Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART
Field of the Invention
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This invention relates to apparatus and methods for making
bundling means for elongated articles and, more specifically, it relates to
apparatus and methods for making resilient bundling means.
Brief Description of the Pr or Art
In connection with various pieces of equipment, including
portable and vehicle mounted equipment and other uses it is frequently
necessary to provide means for securing elongated articles such as
10 electrical supply cable and hoses, for example, in a bundle. In some uses,
such AS on equipment it is not only important to maintain the desired
position of the cable so as to avoid interference with operation of the piece
of equipment, but also it is necessary to maintain firm support for the
elongated articles so as to avoid undesired wear, as well as possible sagging
which would create problems.
It has been known to use various forms of bundling means in the
nature of metal clamps and other elements which are specifically designed
to serve as bundling means. These bundling means are frequently custom
designed and relatively expensive particularly in view of the large number
20 which might be required for a particular installation.
There remains, therefore, a need for apparatus and methods of
making bundling means which will effectively maintain elongated articles
in the desired position by intimate resiliently maintained position while
providing the opportunity for the use of relatively inexpensive bundling
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,neans. There-remains the further need for apparatus~which
is dependable and relatively inexpensive and may be used to
manufacture the bundling means of this invention.
SU~qMARY OF THE INVENTION :
The present invention has met the above described
needs by providing apparatus for making bundling means wherein
blade means are mounted for establishing a substantially
continuous helical slit in an elongated resilient tubular
member and support means are provided for supporting the
elongated tubular member whïle relative movement is established
between the blade means and the elongated tubular member.
As a result, the blade means will establish the helical slit
while tubular member is subjected to relative movement
with respect thereto and is supported in a desired predetermined
position.
These and other features of the invention will be
more fully understood and appreciated from the following
detailed description of this invention on reference to
illustrations appended hereto.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a partially schematic ~ront elevational
view of one form of apparatus of the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross sectional illustration of the
apparatus of Figure 1 taken through II-II.
Figure 3 is a top plan view of the apparatus of
Figure 1.
Figure 4 is a fragmentary view of a form of bundliny
means made by the present invention.
Figure 5 is an end view of a form of bundling means
made by the present invention shown in surrounding
relationship with respect to a
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group of elongated articles.
Figure 6 is a front elevational view showing a form of bundling
means made by the present invention in surrounding relationship with
respect to a number of elongated articles.
Figure 7 is a cross sectional view of a modified form of the
apparatus showing adjustment means for altering the spacing between
portions of the support means.
Figure 8 is a cross sectional view showing a modified
embodiment provided with means for altering the spacing between portions
10 of the support means.
Pigure 9 is a schematic illustration of a form of automated
apparatus of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to Figures I through 3 there is shown a form of
apparatus of the present invention for fabricating bundling means. An
elongated resilient tubular member 2 is shown being processed by the
apparatus 4. The apparatus 4 includes a base portion 6, an upper portion 8,
and R connecting portion 10. In this embodiment, the apparatus portions 6,
8, 10 provide a rigid generally channel shaped mcmber whlch defines an
20 opening 14 within which the tube 2 is received.
The apparatus 4 also is provided with support means which serve
to support the pipe 2 in the desired position during processing. In the form
shown, the support means consists of four upper rollers 18, 20, 22, 24 which
depend downwardly from the upper portion 8. The rollers are so mounted
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that they are adapted to rotate about an axis which is oriented generally
parallel with respect to the longitudinal central axis A of tube 2~ It is
noted that a first pair of upper rollers 18, 20 are disposed on one side of the
longitudinal central axis A and are disposed in generally aligned position. A
second pair of upper rollers 22, 24 are disposed on the other side of central
axis A and are in generally aligned position. Rollers 20, 22 are disposed
generally at the same axial position and rollers 18, 24 are disposed at the
same generally axial position.
In the form shown in Figures 1 through 3 the lower support
means consists of four rollers mounted for rotational movement about an
axis oriented generally parallel to the longitudinal axis A. A first pair of
rollers 30, 32 is disposed on one side of the axis A and in generally aligned
relationship. A second pair of rollers 34, 36 is disposed in generally aligned
relationship on the other side of the axis A. Rollers 30, 34 are disposed in
generally the same axial position and rollers 32, 36 are disposed at
generally the same axial position as each other.
In the form illustrated the spacing between the rollers of a pair
of rollers (30, 34, or 32, 36) on the base portion 6 is preferably slightly
greater than the spacing between the rollers of a pair of rollers (20, 22, or
18, 24) on the upper portion 8.
The apparatus also has a blade 40 which extends downwardly
into the channel opening 14. It is noted that the blade 40 has a tapered free
end which extends suft`iciently far into the opening 14 so as to be adapted to
pass completely through the wall of tube 2. In order to permit the
apparatus to be used in cutting different pitch angles, the blade 40 in the
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form shown is adapted to be rotated by means of operating knob 42 which is
connected to the blade by spindle 44 which passes through upper portion 8.
