EYELET MACHINE

An eyelet machine includes a frame, a lower mold, a threaded rod, an upper mold and a bearing assembly. The frame includes a lower beam, an upper beam, and a post formed between the lower and upper beams. The lower mold is adapted for carrying a first washer of an eyelet and supported on the lower beam in a detachable manner. The threaded rod is connected to the upper beam so that the threaded rod is translatable relative to the upper beam when they are rotated relative to each other. The upper mold is adapted for carrying a second washer of the eyelet and connected to the threaded rod in a detachable manner so that they are translatable together. The bearing assembly is provided between the threaded rod and the upper mold and adapted for taking a load along an axis of the threaded rod.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to an eyelet and, more particularly, to an eyelet machine.

2. Related Prior Art

As disclosed in Taiwanese Patent No. M297178, an eyelet machine includes a mold20and a presser30. A positioning rod22extends from an upper face of mold20. An annular concave face211is made in the upper face of mold20. Annular concave face211extends around positioning rod22. Presser30includes a cavity31in a lower end. An annular concave face32is formed at the lower end of presser30. Annular concave face32extends around cavity31. An eyelet10includes a tubular portion14coaxially extending from a lower face of a washer11. Washer11includes an annular convex upper face12. A work piece50is made with an eye51. In use, tubular portion14is inserted through eye51, and washer11is laid on an upper face of the work piece50. Positioning rod22is inserted through tubular portion14, thereby abutting a free end of tubular portion14against annular concave face211. Annular concave face32of presser30is brought into contact with annular convex upper face12of washer11. Presser30is moved toward mold20to further about the free end of tubular portion14against annular concave face211so that the free end of tubular portion14is expanded, enlarged and abutted against a lower face of work piece50. Thus, eyelet10is finished.

As disclosed in Taiwanese Patent No. M481257, an eyelet machine is used to make an eyelet that includes two washers. The first washer includes a tubular portion. To make the eyelet, a free end of the tubular portion is inserted through the second washer before the free end of the tubular portion is enlarged in a proper manner. The eyelet machine includes two handles1and2pivotally connected to each other by a pin3. A mold4is connected to handle1. Mold4includes an aperture40.

Another mold5is connected to handle2. Mold5includes a rod50. In operation, the tubular portion of the first washer of the eyelet is inserted through an eye made in a work piece, and the first washer of the eyelet is laid on an upper face of the work piece. The first washer is in contact with mold4around aperture40. The second washer is in contact with mold5around rod50. Handles1and2are closed to move molds4and5toward each other. Thus, a free end of the tubular portion of the first washer of the eyelet is brought into contact with an annular concave face of mold5, and finally expanded, enlarged and abutted against a lower face of the work piece.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is an objective of the present invention to provide an effective eyelet machine.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide an eyelet machine that can be held by a hand or attached to a table.

To achieve the foregoing objectives, the eyelet machine includes a frame, a lower mold, a threaded rod, an upper mold and a bearing assembly. The frame includes a lower beam, an upper beam, and a post formed between the lower and upper beams. The lower mold is adapted for carrying a first washer of an eyelet and supported on the lower beam in a detachable manner. The threaded rod is connected to the upper beam so that the threaded rod is translatable relative to the upper beam when they are rotated relative to each other. The upper mold is adapted for carrying a second washer of the eyelet and connected to the threaded rod in a detachable manner so that they are translatable together. The bearing assembly is provided between the threaded rod and the upper mold and adapted for taking a load along an axis of the threaded rod.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1 through 6, an eyelet machine includes a frame10, a threaded rod20, an upper mold30, a bearing assembly, a lower mold36and a mold holder40according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The eyelet machine is used to make an eyelet50that includes two washers51and52. Washer51includes a tubular portion (not numbered).

Frame10is a substantially C-shaped element that includes a lower beam11, a post15and an upper beam17. Lower beam11extends substantially parallel to upper beam17. Post15is formed between lower beam11and upper beam17. Post15can be used as handle to be held by a hand of a user.

Referring toFIG. 3, lower beam11includes a front section located on a side of post15and a rear section on another side of post15. Lower beam11includes two lugs12formed on two opposite sides, a screw hole13made in the rear section, a chamber141made in the front section, and a bore142in communication with chamber141.

Post15includes a plate16formed on a rear face thereof. Plate16extends transversely parallel to the rear section of lower beam11.

Upper beam17includes a ring18formed at a free end thereof. Ring18includes a screw hole181.

Threaded rod20includes a tool-connecting portion21formed at an upper end thereof, a cap24formed at a lower end thereof, and a limiting portion23formed near the cap24. Tool-connecting portion21includes an aperture22. An axis of aperture22extends perpendicular to that of threaded rod22in this embodiment. Cap24includes a space25that includes an open lower end.

Upper mold30includes an insert32formed on an upper face (or “end”) thereof, an annular groove30A in the upper face thereof, a presser34extending from a lower face (or “end”) thereof, and an annular concave face35on the lower face thereof. Annular groove30A extends around insert32. Annular concave face35extends around presser34.

