US3653117A - Clip tool and method of clinching - Google Patents

Abstract

A magazine fed clip tool of the stationary anvil type, and which utilizes closely nested clips or seal blanks for clinching ligatures or wires in the anvil. A clip is automatically fed to the clip tool and the clip tool preforms the clip into a nonnestable condition, after which the preformed clip is driven into the anvil jaw to be clinched about ligatures or wires. The method provides for stripping a clip from a closely nested stack, preforming the clip to a non-nestable condition and then clinching it about at least a pair of wires to form a clinched assembly.

Description

United States Patent 1151 3,6

Wolfberg et al. 1 Apr. 4, 1972 s41 CLIP TOOL AND METHOD OF 3,068,485 12/1962 Lingle et al. 29/243.56 x

CLINCl-[ING 3,l33,288 5/1964 Ohgren ..29/243 56 3.526944 9/1970 Cherup ..29/2l2 D [72] Inventors: Robert L. Wollberg, Skokie; Paul W.

1"- bmh of Pn'mary Examiner-Thomas H. Eager [73] Assign": Slam,e Corponflon Attorney-Dressler, Goldsmith, Clement and Gordon 22 Filed: Sept. 1, 1970 57] ABSTRACT [Zl] Appl. No.: 68,725 A magazine fed clip tool of the stationary anvil type. and which utilizes closely nested clips or seal blanks for clinching [52' U 5 Cl 29/429 29/2 D 29/243 56 ligatures or wires in the anvil. A clip is automatically fed to the IB23q 7H0 l 2 clip tool and the clip tool preforms the clip into a non-nestable i 29/512 D 243 5 condition, after which the preformed clip is driven into the 6 1 anvil jaw to be clinched about ligatures or wires. The method provides for stripping a clip from a closely nested stack.

[56] defences cued preforming the clip to a non-nestable condition and then clinching it about at least a pair of wires to form a clinched as- UNITED STATES PATENTS y- 2,574,811 ll/l95l Blumensaadt ..l40/l11 X 13Clnlms, 12 Drawing Figures Q :21 Q llll PATENTEDAPR 4 I972SHEET 3 OF 3 INVENTORS J?o&/r/l 7/ ATTORNEYS CLIP TOOL AND METHOD OF CLlNCI-IING This invention relates to a clinching method and to an improved clip tool, and particularly to an improved pneumatically operable clip tool in which at least a pair of wires are clinched with a clip in a stationary anvil.

One such tool generally related to the clip tool of this invention is illustrated by Blumensaadt U.S. Pat. No. 2,574,811. A principal disadvantage of known tools such as that is that they can use only preformed, non-nestable clips. Non-nestable clips occupy a great deal of space and severely limit the load which a given length of magazine may carry.

Other clipping tools exist which are adapted to utilize nested stacks of clips. However, those are of the movable crimping jaw type, are not adapted to withstand the crimping load that a stationary anvil type of tool can withstand, and are otherwise less desirable in some uses and operations than tools of the general character illustrated in the Blumensaadt patent. Such other tools are illustrated, for example, in Lingle et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,068,485 and Ohgren U.S. Pat. No. 3,l33,288.

In accordance with this invention an improved tool of the stationary anvil type is provided which can efficiently and effectively utilize nestable clips for clinching two or more wires of a spring assembly such as one used in an automobile seat. The improved tool of this invention is relatively lighter in weight than presently available tools adapted to utilize nested clips. By virtue of the use of a lever mechanism for driving and clinching clips rather than a direct impact mechanism, the shock load in the tool of this invention is minimized. Also the tool is more universally adapted to clinch different sizes and numbers of wire combinations, while providing the very substantial and hitherto unavailable advantage of being operable with closely nested clips that increase the capacity of a given tool magazine by a factor of about three.

The tool of this invention is preferably pneumatically operable upon nested clips each having a pair of diverging leg sections. It includes a clip magazine and means for stripping a clip from the magazine and for injecting the clip into the main body of the clip tool. A driver assembly is provided to drive the clip into a stationary clinching jaw to clinch the clip about two or more wires.

