GB2253603A - Tagging apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

In tagging apparatus operable to apply collar-type tags (T) to elongated members, such as electrical wires, a magazine is arranged to hold a column (C) of tags (T) positioned end-to-end with the tags (T) in an expanded condition. The apparatus also comprises applying means (42, 44) operable to remove an end tag (T) from the column (C) and move it on to the elongated member. The column (C) may be stored on a mandrel (12) having a greater external diameter than the unexpanded tags (T). A plurality of alternative columns (C) may be provided containing different types of tag (T). Gripping means (22, 26, 24, Fig 3 not shown) grips a column and prevents its movement during operation of the applying means. The applying means and gripping means are operated by squeezing together pivoted (52) levers (50, 60). <IMAGE>

Description

TAGGING APPARATUS This invention is concerned with tagging apparatus operable to apply collar-type tags to elongated members, e.g. electric wires.

In many wiring operations, it is desirable to tag one or both ends of an electric wire so that correct connections can be made without the necessity for tracing the wires. One method of doing this is to apply collar-type tags bearing numerals and/or having distinguishing colours. These tags are made of plastics material, are in the form of a split collar, and can be expanded by opening the split to pass on to a wire and then released so that they snap into firm contact with the wire. Such tags are presently applied manually which is time-consuming and hard on the fingers, especially when a large number of wires are involved.

It is an object of the present invention to provide tagging apparatus operable to apply collartype tags to elongated members thereby allowing quicker and easier application of such tags than by manual methods.

The invention provides tagging apparatus operable to apply collar-type tags to elongated members, the apparatus comprising a magazine arranged to hold a column of tags positioned end-to-end with the tags in an expanded condition, and applying means operable to remove an end tag from the column and to move it on to an elongated member aligned with the column.

The tags in the column are, preferably, joined end-to-end, e.g. by thin plastics webs, and the applying means is operable to move the column by the length of one tag, thereby moving the next tag into position to be applied, and then to break the end tag off the column and move it on to the elongated member.

Preferably, the magazine comprises a holding mandrel arranged to have a column of tags threaded on to it, the holding mandrel having an external diameter such that the tags are brought into an expanded condition by the action of threading them on to the mandrel. The use of such a holding mandrel provides a simple and secure way of holding a column of tags in an expanded condition. To assist in this process, the mandrel can be provided with a tapered end portion tapering outwardly from a diameter which will fit into an unexpanded tag. When a column is exhausted, the mandrel can be re-loaded with another column or replaced by a pre-loaded mandrel. The mandrel has a low friction surface to assist in moving the tags on to or off the mandrel, for example the mandrel may be made of nylon.Preferably, the holding mandrel has a recess in one end portion thereof into which an end portion of the elongated member can be inserted in order to align it with the column. This recess may be provided by the central passage through a mandrel formed as a tube.

In order to give greater variety in the tags which can be applied, the magazine may be arranged to hold a plurality of columns of tags and be movable relative to the applying means to bring any of the columns into an operative relationship with the applying means. For example, each individual column may contain tags all of the same type, but the type of tag may be different from column to column. Thus, there may be ten columns each containing tags bearing a different numeral. Where holding mandrels are used, they may be mounted on a base in parallel relationship to one another with the base being moved transversely of the mandrels to bring individual columns into operative relationship to the applying means. Detent means operable to establish an operative relationship between a selected column and the applying means may be provided.Locking means may be provided which is operable to lock a particular column in operative relationship with the applying means. Such locking means finds particular utility where a requirement to use successive tags from the same column arises.

Preferably, the tagging apparatus also comprises gripping means operable to grip a column to prevent further movement thereof during the operation of the applying means. Such gripping means assists the applying means in removing the end tag from the remainder of the column, particularly where the tag has to be broken off from the column, and can be utilised to grip the column after the column has been moved the length of one tag by the operation of the applying means thereby feeding the next tag into position to be applied in a subsequent operation of the applying means.

The applying means and the gripping means may be inter-connected so as to operate in timed relationship to one another. The applying and gripping means may be manually operable by two pivotally connected levers, one arranged to operate the applying means and the other arranged to operate the gripping means, there being spring means acting between the levers.

There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of a tagging apparatus which is illustrative of the invention. It is to be understood that the illustrative tagging apparatus has been selected for description by way of example and not of limitation of the invention.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a plan view of the illustrative apparatus; Figure 7 is a side elevational view of the illustrative apparatus; and Figure 3 is an end elevational view of the illustrative apparatus.

