Improvements in Clamps chiefly designed for use in the Manufacture of Boxes, Cases, and the like.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1898- Accepted, 30th Apr., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Clamps chiefly designed for use in the Manufacture
of Boxes, Cases, and the like.
We, HANS KRUIS and RUDOLF GALLEE, both of Sonnleithnergasse, 57 and 59,
Vienna, X, in the Empire of Austria, Iron Founders, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:
This invention relates to metal clamps for joining together pieces of leather,
card-board and the like, but preferably wood, by means of which boxes, cases or
other containers, and furthermore also fences frames, cross-pieces and similar objects
can be easily and conveniently produced.
The chief object of this invention is to so form these metal clamps that they
insure a good and solid joint but are preferably used for joining together wooden
boards, and for the making of cases and the like.
In the accompanying drawings we have shown by way of example several forms
of these clamps.
Figures 1, 2, and 3 shown in plan, longitudinal and transverse section a form of
clamp for a single edge joint.
Figure 4 shows its application to a wooden case.
This form of clamp consists of a strip of sheet metal A, on which points B are
produced by making in the sheet of metal two slits 1 and 2 inclined towards one
another and meeting in one point, and which slits extend to a line 3, 3 perpendicular
to the centre line of the metal strip, upon which line the pointed metal tongues
contained between the slits 1 and 2 are bent until they stand perpendicular or
nearly perpendicular to the plane of the metal strip A.
In use, the centre line of the metal strip is laid on the edge at which the two
sides C C meet which are to be joined together, in which process the points are
turned towards these surfaces, as in indicated in Figure 4 in dotted lines, when the
two halves of the metal strip are pressed against the adjacent sides C. C, by means
of any known or suitable device until the points are completely pressed in to these
sides. It is of advantage to select points somewhat larger than the thickness of
the sides C, so that they can completely penetrate the latter, and that their ends,
when they come against the resistant surface necessary for bending the strip,
become jumped or bent over, which ensures a better grip by the points. Should
the points, however, after entering come in contact with hard parts of the sides
before penetrating them, knots for instance, in wood, and thus become bent or
curved in the material itself, this does not in the least lessen the solidity of the joint,
but rather increases it.
Furthermore, it is advisable to curve the outer line, 2, of the points B, to the

page_text: shape of an arc, the centre of which lies in the point of intersection of the centre
line of the metal strip A of the line 3, 3, i.e. the base of the point. The insertion
of the points is thus rendered easier as they have no material to displace at their
outer edge, as, when they are driven in, all the points of the parts of this outer
edge describe one and the same arc, as shown in Figure 4.
By this means the point, when driven in completely fills up the space occupied
by the material which it displaced, and no gap remains in the material.
Figure 5 shows a plan of a clamp made according to the present invention, which
serves at the same time for joining edges and a corner.
Figure 6 shows a plan of a corner joint made therewith.
The main portion of the metal strip A, is, as in Figures 1-3, furnished with
points B; the only difference therein being that the bases of the points on the one
side are opposite the cuts 1, 2 on the other side of the strip. For the purpose of
making also a corner joint by means of this metal strip, there are placed on one
or both ends of the same two triangular wings A¹, as shown in Figure 5, which
are furnished with points B¹, similar to those on the strips themselves. The strip
is laid along its centre line on the edge, which is formed by two of the surfaces C, C,
which are to be bound together; it is bent over along the centre line, on to both
surfaces, as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4. Then the third surface C¹
going to form the angle is laid upon the edges of the surfaces CC and the
wings A¹ A are bent down along the lines 4, 4 Figure 5, upon these surfaces, when
the ceruer joint shown in Figure 6 is obtained by driving the points B of the
wings A into the surfaces C.
Figures 5 and 6 show a modification of the arrangement shown in Figures 5
and 6, in which the triangular wings A¹ are replaced by strips A', with points B',
which project from the main strip A, on both sides of its centre line and parallel
thereto. The manner of applying the clamps is exactly the same as that repre-
sented in Figures 5 and 6 the corner joint made hereby is, however, much more
solid because the wings or strips A¹ can be of any desired length.
Figure 7 is a plan, Figure 8 an end view of a clamp made in accordance with
this invention, and Figure 9 shows an edge joint made herewith.