After the clip is injected into the tool body it is acted upon by a preformer which reduces the divergence of the leg sections. The driver assembly drives the clip past the preformer and cooperates with the preformer to bias it against the clip. Desirably a ball transfer system is used which includes a ball, a cam slot in the driver assembly and a ball notch in the preformer, the ball being transferred between the cam slot and ball notch.

The driver assembly may be a one-stage or two-stage assembly. In the one-stage assembly the clip is preformed and is then moved directly into the clinching jaw. In the two-stage assembly the preformed clip is retained at a position remote from the clinching jaw and on the next actuation of the tool is driven into the clinching jaw. In that case the driver assembly includes a pair of driving blades and operates on two clips on each stroke of the tool.

The method of this invention for clinching at least a pair of wires preferably includes the steps of stripping a clip having a pair of diverging leg sections from a closely nested stack of clips, decreasing the divergence of said leg sections and then clinching the clip about the wires to form a clinched assembly.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description and drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a vertical view, partially in cross section, of a clip tool of this invention taken substantially along the line 1-1 of FIG.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along theline 22 of FIG. lofa portion of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along the line 3-3 ofFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a closely nestable clip adapted for use with the clip tool ofFIG. l;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along the line 55 ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of FIG. 1 in a second position;

FIG. 7 is a general organizational view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged view of the clinching operational aspect of the tool of FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged view like FIG. 8 at a later clinching stage;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged view like claim 9 showing a clinched assembly;

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. I ofa further embodiment of this invention; and

FIG. 12 is a view of the tool of FIG. II similar to the view of FIG. 6.

Referring first to FIGS. I to 7, aclip tool 10 of this invention comprises ahousing 12 defining acylinder bore 14 and anintegral handle 15.Handle 15 is connected to a source of high pressure air by a fitting 16 and a hose l8. Handle l5 defines anair conduit 20 which communicates with asuitable valve assembly 22 which is operated by atrigger 24 which acts against a valve actuatingpin 26. Suitable valve assemblies adapted to supply and port high pressure air to thecylinder bore 14 are well known in the art.

Valve assembly 22 is adapted alternately to supply air to and to vent air from opposite sides of apiston 28. When the piston is to be driven downwardly air is admitted byvalve assembly 22 topassage 30 which communicates with the upper side of the piston. When thepiston 28 is to be raised for its next stroke, air is admitted byvalve assembly 22 topassage 32 which communicates with the lower side of thepiston 28.Valve assembly 22 also acts to vent high pressure air from the opposite side of the piston to which high pressure air is supplied during the driving and return strokes of the piston in a known manner.

Piston 28 centrally mounts apiston rod 34 which extends downwardly through the base ofhousing 12.Cylinder bore 14 is closed at its base by acylinder head 36.Cylinder head 36 defines asection 38 which nests withinbore 14 and which sealingly engages the wall of the cylinder bore by a sealingring 40 and which sealingly engages thepiston rod 34 by asealing ring 42.Cylinder head 36 also provides a pair of spacedmounting ears 44 which supportingly mount a frame assembly including a pair of spacedside plates 46 viabolts 45.Side plates 46 in turn mount and guide operating members ofclip tool 10.

Each of theside plates 46 defines avertical guide slot 50 which slidably receives aslide pin 52.Slide pin 52 extends betweenplates 46 and is fixedly mounted to the forkedend 54 ofpiston rod 34. Between the fork arms of forked end 54 acrank 56 is disposed.Crank 56 defines acam slot 58 which receivesslide pin 52 for articulation with respect thereto.

Crank S6 is pivotally mounted onside plates 46 on apivot pin 60 which may comprise a bolt secured by a nut to theside plates 46.Pivot pin 60 is remote fromcam slot 58. Anelongate driver link 62 is pivotally connected by anaxle 64 to crank 56 at a point remote from bod:pivot pin 60 andcam slot 58. The other end ofdriver link 62 is pivotally connected to adriver assembly 66 by afurther pivot pin 68.

Driver assembly 66 in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 7 includes adriver blade 70 and aclincher blade 72. The driver blade cooperates to preform a clip C to the condition of preformed clip C and to drive it into a position from which the clinching blade drives it into the jaw of astationary clinching anvil 74 in the manner to be described.

