Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a fastener is provided for securing to an end of a conveyor belt having cables. The fastener comprises a crimp configured to be fixed to a conveyor belt cable and a connector. The connector has a unitary, one-piece fastener body with an upper portion for being disposed adjacent an upper surface of the conveyor belt end and a lower portion for being disposed adjacent a lower surface of the conveyor belt end. The upper and lower portions are spaced apart to receive the crimp therebetween and permit the conveyor belt cable to extend in an outboard direction between the upper and lower portions. The connector includes a stop arranged to block inboard movement of the crimp and the conveyor belt cable fixed thereto.

Abstract: In accordance with one aspect of the present disclosure, a fastener is provided for securing to an end of a conveyor belt having cables. The fastener comprises a crimp configured to be fixed to a conveyor belt cable and a connector. The connector has a unitary, one-piece fastener body with an upper portion for being disposed adjacent an upper surface of the conveyor belt end and a lower portion for being disposed adjacent a lower surface of the conveyor belt end. The upper and lower portions are spaced apart to receive the crimp therebetween and permit the conveyor belt cable to extend in an outboard direction between the upper and lower portions. The connector includes a stop arranged to block inboard movement of the crimp and the conveyor belt cable fixed thereto.

Abstract: In one aspect, a conveyor belt fastener is provided having a rigid body made from a strip of cold-rolled or cold-drawn material such as steel. The body has an upper plate portion, a lower plate portion, and loop portions connecting the upper and lower plate portions. The upper and lower plate portions each have a variable cross-sectional thickness laterally thereacross including raised walls projecting outwardly and ribs projecting inwardly. The fastener has at least one attachment member, such as a staple, for connecting the plate portions to a conveyor belt end and the raised walls protect the staple once driven into the conveyor belt end. A method of manufacturing a fastener is also provided including longitudinally advancing a strip of material having a variable cross-sectional thickness laterally thereacross through processing equipment and forming apertures through thinner material of the strip with the processing equipment for attachment member(s) of the fastener.

Abstract: A device for hanging a workpiece for anodizing includes a hanging member for fixing the workpiece, a positioning assembly, a latching assembly mounted on the positioning assembly, and a connecting rod assembly. The hanging member includes a latching end. The positioning assembly and the latching assembly cooperatively defines a latching space for positioning the hanging member. The connecting rod assembly includes a cam pivoted with the latching assembly, and a rod fixed with the cam. The cam includes a resisting end. The latching end of the hanging member is latched in the latching space. The cam is rotatable by means of the rod, such that the rod is capable of driving the resisting end of the cam to resist on the latching end to fix the hanging member, or to move away from the latching end to release the hanging member.

Abstract: A belt fastener installation tool is provided with a raised belt guiding surface for inserting the belt between upper and lower plates of a belt fastener held in the tool. The raised surface keeps interference with the lower plate during belt insertion between the fastener plates to a minimum. The raised surface can be formed on a separate riser plate member for being secured to an existing belt fastener installation tool; the raised surface can be formed as an integral, one-piece member in combination with the anvil plate of the tool; and the raised surface can be formed integrally with an extruded base of the tool. Gripping structure is also optionally included on the raised surface, such as on the portion thereof under the clamp bar to provide enhanced gripping of the clamped conveyor belt.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for applying staple belt fasteners to conveyor belts are provided that allow staple belt fasteners to be installed on an end of the belt with the use of a single applicator tool and such that all of the staples of the fasteners in the tool are first initially set and then are finally set. In one form, the apparatus has a base with an anvil mounted thereto with the anvil having both initial and final set portions. The belt fastener applicator tool provides for relative shifting of the anvil and a guide device having through openings to align either the initial or final set portions of the anvil with the guide device through openings. The guide device through openings are preferably configured to receive a staple drive member therein.

