US3900144A

US3900144A - Fastening machine

Info

Publication number: US3900144A
Application number: US255565A
Authority: US
Inventors: Haldon L Hamilton
Original assignee: Hambro Forest Products Inc
Current assignee: Hambro Forest Products Inc
Priority date: 1972-05-22
Filing date: 1972-05-22
Publication date: 1975-08-19
Anticipated expiration: 1992-08-19
Also published as: CA975101A

Abstract

An attachment adapted for mounting on a fastening machine such as a stapling machine, including a movable support adapted to be shifted into close proximity to the head of the stapling machine where the staples are ejected. Clamping means is provided for holding a workpiece against such support, as well as indexing means for indexing the edge of another workpiece superimposed over the workpiece clamped by said clamping means. With the workpiece support proximate the head of the stapling machine, a staple ejected from the machine is forced through the two workpieces and against an anvil surface born by the workpiece support which deflects the staple ends to unite the two workpieces. Another indexing means indexes an edge of the workpiece clamped to the workpiece support, whereby the two workpieces have a predetermined relative position on being stapled.

Description

United States Patent [191 Hamilton 1 Aug. 19, 1975 FASTENING MACHINE Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. [75] Inventor: Haldon L. Hamilton, Crescent City, Agent or Flrm KOhsch Hartwell Calif. Dickinson & Stuart [73] Assignee: Hambro Forest Products, Inc., 57 A S C Crescent City, Calif. An attachment adapted for mounting on a fastening [22] Flled: May 1972 machine such as a stapling machine, including a mov- 2 1 APPL 255 5 5 able support adapted to be shifted into close proximity to the head of the stapling machine where the staples are ejected. Clamping means is provided for holding a 521 US. Cl. 227/155 workpiece against such Support, as well as indexing [5 hit. Cl. means for indexing the g of another workpiece [58] Field of Search 227/30, 119, 124, 143, perimposed Over the Wmkpiece clamped by Said 227/144 155 clamping means. With the workpiece support proximate the head of the stapling machine, a staple [56] References C'ted ejected from the machine is forced through the two UN D STATES PATENTS workpieces and against an anvil surface born by the 352.410 11/1886 Howell 227/144 workpiece support which deflects the staple ends to 823.721 6/1906 Garden 227/144 unite the two workpieces. Another indexing means in- 2.232.0l6 2/l94l Walker 227/l24 X dexesan edge of the workpiece clamped to the work- 3 4/1943 227/12 piece support, whereby the two workpieces have a 3,580,458 5/1971 Monacelli 227/124 predetermined relative position on being stapled.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures rAsriENiNo MAQIHHNIE This invention relates to a fastening machine combination, and to an attachment adapted to be incorporated with a fastening machine to produce such combination. More particularly, the invention concerns such an attachment and combination which greatly facilitates the uniting of two workpieces such as two boards or panels utilizing the fastening machine.

In the building industry and in the making of a floor, it is common to lay down panels, such as plywood or particle board panels, on joists which provides support in the floor. Where the edges of two panels abut it has been the practice to prepare a joint by securing a board known as a seam strip against the underside of the panels, with such strip spanning the abutting margins of the panels. As a preliminary step in preparing such ajoint, the so-called seam strip may be secured against the underside of one panel, with such protruding out from the panels edge to provide a shelf along the edge of the panel. The panel which is to be abutted against this first-mentioned panel is then laid down on the joists with its edge resting on this shelf. The joint is then completed by securing the edge of the second panel to the protruding underlying edge of the seam strip.

An object of this invention is to provide novel apparatus for securing two boards together, as exemplified by a panel and a strip which is secured against a face of such panel.

Another object of the invention is to provide apparatus for uniting two pieces together, including means for driving a fastener such as a staple into the pieces, and a cooperating support for holding the pieces in place as the fastener is driven into position.

Yet another object is to provide such apparatus where such a support is provided with means for holding one of the pieces to be joined with such in a predetermined position on the support.

Yet another object is to provide apparatus for uniting two objects, such as a seam strip and a panel, with means facilitating placement of the seam strip in a properly oriented position against the underface of the panel.

