U.S. patent number 3,768,401 [Application Number 05/134,556] was granted by the patent office on 1973-10-30 for identification marking means for blanks for rope pressure clamps.
Invention is credited to Dierk Fischer, Otto Sahm.
United States Patent |
3,768,401 |
Sahm , et al. |
October 30, 1973 |
IDENTIFICATION MARKING MEANS FOR BLANKS FOR ROPE PRESSURE
CLAMPS
Abstract
Rope pressure clamps are manufactured in automatic machinery by
sawing or otherwise cutting off lengths of ductile aluminum alloy
pipes of oval cross-section. Insertable dies are provided in the
clamping members which hold the pipes at a cutoff station, whereby
identification information as to the size of the rope clamp is
permanently embossed in the rope clamp during the formation
thereof.
Inventors: |
Sahm; Otto (Bremerhaven,
DT), Fischer; Dierk (Bremrhaven-Leherheide,,
DT) |
Family
ID: |
5768623 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/134,556 |
Filed: |
April 16, 1971 |
Foreign Application Priority Data
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Apr 21, 1970 [DT] |
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P 20 19 011.8 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
101/4; 83/452;
101/28; 101/381 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B44B
5/026 (20130101); B44B 5/0019 (20130101); B44B
5/022 (20130101); Y10T 83/7487 (20150401) |
Current International
Class: |
B44B
5/02 (20060101); B44B 5/00 (20060101); B44b
005/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;83/452,458,460,461
;101/28,4,381 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Burr; Edgar S.
Assistant Examiner: Crowder; Clifford D.
Claims
The invention is claimed as follows:
1. Apparatus for producing rope pressure clamps and simultaneously
providing identifying markings thereon comprising: opposed clamping
means for clamping a readily collapsible elongated tube, said
clamping means including a clamping surface for applying sufficient
holding force without causing collapsing of said elongated tube,
severing means positioned adjacent said clamping means for cutting
off said tube to form rope clamp blanks, and at least one die
removably inserted in said clamping means such that its surface is
co-planar with said clamping surface, said die having indicia
extending above said co-planar surface for forming permanent
marking on the surface of a tube as it is clamped for severing.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the die is insertable
into the clamping means at right angles to the direction of
clamping movement of said clamping means.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the die is screwed to the
clamping means.
4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the die comprises a
screw having means on the head for forming the permanent markings
on the surface of a tube as it is clamped for severing.
Description
Joints in ropes, which may include joining of different rope
lengths to one another, or fastening a rope in a loop, are often
made by the use of rope clamps. Such clamps are commonly made of a
ductile aluminum alloy material of generally oval cross-section.
Such clamps are generally made from long lengths of pipe which are
gripped or clamped at a severing station by a pair of opposed
clamping jaws while the pipe is severed, as by sawing. The pipe is
advanced stepwise for successive severing operations.
It is possible to act simultaneously on several sections of pipe,
thereby simultaneously to form several clamps. As will be
understood, clamps to be used with different sizes of rope must
themselves be of different sizes. Thus, it is important that it be
possible to tell positively the size of a given clamp, and hence
the rope for which it is intended to be used. If the wrong size
clamp is used, it is quite possible that the resulting joint will
not stand up under the loads and stresses applied to the rope.
Accordingly, it is important to place an identifying or
characterizing making upon each clamp blank to indicate the
construction type and size. It is known that roll stamps or similar
devices may be used to mark the pipes or tubes with a colored
marker prior to or during the cutting-off operation of the
individual rope clamp blanks. It is also known that marking punches
can be used to emboss characteristic marks upon the finished blanks
once they have been cut off.
Embossed marks have the great advantage over color marks that they
cannot be wiped off or otherwise obliterated at a later date.
However, in accordance with prior art techniques, creation of such
embossed marks was complicated and therefore disadvantageous.
The problem of providing embossed marks has been solved in
accordance with the present invention without the necessity of any
special operational steps, i.e. marking occurs at the same time as
the tube or pipe is cut off into the individual rope clamp blanks.
In accordance with the present invention, clamping jaws are used to
clamp the pipe during severing of the individual rope clamp blanks
therefrom, and at least one of the clamping jaws is provided with
means for embossing the identification during the clamping step
which is essential in any event. Thus, the required permanent
marking for rope clamp blanks is obtained without any additional
operating step. Because of this, the marking is in the identical
position in each instance, the distance between successive marks
being identical with the cutoff length of rope clamp blanks,
regardless of the size of the rope clamp. Therefore, even if many
blanks aae subsequently mixed up together, it is easy to tell with
surety what each size is.