Knob 42 is preferably prevented from rotating during cutting so as to
maintain the desired cutting angle. This may readily be accomplished by
means of a suitable locking screw, (not shown) for example.
In effecting processing of the tube 2 relative movement is
established between the tube 2 and the blade 40. In a preferred form o~ the
present invention a handle 48 (Figures 2 and 3) is secured to the connecting
portion lO so as to permit the apparatus 4 to be moved with respect to a
10 stationary pipe so as to sequentially generate a helical cut 50.
Alternatively, the pipe may be moved rotationally and longitudinally in the
direction shown by the arrow in Figure l, for example, with respect to the
stationary apparatus 4.
It will be appreciated therefore that in using the apparatus and
method of the present invention bundling means may be fabricated by
providing an elongated resilient member such as tube 2 and sequentially
establishing a substantially continuous helical slit in the wall of the tube.
Referring now to Figure 4 there is shown A section of resilient
tube which has been processed by the apparatus and method of the present
20 invention. The pipe has an external diameter Dl with a substantially
continuous helical slit 52 completely through the wall of the tube. The wall
portion between the next adjacent pair of slit portions such as 52a and 52b
will be considered the pitch-P. The pitch P may conveniently be about 30
to 90 percent of the tube diameter and preferably about 60 to 80 percent
thereof. In effect, the pitch refers to the width of a particular wrap. The
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pitch angle B is the lesser angle between the slit and the plane of the
surface on which the pipe is resting. In a preferred form of the invention
this is about 60 to 85 degrees and in the preferred form is about 74 to 84
degrees.
Referring now to Figures 5 and 6 there is shown the bundling
means in resiliently radially expanded position in circumferential
surrounding relationship with a plurality of elongated articles which may be
hoses or electrical cables 60, for example. It will be appreciated in the
expanded relationship the bundling means 58 has been enlarged to a
10 diameter D2. The preferred form of the invention the diameter Dl of the
unexpanding bundling means 58 is not more than about twenty-five to
seventy-five percent of the diameter D2 of the expanded bundling means 58
and preferably about forty to fifty percent. In this fashion, the inherent
resiliency and the freedom to expand generated by the helical slit 52
permit firm resiliently maintained retention of the elongated articles 60.
It will also be appreciated that the bundling means may consist of a single
continuous element such as 58 or a series of smaller elements spaced
longitudinally along the length of the elongated articles 60. If desired,
bundling means anchoring (not shown) may be provided to secure the
20 bundling means 58 to a portion of a piece of equipment. This may readily
be accomplished by simple fasteners or anchor clips.
In a preferred embodiment the pipe 2 will be made of a resinous
material such as polyethylene having an external diameter of about one
half to three inches and a wall thickness of about one eighth inch.
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Referring now to Figures 7 and 8 a further embodiment of the
invention will now be considered. In order to improve the versatility of the
equipment and method, it may be desired to provide adjustment means so
as to permit spacing adjustments between either the upper support means
and the lower support means or within a given tier of support means. In the
embodiment shown in Figure 7, the base 6' supports four upwardly
extending rollers 64, 66 (two rollers are not shown in this view) and the
upper portion 8' supports four downwardly extending rollers 68, 70 (two
rollers not being shown in this view). The connecting means 10' is divided
into a lower sector lOa and an upper sector lOb with the connection being
made by an adjustment screw 72 or two or more spaced adjustment screws
if desired. A thumb screw head 74 is provided as a means for effecting
desired adjustment.
Referring to Figure 8 it is seen that a base or upper portion 78
may be split so as to carry a pair of rollers on each segment 78a, 78b with
adjustment being effected by two or more spaced adjustment screws 80, 82.
While for clarity of disclosure reference has been made herein
to establishing relative movement between the tube and blade without
express limitation to a speclfication of either manual or automatlc means.
In addition to the specific means disclosed hereinabove various
automated means will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. An
example of a suitable automated means is shown in Figure 9. Apparatus 100
has gear 102 operatively engaged with gear 104 which in turn is driven by
motor 106 through shaft 108. In the form shown gear 102 supports rollers
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110, 112, 114 and 116 and rotates in a counterclockwise direction as is blade
118. The tube (not shown) would be fed into a position supported by rollers
110, 112, 114, 116 and engaged by blade 118. Relative rotation would be
established by motor 106.
It will therefore, be appreciated that the present invention has
provided economical means for fabricating bundling means in order to
permit resiliently maintained retention of a plurality of elongated articles.
All of this is accomplished by preserving simplicity of fabrication with
relatively inexpensive equipment which may be either manually or
10 automatically operated. In addition, in preferred embodiments adjustment
means are provided so as to provide the system to be used with bundling
means of various sizes.
Whereas particular embodiments of the invention have been
described above for purposes of illustration it will be evident to those
skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details may be made
without departing from the invention as defined in the appended claims.
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