BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the paper making industry, it is of common practice to use fabric belts that are made of sections connected to each other to form an endless loop. Such belts carry wet fibrous sheets prepared from processed pulp.

It is also of common practice to connect the adjacent ends of the belt sections by means of seams made by passing a cable known in the trade as a "pintle"through a tubular passage formed by intermeshed loops of fabric yarns projecting at the ends of the adjacent belt sections when these sections are interfitted and held together. Usually, the pintle consists of a mono- filament or multi-filament yarn whose leading end is attached to a stiff guiding wire made of metal, which acts as a needle to facilitate insertion of the yarn into the passage formed by the loops. For further information regarding the use of pintles to connect fabric belt sections, reference can be made to U. S. patent Nos. 4,842, 212 (OISELLE et al.) and 5,033, 618 (EDENS et al.).

It is further of common practice to store the pintle used to connect fabric belt sections into a spool assembly. Examples of such assemblies are disclosed in the above mentioned patents. Other examples of such assemblies made of molded plastic material are disclosed in U. S. patent No.

5,280, 861 (CORRIVEAU) and 6,152, 395 (CORRIVEAU et al.).

Also known in the art, there is U. S. patent No. 3,874, 061 (GAUTHIER) which discloses, with reference to Figure 1, a device having a cylindrical body 2 at whose end there is a clamp 5 in which is placed the edge of a cloth 4 to be connected. A wire 1 is inserted in a tube 6 which acts as a guide for it. The guide tube 6 is fixed on the inside of the body 2. The device also has a piston 7 which slides on top of the tube 6. The device also has a handle 8 which

slides on the tube 6 and two link arms 9 that are articulated on one end via a slot 10 on an axis 11 borne by the handle 8, and on an axis 12 borne by the piston 7. Two slots 13 on the tube 7 allow the link arms 9 to press the wire. In operation, the handle is pumped back and forth so as to allow the link arms to pivot and push the wire forward.

One disadvantage of the above device is that the user has to push forward to grip the wire without having any substantial leverage effect, thus requiring that the user be strong enough to perform this operation. Another disadvantage is that the handle has to be pulled back every time by the user.

Yet another disadvantage of this device is that it can only accept a limited range of wire sizes because the tips of the two grip arms must be positioned very close together to be useful. Therefore, if the wire is too thick, then this device cannot be used as such and it would have to be redesigned according to each wire thickness.

There is therefore a need for a device that would make easier the insertion and pushing of the pintle into the seam and that would reduce the amount of skill, experience, concentration and strength presently required by the person in charge of the installation of the pintle.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to provide a device and a system that satisfy the above mentioned need and thus make the installation of a pintle easier and faster to carry out than it is presently.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pintle inserting device for facilitating insertion of a pintle into a tubular passage formed of intermeshed loops projecting from adjacent ends of two sections of an endless belt, the device comprising: a frame; a carrier slidably mounted onto the frame, the carrier being movable parallel with respect to the pintle in respectively forward and backward directions, the carrier having a contact surface extending above the pintle and a guiding nozzle for guiding the pintle toward the tubular passage;

a pawl pivotally mounted onto the carrier and extending into the guiding nozzle under the pintle, the pawl being pivotable close to and away from the pintle between pintle thrusting and release positions where the pintle is respectively squeezed and loose between the pawl and the contact surface of the carrier; a manually operable lever mounted on the frame and coupled to the pawl for pivoting the pawl in the pintle thrusting position and for moving the carrier in the forward direction while the pintle remains in the thrusting position; a spring member mounted between the frame and the lever, the spring member being biased for pivoting the pawl in the pintle release position and moving the carrier in the backward direction while the pintle remains in the release position; and a clamp mounted on the frame and projecting on a foremost side of the guiding nozzle, the clamp being operable for side-edge gripping the endless belt.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for facilitating insertion of a pintle into a tubular passage formed of intermeshed loops projecting from adjacent ends of two sections of an endless belt, the system comprising: a spool assembly containing the pintle to be inserted in the tubular passage, the spool assembly having a peripheral border with an opening through which the pintle exits; a pintle inserting device including : a frame; a carrier slidably mounted onto the frame, the carrier being movable parallel with respect to the pintle in respectively forward and backward directions, the carrier having a contact surface extending above the pintle and a guiding nozzle for guiding the pintle toward the tubular passage; a pawl pivotally mounted onto the carrier and extending into the guiding nozzle under the pintle, the pawl being pivotable close to and

away from the pintle between pintle thrusting and release positions where the pintle is respectively squeezed and loose between the pawl and the contact surface of the carrier; a manually operable lever mounted on the frame and coupled to the pawl for pivoting the pawl in the pintle thrusting position and for moving the carrier in the forward direction while the pintle remains in the thrusting position; a spring member mounted between the frame and the lever, the spring member being biased for pivoting the pawl in the pintle release position and moving the carrier in the backward direction while the pintle remains in the release position; and a clamp mounted on the frame and projecting on a foremost side of the guiding nozzle, the clamp being operable for side-edge gripping the endless belt ; and an attachment member for detachably fastening the pintle inserting device to the peripheral border of the spool assembly close to the opening so that the pintle exits tangentially away from the opening and into the guiding nozzle of the pintle inserting device.

