US2269090A - Tensioning tool - Google Patents

Description

Jain. 6, 1942. c. L. HINSDALE TENSICNING TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 26, 1940 CLARE- L. "mums Jan. 6, 1942. c. L. HINSDALE 2,269,090

TENSIONING TOOL v I Filed March 26, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet 2 g wue/wto c CLARE l.- H INSDALE 1942- c. L. HINSDALE' TENSIONING TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fild March 26, 1940 CLARE L. H INSD ALE Patented Jan. 6, 1942 'rENs N Ne r09 Clare L. Hinsdale, Warren, Qhio, assignor to Brainard Steel Corporation, Warren, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application March 26, 1940, Serial No.325fi96 11 Claims. (o1. 254-66) 7 This invention relates to a tensioning tool for drawing taut a band, strap, wire or other bindband and by its ability to tighten the band or strap to the required tension by a rapid and substantially continuous operation when the tool is once attached to the strap, regardless of the length of the strap or bandibeing tensione d and regardless of the compressibilityof thematerial making up the package being bound. The primary object of the invention is the provision of v a tool having the desirable characteristics above mentioned and which is economical to construct and rugged in service. v

Another object of theinvention is ,the provision of a tool for the purpose defined which tool is capable of effecting the desired tensioning of a strap or band of undetermined length but which nevertheless may be more conveniently manipulated by the operator. r H

Yet another object of the invention is the pro,- vision of a tool having the characteristics above enumerated which is capable of being used in any binding operation regardless of the shape or contour of the package being bound.

These and other objects and advantages ofthe invention should become apparent from a considerationof the following detailed specification and the attached drawings wherein there lisspecifically disclosed a preferred embodim nt of the invention.

In the drawings: a

Figure l is a side View of the tool oitheinvention and shows the relation of the tool to the package, binding and seal when in a representa- Figure 6 is a partial longitudinal section of the 991 F u e 5.; a

. invention in the illustrated and preferred embodiment consists "of an assembly having a,

:l'ieadmehiber gill, a f xed-handle support H, a rack liar l2 rigidly interconnecting the head Ill and handle support, "and a frame l3 reciprocably mounted on the rack bar i2 between the members 10' and II. A dowel pin [4 driven throughaligned apertures in the head l0 and the rack bar I 2 adjacent one end of the latter rigidly secures the head 1 0 Lon the rack bar. A dowel pin I 5 driven .throughaligned apertures in the support H and the other endof the rack bar l2 rigidly fastens the support H to said other end of the ,rack ,bar.

Extending laterally outwardly from the lower portion of the head member ll] is a foot l5 which is provided with a tapering forward end It to rest upon the box or other object being bound. The-taper is all on the bottom surface of Itheioot .,l 5ar 1d this allows the general longitudinal axis ,of the tool to be inclined relative to the plane of the top surface of, the box being bound, thereby Placing thevtool more convenient position for foperation bythe user. 'Ifhe taper also results in small vertical thickness of the foot at the forward end thereof, the advantage of which will appear later. Pivotally mounted in the upper portion of thejhead,n ember J0 isa toe H which extends downwardly and forwardly to av point substantially vertically .above the forwardv end of the tapered foot [5. As shown in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of thedrawings the tapered portion .l6.of the lat- ;erally extending foot I5 extends outwardly be yond theadjacent end of the rack bar l2 'andthe general outline of the head l0 and the toe l'l overlies the tapered portion of the foot. Toell ispivotally carried by the head in by means of the pin I 8 received within a transverse bore in I the upper portion of the head Ill. Said bore may intersectthe aperture in the upper portion of the head In receivingthe dowel pin I4 and by providing the pin 3 withacircumierential groove 19 th pin l l may be utilized to prevent' with-v drawal of the pin I8 The latter is provided with an enlarged head?!) to retain the toe I I.

To I1 is urged to downward position and in engagement with the foot l5 by a coil spring 2] "(Figure 3) having one oftits ends seated in a dwell formedin the toe l1 and having its other,

dwellformed in the body'of the end seated in a ihe d membe l!- tian r rs see q t id f Pivotally carried by means of a pin 22 journalled in the head In is a strap retaining dog 23 having a serrated rounded bottom end to engage the upper surface of the foot I5. As apparent from an inspection of Figures 1 and 3, the pin 22 extends substantially parallel with the pin I 8 and is adapted to rotate about its principal axis to move the lower end of the dog 23 toward and away from the upper surface of the foot I5. The length of the dog 23 is somewhat longer than the shortest distance between the upper surface of the foot and the axis of rotation of the pin 22 and dog 23 so that clockwise rotation of the dog 23, as viewed in Figure 1, will be limited and such rotation will result in tight gripping contact between the serrated end and the foot I or between said end and a strap or other binding material positioned between the foot and the dog. A small coil spring 24 may be employed to resiliently urge the dog 23 to gripping position.

