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.

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.

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.