUSION BEING ADAPTED TO BE MECHANICALLY INTERLOCKED WITH THE OTHER LEG OF ANOTHER EXTRUSION, THE APPARATUS COMPRISING FRAME MEANS, SUPPORT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME MEANS FOR SUPPORTING AN ASSEMBLY OF SAID INTERLOCKING EXTRUSIONS, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME MEANS FOR MOVING SAID ASSEMBLY OF EXTRUSIONS TO A PREDETERMINED POSITION ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS, MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME MEANS FOR ENGAGING ONE SIDE OF THE OUTER LEG OF THE TRAILING EXTRUSION OF SAID ASSEMBLY AFTER SAID ASSEMBLY HAS BEEN MOVED TO SAID PREDETERMINED POSITION, AND MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME MEANS FOR FORCING ONE LEG OF ANOTHER EXTRUSION AGAINST THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID OUTER LEG OF SAID TRAILING EXTRUSION TO INTERLOCK SAID OTHER EXTRUSION TO SAID ASSEMBLY OF EXTRUSIONS.

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