Method for manufacturing pre-assembled, two-part merchandise display hooks and the like
AssigneeTrion Industries, Inc.
InventorThomas O. Nagel
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved method of forming and assembling two-part merchandise display hooks, including new design features of the hook itself, enable two-part hooks to be manufactured and assembled at extremely low cost. Wire from a continuous length is gripped and bent to form the outer portion of the hook. The wire is then severed and bent in a single operation to form a hook-mounting portion. While the severed wire remains gripped by its shaped outer end, a preoriented and guided base member is applied over the just-formed mounting portion of the wire. A retractable bend-forming member is withdrawn when the base member is applied to the wire, to enable the bent portion to be fully received within the plastic base. Major manufacturing economies are realized.
Claims8
The method of forming and assembling a two-part display hook, wherein the hook comprises a molded plastic base member and a formed wire hook member, the base member being provided with a socket for the reception of a section of said hook member, which comprises
- (a) feeding hook-forming wire lengthwise from a substantially continuous supply thereof into a wire gripping and forming station,
- (b) gripping said wire in the vicinity of its free end,
- (c) severing said gripped wire at a predetermined distance from said free end to provide a separated hook-forming wire section,
- (d) temporarily positioning a bend-forming die element adjacent but spaced a predetermined distance from the severed end of said separated wire section,
- (e) bending the severed end of said gripped wire section around said positioned die element, through a substantial angle to form a hook-mounting portion, and thereafter retracting said bend-forming die element while continuing to grip said wire section,
- (f) separately supplying individual molded plastic bases to an assembly position offset from and aligned with the hook-mounting portion of said wire section,
- (g) said base members having socket portions therein shaped and-sized to have a tight-fitting assembled relation with the hook-mounting portions of said wire sections,
- (h) the socket portion of a base member located in said assembly position being substantially aligned with the just formed hook-mounting portion of the gripped wire section,
- (i) while continuing to grip said severed wire section, guiding and advancing a base member into assembled relation with said wire section, in which said hook-mounting wire portion is received in the socket portion of said base member, and
- (j) thereafter releasing said gripped wire and ejecting the assembled hook.
The method of forming and assembling a two part display hook, wherein the hook comprises a molded plastic base member and a formed wire hook member, the base member being provided with a socket for the reception of a section of said hook member, which comprises
- (a) feeding hook forming wire lengthwise from a substantially continuous supply thereof into a wire gripping and forming station,
- (b) gripping and bending said wire in the vicinity of its free end to form an upwardly bent wire tip for said hook,
- (c) thereafter severing said gripped wire at a predetermined distance from said free end to provide a separated hook forming wire section,
- (d) temporarily positioning a bend forming die element adjacent to but spaced a predetermined distance from the severed end of said separated wire section,
- (e) bending the severed end of said gripped wire section around said die element, through a substantial angle to form a downwardly bent hook mounting portion, and thereafter retracting said bend forming die element while continuing to grip said wire section in the area of its free end,
- (f) supplying individual molded plastic members having socket portions therein shaped and sized to have a tight fitting assembled relation with the hook mounting portions of said wire sections,
- (g) while continuing to grip said severed wire section, guiding and advancing a base member into assembled relation with said wire section, in which said hook mounting wire portion is received in the socket portion of said base member, and
- (h) thereafter releasing said gripped wire and ejecting the assembled hook.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.