Abstract:
A bench mount apparatus for supporting the tool head of an automatic cable tie installation system in a hands free mode. The bench mount apparatus is capable of supporting the tool head in at two distinct orientations and, more preferably, is capable of providing multiple degrees of freedom for locating the jaw assembly with respect to a support surface thereby facilitating interaction between the installer and the system.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a bench mount apparatus and, more particularly, to a bench mount apparatus for supporting the tool head of a cable tie installation system in a hands free mode. 
     As is well-known to those skilled in the art, cable ties are used to bundle or secure a group of articles such as electrical wires or cables. Cable ties of conventional construction include a cable tie head and an elongate tail extending therefrom. The tail is wrapped around a bundle of articles and thereafter inserted through a passage in the head. The head of the cable tie typically supports a locking element which extends into the head passage and engages the body of the tail to secure the tail to the head. 
     Although cable ties are often installed manually, it is desirable in certain applications to utilize an automatic cable tie installation system wherein cable ties are dispensed from a remote dispenser, and thereafter delivered to a tool head for application about a bundle of wires positioned within the jaws of the tool head. Automatic cable ties installation systems are well-known in the art, and are disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,790,225 and 4,498,506. 
     The tool heads of such installation systems are configured to be hand held, that is, an installer must use at least one hand to support and operate the tool head. This hand held operation of the tool head is desirable, and even preferred, in many applications. 
     It will be appreciated, however, that in certain applications the installer will find it beneficial to have both hands available for manipulating the elongate articles to be bundled. In these applications, it is desirable to mount the tool head of the cable tie installation system on a bench mount, and provide an operating switch, such as a foot pedal, to activate the system. Due to the large number of possible applications, together with the physical characteristics of the installer, a bench mount apparatus should provide flexibility with regard to the orientation of the jaw assembly of the tool head. 
     There is therefore a need in the art for a bench mount apparatus for supporting the tool head of an automatic cable tie installation system in a hands free mode wherein the bench mount apparatus is capable of supporting the tool head in at least two distinct orientations. The bench mount apparatus preferably provides multiple degrees of freedom for locating the jaw assembly with respect to a support surface, thereby facilitating the interaction between the installer and the system. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention, which addresses the needs of the prior art, relates to a bench mount apparatus for supporting a tool head of an automatic cable tie installation system in a hands free mode. The apparatus includes a base configured for securement to a support surface. The base includes at least one mounting surface. The apparatus further includes a support structure for holding the tool head in a predetermined orientation. The support structure is removably securable to the mounting surface and is adapted for securement to the mounting surface in at least two orientations. 
     The present invention also relates to a cable tie installation system for installation of a cable tie about a bundle of articles, the cable tie including a head and an elongate tail extending therefrom. The system includes a tool head for receiving and applying the cable tie about the bundle of articles. The tool head includes jaws for surrounding the articles and directing the cable tie thereabout. The system further includes a cable tie bandolier including a plurality of cable ties. The system further includes a remote dispenser configured to sever the leading cable tie from the bandolier and propel the severed cable tie to the tool head. The system further includes a cable tie delivery hose extending between the dispenser and the tool head to provide a cable tie passage therebetween. The system further includes a bench mount for supporting the tool head in a hands free mode. The bench mount includes a power actuated mechanism for operating at least one of the jaws. The system further includes a support structure for holding the tool in a predetermined orientation. The support structure is removably securable to the mounting surface and is adapted for securement to the mounting surface in at least two orientations. The system further includes a control mechanism for operating the system in the hands free mode. The control mechanism includes a foot pedal and an electronic brain for controlling delivery of the tie by the dispenser and tensioning of the cable tie by the tool head. Finally, the tool head includes an air tap fitting whereby compressed air may be fed to the power-actuated mechanism. 
     As a result, the present invention provides a bench mount apparatus for supporting a tool head of an automatic cable tie installation system in a hands free mode wherein the bench mount apparatus is capable of supporting the tool head in at least two distinct orientations and, more preferably, is capable of providing multiple degrees of freedom for locating the jaw assembly with respect to a support surface thereby facilitating the interaction between the installer and the system. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cable tie installation system; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the cable tie installation system of FIG. 1 in use with the bench mount apparatus of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 is an elevational view showing the tool head of the cable tie installation system supported by the bench mount apparatus in a first orientation; 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the support structure of the bench mount apparatus; 
     FIG. 5 is an elevational view showing the tool head of the cable tie installation system supported by the bench mount apparatus in a second orientation; and 
     FIG. 6 is an elevational view showing the tool head of the cable tie installation system supported by the bench mount apparatus wherein one of the housing shells of the support structure has been removed. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, an automatic cable tic installation system  10  is shown in FIG.  1 . Installation system  10  includes a cable tie dispenser  12  (as for example described in commonly-owned pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/377,650 incorporated herein by reference), a cable tie bandolier  14  (as for example described in commonly-owned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,934,465 and 5,967,316, incorporated herein by reference), a cable tie delivery hose  16  and a tool head  18 . In operation, dispenser  12  severs the leading cable tie from bandolier  14 , and thereafter propels the individual cable tie to the tool head via hose  16 . The cable tie is wrapped about a bundle of articles positioned within the jaws, tensioned and is then subjected to a cutting operation whereby the excess portion of the cable tie tail is cut from the tensioned cable tie. 
