# Patent

## Title
Metal tie tool with rotary gripper and ball setting device

## Abstract

A tool for installing a metal locking tie is disclosed. The tool includes a tension mechanism and a ball set and cut-off mechanism. The tension mechanism tensions the metal locking tie wrapped around a bundle. The ball set and cut-off mechanism includes a guide block and a shear block that engages the guide block. Once the tool tensions the metal locking tie, the guide block and the shear block travel forward in the tool thereby setting a ball in a metal locking tie head and shearing a portion of the tensioned metal locking tie.

## Background
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a tool for installing metal locking ties, and more particularly to a tool for installing metal locking ties with a rotary gripper for tensioning the metal locking tie. a device for setting the ball in the metal locking tie and a device for shearing the metal locking tie tail.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
As is well known to those skilled in the art, cable ties or straps are used to bundle or secure a group of articles such as electrical wires and cables. Cable ties of conventional construction include a cable tie head and an elongated tail extending therefrom. The tail is wrapped around a bundle of articles and thereafter inserted through the 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.
In practice, the installer manually places the tie about the articles to be bundled and inserts the tail through the head passage. At this point, a cable tie installation tool is used to tension the tie to a predetermined tension. The tools of the prior art, although capable of tensioning and thereafter severing the excess portion of the cable tie, typically have several disadvantages therewith. As a result, it is desirable to provide a metal tie tool having an improved ball set and cut-off mechanism. It is also desirable to provide a metal tie tool having an improved tie tensioning mechanism.
SUMMARY
A tool for installing metal locking ties is disclosed. The tool includes a tensioning mechanism and a ball set and cut-off mechanism. The tensioning mechanism tensions a metal locking tie around a bundle. The ball set and cut-off mechanism includes a guide block and a shear block that engages the guide block. Once the tool tensions the metal locking tie, the guide block and the shear block travel forward in the tool to engage the metal locking tie head. The ball set and cut-off mechanism sets the ball in the metal locking tie head and shears a portion of the tensioned metal locking tie.



BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the metal tie tool of the present invention with a metal locking tie positioned within the tool;
FIG. 2 illustrates a left perspective view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 1 with a metal locking tie installed around a bundle of objects positioned to be inserted in the tool;
FIG. 3 illustrates a right perspective view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 1 with a metal locking tie installed around a bundle of objects positioned to be inserted in the tool;
FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 illustrates a left perspective view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 1 with a portion of the tool body being removed;
FIG. 6 illustrates a front perspective view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 1 with a portion of the tool body being removed and a metal locking tie inserted in the tool;
FIG. 8 illustrates a cross sectional view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 7 with the metal locking tie inserted in the tool;
FIG. 9 illustrates a cross sectional view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 8 with the metal locking tie being tensioned around a bundle of objects;
FIG. 10 illustrates a top view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 1;
FIG. 11 illustrates a cross sectional view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 10 taken along line 11-11 with the metal locking tie tensioned around a bundle of objects and the ball set in the metal locking tie;
FIG. 12 illustrates a side view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 1 with a portion of the tool body being removed and the metal locking tie tensioned around a bundle of objects;
FIG. 13 illustrates the cross sectional view of the ball setting device of the metal tie tool illustrated in FIG. 11 with the ball set in the metal locking tie;
FIG. 14 illustrates a side view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 1 with the ball setting device being detented and the metal locking tie tail being sheared;
FIG. 15 illustrates the cross sectional view of the detented ball setting device of the metal tie tool of FIG. 14 with the metal locking tie tail being sheared;
FIG. 16 illustrates the cross sectional view of a portion of the detented ball setting device of the metal tie tool of FIG. 14 with the metal locking tie tail being sheared;
FIG. 17 illustrates the metal locking tie tensioned around a bundle of objects with the tie tail being sheared;
FIG. 18 illustrates a side perspective view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 1 with a rotary gripper tensioning the metal locking tie;
FIG. 19 illustrates a rear perspective view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 18 with the rotary gripper tensioning the metal locking tie;
FIG. 20 illustrates a side view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 18 with the rotary gripper tensioning the metal locking tie;
FIG. 21 illustrates a perspective view of an automatic metal tie tool of the present invention with the tool body removed;
FIG. 22 illustrates a side view of a portion of the metal tie tool of FIG. 21 with the side plates removed and a metal locking tie positioned within the tool;
FIG. 23 illustrates a side view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 21 with a metal locking tie positioned within the tool;
FIG. 24 illustrates a side view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 21 with the ball setting device detented and the metal locking tie tail sheared;
FIG. 25 illustrates a side view of the rotary gripper gears of the metal tie tool of FIG. 21;
FIG. 26 illustrates a side view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 25 with one of the eccentric plates removed and the gripper gears in mesh; and
FIG. 27 illustrates a side view of the metal tie tool of FIG. 25 with one of the eccentric plates removed and the gripper gears out of mesh.



DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 illustrates the metal tie tool 30 of the present invention engaging a metal locking tie 200 installed around a bundle of objects. FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate the metal tie tool 30 before the tail 208 of the metal locking tie 200 is inserted into the tool 30. The metal tie tool 30 includes a tool body 32 with a nose 34 and a stationary handle 36. A drive handle 118 is pivotally attached to the tool body 32. The drive handle 118 is cycled towards the stationary handle 36 to activate the tool. The tool 30 also includes a detent mechanism, a tension mechanism and a ball set and cut-off mechanism.
FIG. 4 illustrates an exploded view of the metal tie tool including the detent mechanism, the tension mechanism and the ball set and cut-off mechanism. As will be described below, the detent mechanism the tension mechanism and the ball set and cut-off mechanism are connected to each other in the tool body. FIG. 5 illustrates the metal tie tool with a portion of the tool body 32 being removed to illustrate the detent mechanism, one of the internal side plates 102 of the tension mechanism and one of the nose plates 152 covering the ball set and cut-off mechanism.
The stationary handle 36 houses the detent mechanism. The detent mechanism includes a tension knob 52 that is connected to a detent ram 56 via a screw 54. The detent ram 56 is biased against a detent wedge 60 by a detent spring 58. A forward detent roller 64 and a rear detent roller 66 are connected via detent links 68 with a link pivot point 70 therebetween. The detent links 68 are positioned between a detent block 72 and the detent wedge 60 such that the forward detent roller 64 engages the detent block 72 and the rear detent roller 66 engages the detent wedge 60. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the detent wedge 60 includes a sloped end 62 for accommodating the rear detent roller 66.
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 7, the detent block 72 includes an arcuate end 74 for accommodating the forward detent roller 64. One end of the detent block 72 is connected to the internal side plates 102 and the opposite end of the detent block 72 is biased against a pawl release lever 80. The pawl release lever 80 is pivotally attached to the internal side plates 102 by a pivot pin 82. One end of the pawl release lever 80 extends above the tool. The opposite end of the pawl release lever 80 engages a drive gear 112 of the internal drive handle assembly 106 once the desired tension in the metal locking tie 200 has been reached and the detent mechanism is activated.
In addition to covering the pawl release lever 80 and the detent block 72, the internal side plates 102 also cover the internal drive handle assembly 106 of the tension mechanism. As shown in FIG. 4, the internal drive handle assembly 106 includes internal handle plates 108 with an opening 110 therethrough. The internal handle plates 108 cover a drive gear 112 with an opening 114 therethrough, a drive gear pawl 116 and a portion of the drive handle 118. The drive gear pawl 116 is biased against the drive handle 118 and is designed to engage the drive gear 112 when the drive handle 118 is cycled.
A split mandrel 120 is positioned within the opening in the drive gear 112 and through the opening 110 in one of the internal handle plates 108. As shown in FIG. 5, the split mandrel 120 also extends through an opening 104 in one side of the side plates 102 so that it may extend outwardly from the side of the tool. The drive handle 118 is biased away from the detent block 72 by a handle return spring 122 while one end of the internal side plates 102 are connected to the detent block 72 as set forth above. The opposite end of the internal side plates 102 engage a return member 126 that is biased against the tool body by a return spring 128. Additionally, one of the internal side plates 102 is connected to one end of a connecting member 124 to connect the tension mechanism to the ball set and cut-off mechanism.
As illustrated in FIGS. 4-6, the ball set and cut-off mechanism is positioned between two nose plates 152. The ball set and cut-off mechanism includes a shear block 156 and a guide block 158 that are keyed together by two roller pins 170. One of the roller pins 170 is disposed within a slot 168 in the guide block 158 and the other roller pin 170 is positioned between the guide block 158 and the shear block 156. The shear block 156 and the guide block 158 are preferably made of steel. The shear block 156 is restrained under the guide block 158 by a screw 172. A compression spring 174 is positioned under the head of the screw 172 to create a constant upward force on the shear block 156.
The guide block 158 has two ribs 160 extending the length of the guide block 158. The ribs 160 form a track to maintain the guide block's 158 movement parallel to the strap 201 of the metal locking tie 200. The guide block 158 also includes an extension 162 with a mounting hole 164. The extension 162 enables the guide block 158 to be attached to the tension mechanism and the detent mechanism in the metal tie tool.
As illustrated in FIG. 7, the extension 162 is connected to one end of the connecting member 124, which is connected to one of the internal side plates 102 of the tension mechanism and the detent block 72 of the detent mechanism via the internal side plate 102. The connecting member 124 includes an arcuate surface 125 along the bottom of the connecting member 124. The arcuate surface 125 receives a banding roller 180 that is attached to the tool body for guiding the strap 201 as it is tensioned by the tool.
