Abstract: A strapping tool for tensioning a loop of strap having first and second strap portions about an article is provided with a tension sensing mechanism which includes a gripper member for gripping the second strap portion and restraining it from movement during tensioning of the loop. A first arm is pivotally mounted to the tool frame for pivoting movement in a first direction and in a second, opposite direction. A first spring biases the first arm in the first direction. A second arm is pivotally mounted on the first arm for pivoting movement in the first and second directions away from and towards the strap portions, respectively. A second biasing spring is provided for biasing the second arm in the second direction.

Abstract: A pneumatic driving system for causing a nail or the like to run out of the barrel of a nailing tool to where its point may be seen by the user for lining up with a hole on the work and subsequently driving the nail into the workpiece.

Abstract: A sheetform article such as a binding strap and the like which exhibits improved fusibility is a laminar composite made of a crystalline synthetic thermoplastic polymer. The composite has a major thickness portion or base layer of the polymer having a relatively lower average molecular weight and a minor thickness portion of the same polymer but having a relatively higher average molecular weight. The minor thickness portion defines a fusible face of the sheetform article, and all thickness portions of the article have substantially similar planar crystalline orientation.

Abstract: A metal strap segment is provided for forming a loop about compressible material and has a first joint-forming portion on one end and a second joint-forming portion on the other end, each of the joint-forming portions containing an array of longitudinally spaced joint elements which are adapted to interlock to form a sealless strap connection when the joint-forming portions are overlapped. An abutment is provided at the distal end of the second joint-forming portion and a disengageable anti-reverse engaging means, such as a tab or receiving aperture, is provided on the first joint-forming portion. The engaging tab or aperture is located, with respect to the distal end of the first joint-forming portion, inwardly of and adjacent the array of longitudinally spaced joint elements.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel outlet air muffler for air-powered transportable driving tools such as nailers. The muffler includes an outlet air duct formed in a housing endpiece and the top lid of the nailer. The outlet air duct is made up of two like chamber systems whose chambers are joined together by wall hollows. The chambers are furthermore interconnected through holes leading from the outlet side of the main control valve.

Abstract: A sealless strap connection is provided between a first and second overlapped length of strap and comprises an array of longitudinally spaced joints with each joint comprising lengthwise opposed protuberances displaced from their respective planes of the overlapped lengths of strap and interlocked with each other. The protuberances on the first length of strap are longitudinally spaced in a first and second group with the protuberances of the first group equally spaced from each other and with the spacing of the adjacent protuberances of the second group progressively increased in the direction away from the first group. The protuberances on the second length of strap are longitudinally spaced in first and second groups with the protuberances of the first group equally spaced from each other and with the spacing of the adjacent protuberances of the second group progressively increasing in the direction away from the first group.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cushioning device for a piston of a pneumatically operable driving tool which includes a cylinder, wherein a drive piston connected to a driver blade is axially movable; including further a bumper at the lower end of the cylinder and an annular chamber connected to a fluid power reservoir; this chamber is located underneath the piston and is surrounding the driver blade. The annular chamber, created by the piston and a wall, generally parallel to the face of the piston, will be reduced in volume to a certain extent when the wall impacts on the bumper to reduce the noise generated during the driving action.

Abstract: A warning system for pneumatic fastener driving tools that acceptable bumper deterioration has been exceeded thereby to warn against further use of a tool prior to replacement of the bumper. A piston carrying a driver blade moves from an upper position of rest to lower fastener driven positions. The piston sealingly engages the cylinder wall via a sealing ring. As the bumper deteriorates, the piston moves to lower and lower fastener driven positions. When the piston reaches a predetermined lower position, the effectiveness of the sealing ring is impaired, as by engagement with a notch or edge which tends to destroy or dislodge the sealing ring. This allows high pressure air to escape past the sealing ring to signal that the bumper should be replaced, as by seriously reducing the effectiveness or operability of the tool or as by producing an audible signal by the escaping high pressure air, or both.

Abstract: A mechanism for collecting debris generated during the driving of a fastening means from a strip of such fastening means. The mechanism consists of a container disposed adjacent the opening of the outlet of the driving tool and air means for directing debris from the outlet of the driving tool into the container.

Abstract: A gritless seal, a method for making the seal, and a method for forming a joint with the seal between overlapped ligature segments is provided. The inner gripping layer is brittle and has a hardness greater than that of the outer, ductile layer. In forming the joint, the seal is disposed about the overlapped ligature segments and is folded, squeezed, and/or crimped about the segments under pressure sufficient to deform the outer, ductile layer and produce fracture cracks in the inner gripping layer which present sharp edges to engage and hold the surfaces of the overlapping ligature segments. The interior of the sheet steel seal is case hardened by known cyaniding techniques.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided on a strapping machine frame adjacent a strap chute and adjacent a strap end gripping and sealing assembly and has a pivotably mounted strap guide arm and gripper for guiding the strap during feeding in a first, upper position and for gripping the strap when the arm moves downwardly away from the first position. A single, reversible, rotating drive motor is mounted for movement with the guide arm and powers a gear drive assembly which is engaged with the motor and movable therewith for (1) rotating feedwheels to feed the strap to form a loop when the motor is rotating in a first direction, (2) rotating the feedwheels to withdraw the strap to pretension the loop with a first predetermined tension when the motor is rotating in a second direction, and (3) rotating a high tension pinion gear when both (a) the motor is rotating in the second direction and (b) the tension in the strap exceeds the predetermined, first tension.

