Apparatus for splicing rubber-like articles

Claim 1

IN A MACHINE FOR SPLICING THE ENDS OF A LENGTH OF RUBBER-LIKE STOCK TO FORM AN ANNULAR BAND, WHEREIN SAID MACHINE COMPRISES A PAIR OF SPACED MOVABLE CARRIAGES HAVING BROAD HORIZONTAL UPPER SURFACES, EACH OF SAID CARRIAGES BEING ARRANGED TO RECEIVE ONE END OF SAID STOCK ON ITS UPPER SURFACE, AN UPPER CLAMPING JAW OPERABLE TO HOLD EACH END OF THE STOCK FLAT ON THE UPPER SURFACE OF ITS RESPECTIVE CARRIAGE, AND MEANS OPERABLE AFTER THE ENDS OF THE STOCK ARE THUS CLAMPED FOR MOVING SAID CARRIAGES TOWARD EACH OTHER IN ORDER TO BRING SAID STOCK ENDS INTO INTIMATE ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING IN COMBINATION A LOWER CLAMPING JAW MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID CARRIAGES AND POSITIONED TO RECEIVE ONE OF SAID CLAMPING JAWS FOR GRIPPING ONE END OF SAID STOCK, EACH SET OF SAID UPPER AND LOWER CLAMPING JAWS, PROVIDING A CLAMP WITH BOTH SAID CLAMPS BEING CARRIED BY SAID CARRIAGES INTO AND OUT OF ABUTTING ENGAGEMENT WITH EACH OTHER, EACH LOWER CLAMPING JAW BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ONE END ON ITS RESPECTIVE CARRIAGE FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT FROM A GENERALLY HORIZONTAL, OPERATIVE POSITION IN ENGAGEMENT AT ITS FREE END WITH SAID CARRIAGE TO A LOADING POSITION IN WHICH SAID FREE END IS RAISED ABOVE THE UPPER SURFACE OF SAID CARRIAGE IN ORDER TO PERMIT THE MID-SECTION OF SAID STOCK TO BE INSERTED BETWEEN SAID LOWER CLAMPING JAW AND CARRIAGE, SAID UPPER SURFACES OF SAID CARRIAGES BEING PROVIDED WITH ALIGNED RECESSES ON THEIR ADJACENT SIDES BENEATH SAID LOWER CLAMPING JAWS IN ORDER TO PROVIDE ROOM TO RECEIVE THE MIDSECTION OF THE STOCK BETWEEN SAID LOWER CLAMPING JAWS AND CARRIAGES WHEN SAID LOWER CLAMPING JAWS ARE IN OPERATIVE POSITION, SAID LOWER CLAMPING JAWS BEING DISPOSED ON SAID CARRIAGES SO THAT THEY SPAN SAID RECESSES AND ARE SUPPORTED AT BOTH ENDS BY SAID CARRIAGE WHEN SAID LOWER JAWS ARE IN THE OPERATIVE POSITION, EACH OF SAID RECESSES EXTENDING IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF SAID CARRIAGES BEYOND THE RESPECTIVE LOWER JAW MOUNTED THEREON SUCH THAT AN OPENING IS PROVIDED IN THE UPPER SURFACE OF EACH CARRIAGE ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF SAID LOWER JAW FROM THE CORRESPONDING OPENING IN THE OTHER CARRIAGE, SAID OPENINGS PROVIDING SPACE FOR THE MID-SECTION OF SAID STOCK TO EXTEND BELOW SAID LOWER JAWS WHEN THE LATTER ARE IN THEIR OPERATIVE POSITION, AND MEANS FOR RAISING SAID LOWER CLAMPING JAWS TO THEIR LOADING POSITION SO THAT THE MIDSECTION OF SAID STOCK CAN BE PLACED BELOW SAID JAWS.