The illustrative tagging apparatus is operable to apply collar-type tags T to elongated members in the form of electrical wires. The tags T are supplied as columns C with each column comprising a plurality of tags positioned end-to-end. Each tag T is made of plastics material and is in the form of a split collar which, by opening the split therein, can be brought into an expanded condition for application to a wire and, when released, grips the wire as it returns to an unexpanded condition.

Each tag T is joined to its neighbours in the column C by thin webs of plastics material. The tags T in a particular column C are all of the same type, e.g. all the same colour or bearing the same numeral, but columns C of different types of tag T are provided.

The apparatus comprises a magazine 10 arranged to hold a column C of tags T with the tags in an expanded condition. In this case, the magazine 10 holds ten such columns C. The magazine comprises ten holding mandrels 12 each of which is in the form of a tube made of nylon. The external diameter of each mandrel 12 is such that a column C of tags T can be threaded on to it with the tags being expanded by this action so that the tags are stored on the mandrel in an expanded condition. The end portion of the passage 13 through the mandrel 12 provides a recess into which an end portion of the wire can be inserted in order to align the wire with the column C. The end portion of each mandrel 12 into which the wire is inserted is cut-off square and projects by the length of one tag from the column, while the other end of the mandrel has a taper thereon.The taper assists in loading the column C on to a mandrel 12. Adjacent the tapering end thereof each mandrel 12 has a semi-circular cut-out in its external surface at a point which is beyond the column C when the column has been fully threaded on to the mandrel 12.

The ten holding mandrels 12 are mounted sideby-side on a base 16 of the magazine 10. The base 16 is generally rectangular in plan view (see Figure 1) and has a rectangular projection 16a projecting from its upper surface and extending along one of the shorter edges of the base 16. The projection 16a is bored with ten parallel evenly-spaced bores 16b extending longitudinally of the base 16. These bores 16b are arranged to receive the tapered ends of the mandrels 12. The projection 16a also has a bore 16c extending therethrough transversely of the base 16 and inter-connecting the bores 16b.

One end of the bore 16c is enlarged to receive a threaded insert 16d. The arrangement is such that, when the tapered end of a mandrel 12 is inserted into one of the bores 16b, the semi-circular cutout in the mandrel 12 can be aligned with a portion of the bore 16c. A pin 18 can be inserted into the bore 16c to hold the mandrels 12 in the bores 16b by engagement in the semi-circular cut-outs. The pin 18 is provided with a threaded end portion which is threadedly-received in the insert 16d and with a thumb screw 20 for screwing the pin 18 into or out of the insert 16d.

The base 16 also has a thickened portion extending along the opposite edge thereof to the projection 16a. This thickened portion has a dove-tailed slot 16e in its lower surface extending transversely of the base 16. Also in the bottom surface of the thickened portion of the base 16 is a transversely-extending row of ten equally-spaced part-spherical indentations 16f. The spacing of the indentations 16f is the same as that of the bores 16b and, therefore, of the mandrels 12. The upper surface of the thickened portion of the base 16 is formed into ten parallel grooves 169 (Figure 3) each extending longitudinally of the base 16. Each groove 169 is aligned with one of the bores 16b and is arranged to support a mandrel 12. Between the each pair of adjacent grooves 169, a vertical bore 16h (Figure 3) passes through the base 16. There are, thus, nine bores 16h.When a mandrel 12 is secured in a bore 16b by the pin 18 and rests in a groove 169, it projects beyond the base 16 (to the right viewing Figures 1 and 2) by more than the length of two tags. This projecting portion has the end tag of the column C on it which is positioned one tag length from the end of the mandrel 12. Because of their expanded condition, the column C will not slide along the mandrel 12 under its own weight but only when pushed or pulled.

The base 16 also has a rectangular projection 16i from its lower surface which extends transversely across the base 16 in a central region thereof.