Loosely mounted on the rack bar I2 for sliding movement thereon is a frame I3 which carries a laterally extending foot 25 and a pivotally mounted dog 23 similar in design and operation to the dog 23. Gripping dog 26 is carried by the laterally extending pin 21 pivotally mounted in the frame I3 above the rack bar I2 and a spring 23 is employed to urge the dog 26 to strap gripping position. Bar I2, provided along its top with a series of rack teeth and a pinion 3| mounted on a pin 32 extending through aligned apertures in the frame I3, is provided with teeth 33 meshing with the rack teeth 33. Pivotally mounted on the pin 32 is a handle 34 having a bifurcated lower end fitting about the pinion 3|. To provide a positive driving connection between the handle 34 and the pinion 3|, a tooth 35, received within a recess in the handle 34 at the base of the bifurcations and midway therebetween, is adapted to extend between ad- 'jacent teeth on the pinion.

Iandle 34 is provided at its outer end with a ball hand grip portion. Extending outwardly and upwardly from the support II is a handle 3? preferably knurled on its outer surface and in the operation of the tool the operator normally grasps the handle 3'! with one hand and the grip 36 with the other.

It should be apparent that the construction of the strap gripping means 23 and 2B is such that the strap is prevented from moving in one direction relative to the gripping means while permitted to move in the opposite direction relative thereto. By referring to Figure 1, the strap, which is indicated by the reference numeral 40, may move to the right relative to the gripping dog 23 but is prevented from moving to the left by the binding which occurs between the dog and the foot I5. Similarly, the strap is permitted to move to the right relative to the gripping dog 25 but is prevented from moving in the other direction relative thereto.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2 which show a representative use of the tool, the strap 40 is indicated as being encircled about a box or bale M to be bound. One end of the strap 40 is threaded through a metallic seal 42 of conventional construction. and looped under the lower wall of the seal at 43. The strap passes from this loop through seal 42, under foot l5, around the box or bale, through seal 42, between foot I5 and toe I! and then under the two successive gripping dogs 23 and 25. The outer end surfaces of the foot l5 and the toe II abut against the adjacent end of the seal 42 or other strap anchoring means, thus providing an anchor for the looped end of the strap while the tensioning and sealing of the strap is takingplace.

As the lever 34 is manipulated the frame I3 will be moved back and forth relative to the bar I2, the foot I5 and the gripping dog 23 and as it is moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 1, it will pull the strap with it because of the binding between foot 25 and dog 26 and the strap will be held in its advanced position by the dog 23. As the fram I3 moves to the left the gripping means 25, 26 will override the strap preparatory to a new grip thereon. This process can be repeated indefinitely, regardless of the length of the encircling band, its looseness, and the character of the box or bale being bound, until the proper tension is effected in the encircled band. When this is accomplished a sealing tool can be applied to the seal I2 to crimp the seal and the overlapped reaches of the strap close therein together to prevent separation or loosening of the band when the tensioning tool is removed. It should b observed that by tapering the foot i5, as at I6, the thickness of the foot at its outer extremity is substantially reduced and this enables the seal 42 to be positioned immediately outward of the outer surface of the bale whereby there is no loss of tension when the tools are removed upon completion of the tensioning and sealing operations. Also, the taper I6 permits the tool to be positioned at an angle to the top plane of the box which in most instances affords a more convenient operating position.

In the modified form of the tool illustrated in Figures 5 through '7 the rack bar 52, which corresponds in general to the bar I2 of the first form, is made of round stock, as indicated in Figure '7, to enable the parts of the tool to be more economically produced and assembled. Thus the bores through head 50, frame 53 and handle support 5|, which parts correspond to the head I0, frame I3 and handle support II of the first form, may be round and may therefore be more easily effected in the parts. A portion of the bar 52 is flattened at 62 and gear teeth 60 for meshing with the teeth on the pinion 3| are cut into a part of the fiat portion 62. J ournaled on the pin 21, which secures the gripping dog 26, is a roller 6'! which is received within a recess in the frame 53 and which is adapted to contact the smooth portion of the flattened section 52 of the bar 52. As indicated in Figure 7, the line of contact of the roller 61 with the surface 62 is of substantial length and this, by preventing relative rotation between the bar 52 and the frame 53, insures the parallelism of the foot '65 of the frame 53 with the foot' 56 of the head 50 without relying on the contact between the pinion and the teeth 60. At the same time this prevents the driving force from being concentrated at either extreme end of the rack and pinion teeth.

