Apparatus for fixing belt-fasteners or the like

An apparatus for attaching to an end edge of a conveyor belt a row of fasteners having a length and including "U"-shaped elements each having upper and lower arms with free edges and holes and disposable straddlewise on the end edge of the conveyor belt, and pairs of similarly "U"-shaped staples having pointed ends, drivable through said holes of said pairs of arms of said "U"-shaped elements and projecting initially above said upper arms of said "U"-shaped elements, the apparatus comprising:

• a stationary anvil having a length equal to the length of the row of fasteners to be attached, said stationary anvil having an upper surface provided with grooves in which said pointed ends of said staples engage for initial bending of said pointed ends of said staples having been previously driven through said fasteners;
• a movable cover overlying and parallel to said stationary anvil, having a length equal to said length of said stationary anvil, a lower face adapted to receive said upper arms of said "U"-shaped elements of the row of fasteners, a series of apertures each of which disposed overlyingly to a respective one of said "U"-shaped elements of the row of fasteners and adapted to receive said pair of staples for attaching each of said "U"-shaped elements when the row of fasteners is preliminarily positioned against said lower face of said movable cover, said series of apertures of said movable cover having a configuration for complementarily receiving a punch for driving said staples that were previously engaged in said apertures;
• control means for moving said movable cover towards said stationary anvil and simultaneously clamping all of said "U"-shaped elements of the row of fasteners to the end edge of the conveyor belt;
• and
• an additional hinge plate pivotable relative to said stationary anvil between an inoperative position in which it is located outside of said grooves of said stationary anvil during driving of said staples and initial bending of said pointed ends, and an operative position in which it overlies said stationary anvil and covers said grooves so as to form a flat abutment surface against which said pointed ends of said staples abut for final bending and clinching of said pointed ends.