Apparatus for joining thin metal strips end-to-end
OwnerGiovanni Giasiniinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Thin metal strips to be temporarily or permanently connected end-to-end, e.g. for successive traverse of a heating zone, are passed with overlapped extremities through a press in which these extremities are jointly perforated from above at several locations by punches of pyramidal shape leaving separate tabs of both strips hanging down in each perforation, these tabs being then bent over and flattened against the lower strip by rising pushers. The series of strips thus interconnected may be continuously advanced toward a furnace or other treatment stage by traction rollers over a path defined by spring-loaded guide rollers forming loops which contract when two sheets to be joined are temporarily clamped in the press.
Claims8
An apparatus for joining thin metal strips end-to-end, comprising:
- clamping means for relatively immobilizing two metal strips with extremities thereof overlapping but accessible from opposite sides;
- a plurality of four-sided-cross-section piercing tools on the side of one of said strips operable to form as many throughgoing perforations with two pairs of parallel sides in said overlapping extremities, with punched-out metal from both strips extending through each perforation to form a double burr projecting through the other strip, each of said tools having a tip substantially in the form of a four-sided pyramid with outlines conforming to said perforations adapted to split said double burr into four separate double tabs of substantially triangular shape;
- a support having a plurality of openings aligned with said piercing tools;
- and
- a plurality of pushers on the side of said other strip disposed opposite said tools and operable to spread said double tabs and flatten same against the perforated extremity of said other strip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.