Blades 70 and 72 are reciprocable between the positions il lustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6. FIG. 1 illustrates the uppermost position of the blades and FIG. 6 illustrates the lowermost position of the blades. The movement between these positions is effected by alternately supplying air to and venting air from opposite sides ofpiston 28 throughpassages 30 and 32 in response to the actuation ofvalve assembly 22. When in the position of FIG. Idriver blade 70 is slidably positioned against aguide surface 76 provided by aframe assembly member 78 which is secured toplates 46 bybolts 80.Clincher blade 72 is slidably disposed against an upper integral extension of clinchinganvil 74.Anvil 74 is secured toside plates 46 by a pair ofbolts 82. As crank 56 moves from the position of FIG. 1 to the position of FIG. 6, link 62 pivots, andpivot pin 68 moves downwardly a distance substantially equal to the distance between the axes of pivot pins 60 and 64 less the vertical distance between those pivot pins in the position of rest (FIG. 1). This movement of thelink 62 causes theblades 70, 72 to slidably move downwardly against the opposed guide surfaces to perform their respective functions.

It will be seen thatdriver blade 70 defines acam slot 84 in which acam ball 86 is disposed.Cam ball 86 is captured betweenblade 70 and a confrontingpreformer member 90.Preformer member 90 is oscillatably mounted on apin 92 onframe assembly member 78 to oscillate between the positions of FIGS. 1 and 6, and defines aball notch 94 confronting thedriver blade 70. The upper end of theball notch 94 is sufliciently close to a keepingsurface 95 of amember 78 to keep theball 86 as thedriver blade 70 moves between the positions of FIGS.land 6.

Ascam slot 84 is carried from the position of FIG. 1 byblade 70, theball 86 is cammed outwardly againstpreformer member 90 and is transferred intonotch 94 causing the preformer member to oscillate in a counterclockwise direction (FIG. I) aboutpin 92.Preformer member spring 96 resiliently opposes that motion to retain a tight fit between the ball and the surfaces acting against it. As the upper end of the preformer member rotates so does the lower preforming end I00. As that occurs the ends of the leg sections of a clip C are gradually pushed or squeezed together to the preformed condition of clip C as it is being driven downwardly by the lower end ofdriver blade 70 to the position of clip C (see FIG. 6). It is held in that lower position against the reactive surface of clinchingblade 72 by an extension ofspring 96. When the driver assembly is moved from the position of FIG. 6 to that of FIG. 1,spring 96 biases clip C into the position of FIG. 1 directly underlying theclinching blade 72. On the next stroke clip C is driven by clinchingblade 72 into the jaw ofanvil 74 to form the crimped assembly A.

Thus, it is seen that an open nestable clip is preformed on a first downward stroke ofpiston 28 to preform clip C to the form of clip C and preformed clip C is clinched on a second stroke ofpiston 28 to form clinched assembly A. During each stroke ofpiston 28 one clip C is preformed and a second clip C is clinched.

Simultaneously with each return stroke of piston 28 a clip C is fed into the position occupied by clip C in FIG. 1. The feeding of such clips is from a clip magazine 120 (FIG. which is suitably secured toside plates 46 and in association with an air-operated clip ejecting andfeeding mechanism 121. Ejecting and feeding mechanism I21 includes a pneumatic double acting cylinder assembly which is supplied by air through a pair of air tubes I22, 124.Air tube 124 is in flow communication withpassage 32 belowpiston 28 via anair passage 126, whereas air tube I22 is in flow communication withpassage 30 via an air passage I28. The lower ends of tubes I22 and 124 feed into a manifold I29 secured byscrews 131 to acylinder block 130 defining anejector cylinder 132.Cylinder block 130 defines a pair of air ports I34 and 136 which are in flow communication withtubes 122 and 124, respectively.Cylinder block 130 is mounted to one of theside plates 46 by a pair ofscrews 133. Port I36 (FIG. 2) is positioned substantially at the end ofblock 130opposite port 134. An extension passage I38 provides communication between tube I24 andport 136.