A transverse bore 51 is provided at the base of the bifurcations of the operating lever 54, which bore opens into the space between the bifurcations and a locking key 55, having a gear tooth engaging projection, is forced into the same. Each of the gripping dogs 23 and 23 is provided with an upwardly extending lever 68 having a channeled lower end to fit about the upper portion of the gripping dogs and are held in place by the heads of the pins 22 and 21, When it is desired to remove the tool from the strap while the strap is under tension, it is necessary to first back off this tension. This is done by first releasing dog 26 by means of its lever 68 and moving the frame 53 to its rearward position adjacent the support Dog 26 is now lowered into contact with the strap and by a slight continued rearward movement of the frame 53 the same will engage the tension of the strap and the dog 23 may be released by engaging its lever 68. The tension may now be partially relieved by moving frame 53 towards the tool head 50 and the dog 23 again allowed to contact the strap. By repeating these manipulations as often as required the tension in the strap may be entirely reduced, allowing the tool to be removed.

It should now be apparent that I have provided an improved strap tensioning tool which satisfactorily accomplishes the objects initially set out. When the tool is to be applied it may be grasped at" the handle 31 by one hand of the operator and by reason of the rigid connection between the handle 31 and the head ID the head may easily be moved to its proper position. The other hand of the operator may be used to place the strap'between the foot l5 and the toe l1 and dog 23 and between the foot 25 and the dog 26. While maintaining a grip on the handle 31 with one hand, the operator may grip the ball 36 with his other hand and proceed with the tensioning of the band. As stated above, this operation may continue uninterrupted until the proper tension is effected in the strap.

The above specifically described embodiments of the invention should be considered as illustrative only as obviously many changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, it should be obvious that other means than that specifically to one end of said bar, a handle extending upwardly and outwardly from the other end of said bar, a pivotally mounted strap engaging dog overlying a portion of said foot and adapted to prevent movement of a strap extending between said dog and said foot in one direction relative to said foot but allowing relative movement thereof in the-opposite direction, a pivotally mounted toe extending downwardly and outwardly from the upper portion of said member and having its outer end overlying the outer end of said foot, the outer end surfaces of said foot and toe adapted to abut against the end of a strap seal or other strap anchoring means with a reach of said strap extending between said toe and foot, a frame slidably mounted on said rack bar, a pinion gear journaled in said frame and meshing with said rack teeth, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame and operatively connected with said pinion whereby rocking movement of said lever results in sliding movement of said frame relative to said bar, a laterally extending foot carried by said frame, a pivotally mounted strip engaging dog carried by said frame and adapted to clamp said strap to said last mentioned foot in such manner that the strap is free to move in one direction relative to said last mentioned foot but is prevented from moving in the other direction relative thereto.

2. A strap tensioning tool comprising in combination a rack bar having rack teeth on one face thereof intermediate the ends thereof, a member having a laterally extending foot secured to one end of said bar, a handle extending upwardly and outwardly from the other end of said bar, a strap engaging dog overlying a portion of said foot and adapted to prevent movement of a strap extending between said dog and said foot in one direction relative to said foot but allowing relative movement thereof in the opposite direction, the outer end surface of said foot adapted to abut against the end of a strap seal or other strap anchoring means, a frame slidably mounted on said rack bar, a pinion gear journaled in said frame and meshing with said rack teeth, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame and operatively connected with said pinion whereby rocking movement of said lever results in sliding movement of said frame relativeto said bar, a later- I ally extending foot carried by said frame, a strap engaging dog overlying a part of said last mentioned foot and adapted to prevent movement of the strap in one direction relative to said foot.

3. A strap tensioning tool comprising in combination a rack bar having rack teeth on one face thereof intermediate the ends. thereof, a strap gripping member carried by said bar adjacent one end thereof and being operative to restrain movement of the strap in one direction while permitting movement thereof in the other direction relative to said bar, an end surface carried by said bar to abut a strap seal or other strap anchoring means, a frame slidably mounted on said rack bar, a pinion gear journaled in said frame and meshing with said rack teeth, a lever pivotally mounted on said frame and operatively connected with said pinion whereby rocking movement of saidlever results in sliding movement of said frame relative to said bar, a strap gripping device carried by said frame and'being operative to restrain movement of the strap in one direction while permitting movement thereof in the other direction relative to said frame, and a handle attached to the other end of said rack bar.

