Electric rug binding system

A high speed, portable, rug binding machine in the form of an electric-powered hand-tool carrying and dispensing a roll of binding tape has floor-engaging canted wheels for directing the frame of the machine into a rug as it is rolled along a rug edge to which a binding is stapled by the machine as the operator pulls a trigger causing a solenoid to drive the stapler by way of a power linkage which automatically adjusts for rug and for binding thickness; the machine has adjustment for varying rug-to-binding holding force, prior to stapling, and rug introduction angle; simplicity of mechanism provides compactness and light weight suitable for one-hand manipulation by the operator under all conditions.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to power tools and specifically to a 
portable hand tool for affixing a tape binding along the margin of an edge 
of a rug. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
In the prior art various disclosures of portable hand tools have been made 
in which the tool affixes work or webs or elongate members relative to 
another object, including the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 
1,628,588 issued to S. Friedman on May 10, 1927, discloses a solenoid 
driven nailer with material handling feature; 
2,331,509 issued to L. Scheckwitz, Oct. 12, 1943, discloses a stapler 
carrying a roll of material (thread 50) which is applied beneath the 
staples; 
3,310,215 issued to L. D. Bostick on Mar. 21, 1967 discloses a stapler with 
reel provisions for carrying a wire into position to be affixed overhead; 
3,934,329 issued to J. Satkin on Jan. 27, 1976 discloses a device for 
affixing fasteners to cloth. 
However, the process of stapling bindings to rugs has been one of laborious 
manipulation of a conventional heavy duty stapler, manually positioning 
the device along a rug, manually laying tape and adjusting edge distance 
of tape and stapler, and manually pressing the stapler, then manually 
repeating this cycle hundreds of times for each rug. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
Principal objects of the invention are to provide a system for rug binding 
which economically removes need for a table, speeds up the process and 
makes it at the same time less laborious and more nearly automatic, so 
that an unskilled person can bind a rug as uniformly and securely as, and 
several times faster than a trained worker who employs a conventional hand 
operated stapler for the purpose. 
Further objects are to provide a system as described which is compact and 
lightweight so that it can be moved into place and directed along a rug 
using only one hand, which is nearly or entirely self-guiding, which is 
electrically powered, and requires only a moderate amount of power, which 
automatically accommodates for rug thickness and tape thickness in the 
power stroke, and which adjustably stretches the tape along the rug edge, 
insuring wrinkle-free affixation of tape to rug. 
Still further objects are to provide a system as described which provides 
an adjustable rug-pickup, adjustable self-guiding bias and good surface 
traction for same, which is stable, safe, damage resistant, durable, which 
requires far less investment than fixed installations, which is convenient 
to load, is easy to learn to use, and which employs any suitable 
conventional, commercially available stapler and solenoid as the critical 
elements, for already-proven reliability. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In brief summary given as cursive description only and not as limitation, 
the invention includes an assembly of longitudinal rug pickup coacting 
with a tape layer with tape stretcher and transversely deployed 
self-adjusting power stapler, the assembly carried on a carriage with 
wheel-bias for automatic positioning against the edge of a rug to be bound 
.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
FIG. 1 shows in end view the general, conventional operation in binding of 
an edge 20 of a rug 22 using a tape or web or strip of binding 24 which 
this invention accomplishes. 
A staple 26 is driven through the tape laid on the upper margin of the rug 
and clinched beneath. This is repeated at intervals along the margin. 
FIG. 2 shows the next operation, in which, following insertion and 
clinching of the staple 26, the tape 24 is folded or doubled-back around 
the edge 20 and under the rug 22, where the free edge of the tape is then 
secured, as by cementing. This edge can be stapled also, if acceptable for 
the installation, by inverting the rug and repeating the operation to be 
described in reference to the next Figures. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 show the invention respectively in left-side elevational and 
top plan views and will be described together. 
OPERATION 
In operation, the system 10 is rolled on wheels 28 from right to left in 
the Figures (broad arrows). The margin of a rug 22 (fragmentarily shown in 
phantom lines) is picked up from the floor 30 or other surface on which it 
rests, by scoop plate 32. This is outboard the frame and comprises a 
straight length of angle adjustably bolted in place (as at angle bracket 
34) so that the fore-and-aft angle can be set. 
The scoop plate rises towards the rear of the unit and the rug margin then 
passes up on it and beneath a stretcher tab 36. The stretcher tab 
functions to press down onto the top of the rug margin and stretch along 
it a binding tape 24 received from reel 38 mounted forward of the stretch 
tab on rigid upright 39 and passing rearwardly beneath the stretcher tab 
on top of the rug margin. 
Spring bias 40 (FIG. 4) adjustably forces trailing edge of the stretcher 
tab 36 down against the tape and rug margin, and friction on the coil of 
tape 24 is adjustable through presence of nut 41 on washer 43. 