Abstract: A belt fastener applicator tool and method are provided. The tool is very simple and provides a low cost tool for applying staple belt fasteners to belt ends. The applicator tool includes a plate body having both anvil and comb portions that are fixed thereto so as to be integrated therewith. In one form, the tool has a one-piece construction so that the plate body and anvil and comb portions are integrally formed together. Preferably, the comb portion includes upstanding comb locating members for receiving hinge loops, and the anvil portion includes both initial set anvil wells on one side of the locating members and a final set flat surface portion on the other side of the locating members. The same tool is used for both initial set and final set staple leg setting operations by turning the tool around with an operator using a hammer for staple setting operations.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for retaining and installing rivets into a belt fastener includes a collated rivet strip comprising connected upper and lower strips and retaining a predetermined configuration of rivet heads therebetween. The rivet strip is used in conjunction with a guide block assembly having top and bottom portions interlocked together. The top portion contains studs aligning with the rivet heads to assist the release of the rivet head from the rivet strip, seating the rivets in pilot holes of the lower portion of the guide block assembly for further driving through the belt fastener and into the belt material.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for applying staple belt fasteners to conveyor belts are provided that allow staple belt fasteners to be installed on an end of the belt with the use of a single applicator tool and such that all of the staples of the fasteners in the tool are first initially set and then are finally set. In one form, the apparatus has a base with an anvil mounted thereto with the anvil having both initial and final set portions. The belt fastener applicator tool provides for relative shifting of the anvil and a guide device having through openings to align either the initial or final set portions of the anvil with the guide device through openings. The guide device through openings are preferably configured to receive a staple drive member therein.

Abstract: An apparatus and system for retaining and installing rivets into a belt fastener includes a collated rivet strip comprising connected upper and lower strips and retaining a predetermined configuration of rivet heads therebetween. The rivet strip is used in conjunction with a guide block assembly having top and bottom portions interlocked together. The top portion contains studs aligning with the rivet heads to assist the release of the rivet head from the rivet strip, seating the rivets in pilot holes of the lower portion of the guide block assembly for further driving through the belt fastener and into the belt material.

Abstract: A system for splicing a conveyor belt with belt fasteners is disclosed. A base assembly aligns the belt, belt fasteners and rivet holes thereof with swage structures for securing the rivets. A guide assembly has a rigid guide block with cylindrical pilot holes, and a guide membrane of resilient material. Guide pins are receivable by guide bores for aligning the base and guide assemblies with the pilot holes, rivet holes, and swage structures in registry. The guide membrane including openings aligned with the pilot holes. The openings have a pair of slits defining flaps deflectable to permit the rivet to pass therethrough, and a central hole or cut-out. The flaps and the cut-out assist in centering the rivet with the belt fastener rivet holes. The system uses a single-rivet driver, a multi-rivet driver, a pneumatic driver, or an electric hammer.

Abstract: A belt lacer uses a power drive carriage for clinching hook or C-shaped belt lacing elements to a belt end. Optionally, the carriage may be driven in a manual mode or a power mode. A detachable power drive such as from an electric drill may be used for the power mode. The power drive of the carriage may be stopped short of an end wall and a return mechanism may return the carriage to the power drive. A moveable belt support in a hand space position allows for working on the lacing elements and may be shifted to a belt supporting position. The belt clamp exerts a forwardly directed force on the belt as it is being clamped. Face plates or combs may be stored on the belt lacer. A latch secures the face plates against lateral sliding during clinching by clinching rollers on the carriage.

Abstract: A system for applying belt fasteners to belt ends is disclosed. The system includes a power tool apparatus and a guiding apparatus. The guide apparatus includes a guide block having guide bores in which attachment members, e.g., rivets, are held in position relative to the belt fasteners so that a drive rod of the power tool impacts the rivets in the guide block bores. The guide block preferably is of a hard material, e.g. a machined steel or powder steel, for proper guiding of the drive rod and rivet during riveting operations.

Abstract: A power operated belt splicing system is provided. In one form, staples are driven through a belt and clinched in a final set using a power driven tool and a force applying member having multiple drive punches. A lower force applying end on a punch preferably has a first portion to drive the staple and a second portion to drive a leading edge of the belt fastener against the belt thereby distributing the drive force over both the staple and the belt fastener. Preferably, the second surface is shaped similarly to the outboard edge of the upper plate. A pair of adjacent punches can substantially simultaneously drive two pairs of preset staples with each pair of preset staples being associated with one of a pair of adjacent hinged belt fasteners thereby attaching a pair of belt fasteners to a belt in a single operation. The initial and final staple set may be done with the same power tool.