Each nose plate 152 includes an elongated slot 154 that receives a projection 166 extending from the side of the guide block 158. The projection 166 is shorter than the slot 154 to enable the guide block 158 and attached shear block 156 to slide within the tool. The ball set and cut-off mechanism also includes a fixed pin 176 positioned between the nose plates 152. As discussed below, when the guide block and the attached shear block slide forward, the shear block 156 stops moving forward once it contacts the fixed pin 176.
A fixed anvil 190 is positioned below the ball set and cut-off mechanism and the nose plates 152 at the bottom of the tool for shearing the strap tail 208 once the ball 204 has been set in the metal locking tie head 202.
FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the metal tie tool with a metal locking tie 200 inserted in the tool. The strap 201 of the metal locking tie 200 has been fed between the shear block 156 and the fixed anvil 190, below the banding roller 180 and through the split mandrel 120. As the handle is cycled, the split mandrel 120 turns thereby winding the strap 201 about the circumference of the mandrel 120 to tension the strap 201.
FIG. 9 illustrates the metal tie tool tensioning the metal locking tie. The strap tail 208 has been wound around the split mandrel 120 and the locking tie head 202 has been pulled against the fixed anvil 190 positioned under the ball set and cut-off mechanism. As the fixed anvil 190 restrains the locking tie head 202, the motion of the split mandrel 120 pulling on the strap tail 208 creates the required tension of the metal locking tie 200 around the bundle of objects 210.
As shown in FIGS. 10-11, the detent mechanism of the metal tie tool controls the tension applied to the strap 201 by the tension mechanism of the metal tie tool. The tension knob 52 located at the end of the stationary handle 36 sets the desired tension. As the drive handle is cycled to tension the strap, a force is applied to the detent wedge 60 by the detent spring 58 through the detent ram 56. The desired tension of the strap can be adjusted by turning the tension knob 52 to increase or decrease the pressure on the detent spring 58. As the drive handle 118 is cycled, the detent wedge 60 contacts the rear detent roller 66 and the forward detent roller 64 generates a restraining force on the detent block 72 as the detent links 68 pivot about the link pivot point 70. Once the desired strap tension around the bundle has been achieved, the forward detent roller 64 detents out of the arcuate end 74 of the detent block 72 releasing the internal side plates 102 from the restrained position.
As shown in FIGS. 12-13, after the strap has been tensioned, subsequent handle cycles move the internal side plates 102 toward the nose 34 of the tool. Since the ball set and cut-off mechanism is mounted to the internal side plates 102 via the connecting member 124, the ball set and cut-off mechanism also slides forward in the tool body 32.
As the ball set and cut-off mechanism is driven forward towards the metal locking tie head 202, the finger 178 of the shear block 156 pushes the tie head tang 206 inward causing the ball 204 to be pushed to the rear of the head 202 thereby removing any slack in the metal locking tie 200 and setting the ball 204 in the head. As illustrated in FIG. 16, the ball 204 is set in the aperture 203 in the strap of the metal locking tie 200. The metal locking tie with an aperture in the strap is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,647,596 assigned to the assignee of the present application and herein incorporated by reference.
FIGS. 14-16 illustrate the metal tie tool after the operator has tensioned the metal locking tie 200 and sheared the strap tail 208. The shear block 156 and the guide block 158 have been driven forward until the shear block 156 contacts the fixed pin 176 positioned between the nose plates 152. Once the shear block 156 contacts the fixed pin 176, the fixed pin 176 prevents the shear block 156 from sliding forward. As the guide block 158 continues to move forward the roller pin 170 positioned between the guide block 158 and the shear block 156 acts as a wedge to exert a downward force on the shear block 156 thereby forcing the shear block 156 downward towards the fixed anvil 190. The shear block 156 contacts the metal locking tie head 202 and forces the head 202 against the fixed anvil 190. As the head 202 is forced down past the fixed anvil 190, the strap tail 208 is sheared thereby resulting in a flush cut-off of the strap tail 208.
As the operator releases the drive handle 118, the tension pulling the internal side plates 102 is no longer present since the strap tail 208 has been cut. The return spring 128 forces the internal side plates 102 toward the back of the tool returning the tool to the detent position with the forward detent roller 64 positioned in the arcuate end 74 of the detent block 72. As the internal side plates 102 are forced toward the back of the tool the guide block 158 and the shear block 156 are also forced toward the back of the tool. As the guide block 158 and the shear block 156 slide back, the compression spring 174 compresses enabling the shear block 156 to return to its initial position mated with or keyed to the guide block 158.
FIG. 17 illustrates the metal locking tie 200 installed around a bundle of objects 210. The metal locking tie 200 has been tensioned around the bundle of objects 210 and the excess strap tail 208 has been sheared by the metal tic tool of the present invention.