Adouble acting piston 140 is disposed within ejector cylinder 132 (FIG. 2). It is exposed at opposite faces to ports I34 and 136. Its movement outwardly (FIG. 2) is limited by a stop surface I42 integral with a threadedcylinder closing nut 144. At its outer end,piston 140 mounts an elongate link I46 held thereagainst by a nut I48 threadedly secured to a threaded reduceddiameter section 150 ofpiston 140. The

other end of link I46 (FIG. 5), is secured to anejector rod 152 which is slidably mounted inslide section 156 of clip guide I54. Clip guide 154 is open-topped adjacent slide section and beneath the magazine to receive clips C (FIG. 5). Clips C are biased by a spring-loaded follower I58 against ejector rod I52 and towards the surfaces 153 of clip guide 154 in the opentopped slide section. When the ejector rod is in the position of FIG. 5, thecentral web 160 of clip C lies against the rod and the outwardly diverging leg sections I62straddle rod 152 and straddle surfaces 153. When the ejector rod is retracted (moved to the left in FIG. 5) by supplying high pressure air to port 134 to drive it outwardly, thepusher end 159 ofejector rod 152 is moved out of the path of the clips C and the clips are then biased downwardly into engagement with the surfaces 153. When the ejector rod is then moved to the right thepusher end 159 contacts a side surface of the lowermost clip C and ejects it from the magazine and dirusts it to the right along slide surfaces 153 and into the position of the clip C shown in dotted line in FIG. 5, again positioning the rod under the next clip C for the next feeding operation. The ejector rod moves the clip C in a direction normal to the direction of movement of thedriver assembly 66.

Theclip tool 10 of FIGS. I to 7 operates as follows. A closely nested stack of clips C (FIG. 4) or clips such as those illustrated and described in Kuster US. Pat. No. 3,032,184 or Childress US. Pat. No. 2,871,536, is loaded intomagazine 120 and is biased downwardly byfollower 158. When clips C are so closely nested, the leg sections I62 diverge so far that they cannot readily be clinched in a clinchinganvil 74 without first preforrning the legs to a lesser divergence.

The lowermost clip C of the stack rests againstejector rod 152.Trigger 24 is squeezed admitting air to the top ofpiston 28 and to port I34 causing thepiston 28 to move down and causing theejector rod 152 to be retracted to allow a clip C to be biased into engagement with guide surfaces 153. The trigger is released and high pressure air is vented from above thepiston 28 and fromport 134 while high pressure air is admitted below the piston and to port 136 to retract the driver assembly and to thrust ejector rod inwardly to strip a clip from the nested stack and to thrust it into the position in the tool illustrated in FIG. 5.

Upon the next actuation of the trigger, rod I52 moves outwardly, the leg sections of clip C (FIG. I) are gradually decreased in divergence (preformed) by preformer member and as the clip is moved vertically from that first position bydriver blade 70 to the vertical elevation of clip C (FIG. 6), remote from the jaw of clinchinganvil 74. When the trigger is next released,spring 96 biases clip C horizontally into the position of FIG. I directly beneath the clinching blade. At the same time theejector rod 152 moves inwardly again to position a new clip C.

Upon the next operation of the trigger the two foregoing steps are repeated in sequence but clip C is now moved down from the position of clip C in FIG. I by clinchingblade 72 along and into the jaw ofanvil 74. Immediately prior to this operation two or more wires have been positioned generally in the space between the legs of the jaw of the clinching anvil 74 (FIG. 8). As the clip C' descends it reaches under and around the wires (FIG. 9) and is finally formed and wrapped about wires to crimpingly hold them together to form a clinched assembly A (FIGS. 6 and I0). Thereafter, thepiston 28 returns to the position of FIG. I (the trigger having been released) and a new clip C is injected byejector rod 152.

Further operation and release of the trigger repeats these steps until the clips in the magazine are exhausted and a new supply needs to be added. It is to be noted that each stroke (after the initial two actuations) both preforms one clip C and clinches one clip C simultaneously.

The embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12 is quire similar to that of FIGS. 1 to 7, both in mode of operation and in terms of the structural organization, with but two principal exceptions. Those are that there is no driver blade, but only a clinching blade, and that the preforming and clinching steps take place sequentially on one stroke of thepiston 28, rather than on succeeding strokes of the piston.

