Abstract: A hooper device for joining together a pair of overlapping steel bands includes a band tensioning device for stretching the bands with a punching and stamping tool including a lower tool section arranged on a base plate of the device toward which an upper tool section is moved. The upper tool section is arranged in a tool support which is structured in the form of a rocker and the tool support is connected by means of a reset device with a driving mechanism. The driving mechanism includes a manual lever having a driving cam with a radial cam which acts upon a pressure roller arranged at the tool support. The rocker construction of the tool support provides a simple, weight saving, operationally safe arrangement for the hooper device.

Abstract: Hooper apparatus for joining together a pair of bands including a first motor connected with an output shaft through a plural-stage reduction gear system wherein one gear stage of the system is connected with a second motor which enables a faster driving speed of the apparatus with a lower driving force. A compensating clutch is provided on the driving side of the one gear stage, preferably an overrunning clutch, with the clutch being arranged to be used when the driving speed of the second motor has decreased to an extent that it is overtaken by the driving speed conditional on the first motor which carries a tension roller engaging the bands to be joined. The first motor then operates to drive the output shaft with a lower circumferential speed and with a higher driving force.