These clamps differ from those previously described, in that the bases of the.
points B are, as before, on one edge of the strip A, perpendicular to the centre line
of the metal while the bases of the points on the other edge of the strip are parallel
to this centre line. Such clamps are chiefly suitable for joining pieces of wood,
as in such a joint the direction of the fibre in one piece is parallel to the edge,
but in the other perpendicular thereto. The first points on the left of Figure 7
are, in making the joint (which, for the rest, is done in the same way as in
Figures 1-4) driven into the piece of wood the fibres of which are perpendicular
to the edge. The points on the other edge of the strip are, however, driven into
that piece of the fibres of which are parallel to the edge.
It is advisable in doing this, in order to lessen the danger of splitting of the wood;
to increase the distance in the direction of the strip, between the last named points,
the bases of which are parallel to the centre line of the metal strip. For this pur-
pose, however, several rows of such points, parallel to the length of the strip must
be arranged close to one another as in Figures 7 and 8.
Figure 9 shows the joint made by these clamps; from these figures it appears
that the surfaces C C to be joined together do not need to be perpendicular to one
another.
Figure 10 shows a front view, Figure 11 a side view and Figure 12 an end 5
view of a clamp, together with the joint to be made by them, for the purpose of
stiffening the metal strip A, a channel or corrugation D is stamped in its centre
between the two rows of points B. This clamp is especially suitable for joining
single surfaces C, to a larger one, and for joining the surfaces thus produced, with
a second one, C₁, which is perpendicular to the first. In such case the clamp is 5
of course not bent along its centre line. The points B are merely driven into
the pieces C* C* C¹³.

page_text: Figure 13 is a front view and Figure 14 an end view of a modified clamp for the
same purpose; this differs from that shown in Figures 10-12 only by having
two channels or corrugations parallel to one another and to the centre line, stamped
between the two outer rows of points B, between which rolls or waves there is a
third row of points B.
Figure 15 shows a front view, Figure 16 a side view and Figure 17 an end
view of a clamp similar to that shown in Figures 10-12, as applied in making
another joint. In this the strip A bent upon a straight line perpendicular to its
centre line, the piece D being previously suitably cut, as appears from Figure 16,
to facilitate the bending. The joint of the two surfaces CC C¹ is thus much
more solid than in Figures 10-12 and the surfaces C¹ can thus consist of several
pieces; this clamp is therefore especially suited for binding cases.
Figure 18 is a front view and Figure 19 a side view of a clamp for joining two
pieces CC lying in the same plane, inclined to one another at the same. angle, as,
for example, two sides of a frame coming into contact at one corner.
The centre
line of the flat strip A is in this case irregular and the two parts of the same form
between them an angle which coincides exactly with or approximates that of the
two pieces CC. The points B on both edges have bases parallel to the centre line
but are so arranged that they are turned towards one another before the strip is
bent out of the flat.
Figure 20 is a front view, and Figure 21 a side view of a similar clamp for
making a joint between two pieces C C, inclined towards another, lying in
the same plane (a cross joint for example); the strip A, in this case, differs from
that shown in Figures 18 and 19, only by being in the form of a cross instead of
an angle.
Figure 22 shows a front view and Figure 23 an end view of a strip A, with only
one row of points B, which may serve for binding cases, and the like, as well as
for joining fence laths C and the like, as shown in Figure 23. The bases of the
points are in this case perpendicular to the centre line of the strip, and for a better.
grip are provided with arrow-headed ends.
Figure 24 is a view of a modified clamp, and Figure. 25 is a plan of an edge
joint made therewith.
The points B are in this case arranged in groups of 4 on each edge, the bases of
the points of each group lying in the sides of a square, and the ends of which are
directed to the centre point of the square before the strip A is bent out of the
flat: this form of clamp enables an exceedingly solid joint to be made in even very
thin surfaces, C C.
Figures 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 show different forms and ways of applying.
the clamps; they have this in common, viz., that the strip A is toothed or serrated
on the edge, and that the points B, are made in the teeth; only one point may
be placed in each tooth, Figures 26, 30, 32, or two, directed towards one another,
Figure 28, also additional points B, may be introduced between the teeth, Figure 32.
Figures 25, 27, 29, 31, 33 show that the parts C C which are to be joined may
be arranged at various angles to one another.