Insert32is provided with an elastic locking unit33. Elastic locking unit33includes a ball (not numbered) biased by a spring (not numbered) in this embodiment. The spring is completely inserted in a recess (not numbered) made in insert32. The ball is partially inserted in the recess of insert32. However, elastic locking unit33can include an elastic loop partially inserted in an annular groove made in insert32in another embodiment.

The bearing assembly includes a thrust ball bearing31and a C-clip27A.

Lower mold36includes a cavity39made in an upper face thereof, an annular concave face391formed on the upper face thereof, and an insert37formed on a lower face thereof. Annular concave face391extends around cavity39.

Insert37is provided with an elastic locking unit38. Elastic locking unit38includes a ball (not numbered) biased by a spring (not numbered) in this embodiment. The spring of elastic locking unit38is completely inserted in a recess (not numbered) made in insert37. The ball of elastic locking unit38is partially inserted in the recess of insert37. However, elastic locking unit38can include an elastic annular element partially inserted in an annular groove made in insert37in another embodiment.

Mold holder40includes a cavity41made in an upper face thereof and a threaded bolt42formed on a lower face thereof.

In assembly, threaded bolt42is inserted through bore142before threaded bolt42is inserted through a washer43and engaged with a nut45inserted in chamber141. Thus, mold holder40is connected to the front section of lower beam11.

Thrust ball bearing31is provided around cap before an internal portion of C-clip27A is inserted in an annular groove24A made in on external face of cap24. Thrust ball bearing31is in contact with and hence supported on an external portion of C-clip27A. The bearing assembly is kept around cap24.

Insert32is inserted in space25. Elastic locking unit33keeps insert32in space25. The upper face of upper mold30is in contact with a lower portion of thrust ball bearing31.

Threaded rod20is inserted through screw hole181before a tool53such as a bar is inserted through aperture22. The bar can be operated to rotate threaded rod20relative to ring18in a first sense of direction to move upper mold30toward lower mold36. The bar can be operated to rotate threaded rod20relative to ring18in a second sense of direction to move upper mold30from lower mold36. Limiting portion23is used to abut against ring18to limit the movement of upper mold30from lower mold36so that the bearing assembly and upper mold30cannot and will not be detached from threaded rod20by mistake.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 3, in operation, washer52is provided around presser34of upper mold30and in contact with annular concave face35of upper mold30. Washer51is brought into contact with annular concave face391of lower mold36. The tubular portion of washer51is inserted through an aperture made in a sheet (not shown) made of canvas, cloth, paper or the like. Then, presser34is moved downward to a free end of the tubular portion of washer51.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 11, presser34is further moved downward to expand and enlarge the free end of the tubular portion of washer51. Eventually, the free end of the tubular portion of washer51is abutted against an upper face of the washer52. Thus, washer52is in tight contact with an upper face of the sheet while washer51is in tight contact with a lower face of the sheet.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 3, the eyelet machine can be supported on a table54for example. A portion of table54is located between the rear section of lower beam11and plate16. Another screw19is inserted through screw hole13. Thus, an upper end of screw19can be tightly abutted against a lower face of table54while plate16is in tight contact with an upper face of table54.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 4, the eyelet machine can be supported on a floor56for example. Two screws55are inserted through lugs12before they are inserted in screw holes made in floor56or engaged with nuts embedded in floor56.

Referring toFIG. 7, there is an eyelet machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is like the first embodiment except that threaded rod20includes a hexagonal tool-connecting portion211instead of tool-connecting portion21, which includes an aperture22. Hexagonal tool-connecting portion211can be inserted in a hexagonal space (not shown) made in an end of a socket57. Socket57includes, in another end, a square cavity59for receiving a square portion of a tool58. Hence, tool58is operable to rotate threaded rod20via socket57. Tool58can be a manual, pneumatic or electric tool. An array of pneumatic or electric tools can be used to drive an array of eyelet machines. Thus, an array of eyelets50can be connected to a sheet.

Referring toFIG. 8, there is an eyelet machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is like the first embodiment except for two things. Firstly, threaded rod20includes an insert26instead of cap24. Thrust ball bearing31is provided around insert26. A C-clip27includes an internal portion inserted in an annular groove made in insert26and an external portion in contact with thrust ball bearing31. Insert26is provided with an elastic locking unit33. Secondly, upper mold30includes cavities321and322instead of insert32. A lower end of insert26is inserted in cavity322while C-clip27is inserted in cavity321. Elastic locking unit33retains insert26in upper mold30.

Referring toFIGS. 9 and 10, there is an eyelet machine according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention. The fourth embodiment is like the first embodiment except for including a disc-shaped spring44in addition. Disc-shaped spring44is provided around threaded bolt42and sandwiched between washer43and nut45. Thus, lower mold36is kept firmly on lower beam11. There is a gap401between the periphery of threaded bolt42and a wall of bore142. Gap401allows upper mold30to align with lower mold36even if threaded bolt42is biased relative to lower beam11when upper mold30hits lower mold36. Disc-shaped spring44is deformed when threaded bolt42is biased relative to lower beam11. Disc-shaped spring44will recover from the deformation to return mold holder40and lower mold36to normal positions when upper mold30is removed from lower mold36.

The present invention has been described via the illustration of the embodiments. Those skilled in the art can derive variations from the embodiments without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the embodiments shall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in the claims.