FIGS. 18-20 illustrate the metal tie tool of the present invention with an alternative tension mechanism. Instead of the split mandrel 120, the metal tie tool includes a rotary gripper device 220 to apply tension to the strap tail. The rotary gripper device 220 includes a drive gripper 222 and a driven gripper 224 with a gap 226 therebetween. The drive gripper 222 is connected to the drive gear 112 such that as the drive handle 118 cycles, the rotary gripper device 220 rotates thereby tensioning the strap. The drive gripper 222 and the driven gripper 224 have a sinusoidal contour along the outer surface of each gripper. The strap tail 208 is disposed in the gap 226 between the grippers. As the grippers engage the strap tail 208, they deform the strap tail. The alternating high and low points of the sinusoidal contour on the grippers deform the strap tail 208 to create a gripping action on the strap tail 208. The gripping action generates the pulling force required to tension the strap around the bundle of objects 210. Once the desired tension is reached, the detent mechanism releases and continued cycling of the handle activates the ball set and cut-off mechanism, as previously described.
FIGS. 21-27 illustrate an alternative metal tie tool with the rotary gripper tensioning mechanism and the ball setting and cut-off mechanism described above. The alternative metal tie tool 330 includes an air-powered motor 332 that rotates the gripper gears 348, 350 to create tension in the strap 201 around the bundle 210.
To use the automatic tie tool the operator manually loops the strap 201 around a bundle and activates the tool's start button 334. Once the start button 334 is depressed, a pilot valve 336 is actuated to send a signal to turn on the motor 332. As illustrated in FIGS. 21 and 22, the motor 332 includes a drive shaft 338 attached to a worm 340. The worm 340 is in mesh with a worm gear 342 and the worm gear 342 is keyed to a transmission gear 344. The transmission gear 344 is in mesh with a second transmission gear 346 that is keyed to the drive gripper gear 348. The drive gripper gear 348 is in mesh with the driven or idle gripper gear 350.
Once activated, the motor 332 starts rotating the gripper gears 348, 350. The operator feeds the strap into the tool between the gripper gears 348, 350. As discussed above with respect to FIGS. 17-20, the strap fits between the gripper gears 348, 350 such that the rotating action of the gears deforms the strap and creates a pulling force on the strap which pulls the bundle toward the tool until the tie head contacts the anvil. The continued pulling force on the strap creates the tension in the bundle.
As the tension on the strap increases, the resultant force on the tool tries to rotate the motor. A detent mechanism restrains the motor from rotating. The detent mechanism is spring-loaded and as the tension on the bundle increases, the spring force is overcome and the motor rotates.
The detent mechanism includes a detent gear 400 that is keyed to a detent disc 402 and that is in mesh with a motor detent ring 404. A detent pin 406 rests in a pocket 410 in the detent disc 402. The force on the detent pin 406 from the detent spring 408 thru the gear mesh restrains the motor 332 from rotating about its axis while the strap is tensioned.
Once the tension in the strap exceeds the force from the detent pin 406 on the detent disc 402, the motor begins to rotate. This motion causes the detent gear 400 and the detent disc 402 to rotate thereby forcing the detent pin 406 out of the disc pocket 410. As a result, the cylinder pilot valve 420 is actuated thereby turning the motor 332 off and the cylinder 422 on.
Once the cylinder 422 is activated, it pulls the drive link 430 rearward. As illustrated in FIGS. 22-24, the drive link 430 is attached to the ball set and cut-off mechanism. The pivot point of the drive link forces the lower end of the drive link 430 forward which drives the ball set and cut-off mechanism forward.
As discussed above, when the ball set and cut-off mechanism of the present invention travels forward in the tool, the finger (not shown) of the shear block 458 pushes the tie head tang inward pushing the ball to the rear of the head thereby setting the ball in the head. As the ball set and cut-off mechanism continues to travel forward in the tool, the shear block 458 contacts the fixed pin 476 while the guide block 456 continues to travel forward. Once the shear block 458 contacts the fixed pin 476, one of the drive pins 470 or roller pins cams the shear block 458 downward against the head forcing the head to pass the anvil 490. As the head passes the anvil 490, the strap tail 208 is sheared from the bundle (see FIG. 24).
At this point, the drive link 430 contacts a limit pilot valve to activate the main pilot valve so that the spring loaded cylinder 422 returns to its home position and the motor 332 starts to spin again thereby driving the remaining portion of the strap tail 208 out of the tool.
As illustrated in FIGS. 25 and 26, the gripper gears 348, 350 are typically in mesh to create the pulling force on the strap. As illustrated in FIG. 27, if the operator needs to remove a non-cut strap from the tool, a gear release lever 352 can be rotated to lower the eccentric plates 356 which lowers the idle griper gear 350. Once the idle gripper gear 350 is lowered, the gripper gears are no longer in mesh and the strap may be removed from the tool.
While the particular preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the teaching of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only and not as limitation. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective based on the prior art.

