US3182386A

US3182386A - Buckle attaching apparatus

Info

Publication number: US3182386A
Application number: US148967A
Authority: US
Inventors: William J Mcgee
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1961-10-31
Filing date: 1961-10-31
Publication date: 1965-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1982-05-11

Description

W. J. M GEE BUCKLE ATTACHING APPARATUS May 11, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 31. 1961 W////a/77 (f M Gee I NVEN TOR.

/! NOR/v5 VJ May, 11, 1965 w. J. MOGEE 3,182,386

. BUCKLE ATTACHING APPARATUS W////0/77 4f M Gee INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,182,3$6 BUCKLE ATTACG APPARATUS William J. McGee, Box 227, Chapman Ranch, Tex. Filed Oct. 31, E61, Ser. No. 148,967

20 Ciaims. (Cl. 29-412) This invention relates to improved apparatus for attaching buckles to straps, such as ties used in the baling of cotton. In one of its aspects, it relates to such apparatus for attaching buckles of a type which have a slot therethrough to closely receive the strap.

As far as I am aware, it is the predominant practice in cotton gins to attach buckles to straps of this type by hand. Specifically, an end of the strap is passed through the buckle slot and then bent over and hammered upon another portion of the strap on the opposite side of the buckle. Obviously, this practice is time consuming and expensive insofar as labor is concerned.

Although I am aware of labor-saving apparatus of this general type, I am not aware of its having been put to any widespread use. This is understandable, however, due to its very complicated and expensive construction. Furthermore, to my knowledge, none of the earlier apparatus is capable of attaching this particular type of buckle, which is in widespread use throughout the industry.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide apparatus of a simple and inexpensive construction for attaching buckles to such straps with a minimum of hand operation.

Another object is to provide apparatus of this type which is particularly adapted for attaching the aforementioned buckles which have slots to closely receive the strap.

A further object is to provide such apparatus which permits the buckles to be fed to a position for attachment to a strap with speed and yet in properly timed relation to the remainder of the operation.

Other objects, advantages and features of the invention will be apparent to one skilled in the art upon a consider ation of the specification, the attached claims and the annexed drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the particular type of buckle above mentioned and attached to a strap by means of apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of such apparatus during an initial stage of its operation wherein a buckle has just been released from a chute into a supported positon to receive an end of a strap through the slot therein;

FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of such apparatus, on

an enlarged scale, and showing in broken lines the posi tion a strap would occupy when moved into supported position on the apparatus with an end thereof extended through the buckle;

FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG, 2, but during a subsequent step in the operation of the apparatus in which the end of the strap has been bent over and then hammered down upon another portion thereof and another buckle has just been fed into the chute;

FIG. 3A is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus similar to FIG. 2A, but during the operation shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a part of such apparatus, similar to FIGS. 2A and 3A, but during an intermediate stage of its operation in which the end of the strap is being bent by an arm which has raised the chute to clear a hammer for engagement with the bent end;

"Ice

FIG. 5 is an elevational view from the front end of the apparatus, as seen from the left of FIGS. 2 and 3, and with the parts thereof disposed in an inactive position prior to a buckling operation; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of such apparatus, as seen along broken line 66 of FIG. 5, in the inactive position of FIG. 5 and with parts thereof removed.

With reference now to the details of the above-described drawings, the buckle 10 shown in FIG. 1 has, as previously mentioned, a slot 11 therein to closely receive the strap 12. More particularly, the slot is disposed toward an edge of the buckle over which the end 13 of the strap is bent onto and adjacent the portion 14. As well known to those skilled in the art of baling cotton, these straps or ties 12 are made from a relatively stiff metal which require that the bent ends thereof be hammered onto the portions 14 to securely attach the buckle thereto. As also known to those skilled in this art, when the buckle 14 is so attached to the strap and the strap is wrapped about the bale as it is held in a compressed condition, the other end thereof is bent upon itself and looped sideways into another slot 15. Then, when the bale is permitted to expand, the fold on the opposite end of the strap will be pressed beneath an adjacent portion of the strap.