The embossed marks are provided by raised projections on an insert
which is releasably secured in the clamping jaws. Indeed, opposed
inserts can be provided in the opposed clamping jaws, thereby to
mark two blanks simultaneously. The insert may be insertable at a
right angle to the clamping direction, or may be secured to the
clamping jaw by screwing to the clamping jaw, or may be a flat
headed screw having raised spots or projections thereon to form the
required indicia.
Depending on the size of the tube or pipe to be processed, and
therefore of the clamp blanks, each insert may carry several
markings of the same type, which therefore become embossed into
correspondingly clamped tubes located on top of one another. Large
nuubers of pipes or tubes may be clamped simultaneously,
particularly with the smaller sizes thereof, and a number of
marking dies is provided equal to the number of tubes or pipes
clamped, whereby each rope blank clamp is provided with the
necessary indicia.
typical examples of the invention are illustrated in the drawings
wherein:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a clamping device with the clamping jaws
indicated somewhat schematically. The position being somewhat
unrealistic in that one jaw is shown as clamping against a tube or
a pipe while the other is retracted;
FIG. 2 is a front view taken in the longitudinal direction of the
tubes or pipes with the latter shown in cross-section;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the clamping area of one clamping jaw;
FIG. 4 is a plan view similar to FIG. 3 showing a different
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 5 is likewise a plan view corresponding to FIG. 3, showing yet
another embodiment; and
FIG. 6 is a partial section taken along the line VI--VI of FIG.
5.
Turning first to FIG. 1, two clamping jaws 1 and 2 are shown
somewhat schematically, being mounted on punch or piston rods 3 for
advance and retraction in the direction of the adjacent arrows. The
guides for the clamping jaws and the specific driving devices are
not shown, but may be conventional. A table 13 (FIG. 2) supports
the pipes or tubes which are to be cut, and which are moved in the
direction of the arrow 14 in FIG. 1 and thus fed into the clamps 1
and 2 for cutting off by a suitable cutting device such as a saw
15, which is also advanceable and retractable toward and away from
the tubes or pipes
The left clamping jaw 1 is shown in clamping position in FIG. 1,
but the right clamping jaw is shown in retracted position. As will
be understood, this particular combination of positions does not
occur in actual operation, but is shown simply as an illustration
of the two operational states. Also for illustrative purposes, the
two inserts or embossing devices shown in FIG. 1 are different,
although they would more typically be the same in a given
machine.
The clamping area 4 of the clamping jaw 1 is shown in FIG. 3. An
insert or die 5 is mounted in the clamping area 4, and in the
present instance fits in a recess and is held in place by screws 6.
The outer surface of the insert 5 is flush with the clamping area
4. Indicia 7 protrude from the surface of the die, and impress into
the faces of the pipes or tubes 8 (FIGS. 1 and 2) when the pipes or
tubes are clamped between the clamping jaws 1 and 2. As may be seen
in FIG. 8, four pipes or tubes 8 are clamped at the same time,
being in pairs atop one another. The die 5 is engageable with only
one pipe or tube, and hence four dies or inserts are provided in
accordance, with the setup of FIG. 2. Furthermore, as will be seen
in FIG. 3, the legend "D 20" is impressed into the tube section
which ultimately becomes a rope clamp.
A modification of the die is shown in FIG. 4, and in this instance
comprises an insert 9 which slides into place from the side. It
comprises a wedge-shaped platelet with dovetail edges, and is
inserted in the direction of the arrow 10 into the clamping jaw 2.
As before, the outer surface of the insert 9 is flush with the
adjacent clamping area 4 of the clamping jaw, with the exception of
its protrusions 7 extending therefrom, the protrusions in this
instance providing indicia "S 6" in the rope clamp blank. The
insert may remain in place from being a tight fit, or may be
provided with retaining means, as desired.
Two groups of protrusions 7 are provided on the single die in FIG.
4, whereby two adjacent tubes or pipes 8 (FIG. 2) may be marked
simultaneously by the same die. As will be apparent, the
protrusions 7 have the same spacing on centers as the tubes or
pipes 8.
The embodiment of the invention as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 utilizes
a die or insert comprising a screw 11 with a flat head having the
protrusions 7 on the outer face or surface thereof, bearing the
legend "SK 18". Small bores 12 are provided in the outer face of
the screw head for engagement by a tool for turning of the screw
and hence for replacement thereof. As will be apparent, several
screws 11 may be provided above one another for simultaneous
stamping of a like number of tubes or pipes.
As will be apparent, the inserts 5, 9, and 11 are subject to wear
aad tear, and therefore at least in the region of the protrusions 7
are preferably of a wear resistant material such as hardened
steel.
The specific examples of the invention as herein shown and
described are for illustrative purposes only. Various changes will
no doubt occur to those skilled in the art, and will be understood
as forming a part of the present invention insofar as they fall
within the spirit and the scope of the appended claims.
* * * * *