The tape and rug margin pass rearwardly from the stretcher tab at a level 
placing them on the lower jaw 42 of stapler 44. The stapler staples the 
tape and rug margin together at intervals determined by manual operation 
of trigger 46 (FIG. 3) which passes electric power to solenoid 48. The 
solenoid armature 50 at pivot 51 pulls down (arrow) the rearward end of 
lever arm 52 which pivots at 53 about the fixed forward end. This, through 
pivot 55, drives down link 54 which through compression spring 56 and yoke 
58 depresses upper jaw 60 of the stapler, forcing a staple 26 through the 
tape and rug margin and clinching the staple by curling it against a 
conventional recess (not shown) in the lower jaw. 
The compression spring is held between the bottom of link 54 and yoke 58 by 
a screw 59 threaded into the link and passing through the yoke at hole 61; 
a set screw 63 maintains adjustment of the selected position of screw 59. 
When the trigger is released a conventional spring bias restores it to the 
power-off position and a compression spring 62 under the solenoid armature 
plunger raises it again to the upper limit, preparing the unit for a 
succeeding cycle of staple driving after the device is advanced manually 
to the next position along the edge of the rug. 
It will be appreciated from this description that the solenoid 
offset-linkage to the stapler reduces height relative to what the height 
would be if a superimposed solenoid were used, making the unit less 
top-heavy and more stable, and that the substantially two-to-one leverage 
advantage of the solenoid reduces instantaneous power requirements. 
FURTHER STRUCTURAL DETAILS 
The frame 64 of the invention comprises a simple rectangular plate of 
aluminum; it may be 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick by 61/2 inches (15 cm) wide and 
14 inches (35 cm) long, parallel with the floor surface and spaced at 
least 1/8 inch (3 mm) from it. It may have corner clips 65 on it for 
holding a box of staples. Any other conventional holding means can be used 
for this. 
The wheels 28 preferably are four, two at the forward end and two at the 
rearward end, all about two inches (5.0 cm) in diameter and having soft, 
circumferentially ribbed rubber tires for traction. At least one wheel and 
preferably the two wheels on the left side (as viewed looking forward) may 
be advantageously canted or oriented in plan view toward the rub to impose 
a left-turning moment or lateral bias on the unit, automatically 
self-guiding it against the rug edge at all times; the upright leg 66 of 
the angle of the scoop plate 32 holding the unit against the rug edge. 
Angle of the wheels is made adjustable by providing, as mounts for the 
axle 68, blocks 70 held to the base or frame by screw 72 in oversize holes 
74. The left hand or steering or biasing wheels may be mounted in 
respective recesses 76 helping to sheld them against being knocked out of 
alignment. 
The stretcher tab 36 is mounted to upright leg 66 on a pivotal screw 76 
running through the rounded forward portion of the airfoil-shaped 
stretcher tab, and having (FIG. 4) one end of coil spring 40 passing 
through a transverse hole (not shown) in the screw and the other end 78 in 
a socket in the stretcher tab to bias it down; the shank may be square. 
A nut 80 tightens the position of the pivotal screw for conventional 
adjustment of the spring force. 
The trailing edge of the stretcher tab is tapered down from the leading 
edge and the bottom surface is preferably cylindrically convex near the 
trailing edge. The stretcher tab outboard edge preferably has a flange 
plate 82 on it extending forwardly and downwardly to contain the tape 
against lateral forces, for uniform installation. As noted, the inboard 
edge of the tape and the rug edge guide on the upright leg of the scoop 
plate. 
The solenoid may be of any conventional design and the stapler any 
commercially available heavy duty unit of conventional design, preferably 
of the type loading from the rear for convenience, and pivoted at 84 to 
the yoke. It may be fixed in place with the working end recessed in the 
base plate (as shown in FIG. 3) to reduce height needed in raising the rug 
margin. 
The lower end of upright, forward pivot arm 86 preferably pivots to the 
frame as at 88 to permit the lever system to center itself; for the same 
reason a second pivot 90 may be provided for the link 92 to the solenoid 
plunger. 
The reel mounts on an upright 39 rigidly fixed to the baseplate and has a 
conventional removable nut-on-axle tape coil attachment permitting ready 
replenishment of the tape. 
Assembly of all parts may be by means of screws, and clips where needed, or 
by any other conventional means. Wires 92 (FIG. 4) represent conventional 
wiring from a convenience outlet through a switch 94 (FIG. 3) actuated by 
the trigger at the one-hand piston grip handle 96, and then leading to the 
solenoid. The housing 98 is preferably integral with the handle and covers 
the electrical parts and most of the working parts, for safety. The frame 
is preferably aluminum. 
This invention is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms 
disclosed herein, since these are to be regarded as illustrative rather 
than restrictive. It is, therefore, to be understood that the invention 
may be practiced within the scope of the claims otherwise than as 
specifically described.