Gerald E Blaha

US Patent:

60331712, Mar 7, 2000

Filed:

Aug 21, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/138262

Inventors:

Thomas J. Doyle - Winneconne WI
Gerald E. Blaha - Neenah WI

Assignee:

Spiraflex, L.L.C. - Greenville WI

International Classification:

B42B 510

US Classification:

412 39

Abstract:

An automatic cutting and crimping apparatus for a spiral coil binding a book of sheets includes a pair of trim heads slidably attached to a slide bar mounted on a trim station that is part of a larger spiral binding apparatus. The trim heads include a pair of stationary crimping jaws which engage and hold the lead and trailing ends of the spiral coil while a rotating cutting jaw cuts the ends of the coil as they are held against a stationary cutting jaw. The rotating cutting jaw continues to rotate so that the ends of the coil are crimped inwardly and upwardly toward the book of sheets to provide offset ends which serve to inhibit unintentional withdrawal of the coil from the holes along the edge of the book. After the coil has been cut and crimped, the spiral bound book is indexed to a discharge station for discharge from the spiral binding machine.

US Patent:

45219460, Jun 11, 1985

Filed:

Jan 23, 1984

Appl. No.:

6/572984

Inventors:

Robert O. Dusel - Brookfield WI
Gerald E. Blaha - Waukesha WI

Assignee:

Artos Engineering Company - New Berlin WI

International Classification:

H01R 4304

US Classification:

29 33M

Abstract:

A belt type conveyor is provided for conveying segments of wire cut from a continuous strand by a cutting machine to other wire processing machines, such as terminal attachment machines or the like. The conveyor comprises a pair of endless flexible belts supported one above the other by pulleys and guide rails so that the upper flight in the lower belt closely confronts the lower flight in the upper belt whereby wire segments entrapped between the flights are movable along the path of travel of the confronting flights. Each wire segment is disposed so that its axis is perpendicular to the path of travel of the flights and the ends of the segment extend beyond the sides of the flights so as to be accessible to the processing machines. A drive mechanism drives the confronting flights in steps or increments in the same direction and at the same speed. The belts and guide rails are constructed so that the confronting flights are biased toward each other to ensure a firm grip on the wire segments.

US Patent:

45465266, Oct 15, 1985

Filed:

Jun 22, 1983

Appl. No.:

6/507239

Inventors:

Robert O. Dusel - Brookfield WI
Gerald E. Blaha - Waukesha WI

Assignee:

Artos Engineering Company - New Berlin WI

International Classification:

H01R 4304
H05K 1306

US Classification:

29 33M

Abstract:

A machine cuts elongated wire segments from a continuous wire strand. A belt type conveyor conveys each segment in incremental steps along a path, with the axis of each segment transverse thereto. The conveyor initially grips a segment near one end and presents it to a first terminal attachment machine on one side of the conveyor where a first terminal is attached. Then, separator devices cause the conveyor to temporarily release its grip on the wire segment to allow wire shifter devices, first, to axially shift the wire segment very rapidly a great distance so that the conveyor can regrip the wire segment near its other end and, secondly, to axially shift the wire segment slowly for a short distance to precisely position its opposite end in final position wherein a second terminal attachment machine on the other side of the conveyor attaches a second terminal to the opposite end. A control system comprises sensors for determining when the wire segment has been moved by the wire shifters. Each sensor comprises separable electrical contacts between which a wire segment is received and which bias closed to provide a control signal when the wire segment is withdrawn axially by a wire shifter device.

US Patent:

47138807, Dec 22, 1987

Filed:

Mar 11, 1987

Appl. No.:

7/024887

Inventors:

Robert O. Dusel - Brookfield WI
Harold J. Keene - Waukesha WI
James Berres - Houston TX
Gerald Blaha - Waukesha WI

Assignee:

Artos Engineering Company - New Berlin WI

International Classification:

H01R 4304

US Classification:

295644

Abstract:

A machine including apparatus for accurately measuring and inserting into the machine almost any desired predetermined length of insulated wire, a device for cutting the wire to that length and stripping the insulation from the ends of the wire, and apparatus for attaching a terminal to one or both of the stripped ends. The measuring apparatus includes a pair of belts each reeved about a pair of pulleys. From the measuring apparatus the wire passes through a flexible tube and through two linearly aligned grippers, separated by the cutting and stripping device. Once the wire is fed to the proper length, the two grippers grip the wire, and the wire is cut and stripped, creating a lead of the predetermined length. As the wire and lead are drawn back, the stripped ends may be inspected by an inspection device so as to ensure that they are properly cut and stripped before electrical terminals are applied. Each of the two grippers then rotates in the same direction, that is, both clockwise or both counterclockwise, to align the respective end of the wire and the lead with a respective terminal attaching machine.

US Patent:

39510166, Apr 20, 1976

Filed:

Sep 2, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/609298

Inventors:

Ragnar Gudmestad - West Allis WI
Leon J. Gorski - New Berlin WI
Gerald E. Blaha - Waukesha WI

Assignee:

Artos Engineering Company - New Berlin WI

International Classification:

H02G 112

US Classification:

81 951

Abstract:

A rotary wire stripping machine for removing insulation from the end of an insulated wire including a reciprocating carriage which supports a rotating stripping head. The rotating stripping head includes a central bore for receiving the end of a wire and a pair of cutting blades which are movable radially inwardly to cut the insulation of the end of the wire. The reciprocating carriage may be moved from a first position wherein the stripping head receives the end of the wire to a second position wherein the blades pull insulation off the end of the wire.

US Patent:

41648080, Aug 21, 1979

Filed:

Jun 5, 1978

Appl. No.:

5/912719

Inventors:

Ragnar Gudmestad - West Allis WI
Gerald E. Blaha - Waukesha WI

Assignee:

Artos Engineering Company - New Berlin WI

International Classification:

H01R 4304
H02G 112

US Classification:

295644

Abstract:

Apparatus for high-speed production of sets of accurately and identically sized insulated wire leads having wire terminals at the lead ends comprises: a feed mechanism including counter-reciprocating wire feed clamps for repeatedly drawing a plurality of separate strands of insulated wire simultaneously from a plurality of wire reels; a mechanism for simultaneously straightening and arranging the strands as they are drawn therethrough in parallel spaced apart relationship in a common generally horizontal plane; a severing mechanism for repeatedly severing sets of wire segments of predetermined length simultaneously from the strands; conveyor clamps for releasably gripping successive sets of wire segments received from the feed clamps; conveyor means for advancing the conveyor clamps so that the ends of the wire segments in the sets pass through processing mechanisms, and conveyor clamp actuator mechanisms for causing the conveyor clamps to initially grip sets of wire segments for conveyance and to subsequently release sets of the finished leads at a collecting station. The processing mechanisms include wire cutter and stripper mechanisms for accurately trim cutting both ends of the wire segments in the sets simultaneously and for stripping insulation therefrom simultaneously, and terminal attachment mechanisms for simultaneously attaching terminals to both ends of the wire segments in the sets. The apparatus further comprises a wire gathering mechanism for each processing mechanism for accurately guiding, positioning, and securing the ends of the sets of wire segments in the processing mechanism and for holding the segments against displacement during processing.

US Patent:

45025860, Mar 5, 1985

Filed:

Mar 31, 1982

Appl. No.:

6/363968

Inventors:

Robert O. Dusel - Brookfield WI
Gerald E. Blaha - Waukesha WI

Assignee:

Artos Engineering Company - New Berlin WI

International Classification:

B65G 1564

US Classification:

198345

Abstract:

A belt type conveyor is provided for conveying segments of wire cut from a continuous strand by a cutting machine to other wire processing machines, such as terminal attachment machines or the like. The conveyor comprises a pair of endless flexible belts supported one above the other by pulleys and guide rails so that the upper flight in the lower belt closely confronts the lower flight in the upper belt whereby wire segments entrapped between the flights are movable along the path of travel of the confronting flights. Each wire segment is disposed so that its axis is perpendicular to the path of travel of the flights and the ends of the segment extend beyond the sides of the flights so as to be accessible to the processing machines. A drive mechanism drives the confronting flights in steps or increments in the same direction and at the same speed. The belts and guide rails are constructed so that the confronting flights are biased toward each other to ensure a firm grip on the wire segments.

US Patent:

60564954, May 2, 2000

Filed:

Mar 30, 1998

Appl. No.:

9/050613

Inventors:

Thomas J. Doyle - Winneconne WI
Gerald E. Blaha - Neenah WI

International Classification:

B42B 510
B42B 512

US Classification:

412 39

Abstract:

An automatic spiral binding apparatus for edge binding a book of sheets with a spiral coil includes a book supporting table that is indexable between loading, coil insertion, coil crimping and book discharge stations. The apparatus can accommodate a wide range of book thicknesses, coil diameters and coil pitches. Positioning hooks in the loading station are selected to correspond to the coil diameter and are mounted at an incline to match the coil pitch in a manner which pre-orients the book edge to both the proper curvature and proper pitch to facilitate subsequent threading of the spiral coil into the holes in the edge of the book at the following insertion station.