Abstract: A system for splicing a conveyor belt with belt fasteners is disclosed. A base assembly aligns the belt, belt fasteners and rivet holes thereof with swage structures for securing the rivets. A guide assembly has a rigid guide block with cylindrical pilot holes, and a guide membrane of resilient material. Guide pins are receivable by guide bores for aligning the base and guide assemblies with the pilot holes, rivet holes, and swage structures in registry. The guide membrane including openings aligned with the pilot holes. The openings have a pair of slits defining flaps deflectable to permit the rivet to pass therethrough, and a central hole or cut-out. The flaps and the cut-out assist in centering the rivet with the belt fastener rivet holes. The system uses a single-rivet driver, a multi-rivet driver, a pneumatic driver, or an electric hammer.

Abstract: A belt lacer uses a power drive carriage for clinching hook or C-shaped belt lacing elements to a belt end. Optionally, the carriage may be driven in a manual mode or a power mode. A detachable power drive such as from an electric drill may be used for the power mode. The power drive of the carriage may be stopped short of an end wall and a return mechanism may return the carriage to the power drive. A moveable belt support in a hand space position allows for working on the lacing elements and may be shifted to a belt supporting position. The belt clamp exerts a forwardly directed force on the belt as it is being clamped. Face plates or combs may be stored on the belt lacer. A latch secures the face plates against lateral sliding during clinching by clinching rollers on the carriage.

Abstract: A portable belt lacer fastens to an associated belt end a plurality of side-by-side connectors of the type having opposing shanks interconnected by central eye loops with staples that extend through the opposing shanks and the associated belt end. The belt lacer includes a bending die configured to bend free ends of the staples upon penetration into and through the associated belt end, and a press head operably connected with said bending die with a die that is shifted vertically in the direction of said bending die to insert the staples. Positioners upstanding from the bending die are configured to abuttingly engage the connectors to precisely locate the same on the bending die, and a centering rod is inserted through the eye loops of the connectors, and is laterally shiftable toward and away from the bending die, such that the connectors are accurately and positively positioned along the associated belt end by capturing the connectors between the positioners and the centering rod.

Abstract: A belt lacer for connectors of the type having a plurality of wire hooks arranged in a side-by-side relationship includes a base element, and a holding member supported on the base element, and configured to receive and retain therein the belt connectors. The belt lacer also includes a crimping jaw having a pair of crimping jaw members rotatably mounted on the base element for mutual rotational motion, and configured to abuttingly engage from opposite directions the belt connectors retained in the holding member. Means are provided for converging and diverging said crimping jaw members, and a mechanism positively couples the rotational motion of the crimping jaw members relative to the base member.

Abstract: A tool for reorienting a flange is disclosed. The tool reorients the flange from a first angle of orientation to a second angle of orientation and comprises a support member that further comprises a guide member; and a shoe maintained in a desired orientation by the support member. The shoe defines a reorienting surface, and the reorienting surface further comprising: a leading reorienting surface for progressively reorienting the flange to an intermediate angle of orientation between the first and second angles of orientation, and a trailing reorienting surface, the trailing reorienting surface being located proximate the guide member to define a reorienting gap therebetween, said reorienting gap adapted to permit passage of the flange therethrough, said flange being reoriented to the second angle as it exits the reorienting gap.

Abstract: An assembly for attaching U-shaped belt fasteners to the end of an elongated flat belt in which each belt fastener has first and second opposed leg portions with an integral bight portion therebetween and with at least one fastening wire extending from the first leg portion and a wire receiving opening in the second leg portion, the assembly including an elongated alignment member having a forward face with openings therein to receive the fastening wires of a plurality of belt fasteners and to hold the belt fasteners in an open position allowing the end of a belt to be inserted between the legs of the plurality of belt fasteners and an elongated anvil member having a forward face configured so that when the anvil member is displaced towards the alignment member the legs of the belt fasteners are bent towards each other to capture the belt therebetween, openings being provided in the alignment member to receive a punch by which the fastening wires can be driven through the belt.