As shown in the other figures of the drawings, the apparatus 16 for attaching the buckle to the strap in the manner indicated in FIG. 1 comprises a base 17 having legs 18 adapted to rest upon a supporting surface 19 and reinforced by suitable braces 20 extending therebetween. The base also includes a platform or bed 22 above the legs having side frame members 21 connected to the upper ends of the legs in any suitable fashion. The front end of the bed is closed by a curved plate 23 secured to and extending between the side frame members 21, and the rear end thereof has an opening defined between a pair of angle irons 25 secured to the side frame members 21, as shown in FIG. 6. The bottom of the platform is also substantially open, except for a table 26 extending between and supported from the opposite side members 21.

A top wall 27 of the platform is also supported from the side frame members as well as by columns 28 which extend upwardly from the table 26. As best shown in FIG. 2A, the strap 12 is supported upon the top wall 27 between guide rails 29 thereon which guide the end 13 of the strap through the slot 11 in the supported buckle Ill as it is moved longitudinally into supported position.

A buckle I0 is supported within a cradle 30 rockably mounted on the base by means of a hinge 31 mounted from the table 26, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 3A. The lower edge of the buckle 10 is supported upon one flange 32 of the hinge, and the buckle is held upright by means of a magnet 33 carried beneath top wall 27 of the platform in a position to hold the side of the buckle. The cradle also has an angularly disposed plate 34 extending rearwardly from the support flange 32 to guide the buckle l0 delivered from a chute into a position from which it is attracted by magnets 33 into the upright position shown.

The cradle is normally urged to the buckle supporting position shown in FIG. 2A by means of a counterweight 35 disposed on an arm 36 extending forwardly from support plate 32. However, hinge 31 permits the cradle 30 to rock in a clockwise direction when so urged, as by the turning of the buckle 10 in a counterclockwise direction from the upright position of FIG. 2A to the horizontal position of FIG. 3A. Thus, as it is attached to the strap 12, the buckle is permitted to turn into a position in which it extends longitudinally and substantially parallel to the strap, as shown in FIG. 3A. This is an important feature of this apparatus since, as previously mentioned, the strap 12 fits rather closely within the slot 11 of the'buckle so that folding of the end of the .strap as it is hammered down upon the portion 14 thereof close to the edge of the buckle will urge the buckle into thisparallel position. Obviously, when the buckle is so attached and the strap removed from its support, the cradle is automatically urged by the counterweight to the original position shown in FIG. 2A for supporting a subsequent buckle to be attached to another strap.

In the actual attachmentof the buckle to the strap, the strap end 13 is first bent into approximately the position it will occupy when so attached and then is hammered down upon the portion 14 of the strap to secure it thereto, as shown in FIG. 1. This first stage of the at tachment is accomplished by means of an arm 37 swingably mounted on the base 22 by means of a shaft 38 extending between. side frame members 21. As best shown in FIG. 6, the arm has spaced-apart extensions 39 which are bent toward their outer ends and then joined together by a roller 40. Prior to actuation in a manner to be described, the longitudinal extensions of the arm 37 extend rearwardly and upwardly to dispose roller 40 just beneath the end 13 of the strap 12 to which the buckle It) is to be attached.

Upon such actuation, the arm 37 swings in a counter clockwise direction to bend the end '13 of the strap approximately 180 to a position in which it is disposed at 'least substantially parallel and adjacent to the portion also swingably mounted on the base by means of a shaft 44rotatable at its opposite ends within side frame mernbers 21. Ofcourse, prepositioning of the strap end by means of the bendingarm preserves a maximum amount stationary chute section.

of energy in the hammer for jarring purposes; More particularly, the hammer 43 has a head section which is flat on one side edge 45 for engaging the bent end 13 of the strap just behind the edge of the buckle 10, as

is pivotally connected by a pin 46Lto spaced links 47 thereof which are, in turn, rotatable with the rock shaft 44. The head section is normally urged to a position at substantially a right angle to the link 47 by means of a compression coil spring 48 disposed between an outward the other hand, upon return swinging of the arm and hamextension 49 thereon and an arm 50 secured between the links 47 and extending rearwardly therefrom for a purpose to be described. More particularly, the spring '48 normally urges the hammer head section into a clock? wise position limited by an adjustable set screw 51 carried on the arm 50 although, as best shown in FIG. 3A, it is compressible to absorb the shock of the hammer as it is moved down onto the bent end of the strap.