     In accordance with the present invention, installation system  10  is adapted for use with a bench mount apparatus  22  (see FIG.  2 ). In this regard, bench mount apparatus  22  includes a base  24 , a support structure  26  and a foot pedal  28  located within a rectangular housing  29  and connected to cable tie dispenser  12  via a cable  30 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 3, base  24  is configured for securement to a support surface  32  via a clamp  34 . Of course, base  24  can be secured to support surface  32  in any known manner including the use of conventional hardware, brackets, welding, etc. Base  24  includes a mounting surface  36 . Mounting surface  36  is located at one end of a movable shaft  38 . In this regard, shaft  38  is angularly movable between an orientation perpendicular to support surface  32  (as shown in FIG. 3) to an orientation parallel to support surface  32 , i.e., shaft  38  is angularly rotatable through a 90° arc (in a plane normal to the sheet of FIG.  3 ). In addition, shaft  38  is preferably rotatable through 360° of rotation with respect to an axis X, which is perpendicular to support surface  32  and passes through shaft  38  when shaft  38  is oriented perpendicular to support surface  32 . Base  24  is preferably provided with an adjustment knob  39  movable between a first release position wherein both the angular and circular orientation of shaft  38  may be adjusted and a second locking position wherein the orientation of shaft  38  is fixed with respect to support surface  32 . 
     As mentioned, bench mount apparatus  22  also includes a support structure  26  for holding tool head  18  in a predetermined orientation. As will be explained further hereinbelow, the support structure is removably securable to mounting surface  36  and it adapted for securement to mounting surface  36  in at least two orientations. Particularly, support structure  26  includes first and second cooperating housing shells  40   a ,  40   b  (see FIG.  4 ), configured to surround and support tool head  18  therebetween. In this regard, the housing shells  40   a ,  40   b  are removably securable to one another via a pair of clamping knobs  42 . Housing shell  40   a  preferably includes a pair of locating pins  44  which engage a pair of guide holes formed in the housing of tool head  18 , thus ensuring that tool head  18  is properly located within housing shells  40   a ,  40   b.    
     Although housing shells  40   a ,  40   b  are configured to receive tool head  18  in only a single orientation, the novel design of support structure  26  provides two distinct mounting orientations on base  24 . This is accomplished via a mounting disc  46 , which may be secured to either surface  48  or surface  50  of support structure  26 . In this regard, each of surfaces  48 ,  50  includes a pair of threaded holes sized to receive a pair of screws  52  extending through apertures  54  of mounting disc  46 . Accordingly, support structure  26  can be secured to mounting disc  46  in one of two orientations. 
     Thereafter, mounting disc  46  is attached to mounting surface  36  via a pair of nuts and bolts (not shown) extending through apertures  56  of mounting disc  46 . As a result, when mounting disc  46  is secured to surface  48  tool head  18  can be supported in a first orientation wherein the jaw assembly is directed downward towards support surface  32  (see FIG.  3 ), and when mounting disc  46  is secured to surface  50  tool head  18  can be supported in a second orientation wherein the jaw assembly is directed upward away from support surface  32  (see FIG.  5 ). 
     Referring back to FIG. 4, housing shell  40   a  of support structure  26  includes a power actuated mechanism  58  configured to operate lower jaw component  60  of tool head  18  (see FIG.  6 ). In this regard, power actuated mechanism  58  includes a pneumatic actuator  62  and a linkage assembly  64 . A pneumatic fitting  66 , which is in fluid communication with pneumatic actuator  62 , is located on an external surface of support structure  26 . A second pneumatic fitting (not shown) is located on tool head  18 . An air line  68  (see FIGS.  3  and  5 - 6 ) extends between fitting  66  and the second fitting located on tool head  18 , and is operational when tool head  18  is used with bench mount apparatus  22  in the hands free mode thus allowing compressed air to be supplied to pneumatic actuator  62 . Of course, it is contemplated herein that other arrangements could be employed to operate the lower jaw component of tool head  18  including an electrical motor, a gear driven mechanism, etc. 
     Referring now to FIG. 6, linkage assembly  64  cooperates with trigger  70  of tool head  18 . The jaws of tool head  18  are normally closed. When the tool head is mounted on the bench mount apparatus and the system is powered on, actuator  62  will cause linkage  64  to pivot counterclockwise about pin  72 , thus causing trigger  70  to pivot clockwise about pin  74 , which in turn causes lower jaw component  60  to pivot to an open position. The system is now in a stand-by mode, with the jaw assembly ready to receive a bundle of elongate articles. 
     In operation, an installer presses foot pedal  28  to begin the installation process. (When tool head  18  is used in the hands free mode with bench mount apparatus  22 , the manual operating switch located on the tool head is bypassed). Once foot pedal  28  is depressed, pneumatic actuator  62  releases trigger  70 , thus allowing the jaw assembly to return to its normally closed orientation shown in FIG.  6 . Thereafter, the cable tie dispenser initiates a normal cycle wherein the leading cable tie is severed from cable tie bandolier  14  by dispenser  12 , and thereafter propelled through delivery hose  16  of tool head  18 , where it is wrapped about the bundle of elongate articles located in the jaw assembly, tensioned and cut. Finally, lower jaw  60  is reopened via power-actuated mechanism  58  to allow the installer to remove the bundled articles. 
     It will be appreciated that the present invention has been described herein with reference to certain preferred or exemplary embodiments. The preferred or exemplary embodiments described herein may be modified, changed, added to or deviated from without departing from the intent, spirit and scope of the present invention, and it is intended that all such additions, modifications, amendment and/or deviations be included within the scope of the followings claims.