Accordingly the same part numbers will be used for common components and only those components which are different will be described.

In the embodiment of FIGS. 11 and 12, adriver link 62 of clip tool is pivotally secured to adriver assembly 66 by apivot pin 68. Driver assembly 66' includes a clincher blade 72' defining a cam slot 84' in which a ball 86' is disposed. Clincher blade 72' is slidably positioned betweensurface 76 offrame assembly member 78 and an upper integral extension of anvil 74'. Anvil 74' is secured to side plates 46' by bolts 82'. Preferably anvil 74' is magnetic or provides amagnetic insert 75 for a purpose to be described.

When thepiston 28 is moved to the upper position (FIG. 11)ejector rod 152 thrusts a clip C into position against the anvil 74' where it is held below the end of clinchingblade 72 by amagnetic insert 75. When thetrigger 24 is moved to actuatevalve assembly 22 the ejector rod I52 is retracted and theclinching blade 72 moves downwardly. The clinchingblade 72 contacts clip C and moves it downwardly whilepreformer member 90 is oscillated (biased oppositely by spring 96') aboutpin 92 from the position of FIG. 11 to that of FIG. 12.Preformer member 90 and clincher blade 72' cooperate vianotch 94, ball 86', cam slot 84' and the side of clinching blade 72' to preform a clip C intermediate the length of the stroke to the configuration of clip C (shown in dotted line in FIG. I1). Following preforming, continued downward driving moves the clip C through the stages of FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 until a clinched assembly A (FIG. I2) is formed.

To operate the clip tool 10' of FIGS. II and [2, the same series of operations indicated with respect to FIGS. 1 to 7 are practiced. However, only two actuations of the trigger are necessary to transfer a clip C from the magazine and to clinch it, rather than three.

In each embodiment, however, a nestable clip C requiring preforming is ejected from a magazine to a first position in the tool, is preformed to the shape of a clip C, and is thereafter driven into a stationary clinching anvil to clinch it about two or more wires.

In the embodiment of FIG. I, the preforming and clinching is a two-step operation. This permits the use of a longer anvil extension below the cylinder block than in the embodiment of FIG. I]. That feature permits use of a clip tool of this character in more difficult to reach locations within an assembly to be clinched, for example in remote interior locations in a spring assembly such as for an automobile seat, than with the embodiment of FIG. 11.

What is claimed is:

I. A method of forming a clinched assembly ofa clip and at least a pair of wires, the steps comprising providing a stack of closely nested clips having a central web and a pair of leg sections divergingly projecting from said central web, stripping a clip from said nested stack and moving it to a first position, moving it from said first position to a second adjacent position while decreasing the divergence of said leg sections, then moving it from said second position to a third closely adjacent position while wrapping said leg sections about said wires to form a clinched assembly.

2. In the method ofclaim 1 in which the steps of moving from said first to said third positions are continuous.

3. In the method ofclaim 1 in which said movement to said first position is in a direction normal to the direction of movement from said first and second positions.

4. In the method ofclaim 1 in which one clip is moved from said first to said second position and another clip is moved from said second to said third positions simultaneously.

5. ln a power-operated clip tool for preforming closely nested clips each having a pair of diverging leg sections prior to clinching the clips about at least a pair of wires, means for stripping and feeding a nested clip into said clip tool, preforming means for reducing the divergence of said pair of leg sections by ushing the ends of said leg sections towards each other, a c inching anvil having a statlonary aw, driving means for driving a clip past said preformer toward and into said jaw, and means for moving said driving means between a first position remote from, and a second position in said jaw.

6. In theclip tool ofclaim 5 in which said preformer is oscillatably mounted to gradually push said leg section ends towards each other.

7. In the clip tool ofclaim 6 in which said driving means comprises a driver assembly defining a cam slot in which a cam ball is positioned, said driver assembly being movable between said first and second positions.

8. In the clip tool of claim 7 in which said preforming means confronts said cam ball and said cam ball oscillates said preforming means.

9. In the clip tool of claim 8 in which said preforming means defines a ball notch to which said cam ball is transferred by said driver assembly when said driver assembly is moved from said first position toward said second position and from which said cam ball is transferred as driver assembly returns to said first position.