Figure 34 shows the application of these clamps for an especially solid joining
of two pieces, C C, lying in the same plane, for example, two pieces of belting.
Here the centre line of the belting is perpendicular to the relatively very wide
strip A, and the bases of the points B of the latter are parallel to the centre line
of the strip.
Finally, Figure 25 shows how, by using these clamps, a cylindrical vessel with
lid may be produced. In this, it is assumed that the vessel consists of a piece
of card-board wood veneer or the like E bent to the shape of a cylindrical case,"
and the lid F, made of a circular plate, merely laid upon the evlinder. The edges
of the case E, which meet one another, are held together by a strip c, on which the
points are arranged similarly to those shown in Figures 18-21.
A strip b, Fig. 35, the points of which are arranged similarly to those shown
in Figure 5 serves as a hoop, and a similar hoop with teeth on one edge, in which

page_text: points are formed as in Figures 26 and 30, serves to connect the lid F with the
case E, by bending the strip around the casing, after which the teeth are pressed
down upon the lid. The teeth thus offer only little resistance to the winding of the
strip around the casing, as they lie in the same plane as the main part of the strip,
and after being wound round they can likewise be pressed down upon the lid
without offering too great resistance.
All the above described forms of clamp have this essential distinguishing feature
in common from all known clamps, that the points to be driven in to the parts
to be joined are not formed by bending sharp teeth over on the edge of the metal
strip, but of tongues, made by two cuts 1 and 2 inclined towards one another, in
the body of the strip of metal and not on its outer edge, which tongues are then
bent perpendicular to the plane of the metal strip and thus form the points.
It is thus made possible on the one hand to give these points such a shape that
their penetration into the material to be connected is facilitated, as above described
with reference to Figures 1 to 4, and, on the other hand, to give the points dif-
ferent positions, adapted to the various circumstances, whereby not only is the
solidity of the joint increased and the easy penetration of the points into the
material to be joined made possible especially into wood, which at the joint may
have the grain running in various directions-but the clamps are at the same time
made to serve the purpose of ornamentation, as will be seen from Figures 24-33.
Furthermore, by this arrangement of the points, the clamps are suitable not
only for making edge joints, but also for corner and surface joints; furthermore
for making hoops for cases fences corner and flat cross joints and the like.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said in-
vention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. A metal clamp for joining. pieces of wood, leather, cardboard and the like,
in which points (B) are made in a metal strip (A) at suitable distances from one
another and in one or more lines parallel to the longitudinal axis of the strip,
which points are produced by making in the body of the metal strip (in contra-
distinction to the outer edge thereof) two cuts, 1 and 2, towards one another and
meeting in a point and the tongues which are thus produced from the body of
the strip being bent perpendicularly to the plane of the strip along the lines (3)
passing through the other ends of the cuts.
2. A form of the clamp described in Claim 1 in which the base of the points (B),
the line (3), is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the strip, and in which the
outer cut (2), which serves to form the said parts, is curved to the shape of an arc,
the centre point of which lies in the point of intersection of the base of the point
and the longitudinal axis of the strip.
3. A form of the clamp described in Claim 1 in which the points (B) on on
one
side of the longitudinal axis of the strip (A) have bases parallel to this axis,
while the bases of the points on the other side of the longitudinal axis of the strip
are perpendicular thereto.
4. A form of the clamp described in Claim 1, in which in metal strips (A)
stiffening channels or corrugations are stamped between the rows of points (B).
5. A form of the clamp described in Claim 1, in which the metal strips (A)
have teeth on one or both of their edges in which points (B) are formed.
6. A. form of the clamp described in Claim 1, in which the separate, or all the
points are replaced by groups of two or more points (B), the bases of which are
symmetrical to a common centre, towards which these points are turned before
being bent out of the plane of the strip.
7. A clamp as referred to in Claim 1, in which, at one or both ends of the strip (A),
two wings (A) with points (B¹) are formed, which, after making an edge joint
between two surfaces (C, C) are bent down on a third surface (C¹) laid upon the
edges of the former, for the purpose of joining it in one corner with them.

page_text: 8. A form of the clamp described in Claim 1, in which the metal strip (A) has
an angular or cross shape.
Dated this 12th day of March 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.