Abstract: Ends of thermoplastic polymeric strap are joined together using a hot sealing blade of substantially rectangular transverse cross section and having corners with an effective radius in the range of about 0.005 inches to 0.03 inches. Joints or welds produced by this sealing blade have a novel configuration in which a fused interfacial region includes an annular mass defining at least one elongated cavity. At least two such cavities are present within the region and together span the width of the strap. Such welds are stronger than prior art welds, and can consistently be produced having a joint strength of at least about 85 percent of the strap strength.

Abstract: A method is provided for binding a first low density bale with a plurality of straps and then reusing sections of the straps to bind a second, smaller bale which is compressed from the first bale. A plurality of primary straps are provided with a multiple of discrete arrays of longitudinally spaced joint elements, the joint elements of each array being adapted to interlock with the joint elements of another array to form a sealless connection therebetween. Each primary strap is looped around the first low density bale and the ends of the strap are connected through two of the arrays of interlocking joint elements. Each primary strap further has, at spaced locations along its length, severance indicia and readily disengageable anti-reverse engaging tabs. When desired, the first bale may be subsequently further compressed to allow removal of the primary straps.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for binding an article with strap. A strap is encircled about the article to form a loop with the leading end segment of the strap overlapping an adjacent segment of the strap. The leading end is gripped to prevent further feeding and to subsequently restrain it against movement relative to the article while the trailing portion of the strap is retracted to draw the loop tight around the article. While holding the leading end segment of the strap and an adjacent overlapped segment against relative movement and under tension, either (1) a joint is first formed in the overlapping segments and the tension is then gradually released in the trailing portion of the strap to avoid shock loading of the joint and the machine or (2) the tension is first released only in the trailing portion of strap and the joint is then formed with tension in at least the overlapped segment adjacent the strap free end.

Abstract: A cyclicly operable machine for providing a tensioned loop of fusible thermoplastic strapping about a loosely positioned object, wherein a hoop-mounted slip-feed carrier is caused to orbit the object in one direction while one end of the strapping is held by a gripper. In so orbiting, the carrier progressively wraps a closed loop about the object, the loop having overlapping ends which become sealed to each other by a friction-fusion operation. Such sealing accomplished by a cooperating anvil and vibrator which move into the strap path to create the seal and away from the path to allow the sealed loop to completely seize the object, after which a cutter severs the excess strapping from the object. A reverse orbiting of the carrier similarly applied a successive strap loop to the object.

Abstract: A hand held gun-type air injection device is provided for rapidly filling an inflatable dunnage bag with entrained ambient air to a predetermined maximum stabilized pressure level. The injection device is adapted for use specifically with a dunnage bag having a housing defining a chamber extending from an opening on the exterior of the bag to an opening in the interior of the bag. A tube assembly is provided for supplying pressurized gas or air adjacent the housing on the dunnage bag. A ring-like alignment frame is provided on one end of the tube for locating the tubing relative to the housing and in alignment with the chamber in the housing. The alignment frame is substantially open or apertured to permit free flow of ambient air past exterior portions of the tube into the chamber. One or more orifices are located on a portion of the tube to allow discharge of jets of high pressure gas or air therethrough.

Abstract: A combination jam-clearing and torque sensing traction wheel assembly and strap feed stopping mechanism is disclosed for use in a strapping machine which feeds strap in a chute about an article to form a loop and subsequently tensions the loop tightly about the article. The strap is fed into the chute by a rotating traction wheel which is driven through a torque sensing assembly comprising a driven plate, a spring-biased driver plate, and drive motor. Feeding of the strap is intermittently stopped and started as the driver plate is forced out of engagement with the driven plate when the torque increases beyond a predetermined amount in response to increased strap feed resistance resulting from an obstruction in the chute. In one embodiment, the strap feed stopping mechanism includes a permanent strap end abutment member located just past the strap overlap region in the strapping machine.

Abstract: A hollow housing is mounted in a wall of the dunnage bag and defines a chamber having an exterior opening in a portion of the housing on the exterior of the bag, and an interior opening in a portion of the housing communicating with the interior of the bag. A tube is provided for supplying pressurized gas or air adjacent the housing on the dunnage bag and has an alignment frame on one end for locating the tube relative to the housing and in alignment with the chamber in the housing. The alignment frame is substantially open to permit free flow of ambient air past exterior portions of the tube into the chamber. One or more orifices are located on a portion of the tube to allow discharge of jets of high pressure gas or air therethrough.

Abstract: A multi-ply dunnage bag is provided with an end closure which is both strong and easy to fabricate. The first wall of the dunnage bag has, at one end, an extension or flap on the end of each ply. The flaps on each ply of the first wall are segregated into pairs of adjacent flaps and the two flaps that make up each pair are secured together and folded over the end of the bag where they are inserted between two adjacent plies of the opposite, or second wall and wherein at least one of the flaps of each pair is secured to one of the plies of the second wall. An identical end closure is provided at the other end of the bag, but with the plies of the second wall having flaps folded over and secured to the first wall.

Abstract: A joint having improved snag resistance and peel strength is formed between overlapping end portions of a thermoplastic strap by the method and apparatus of the present invention. The thermoplastic strap is formed into a loop having overlapping inner and outer end portions which are joined to one another by a resolidified thin layer of formerly melted material from each of the overlapping strap end portions. Resolidified material extends completely to an inwardly tapered end of the outer strap end portion to provide the improved joint. A resolidified mass of formerly molten material also is present in front of the tapered end to further protect it against snagging.