10. In the clip tool ofclaim 5 in which said driving means comprises a driver assembly having a clinching blade for clinching a clip in said anvil.

11. In the clip tool ofclaim 10 in which said driver assembly further comprises a driver blade for moving a clip from said first position past said preforming means to an intermediate position remote from said second position, said clinching blade being adapted to move a preformed clip from said intermediate position to said second position.

12. In the clip tool ofclaim 10 in which said preforming means is oscillatably mounted and said driver assembly defines a cam slot seating a cam ball, and said preforming means defines a ball transfer notch, whereby said cam ball is transferred from cam slot to said transfer notch as said driver assembly is moved from first position to said second position.

13. A clip tool comprising in combination a housing and frame assembly, a stationary clinching anvil having a jaw secured to said housing, a clip magazine, a power-actuated clinching blade for driving a clip into said anvil to clinch said clip around a pair of members to be clinched, means for ejecting clips from a nested stack of clips from said magazine into said housing and frame assembly, and means in said housing and frame assembly for preforming a clip into a substantially non-nestable condition at a position remote from the jaw of said clinching anvil.

# l I I t

Claims (13)

1. A method of forming a clinched assembly of a clip and at least a pair of wires, the steps comprising providing a stack of closely nested clips having a central web and a pair of leg sections divergingly projecting from said central web, stripping a clip from said nested stack and moving it to a first position, moving it from said first position to a second adjacent position while decreasing the divergence of said leg sections, then moving it from said second position to a third closely adjacent position while wrapping said leg sections about said wires to form a clinched assembly.

2. In the method of claim 1 in which the steps of moving from said first to said third positions are continuous.

3. In the method of claim 1 in which said movement to said first position is in a direction normal to the direction of movement from said first and second positions.

4. In the method of claim 1 in which one clip is moved from said first to said second position and another clip is moved from said second to said third positions simultaneously.

5. In a power-operated clip tool for preforming closely nested clips each having a pair of diverging leg sections prior to clinching the clips about at least a pair of wires, means for stripping and feeding a nested clip into said clip tool, preforming means for reducing the divergence of said pair of leg sections by pushing the ends of said leg sections towards each other, a clinching anvil having a stationary jaw, driving means for driving a clip past said preformer toward and into said jaw, and means for moving said driving means between a first position remote from, and a second position in said jaw.

6. In the clip tool of claim 5 in which said preformer is oscillatably mounted to gradually push said leg section ends towards each other.

7. In the clip tool of claim 6 in which said driving means comprises a driver assembly defining a cam slot in which a cam ball is positioned, said driver assembly being movable between said first and second positions.

8. In the clip tool of claim 7 in which said preforming means confronts said cam ball and said cam ball oscillates said preforming means.

9. In the clip tool of claim 8 in which said preforming means defines a ball notch to which said cam ball is transferred by said driver assembly when said driver assembly is moved from said first position toward said second position and from which said cam ball is transferred as driver assembly returns to said first position.

10. In the clip tool of claim 5 in which said driving means comprises a driver assembly having a clinching blade for clinching a clip in said anvil.

11. In the clip tool of claim 10 in which said driver assembly further comprises a driver blade for moving a clip from said first position past said preforming means to an intermediate position remote from said second positiOn, said clinching blade being adapted to move a preformed clip from said intermediate position to said second position.

12. In the clip tool of claim 10 in which said preforming means is oscillatably mounted and said driver assembly defines a cam slot seating a cam ball, and said preforming means defines a ball transfer notch, whereby said cam ball is transferred from cam slot to said transfer notch as said driver assembly is moved from first position to said second position.

13. A clip tool comprising in combination a housing and frame assembly, a stationary clinching anvil having a jaw secured to said housing, a clip magazine, a power-actuated clinching blade for driving a clip into said anvil to clinch said clip around a pair of members to be clinched, means for ejecting clips from a nested stack of clips from said magazine into said housing and frame assembly, and means in said housing and frame assembly for preforming a clip into a substantially non-nestable condition at a position remote from the jaw of said clinching anvil.

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