These and other objects and features of the invention will become more fully apparent, from a reading of the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of apparatus as contemplated by the invention, illustrating in dashed outline a conventional power-operated stapling machine, and in solid outline an attachment for the machine with the attachment in one of its adjusted positions;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. l but showing the attachment in another of its positions;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 in FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 illustrates in a side view, portions of a modified form of apparatus according to the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, illustrated generally at is a power-operated stapling machine including a hand grip l2 joining with an upright portion 14 housing a power-operated hammer (not shown) which is actuatable to be driven downwardly to eject a staple from what I have referred to as a head for the stapling machine shown at 16. Air under pressure for operating the machine is supplied through hose l8. Trigger disposed under hand grip H2 is squeezed toward the hand grip to produce actuation of the manner.

An attachment for the stapling machine is illustrated in solid outline and indicated generally at 26. Such is secured to the underside of the stapling machine by a bail member 28 with legs straddling a section 30 of the stapling machine. Lower extremities of these legs extend through accommodating bores provided in a mounting plate 32 extending along the underside of section 30. Nuts 34 screwed onto the threaded ends of the legs in the bail member complete the connection of the attachment.

Projecting downwardly from the underside of plate 32 are a pair of depending legs 36 pivotally connected at 38 to an elongated bar 40., such also being referred to herein as a support. Pivot connection 38 accommodates swinging movement of the support 40 about what is normally a horizontal axis extending transversely of the stapling machine, with the forward end of the support, which is illustrated at the left in the figures, being movable toward and away from the head 16 of the stapling machine. In FIG. 1, the support is shown in what I have referred to herein as a loading position. In FIG. 2 the support is shown in a staple-receiving position, the forward end of the support having moved toward the head of the stapling machine from the position shown in FIG. 1, but still being spaced some distance from the stapling machine head.

Movement of the support between its aforementioned two positions is produced by manipulation of a handle 42. The handle, which is in positioned to one side of the stapling machine, has its bottom end joined to a rod 44 journaled in bracket structure 46 joined to the base of mounting plate 32. Arms 48 joined to and depending from the rod mount at their lower extremities a transversely extending pin 50. This pin or cam means is received within an elongated opening 52 defined on the underside of a retainer element 54 secured to the rear end of support 40. With pivotal movement of the handle, a camming action is produced in the pin as the same slides along opening 52, operable to shift the support between its loading and staple-receiving positions.

Joined to and extending transversely of support 40 forwardly of brackets 36 is a shelf element 56 including an upstanding flange 56a. This shelf element is used to index the edge of a workpiece, exemplified by the board or so-called seam strip shown at 58.

The apparatus further includes means for releasably clamping such a workpiece on the support. In the particular embodiment of the invention illustrated such comprises a pair of keeper arms 60 or clamps overlying the support and generally paralleling the support. Such arms have rear extremities mounted on a stub shaft 62 journaled on brackets 36. An ear 64 joined to the stub shaft between the brackets extending rearwardly of the brackets overlies a coil compression spring 66 exerting an upward bias on ear 64 in FIGS. 1 and 2, and a downward bias on keeper arms 60.

The forward ends of the keeper arms bend upwardly in regions 60a. This facilitates the sliding of a board such as strip 58 under the arms to place the edge of such board against the shelf 56. The upwardly bent forward ends also function as another indexing means in the apparatus used in indexing the edge of a panel such as the one shown at 67 to which the strip 58 is to be attached.

Completing the description of the apparatus, support 40 adjacent its forward extremity includes an anvil surface 68. This anvil surface with the support in the staple-receiving position shown in FIG. 2 directly underlies the head of the stapling machine and in the path of a staple ejected from such head. The ends of the staple are bent over on impinging against such anvil surface.

Describing now how the apparatus may be utilized in the securing of a seam strip to the underside of a panel, the strip (which may have a length somewhat less than the spacing between adjacent joists in a floor) is mounted on the apparatus by sliding the same over the support and under the keeper arms until one edge abuts flange 56a of the shelf element. With the strip so positioned, the upwardly bent forward extremities of the keeper arms become located about mid-way between the sides of the strip. This loading of the machine ordinarily is performed with the support in the loading position shown in FIG. 1.

With the strip loaded on the support, the operator through manipulation of the stapling machine, using hand grip 12, may bring the strip up against the underside of a panel such as the panel 67. Prior to this positioning of the strip a deposit of adhesive may be applied over the top face of the strip to form a glue line between the strip and panel on the strip being placed under the panel. When the strip is brought up against the underside of the panel, and the edge of the panel is positioned against the upturned ends of the keeper arms, handle 42 may be swung to shift the support into its staple-receiving position, with the edge of the panel and the seam strip now becoming clamped between the head of the stapling machine and support 40, as shown in FIG. With actuation of the stapling machine, a staple is ejected from the head to pass through the panel ,and strip,thus firmly to secure the two workpieces together. With removal of the stapling machine and attachment, and with drying of the adhesive, the strip becomes firmly united to the underside of the panel.

, It should be obvious that with the apparatus a workman can yery rapidly place a number of such strips against the edgeof a panel at spaced locations along the floor and between the joists supporting the floor.

. In FIG. 4, portions of a modified form of the appara- 70. This plate is positioned in a direction extending generally transversely of bar 40 in front of legs 36. The indexing plate isjoined to a pair of arms as exemplified by arm 72 shown in FIG. 4 positioned directly laterally outwardly of the legs 36 so that arms 72, in effect, straddle the legs. These arms are joumaled at 38 for pivotal movement about an axis coinciding with the axis about which bar 40 pivots. Biasing the plate 70 and keeper arms 60 in a counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4 is spring 74 with its rear end seated on a depending lug positioned between the legs 36.

With the modified form of the invention, a board is indexed on the attachment by bringing its rear edge up against the connecting plate 70. A board so positioned is clamped in place with the arms 60 biased down wardly against the top of the board.

A particular embodiment of the invention has been discussed herein as well as a modified form of the attachment. It is appreciated that a number of variations and other modifications of the apparatus will suggest themselves to those who are skilled in the art. It is desired to cover all such variations and modifications as are embraced within the invention as the same has been set forth herein.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An attachment for use with a fastening machine including a head adapted to carry a fastener and means for ejecting a fastener from said head to drive the same into a workpiece, comprising a mounting adapted to be secured to said machine,

a workpiece support pivotally carried by said mounting,

means interposed between said mounting and said support for swinging the support with respect to said mounting and for holding the support in a given position with respect to said mounting, said support having an anvil surface which becomes positioned in the path of a fastener ejected from the fastening machine with said support in said given position, indexing means carried by the attachment adjacent said support for indexing the edge of a workpiece on the workpiece support, and clamping means for clamping a workpiece on said support with the edge of said workpiece indexed by said indexing means, said clamping means comprising a spring biased arm overlying the support adapted yieldably to clamp a workpiece between the clamping means and the support, said arm including a second indexing means for indexing the edge of a second workpiece superimposed over the first-mentioned workpiece with said second workpiece overlying said anvil surface.

Claims

1. An attachment for use with a fastening machine including a head adapted to carry a fastener and means for ejecting a fastener from said head to drive the same into a workpiece, comprising a mounting adapted to be secured to said machine, a workpiece support pivotally carried by said mounting, means interposed between said mounting and said support for swinging the support with respect to said mounting and for holding the support in a given position with respect to said mounting, said support having an anvil surface which becomes positioned in the path of a fastener ejected from the fastening machine with said support in said given position, indexing means carried by the attachment adjacent said support for indexing the edge of a workpiece on the workpiece support, and clamping means for clamping a workpiece on said support with the edge of said workpiece indexed by said indexing means, said clamping means comprising a spring biased arm overlying the support adapted yieldably to clamp a workpiece between the clamping means and the support, said arm including a second indexing means for indexing the edge of a second workpiece superimposed over the first-mentioned workpiece with said second workpiece overlying said anvil surface.