Ring clinching tool

Claim 2

In a tool for clinching hog rings including a body, first and second side plates, first and second opposed ring clinching jaws pivotally mounted between the side plates for movement between open and closed positions, said clinching jaws having ring guide grooves defining a path of travel for the rings and leading to ring clinching grooves, a ring magazine mounted on one of the side plates for delivering rings into the guide grooves of the clinching jaws, a slidable feeder blade in communication with a feeding end of the magazine for feeding the rings through the path of travel from the magazine along said guide grooves to the clinching grooves, and drive means operatively connected to the clinching jaws and the feeder blade, the improvement comprising spacer means for maintaining such first and second side plates a predetermined minimum lateral distance apart, said first and second opposed ring clinching jaws being mounted between such side plates and having a width smaller than said predetermined minimum distance whereby said ring clinching jaws are afforded a predetermined amount of lateral movement between such side plates, bias means for urging said jaws toward such magazine feeding end, and camming means at such magazine feeding end for causing lateral movement of said jaws against such bias means when a hog ring is forced by such feeder blade off such magazine end and along such path of travel toward said clinching grooves.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said spacer means comprises at least one bore through each clinching jaw, a spacing sleeve through each said bore, each spacing sleeve being in contact with both side plates, and means passing through one of said spacing sleeves to secure together such side plates.

Claim 4

Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said bias means comprises a counterbore positioned in such jaw around each said spacing sleeve and adjacent such side plate opposite such magazine feeding end, and a spring within each said counterbore, whereby said springs urge such jaws toward such magazine feeding end.

Claim 5

Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said camming means comprises a bevel on such magazine feeding end and a jaw wall defined by such jaws opposite such magazine feeding end and adjacent such path of travel, such magazine feeding end being spaced from said jaw wall a distance less than the width of a hog ring, whereby a hog ring pushed by such feeder blade along such path of travel squeezes such jaws laterally away from such magazine feeding end until the hog ring has cleared such magazine feeding end.

Claim 6

A ring feed apparatus for use in a hog ring clinching tool, comprising a pair of parallel side plates maintained a fixed distance apart on such tool, a pair of opposed clinching jaws pivotally mounted between said side plates, said jaws having a width less than said fixed distance, whereby said jaws will translate laterally between said side plates a predetermined distance, a hog ring guide groove in each opposed clinching jaw, said guide grooves defining a path of ring travel in a plane generally parallel to and intermediate said side plates, a ring magazine mounted on one of said side plates and having a feed end extending between said clinching jaws adjacent said guide grooves, bias means for urging said clinching jaws laterally toward said magazine feed end, a feeder blade mounted between said jaws for movement along said path of travel, drive means operatively connected to said feeder blade, wall means mounted on said jaws adjacent said guide grooves and opposite said magazine feed end for defining a passage in said path of travel narrower than a hog ring, and camming means at said magazine feed end for displacing said jaws, wall means and guide grooves away fRom said magazine feed end when a ring is pushed by said feeder blade off said magazine feed end, said jaws, wall means and guide grooves being displaced a sufficient distance to allow such ring to pass between said wall means and said magazine free end, said jaws, wall means and guide grooves being biased back toward said magazine feed end when such ring has advanced along said path of travel a sufficient distance to clear said magazine.

Claim 7

A ring feed apparatus for use in a hog ring clinching tool, comprising a pair of parallel side plates maintained a fixed distance apart on such tool, a pair of opposed clinching jaws pivotally mounted between said side plates, said jaws having a width less than said fixed distance, whereby said jaws will translate laterally between said side plates a predetermined distance, a hog ring guide groove in each opposed clinching jaw, said guide grooves defining a path of ring travel in a plane generally parallel to and intermediate said side plates, a ring magazine mounted on one of said side plates and having a feed end extending between said clinching jaws adjacent said guide grooves, bias means for urging said clinching jaws laterally toward said magazine feed end, a feeder blade mounted between said jaws for movement along said path of travel, drive means operatively connected to said feeder blade, wall means mounted on said jaws adjacent said guide grooves and opposite said magazine feed end for defining a passage in said path of travel narrower than a hog ring, and camming means at said magazine feed end for displacing said jaws, wall means and guide grooves away fRom said magazine feed end when a ring is pushed by said feeder blade off said magazine feed end, said jaws, wall means and guide grooves being displaced a sufficient distance to allow such ring to pass between said wall means and said magazine free end, said jaws, wall means and guide grooves being biased back toward said magazine feed end when such ring has advanced along said path of travel a sufficient distance to clear said magazine.

Claim 8

The feed apparatus of claim 5 wherein said bias means comprises a counterbore positioned in each jaw adjacent said side plate opposite said ring magazine and a spring within each counterbore for urging said jaws toward said magazine feed end.

Claim 9

The feed apparatus of claim 5 wherein said camming means comprises a bevel on such magazine feed end.

Claim 10

A ring feed apparatus for a ring clinching tool, comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced apart side plates in fixed relation on said tool, a pair of opposed clinching jaws pivotally mounted intermediate said side plates, said jaws having a width less than the distance between said side plates, a ring feed magazine secured to one of said side plates and adapted to feed an open ring against the opposed surface of said clinching jaws, bias means urging said clinching jaws toward said ring feed magazine, and means for pushing said clinching jaws away from said magazine against said bias means such that such open ring can pass between said magazine and said opposed clinching jaws when said bias means is overcome.

Claim 11

A ring feed apparatus for a ring clinching tool, comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced apart side plates in fixed relation on said tool, a pair of opposed clinching jaws pivotally mounted intermediate said side plates, said jaws having a width less than the distance between said side plates, a ring feed magazine secured to one of said side plates and adapted to feed an open ring against the opposed surface of said clinching jaws, bias means urging said clinching jaws toward said ring feed magazine, and means for pushing said clinching jaws away from said magazine against said bias means such that such open ring can pass between said magazine and said opposed clinching jaws when said bias means is overcome.

Claim 12

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said bias means comprises at least one Belleville spring positioned to urge said clinching jaws toward said feed magazine.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said means for pushing said clinching jaws away from said magazine is a reciprocating feeder blade which pushes said open ring between said magazine and said clinching jaws to move said jaws against said bias means and away from said magazine.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein said ring feed magazine has a feeding end having a beveled surface effective to cause said open ring to laterally push against said clinching jaws to overcome said bias means.