## Claims

1. A tool for installing a metal locking tie, the tool comprising:
a tension mechanism for tensioning the metal locking tie wrapped around a bundle; and
a ball set and cut-off mechanism for setting a ball in a metal locking tie head and for shearing a portion of the tensioned metal locking tie, wherein the ball set and cut-off mechanism includes a guide block and a shear block engaging the guide block,
whereby once the tool tensions the metal locking tie, the guide block and the shear block travel forward in the tool to engage the metal locking tie head.

2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the guide block includes a pair of ribs for maintaining movement of the guide block in the tool.

3. The tool of claim 1, wherein the guide block includes an extension adapted to be connected to the tension mechanism in the tool.

4. The tool of claim 1, wherein the shear block includes a finger for engaging the metal locking tie head and driving the ball in the metal locking tie head forward.

5. The tool of claim 1, wherein the ball set and cut-off mechanism further includes a device for restraining the shear block to the guide block and for creating a constant force on the shear block.

6. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool further includes a fixed pin, whereby once the shear block contacts the fixed pin the shear block remains stationary while the guide block continues to move forward.

7. The tool of claim 1, wherein the shear block is keyed to the guide block by pins.

8. The tool of claim 7, wherein the guide block includes a slot adapted to receive one of the pins.

9. The tool of claim 7, wherein at least one of the pins is positioned between the guide block and the shear block.

10. The tool of claim 9, wherein the tool further includes a fixed pin, whereby once the shear block contacts the fixed pin the shear block remains stationary while the guide block continues to move forward.

11. The tool of claim 10, wherein the pin positioned between the guide block and the shear block pushes the shear block downward towards an anvil in the tool.

12. The tool of claim 11, wherein the shear block pushes the metal locking tie past the anvil to shear the metal locking tie.

13. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tension mechanism includes a mandrel for winding the metal locking tie.

14. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tension mechanism includes a pair of gripper gears for advancing the metal locking tie.

15. The tool of claim 14, wherein the gripper gears deform the metal locking tie.

16. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool is manually driven.

17. The tool of claim 1, wherein the tool is automatically driven.

18. A tool for installing a metal locking tie in combination with a metal locking tie, the combination comprising:
a tool having a tension mechanism for tensioning the metal locking tie wrapped around a bundle and a ball set and cut-off mechanism for setting a ball in a metal locking tie head and for shearing a portion of the tensioned metal locking tie, wherein the ball set and cut-off mechanism includes a guide block and a shear block engaging the guide block; and
a metal locking tie positioned in the tool, the metal locking tie having a tie head and a strap with an aperture therethrough,
whereby once the tool tensions the metal locking tie, the guide block and the shear block move forward to engage the metal locking tie head.

19. The combination of claim 18, wherein the tie head includes an aperture in a bottom of the tie head.