The

shafts

38 and 44 extend outwardly from thesam side 'ofthe base and are linked together by a continuous chain 52 extending about sprockets 53 on the outer ends of each. Thus, rotation of one shaft will in turn rotate the other to cause the bending arm and hammerto engage the strap end in the desired sequence in response to only. a single actuation by the operator of the apparatus. ,As

posed and rotatably mounted from ab racket 56. on one of the braces 20 of the base ,17. Thisfirstlin'k extends substantially horizontally for pivotal connection at its rearward'end to a substantially vertically extending link j 75 n comprises a first link 55 uponwhich the pedal 54 is dis 57 which is, in turn, pivotally connected to a crank 53 onthe shaft 44. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2A'and 3A, the crank is rotated in a counterclockwise .direction by depression of the pedal 54 a matter. of several inches to thereby move both the' bending arm and the hammer from the positions of FIG. 2A to the positions of FIG. 3A.

'When a buckle has been attached to the strap and the operator releases foot pedal 54, the bending arm and hammer are automatically returned to the position of FIG. 2A by means of a counterweight'59secured to the outer end of the aforementioned arm 50 on the hammer. As can be seen from FIG. 3A, this arm is disposed in a substantially'horizontal position at the completion of the buckle attachment so that the counterweight 59 provides a maximum of mechanical advantage in returning the arm and hammer to the position of FIG. 2A, where they are located by means of a stop 60 on the base. i

The buckles are delivered one at a timeto the cradle support 30 therefor by means of a chute el having its lower end disposed above it and its upper end positioned to receive buckles whichare also fed thereto one at a time from'a cartridge 62, The chute comprises a first stationary section 63 carried by the cartridge 62 with'its upper end disposedito receive a buckle 10a supported on the-bottom wall'64 of the cartridge.v The chutealso includes a swingable section 65 connected with the lower end of the stationary section 63 by means of a hinge 6'5.

Asbest shown in FIG. 5, roller bearings 67 are carried on opposite sides ofthe swin'gable chute sectionfiS for guided movement over flanges: es connected to and extending upwardly from side frame members 21 of the base.

As shown in FIG. 2, the-chute section 65 is normally located in the position of FIGJZA by means of limit screw. 85 engageable with a flange on the side of the This disposes its lower end relatively close to the guide plate 34 =ofthe cradle support'for the buckles to minimize the free 'drop of the buckle from the chute'into the cradle.- This arrangement is made possible by the hinged connection of the chute section 65 to the section 63 which permits section 65 to be engaged by the arm 37 and swung out of the-way of the hammer 43 as they are swung in a clockwise direction from the position of FIG; 2A to the position of FIG. 3A. As best shown in FIG. 4, there is'a curved impact plate 69 on the lower side of chute. section 655 which is positioned for initialengagement by the roller 40 of the arm.

prior to movement of the hammer4$ therepast, 1 con.- templatethat the; impact of the arm with the plate 69 will therepast without obstruction and loss ,of energy. ,On

mer in a clockwise direction, the impact of the back side of the hammer with the chute is of no great concern'because the hammer has accomplished its 'p urpose. p

A single buckle 10b is selectively retained within and then released from the chute by means of a pawl 7il'pivotally connected'on the swingableasection 65 thereof for movement between the position of FIG. .3A, in. which it engages with the lower end of the buckle 16b, and

the position of FIG. 2A in which it is disposed outwardly.

