Fitting cap bands

[antoniosz]

In this thread at Repair Q&A there has been some discussion as to how cap bands may be fitted into caps.

 

Today I found a very interesting patent that shows a two step process of fitting the bands. Click on the link below for the diagram.

Patent: US1614606 - 1927-01-18 "Device for applying bands on pens or pencils" by Harry Esterow. I believe he was associated with the Diamond Point Pen Company (but dont quote me on this..)

 

I am not sure how widely this process was used (if at all) but it does appear to be feasible. Comments?

[kirchh]

The problem I see with this approach is that the entire surface of the cap must slide within snug-fitting dies, and a die must slide over the band itself twice, and thus there is a potential for scratching of the parts.

 

--Daniel

[antoniosz]

The problem I see with this approach is that the entire surface of the cap must slide within snug-fitting dies, and a die must slide over the band itself twice, and thus there is a potential for scratching of the parts.

 

--Daniel

True, but presumably one could fit the band on a semifinished cap followed by a last finishing operation. Of course finishing up a part with two materials that have different properties is not trivial.

[kirchh]

...and chased caps might be tricky (the chasing is slightly raised), and gold filled ans especially plated bands would be subject to scratching (though, of course, attention to the finish of the dies can minimize this issue).

 

--Daniel

[wdyasq]

In reloading and other metal shaping operations that is called swaging. With properly polished dies there will be no visible marks.

 

The time and materials to build each size die will make too expensive for 'repairs', IMO.

 

Ron

[iandonnachie]

Hi

with reference to fitting cap bands, The following method was used at the ONOTO factory in Leslie Fife Scotland.

 

A groove either single or multiple was cut on a lathe using speciat tools with the band gonfiguration built in, The cap woud be taken to a swaging station which was a multi jawed collet which opened and closed at very high speed, the bands would be offered one at a time to the cap, the band being slightly bigger in diameter than the cap, this was then slid into the collet which swaged the band to be level with the diameter of the cap, this would be repeated per band on cap. The swager could be controlled to take band down gently so not to collapse the cap, from memory there was a pilot pin in the collet for ease of entry. This swager was taken to Glenrothes after the closure in 1958, and I adapted it to put bands on golf club ferrules, not a lot of people realise that the gold coloured band on the ferrule is actually rolled gold, purchased from Johnson Mathey as were the cap bands on pens.

I was lucky to have served my apprenticeship with De La Rue at Leslie, some of the happiest days of my life.

 

please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with

 

cheers

 

Ian

[Baroz]

Hi

with reference to fitting cap bands, The following method was used at the ONOTO factory in Leslie Fife Scotland.

 

A groove either single or multiple was cut on a lathe using speciat tools with the band gonfiguration built in, The cap woud be taken to a swaging station which was a multi jawed collet which opened and closed at very high speed, the bands would be offered one at a time to the cap, the band being slightly bigger in diameter than the cap, this was then slid into the collet which swaged the band to be level with the diameter of the cap, this would be repeated per band on cap. The swager could be controlled to take band down gently so not to collapse the cap, from memory there was a pilot pin in the collet for ease of entry. This swager was taken to Glenrothes after the closure in 1958, and I adapted it to put bands on golf club ferrules, not a lot of people realise that the gold coloured band on the ferrule is actually rolled gold, purchased from Johnson Mathey as were the cap bands on pens.

I was lucky to have served my apprenticeship with De La Rue at Leslie, some of the happiest days of my life.

 

please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with

 

cheers

 

Ian

Thanks for sharing this, very interesting stuff.