The illustrative apparatus also comprises gripping means operable to grip a column C of tags against movement along the mandrel 12 mounted on the magazine 10 to prevent further movement of a column C during the operation of applying means 21 of the apparatus (to be described). The gripping means comprises an upper, gripping, member 22 which extends transversely of the base 16 above the grooves 16g, a lower member 24 which extends parallel to the upper member 22 but below the base 16, and two end pieces 26 extending vertically past the edges of the base 16 and each bolted to both the upper member 22 and the lower member 24. The upper gripping member 22 has nine vertical blind bores 28 in its lower surface which are arranged to align with the bores 16h through the base 16. The lower gripping member 24 has nine similar bores 29 but in its upper surface.Nine pins 30 are mounted with one end of each pin in one of the bores 28, an opposite end in one of the bores 29, and the pin passing through one of bores 16h. The assembly of the members 22 and 24 and the pieces 26 is movable vertically, with guidance from the pins 30 in the bores 16h, to bring the upper member 22 down into gripping engagement with the ten columns C on the mandrels 12 to prevent movement of the columns C along the mandrels 12, or to raise the member 22 clear of the columns C to allow such movement. The lower member 24 has a T-shaped slot 32 therein which extends longitudinally of the member 24. The slot 32 contains the head of a headed bar 34 which extends downwardly and is connected to the applying means (to be described) so that operation of the applying means can raise or lower the bar 34 and hence the gripping member 22.

The applying means of the illustrative apparatus is operable to remove an end tag T from a column C and move it on to a wire aligned with the column.

The applying means is also operable to move the column C by the length of one tag T to position the next tag in the column for application. The applying means comprises a bifurcated casing portion 40 which provides a mounting for a fixed lower cutter 42 having a horizontal cutting edge. The casing portion 40 also provides a slide for a vertically movable upper cutter 44. The upper cutter 44 has a semi-circular cut-out in its cutting edge therein corresponding to the diameter of the mandrel 12 and is mounted on an arm 46 which is slidable vertically on the casing 40. A lower end of the arm 46 is pivotally connected to a link 48 which is also pivotally connected to an L-shaped lever 50 at the angle thereof.

The L-shaped lever 50 and the casing 40 are also pivotally mounted on a barrel 52.

The applying means also comprises a further bifurcated casing portion 54 which is also pivotally mounted on the barrel 52 and, in the rest condition of the applying means, abuts the casing 40 along a vertical plane 56 (Figure 2) passing through the barrel 52. The casing 54 is bolted to a horizontallyextending support 58 which extends beneath the base 16.

The applying means also comprises a further L-shaped lever 60 which is pivotally mounted on the barrel 52 and, at the angle thereof, is pivotally connected to a link 62 which is also pivotally connected to the arm 34 of the gripping means. The two levers 50 and 60 are urged apart by a double conical compression spring 64 which is located beneath the barrel 52 and is retained by projections 66 from the levers 50 and 60.

The applying means and the gripping means are manually operable by squeezing together downwardly projecting handle portions of the levers 50 and 60 which are pivotally connected by the barrel 52.

One lever 50 is arranged to operate the applying means by moving the cutter 44 downwards and pivoting the cutters 42 and 44 about the barrel 52 while the other lever 60 is arranged to operate the gripping means. The spring 64 provides spring means acting between the levers 50 and 60 to return them to their starting condition (shown in the drawings).

The casing portion 40 carries a stop 68 which projects horizontally into the casing portion 54 beneath the pivotal connection of the arm 34 of the gripping means and the link 62. The stop 68 prevents operation of the gripping means by preventing downwards movement of this pivotal connection until the stop 68 is moved out of the way by pivotal movement of the casing portion 40 about the barrel 52. This arrangement ensures that the applying means and the gripping means are interconnected so as to operate in timed relation to one another.

The casing portion 54 carries a ratchet 70 which is pivotal about a horizontal pin 72 being urged (clockwise viewing Figure 1) by a spring (not shown). The ratchet 70 has a slot 74 therein into which a horizontal stop pin 76 mounted on the casing portion 40 can be received when the casing portion 40 pivots relative to the casing portion 54 about the barrel 52. The slot 74 has a straight wall nearest the pin 72 and an inclined wall. When the pin 72 enters the slot 74 it engages the straight wall preventing further pivotal movement but is cammed out of the slot 74 by the inclined wall when the direction of pivotal movement is reversed. The ratchet 70 thus serves to limit the pivotal movement of the levers 50 and 60 towards one another.

The support 58 has a vertical bore therein in which a ball 80 is captive (Figure 2). This ball 80 is sprinq-loaded upwardly and is arranged to project into any of the indentations 16f in the lower surface of the base 16. The support 58 also has an upward projection 82 which fits into and is slidable in the dove-tailed slot 16e in the lower surface of the base 16.The arrangement of the indentations 16f and the ball 80 provides detent means operable to establish an operative relationship between a selected column and the applying means since the base 16 can be moved transversely with the projection 82 sliding along the slot 16e to bring any of the columns C on the mandrels 12 into an operative relationship with the applying means, i.e. opposite the cutters 42 and 44 and, when a column C is in such a position, the ball 80 pops into the corresponding indentation 16f to indicate that an operative relationship has been established between the column C on the mandrel 12 and the applying means.