of the; chute to permit. the buckle to drop into the cradle therefor. Movement of the pawl 70 from the; retaining to releasing position is accomplished by the operator by means-of another foot pedal71 connectedto the shaft of thelink72iis pivotally connected to another. link'73,

which in turn is piyotallyco'nnectedto a third link 74 extending substantially rearwardlyand pivotally connected t-oa fourth link. 75. The latter is pivotally connected to a crank 76 on the shaft 7012 so that depression of the pedal 71 by the operators foot will swing the crank from the position of FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 2 to thereby swing the pawl 70 in a clockwise direction to the releasing position of FIG. 2A. The linkage is normally urged by means of a spring 77 acting between the link 74 and the legs of the base of the apparatus to a position for returning pedal 71 to the FIG. 3 position in which the pawl is adapted to retain a buckle in the chute.

Thus, assuming that a buckle b is retained in the chute 61, as shown in FIG. 3A, the operator first depresses the foot pedal 71 to release into supported position within the cradle 30, as shown in FIG. 2A. At this time, the operator may release the pedal 71 and extend the strap 12 longitudinally through the slot 11 in the supported buckle to a position in which the end thereof is disposed above roller 40, as shown in FIG. 2A. Then, upon depression of the foot pedal 54, the operator causes the bending arm 37 and hammer 43 to swing into positions to attach the buckle to the strap in the manner previously described. He may then remove the strap with the buckle attached thereto from its supported position on the base to prepare the apparatus for attaching subsequent buckles.

The cartridge 62, which is supported from the side frame members 21 for disposal substantially vertically thereabove, is open at its upper end for loading purposes and at both sides of the lowermost buckle 10a resting upon the bottom wall 64 opposite the open end of sta tionary chute section 63. This lowermost buckle is fed into the chute by means of a finger 78 swingably mounted on a shaft 79 rotatably supported at its opposite ends from the side members 21 of the base. Thus, as can be seen from FIGS. 2A and 3A, when the finger 78 swings in a counterclockwise direction, it engages the rear end of buckle 10a and ejects it into retained position within the chute, as shown by the buckle 10a. When the finger swings backwardly in a clockwise direction, it is returned to a position for ejecting the next adjacent buckle.

This swinging of the finger to eject the lowermost buckle is accomplished by the engagement with an outwardly extending flange 80 on the finger of a rod 82 between spaced arms 81 on the outer end of arm 50. More particularly, the rod is positioned to engage and swing the flange 80, and thereby swing the finger 78, as the arm 50 is moved with the shaft 44 upon swinging of the hammer 43 in the buckle attaching operation. The finger 78 is normally urged to the inactive position of FIG. 2A by means of a spring 83 (FIG. 1) connected between a leg 18 of the base and a slotted link 84 connected to the pin 79. Thus, a buckle is automatically fed into the chute in response to each buckling operation, so that after the operator releases the pawl 70 for delivering a buckle into the supporting cradle 30, and raises his foot from the pedal 71 to permit the pawl to return to the retaining position of FIG. 3A, the buckle 10b fed by the finger '78 will move into engagement with the pawl 70 for subsequent delivery to the cradle support upon removal of the strap and buckle 10 just attached thereto.

From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with'other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.

As many possibleembodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention having been described, what is claimed 1. Apparatus for attaching a buckle to a strap, comprising means to support the strap, means for supporting the buckle in a position to receive the strap therethrough as the strap is moved into supported position, and means for bending an end of the strap on one side of the buckle over upon a portion thereof on the other side of the buckle and then hammering said bent end against said portion.

2. Apparatus for attaching a buckle to a strap, comprising a base having means thereon to support the strap and to support the buckle in a position to receive the strap therethrough, an arm mounted on the base for swinging into a position to bend an end of the strap on one side of the buckle over upon a portion thereof on the other side of the buckle, a hammer mounted on the base for swinging into a position for hammering said bent end against said portion of the strap.

3. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 2, including means linking the arm and hammer to one another and to a foot pedal for simultaneous actuation toward strap end bending and hammering positions, respectively.

4. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 2, including a chute having one end extending relatively close to the buckle supporting means for feeding a buckle thereto, each of said arm and hammer being swingable over said buckle and said arm being engageable with said one end of the chute to move it out of the path of the hammer as said arm is swung into strap bending position.

5. For use in attaching a buckle to a strap, wherein the buckle has a slot therein to closely receive the strap, apparatus comprising a base, means on the base for supporting the strap in longitudinally extending position, means on the base for supporting the buckle in a position transversely of the strap supporting means to receive the strap through the slot therein as the strap is moved to its supported position, means for securing an end of the strap on one side of the buckle over upon a portion thereof on the other side of the buckle, and means mounting the buckle supporting means on the base for swinging from buckle supporting position to another position in which it permits the buckle to extend substantially longitudinally parallel to the strap as the end of said strap is so secured.

6. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 5, including means for automatically returning the buckle supporting means from the other position to buckle supporting position.

7. Apparatus for attaching a buckle to a strap, comprising means for supporting the strap in a substantially horizontal position, means for supporting the buckle in a position to receive the strap through a slot therein, a chute above the supporting means for delivering a buckle thereto, means in the chute for normally retaining a buckle therein and then releasing it for delivery dropping onto said buckle supporting means, and means for securing an end of the strap on one side of the buckle over upon a portion thereof on the other side of the buckle after it has been so delivered to its supporting means. I

8. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 7, including a cartridge for containing a plurality of buckles, and means responsive to actuation of said securing means for feeding one buckle at a time from the cartridge into retained position within the chute for subsequent release therefrom.

9. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 8, wherein said feeding means includes a finger normally disposed adjacent one edge of the outermost buckle in the cartridge, and means operable upon actuation of said securing means to move the finger to a position sliding tllile outermost buckle out of the cartridge and into the c ute.

Apparatus for attaching a buckle to a strap, com-. prising a base, means fors'upporting the strap in a substantially horizontal position on .the base, means for supporting the buckle in afposition to receive the strap therethrough, a chute above the buckle supporting means for delivering a buckle thereto,,means in the chute for normally retaining a buckle therein, meansincluding an arm mounted on the base for swinging into a position to bend an end of the'strap on one s'ide of thebuckle over a portion thereof on the other side of the buckle, and another arm mounted on the base. for swinging into a position to release the buckle, retaining means for dropping'a buckle onto its, supportingmeans prior to swinging of said first-mentioned arm into its position of bending said strap, end.

11. Apparatus of the character defined in claim 10, including means including a separate foot pedal linked to'each of the bending and buckle, releasing arms for actuating them independently of. one another.

12; Apparatus for attaching a hat, relatively thin buckle to a strap, wherein the buckle has a slot therein to closely receive the strap, said apparatus comprising a base, means on the base for supporting :the strap, ina

means for containing a plurality of buckles and feeding them onto the buckle supporting means, an arm mounted on the base for swinging into a position to bend an end of the strap on one side of the buckle over upon a portion thereof on the other side of the buckle, and a hammer mounted on the. base for swinging into a position' for hammering said'bent end against said portion of the strap, said base being open at one side of the buckle supporting means to permit the buckle to swing into substantial align ment with the strap as it is hammeredthereagainst.

16.Apparatus for attaching a buckle having a slot thereinto a strap, comprising a base, means onthe base to support the strap, means on the base to supportthe buckle with its slot in positionto receivefthe strap as the strap is moved longitudinally into supported position, an arm mounted on the basefor swinging into a'positi on to bend an end of the strap on one side of the buckle over upon a portion thereof on the other side of the'buckle,