4. A strap tensioning tool comprising in combination an elongated bar having a strap gripping device carried by one end thereof and a handle attached to the other end thereof, an end surface at the said one end of said bar to abut a strap seal or other strap anchoring means, a frame slidably mounted on said bar intermediate the ends thereof, a lever interconnecting said bar and frame whereby rocking movement of said lever results in reciprocal movement of said frame relative to said bar, a second strap gripping'device carried by said frame, said strap gripping devices being operative to restrain movement of the strap in one direction only whereby the strap is tensioned upon reciprocation of said frame.

5. A strap tensioning tool comprising in combination an elongated bar having a member with a laterally extending foot attached to one end thereof and a handle attached to the other end thereof, said foot extending outwardly beyond the end of the said bar, a strap gripping device carried by said member and adapted to cooperate with said foot to restrict movement of a strap lying on said foot in one direction, a toe pivotally mounted on said member and having a downwardly and outwardly extending end overlying the outward end of said foot, a frame slidably mounted on said bar intermediate its ends, a strap gripping device carried by said'frame and being operative to prevent movement of said strap in one direction relative to said frame, and a lever interconnecting said bar and said frame whereby said frame may be moved back and forth along said bar, said strap gripping devices being operative to restrain movement of the strap in one direction only whereby the strap is tensioned upon reciprocation of said frame.

6. A strap tensioning tool comprising in combination an elongated bar having a strap gripping device carried by one end thereof and a handle attached to the other end thereof, a frame slidably mounted on said bar intermediate the ends thereof, a strap gripping device carried by said frame, means to reciprocate said frame on said bar comprising an outwardly extending manually engageable lever, said gripping devices being operative to restrain movement of a strap in one and the same direction relative to said bar but permitting movement of the strap in the other direction relative thereto whereby the strap is tensioned upon reciprocation of said frame.

'7. A strap tensioning tool comprising in combination an elongated. bar having a strap gripping device carried by one end thereof and a handle attached to the other end thereof, a frame slidably mounted on said bar intermediate the ends thereof, said bar having a flattened portion, a roller carried by said frame and engaging said flattened portion, said roller being mounted by said frame for rotation about an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis of said bar, a strap gripping device carried by said frame, means to reciprocate said frame on said bar, said gripping devices being operative to restrain movement of a strap in one and the same direction relative to said bar but permitting movement of the strap in the other direction relative thereto whereby the strap is tensioned upon reciprocation of said frame.

8. A strap tensioning tool comprising in combination an elongated round bar having a strap gripping device carried by one end thereof and a handle attached to the other end thereof, a frame having a bore to receive said bar and slidably mounted on said bar intermediate the ends thereof, a strap gripping device carried by said frame, said bar having a flattened portion, a roller journaled in said frame and adapted to contact said flattened portion, said roller being mounted for rotation about an axis transverse to the principal axis of said bar, means to reciprocate said frame on said bar, said gripping devices being operative to restrain movement of a strap in one and the same direction relative to said bar but permitting movement of the strap in the other direction relative thereto whereby the strap is tensioned upon reciprocation of said frame.

9. Apparatus according to claim 6 further including resilient means to urge said strap gripping means into engagement with the strap, and a manually engageable handle connected with each of said strap gripping devices to move said devices away from engagement with said strap.

10. A strap tensioning tool comprising in combination relatively movable members each carrying strap gripping devices, means to move said members toward and away from each other, said strap gripping devices each comprising a pivotally mounted dog and resilient means to urge said dog into engagement with said strap, a pin pivotally mounting each of said dogs, a handle for manually retracting each of said dogs against the force of said resilient means comprising a member having a channeled portion adapted to over lie a portion of each of said dogs, and a head on each of said pins to retain said handles in operative positions relative to said dogs.

11. A strap tensioning tool comprising in combination a member having a forwardly extending projection to abut against the end of a strap seal or other strap anchoring means, a strap gripping device carried by said member rearwardly of the forward end of said projection, a frame carried with saidmember and adapted to be moved toward and away from said strap gripping device, a second strap gripping device carried by said frame rearwardly of said first mentioned strap gripping device, said gripping devices being both operative to restrain movement of a strap in one and the same direction relative to said member but permitting movement of the strap in the other direction relative thereto whereby the strap is tensioned upon reciprocation of said frame relative to said member, and means to move said frame towards and away from said first mentioned strap gripping device.

CLARE L. HINSDALE.

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