Improvements in and Connected with Claw Clamps or Fittings for Uniting, Strengthening, and Ornamenting Corners, Edges, and other Parts of Boxes and other Objects of Wood, Cardboard, Leather, and the like.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements in and Connected with Claw Clamps or Fittings for
Uniting, Strengthening, and Ornamenting Corners, Edges, and
other Parts of Boxes and other Objects of Wood, Cardboard,
Leather, and the like.
We, JEAN SCHERBEL Merchant and TEODOR REMUS Engineer both of Dresden
Saxony 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
In the Specification of Patent No. 8590 of 1885 are described and claimed certain
claw bindings, clamps or fittings for uniting and strengthening the corners of cardboard
and other boxes but some applications of same to the rims or edges of boxes and to
the binding together or strengthening or ornamenting of cardboard boxes and other
boxes and other objects made of such like box material are not from the said specifi-
cation so obvious as it is desirable; moreover some applications have become apparent
or developed since the filing of the said specification and some improvements have since
been made by us on the forms more particularly described in that specification. In
order therefore to render the invention therein described more useful or of wider
application without however our intending in any measure to weaken the aforesaid
patent therefor we will now proceed to particularly describe modes and means for
rendering the said claw clamps and those referred to in Specification 12997 of 1880
more generally applicable and also describe some improved forms of clamps and their
modes of application with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure is a sectional view of a half claw binding that is to say made with claw
teeth along one edge only (as described with reference to Figures 20 and 27 of
Specification 8590) the tooth or claw part & however being bent at right angles to the

page_text: strip a and forming a suitable binding for binding the edges of boxes for instance as
shown in Figure 2 where it is applied to the top or bottom of a box or other object for
strength and ornament (as stated in lines 54 to 56 page 3 of Specification $590). In
box covers such a binding may replace the ordinary rim as shown in Figure 3 (as
stated in lines 1 and 2 page 4 of Specification 8590).
A claw binding of a form somewhat similar to those described with reference to
Figures 13 to 18 of Specification 8590 but bent as shown in Figure 4 produces a rim
binding for a box which may be put on to the edge by pressing or rolling, and clamps
into both sides as shown in Figure 5 (as stated in lines 3 to 5 page 4 of Specification
8590).
Figures 6 and 6ª shew in side view and plan.also form of clamp somewhat similar
to those described with reference to Figures 13 to 18 of Specification-8590 applied to
the uniting of two box parts by being affixed to the rim or edge of same.
The aforesaid rim bindings may be put on by pressure or rolling.
Figure 7 shews a modified form of our claw clamp where the body a of the strip is
formed concave so as to render it suitable for boxes and other objects having rounded
corners as shewn in Figure 8.
In Figure 9 we have shewn a form of claw clamp with concave part a such as also
shewn in Figure 9 of Specification No. 12997 of 1886 where such a clamp represents
an intermediate stage of manufacture but which we now find suitable for a very stiff
means for connection of corners as shewn in Figure 10 the clamp strip being bent
across its length. Figure 11 shews a similar clamp applied to the inside of a box.
Figures 12 and 13 shew two modes of applying such a clamp to the uniting of two
surfaces lying in the same plane, half the width or length on each.
In Figure 14 we have shewn such claw clamps having however the teeth arranged
similarly to those described with reference to Figure 13 of Specification 8590 applied
to the oramenting (and partly strengthening) of surfaces of cardboard and the like.
In these three last applications of the clamp Figure 9 the claws enter the material
in a slanting direction as shewn in the sectional view Figure 15.
In order to render the claw clamps more particularly applicable to wood we proceed
as follows We bend the tooth points only so far as shewn in section in Figure 16
as to form obtuse angles with the body. The intervening part a is then made either
convex as shewn in Figure 17, or wavy as shewn in Figure 18. When such clamps by
means of a hammer with flat face are driven into the wood the claws will, as shewn at
Figure 19 assume about the same angle as before driven in. Such a clamp holds well
in wood, resists longitudinal strain, and is suitable for many kinds of wood connections
for instance for joining two boards on edge as shewn in Figure 20, for uniting a frame
when applied or inserted across the joint as shewn in Figure 21 or when in an angle
form as in Figure 22 or straight as in Figure 23 but in the last case for greater
security bent down over the sides of the frame, and again fastened on the opposite
edges, as shewn in dotted lines. In view of the several bendings to which the claw
clamps are thus exposed and in order to render them more flexible and less liable to
break we may place the teeth intermediately to each other on opposite sides (as already
described with reference to Figures 13 to 18 of specification 8590 and) as shewn in
Figure 23.
For the purpose of increasing the resistance offered by the claws against being
pulled out of very soft wood in the length direction of the claw clamps we make the
teeth on the principle shown in Figures 24 and 25 that is to say leaning to one side
and either as in Figure 24 where the teeth all lean to the same side, or as in Figure 25
where the teeth in one half or part of the claw clamp lean to one side and in the other
to the other side. Furthermore, and for the reasons already stated with reference to
Figure 23 when the clamp has to be bent at sharp angles we place the teeth at opposite
sides in the intermediate position shown in Figures 20 and 27.
In order further to increase the strength of these claw clamps and to adapt them to
various other purposes we may vary the form shown in Figure 22 for instance to the bent
form shown in Figure 28; Figure 29 shows an S-shaped form of claw clamp, Figure 30

page_text: a ring shaped clamp, and Figure 31 a star shaped clamp. In all these and similar
mere form alterations the teeth and the claws formed thereon are of the same shape
and size but point in relatively varying directions and thus offer great resistance
because no pulling strain can ever take place in a direction unfavourablo to all the
clamps while some of the claws in any case are in the most favourable position to
resist such strain.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
The improved forms of claw clamp fittings constructed and applied substantially as
set forth.