longitudinally extendingposition and for supporting thebuckle on its edge andwith its slot in a position to receive the strapv as the strap is moved longitudinally into supported position, means for containing a plurality of buckles and feeding them onto the buckle supporting means, and means for securing an end of thestrap on one side of the buckle over upon a portion thereof on the other. side of the buckle, said base being open at one side of the buckle supporting means to permit the rbucklei toswinginto substantial alignment with the strap as it is e r d. there-t r 13, Apparatus for attaching a flat,.relatively thin'buckle' to tr i'w hrh h h u kl as a l t h re to s l receive the strap, said apparatus comprising a base, means on the base for, supporting the strap in a longitudinally ex ends PQ i B nd a pp r n he uck e oh. t

ed e and. w th t l t a a Phh h t rece e, t e s r p as the strap is moved longitudinally into tsupported position, means for containing a plurality of buckles and mhahs f rhhhd aah and of the st ph Qhh e of h hhhhlh qvhr scrt o h ?.Qf oh. t e et er side o he buckle and then hammering said bent end against said edge and with its .slot in a position to receive the strap as he h ri is mq e eqnsithd all i suppo t -r tion, means for containing a plurality of buckles and feeding them onto the buckle supporting means, and an arm mounted on the base' for swinging into a position to bend an a 5 1 tr nhh one id f e b ck e ove pon a portion thereofon the other, side oftheibuckle,v and a hammer for hammering said bent end against said portion of, the strap, sa id base being open at'one'end ofthe buckle supporting means to permit the buckle to swing into substantial alignment with the strap as it is hammered thereagain'str t 15. Apparatus for attaching a flat, relatively thin buckle to a'strap, wherein the buckle has a slot therein to closely receive the strap, saidapparatus comprising a base, means "on the base for supporting the strap in a longitudinally extending positionv and for supporting the buckleton its edge andfwith its slot ina position toreceive the strap as,

the strap is moved longitudinally into supported position,

and a hammer .for'hammering" said bent end against said p'ortionofithe strap. l J i 17. Apparatus of the, character defined in claim 16 including means for simultaneously actuating'the arr'n' and;

beneath the end of the strap beyond the buckle, a hammer rotatably mounted on] the base for swinging' about' a transverse axis spaced longitudinally rearwardly of the axis about'which the arm-swings, and means for'swinging thearm andhammer about their respective axes to, cause the free end of the arm to bend saidend 10rthe strap ver uponfa portion thereof and; the hammer 'toengage ,with

said bent iniemlhdiath he em nt serene r the free end of the arm and saidvbuckla y a,

19. Apparatus for attaching a flat, re'latively thin buckle to a strap, wherein the buckle has a slotthereint'o closely receive the strap, said apparatus comprising a base, means on the base for supporting the strap "in a longitudinally extending position, 'meansbeneath, and to one end of the strap supporting means and supporting the buckle on its edge and with its'slot in a position to receive the strap as the strap is moved longitudinally into supported position, a'container for a plurality of said buckles, andgmeans for feeding individual buckles from .said *container to said buckle supporting meansfor -so receiving said strap, and means for securing an end of the strap on one side of the buckle overt upon a portion thereof-on the other side of the buckle, said buckle supporting means and thetadjacent area of said base permitting'the buckle being secured to swing intosubstantial alignment with the strap 1 20. Apparatus of thecharacter defined in claim- 19, including magnetic means for'maintainingthe buckle in a position perpendicular to' the strap supportingfrneans ,aftersaid buckle has been fedinto said buckle supporting References Cited bythc Examiner -j 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS '2/15' Rodgers- 1S3'l 5/41 Bangs [2 99212 CHARLES w. LANHAMjRriniqry Examiner;

Claims

1. APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING A BUCKLE TO A STRAP, COMPRISING MEANS TO SUPPORT THE STRAP, MEANS FOR SUPPORTING THE BUCKLE IN A POSITION TO RECEIVE THE STRAP THERETHROUGH AS THE STRAP IS MOVED INTO SUPPORTED POSITION, AND MEANS FOR BENDING AN END ON THE STRAP ON ONE SIDE OF THE BUCKLE OVER UPON A PORTION THEREOF ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE