Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
4Z644
Tne present invention relates to screw-type clam~i~g
collars and, more particularly to a process ~or treating or shaping
- one end of the collar to facilitate mounting of the collar's saddle
nousing thereon.
Screw-type clamping collars are a well known means or
connecting flexible hoses or collars to'other structures such a~
pipes. Such collars are particularly useful in the automotive f~eld.
The usual screw-type flexible collar includes a screw mounted for
free rotation inside a housing, but held in a fixed axial position
within thè'housing, which is secured on one end, or near one end, of
a flexible band. The o ther end of the band or coLlar is engaged,
when the band is bent, between the housing'and the end of the band to
which the housing is attached, so that the threads of the screw engage
a corresponding toothed rack on the band. The rack begins near the
~ end of the band and extends over a suitable length of the band selected; in accordance with the sizes of the pieces or ob3ects to be clamped.
Turning of the screw adiusts the diameter of the collar and thus the
cla~ping effect thereof.
A very critical point of the construction of screw-type
clamping collars is the point where the saddle housing, carrying the
adjusting screw, is secured to the b~nd. It is this point on the band
ich sustains the entire reaction pull w'nen the screw is turned in
order to pull the rack end'of the band to effect the clamping. -'This
' pull can reach a relatively very high level of efficiency in these
! ~ clamps and thus produce high strssses in the connection of thé saddLe
hou~ing to the band.
Currently in order to obtain stopping and anchoring
points for the saddle housing on the sides of the band, a band is
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generally used which is considerably wider than necessary for
the clamping band or collar. Long tongues or recesses are then
cut out along the edges of the band and transverse lugs are
put on both sides of the recesses which then receive the corres-
ponding lugs of the saddle housing. The housing lugs are thenturned down or bent and sturdily positioned in a fixed position
along the under sides of the band.
This mode of execution is costly since it involves
using a band which is larger or wider than necessary, and there
is thus a considerable loss of material.
It is an object of the process according to the
invention to remedy these disadvantages.
According to an aspect of the present invention the
so-called flexible band or collar is of a screw-type clamping
collar made from a malleable strip of material, i.e. metal or
other suitable materials in a width only as wide as the desired
width necessary for the flexible collar. One end of this band
is then either hot or cold stamped at predetermined locations
on the edge of the end to force material at those places
laterally outwardly and form transverse shoulders defining
the desired stops for the saddle housing with sufficient
, rigidity and strength to withstand the pulling force applied
to the clamping collars.
In accordance with the present invention there is
provided a method of treating a flexible band for use in a
screw-type clamping collar having a saddle housing including
a pair of spaced legs thereon comprising the steps of forming
the flexible band of malleable material in a predetermined
width; stamping one of said band along its edges to extend
, 30 the material of the band beyond the edges thereof and form
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transverse shoulders on said band edges in spaced relation to
each other, whereby the legs of said housing may be placed
between the shoulders and bent under the band with said
shoulders, integral with the band, and resisting longitudinal
movement of the housing along the band and the forces applied
thereto when the clamp is used.
The above, and other objects, features and advantages
of the present invention will be apparent in the following
detailed description of an illustrative embodiment thereof
which is to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings,
wherein.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a screw-type clamp-
ing collar according to the present invention;
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Figure 2 is an e~ploded side ,view of the clamping
collar of Figure 1, showing the individual elements ma~ing up the
collar;
Figures 3 and 4 are schematic sectional views show-
ing the process of making transverse shoulders in the collar or
band, wherein Figure 3 illustrates the punch and anvil before the
operation and Figure 4 illustrates the end of the operation;
Figure 5 is a top plan view of the anvil of Figures
3 and 4 with the band placed on the anvil and after completion of
~he punching operation;
Figure 6 is a partial exploded perspective view of
the finished band ready for assembly with a screw-bearing saddle
housing;
Figure 7 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged
scale, showing the band assembled on the saddle housing;
Figures 8, 10 and 12 are schematic side sectional views,
similar to Figures 3 and 4, illustrating another punch and anvil
arrangement for use in forming transverse stops on the.band;
Figures 9, 11 and 13 are plan views of the band respe~-
tively showing the configuration of the band after treatment in the
apparatus shown in Figures 8, 10 and 12 respectively; and
Figures 14, 15 and 16 are top plan views of another
band illustrating another method of making transverse stop shoulders
on the band.
Referring now to the drawings in detail, and initially
to Figure 1 thereof, a screw-type clam~ing collar 10 constructed by
use of the method ~f the present invention is illustrated which
includes a flexible band 11, a saddle housing 12, and a scrEw 13.
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The latter is mounted in any known manner or free rotation inside
housing 12, but is held by the housing in a fixed axial po3ition.
The saddle housing, with its screw 13,' is mounted
adjacent one end 14 of flexible band"ll. The band has at its
other end 16 a number of transverse openings 18 formed therein which
define a gear rack that engages and cooperates with the thrèads o
screw 13> when t'nis end is engaged in the housing between the screw
and the end 14 of the band.
The flexible band or collar 11 is preferably formed
of a malleable material, such as metal, with a uniform width L
selected to be the width necessary for the use to which the clamp
is to be placed. The length of the band is cut such that the band
will make, after rolling, a collar having a specific diameter.
In accordance with the present invention, the end 14 of
the band is placed on an anvil or bos;s 16 which has longitudinal
guiding tracks 18 formed in raised parts 20 thereon. The band rests
on four bosses 22 formed in the base of the anvil. Each bo~s has a
rectangular top surface in plan which slopes (as seen in Figure 3)
fro~ a point near the median axis of the band downwardly and away
from the band. Between the boss'es, clearings or recesses 24 are
formed in the anvil to enable the passage o tongs 26 carried by a
reciprocal punch head 28.
As seen in Figure 4,when punch head 28 is operated
downwardly, in the line of arrow F, (as'for egample by a cam or the
like in the conventional manner) the tongs or punches 26 penetrate
into the anvil recesses 24 and the -bottom 30 of the punch head engages
the flex~ble band 11. The striking of the band in this m~nner pushe's
the malléable material of the band laterally in the direction of arrows
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1~4Z644
f, to form the pairs of stops or shoulders ~2 on the band. At the
same time, the tongs 24 prevent the band material from ~lowing
between these snoulders and tr.us form recesses 34 therebetween
(see Figure 6).
Additional operations may be performed on the band end
14 by cutting a central opening 36 therein forming a profiled end 3~
as shown in Figure 6. These operations can be performed in any known . .
manner.
The saddle housing 12, having screw 3 mounted therein is
secured to the end 14 of band 11 by its lugs 40 which are initially
straight and placed between the respective pairs of shoulders 32 (see
Figure 6) until its own shoulders 42 engage the stops 32. The lugs
are then turned or bent down under the band to complete the assembly
(see Figure 7).
The flexible band 11 can also be shaped to form shoulders
32 by the apparatus illustrated in Figures 8 to 13. As seen therein
the end 14 of band 11 is placed and properly guided in guide tracks or
the like on an anvil or base 44 having an opening 46 therein. A
reciprocal punch-caxrier 49 having apunch 50 mounted thereon is guided
in a pressure plate 52 above anvil 44. The carrier and plate are
reciprocated in any known manner to cause the punch to cooperate with
the anvil and punch or cut a median slot 54 having bulged-out or
rounded ends 56 in the median portions of band 11 (see Figure 9).
The slotted band end is then placed and guided on a second anvil 58
having, underneath the positions at which the band is supported, two
laterally movable parts 60 biased by springs 62. A second punch
assembly incluidng a reciprocal punch carrier 64, a punch 66 and
a pressure plate 68 are located above this second anvil and operation
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~h~r~ a~ainst the anvil will cause th2 second punch 6~, which is
wider than punch 50, to penetrate slot 56 and move the anvil parts 60
apart from each other, against the bias of the springs thus forcing
the band material to move adjacent slot 56 to form protuberances 64,
while the conical punch 66 expan~s slot 56 (see Figures 10 and 11).
The end 14 of band ll is then placed and guided on a
third anviL 67 where it is held in place by a reciprocal pressure
plate 68 in which three punches 70, 72,74 are slidable. These punches
are carried by a reciprocal punch-carrier 76. Upon operation or
reciprocation of carrier 76 toward anvil 67 (which has complementary
openings therein) the punches 72, 74 form the desired shoulders 32
separated by recesses or spaces 24 (see Figures 12 and 13) and the
punch 72 further widens slot 54. If desired the punch may be designed
to also cut the end 16 of the band (see Figure 13) to form a profiled
end.
According to another embodiment of the invent~on Cshown
in Figures 14, 15 and 16) band 11 is, in a first operation, punched
(in a process similar to that sho~n in Figure 8) to form generally
bow-tie shaped openings 80 therein in slightly spaced relation to
each other (see Figure 14~. These openings have inwardly curved sides
81. The band is then punched again, between a punch and anvil (in
t'ne same manner as described above with respect to Figure 10) in order
to move the side edges of the band.forming lateral protrusions 82,
while enlarging openings 86 (see Figure 15). The inwardly curvea -
sides 81 of the originally formed openings 80 provide the material
in the band that allows protrusions to be formed without substantial
reduction in the thickness of the band. The lateral protrusions are
then punched again (in the same manner as described with respect to
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Figure 12) in order to fo-rn transverse shouLders 84 with recesses g6
therebetween (see Figure 16).
From the above it is seen that by the present invention
the collar or band is treated and sha~ed to form a strong and conven-
ient mount for assembly of the saddle housing with the band. More-
over the process allows the flexible band to be formed initially onLy
as wide as required for tne co~pleted collar. This results in a su~-
stantial savings of material as co~pared to previously proposed
structures with a resulting reduction in manufacturing costs. The
process is performed by a series of relatively simple operations on
the band to achieve the desired shape; and the resulting transverse
shoulders provide substantial strength in the final asse~bly at the
critical point in the collar where stresses are transmitted from the
saddle housing to the flexible band.
Although illustrative embodiments of the present inven-
tion have been described herein with reference to the accompanying
drawings it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to
those precise embodiments thereof but that various changes and modif-
ications may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without
departing from the scope or sp_rit of this invention.
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