The illustrative tagging apparatus also comprises locking means operable to lock a particular column C in operative relationship with the applying means.

The locking means is mounted on the support 58 which has an inclined cam surface 90 disposed opposite the projection 16i of the base 16. A projection of the support 58 containing a vertical threaded bore 92 projects beneath the space between the surface 90 and the projection 16i. The locking means comprises a locking member 94 having an inclined surface parallel to and opposite the surface 90 and a vertical surface parallel to and opposite a face of the projection 16i. The locking means also comprises a locking screw 96 received in the threaded bore 92. The screw 96 can be used to force the locking member 94 towards the base 16 so that a camming action between the surface 90 and the inclined surface of the member 94 causes the locking member 94 to be forced against the projection 16i, thereby locking the base 16 against movement relative to the applying means.Side plates 98 bolted to the sides of the support 58 prevent the locking member from falling out.

In the operation of the illustrative tagging apparatus, an operator moves the base 16 transversely relative to the applying means until the mandrel 12 holding the column C of the type of tag required next comes opposite the applying means. The operator knows when he has the correct operative relationshio because of the operation of the detent means. If he expects to use a number of successive tags of the same type, the operator can use the locking means to lock this operative relationship. Next, the operator inserts the wire to be tagged into the end of the selected mandrel 12 thereby aligning the wire with the column C. He now grasps the levers 50 and 60 and squeezes them together against the action of the spring 64. This squeezing action at first has no effect on the gripping means which is prevented from moving by the stop 68.Thus, the initial movement brings the upper cutter 44 down into the gap between the end tag T in the column C and the next tag in that column. The casing portion 40 pivots away from the casing portion 54 about the barrel 52 (clockwise viewing Figure 1) thereby moving the cutters 42 and 44 to the right relative to the mandrel 12. This movement of the cutters 42 and 44 slides the end tag T, and hence the remainder of the column C, along the mandrel. When the stop 68 has been removed from beneath the arm 34 by the pivoting of the casing portion 40, continued squeezing of the levers 50 and 60 causes the gripping means to operate. The upper gripping member 22 descends and grips the column C preventing further movement thereof. By this time the column C has moved by the length of one tag T.

Meanwhile, the cutters 42 and 44 continue to move, breaking the end tag T off the column C and moving it on to the wire. The action of the ratchet 70 limits the movement of the levers together and, upon release of the levers, the spring 64 returns the apparatus to its starting condition.

Claims (11)

1. Tagging apparatus operable to apply collartype tags to elongated members, the apparatus comprising a magazine arranged to hold a column of tags positioned end-to-end with the tags in an expanded condition, and applying means operable to remove an end tag from the column and to move it on to an elongated member aligned with the column.

2. Tagging apparatus according to Claim 1, wherein the tags in the column are joined end-to-end and the applying means is operable to move the column by the length of one tag and then to break the end tab off the column and move it on to the elongated member.

3. Tagging apparatus according to either of Claims 1 and 2, wherein the magazine comprises a holding mandrel arranged to have a column of tags threaded on to it , the holding mandrel having an external diameter such that the tags are brought into an expanded condition by the action of threading them on to the mandrel.

4. Tagging apparatus according to Claim 3, wherein the holding mandrel has a recess in one end portion thereof into which an end portion of the elongated member can be inserted in order to align it with the column.

5. Tagging apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the magazine is arranged to hold a plurality of columns of tags and is movable relative to the applying means to bring any of the columns into an operative relationship with the applying means.

6. Tagging apparatus according to Claim 5, wherein the apparatus comprises detent means operable to establish an operative relationship between a selected column and the applying means.

7. Tagging apparatus according to Claim 6, wherein the apparatus also comprises locking means operable to lock a particular column in operative relationship with the applying means.

8. Tagging apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 7, wherein the apparatus also comprises gripping means operable to grip a column to prevent further movement thereof during the operation of the applying means.

9. Tagging apparatus according to Claim 8, wherein the applying means and the gripping means are interconnected so as to operate in timed relationship to one another.

10. Tagging apparatus according to Claim 9, wherein the applying means and the gripping means are manually operable by two pivotally connected levers, one arranged to operate the applying means and the other arranged to operate the gripping means, there being spring means acting between the Levers.

11. Tagging apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.