The invention, its use and its advantages will be better understood upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of preferred embodiments thereof, made with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like numbers refer to like elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a perspective view of a system with a pintle inserting device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, in relation to ; two sections of an endless belt extending vertically.

Figure 2 is a perspective partially exploded view of the system shown in Figure 1 with a clamp thereof swivelled in a different position, in relation to two sections of an endless belt extending horizontally.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively partially cross-section perspective and side views of the system shown in Figure 2 with some elements thereof being removed, in relation to two sections of an endless belt extending vertically.

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively partially cross-section perspective and side views of the system shown in Figure 2 with some elements thereof being positioned in a second position, in relation to two sections of an endless belt extending vertically.

Figures 7 and 8 are respectively partially cross-section perspective and side views of the system shown in Figure 2 with some elements thereof being positioned in a third position, in relation to two sections of an endless belt extending vertically.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a system 1 with a pintle inserting device 11 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The system 1 and device 11 are adapted to facilitate insertion of a pintle 2 into a tubular passage 3 formed of intermeshed loops 4 projecting from adjacent ends 5,6 of two sections 7,8 of an endless belt 9.

Referring to Figures 2 to 8, the device 11 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a frame 10, which may be made of two molded plastic covers 28,29 that are snapped together. The device 11 also has a carrier 12 that is slidably mounted onto the frame 10. The carrier 12 is movable parallel with respect to the pintle 2 in respectively forward and backward directions. The carrier 12 has a contact surface 14 extending above the pintle 2 and a guiding nozzle 16 for guiding the pintle 2 toward the tubular passage 3. The device 11 also has a pawl 18 pivotally mounted onto the carrier 12 and extending into the guiding nozzle 16 under the pintle 2. The pawl 18 is pivotable close to and away from the pintle 2 between pintle thrusting and release positions where the pintle 2 is respectively squeezed and loose between the pawl 18 and the contact surface 14 of the carrier 12.

The device also has a manually operable lever 20 mounted on the frame 10 and coupled to the pawl 18 for pivoting the pawl 18 in the pintle thrusting

position and for moving the carrier 12 in the forward direction while the pintle 2 remains in the thrusting position. The device 11 also has a spring member 22 mounted between the frame 10 and the lever 20. The spring member 22 is biased for pivoting the pawl 18 in the pintle release position and moving the carrier 12 in the backward direction while the pintle 2 remains in the release position. The device also has a clamp 24 mounted on the frame 10 and projecting on a foremost side 26 of the guiding nozzle 16. The clamp 24 is operable for side-edge gripping the endless belt 9.

Preferably, the carrier 12 includes an inverted U-shaped member 30 made of metal with side legs 32 projecting on each side the inverted U-shape member 30. The frame 10 may be made of two covers 28,29 that are snapped to each other. Each cover 28,29 has an inner longitudinal groove 34 for slidably receiving each leg 32 of the inverted U-shaped member 30. The guiding nozzle 16 includes a unitary plastic tube 36 and seat portion 38 sized for fitting on the inverted U-shaped member 30. The guiding nozzle 16 is detachably mounted on the inverted U-shape member 30.

The pawl 18 may have a knurled surface for gripping the pintle 2. The contact surface 14 of the carrier 12 may also be knurled. This configuration is particularly useful for smaller pintles where the gripping surface is reduced.

Referring to Figures 3 to 8, the pawl 18 is pivotally mounted to the carrier 12 by means of pivot 42. The pawl 18 is also pivotally connected to the lever 20 through a pivot 44 being inserted in a slot 46 of a top portion of the lever 20. The lever 20 is pivotally mounted on the frame 10 through a pivot 48.

Preferably, the spring member 22 comprises a coiled metal V-shaped spring having a first leg connected to the lever 20 and a second leg abutting against one of the covers 28,29 of the frame 10. The coiled part of the spring member is mounted around the pivot 48.

Preferably, the clamp 24 is pivotally mounted on the frame 10. In particular, the clamp 24 may include a tubular portion 50 for receiving the guiding nozzle 16. The clamp 24 may also have an annular groove 52 for receiving matching edges 54 of the frame 10 to swivel the clamp 24. The clamp 24 also has opposite upper and lower jaws 56 respectively extending

transversely above and below the pintle 2. The jaws 56 define an opening 58 for the intermeshed loops 4 when the clamp 24 is in a clamping position. The lower jaw and the tubular portion may be made of a single piece of molded plastic, whereas the upper jaw may be made of a separate piece of moldd plastic.

Preferably, the clamp 24 has locking bolts 60 extending perpendicularly with respect to the pintle 2. The locking bolts 60 pass through sleeves 62 projecting downwardly from the upper jaw and are screwed into corresponding threaded sleeves integrated into the lower jaw.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a system 1 which includes the pintle inserting device 11 described above. The system1 further includes a spool assembly 64 containing the pintle 2 to be inserted in the tubular passage 3. The spool assembly 64 has a peripheral border 66 with an opening 68 through which the pintle 2 exits. The system 1 also includes an attachment member 70 for detachably fastening the pintle inserting device 11 to the peripheral border 66 of the spool assembly 64 close to the opening 68 so that the pintle 2 exits tangentially away from the opening 68 and into the guiding nozzle 16 of the pintle inserting device 11.

Preferably, as shown in Figure 2, the attachment member 70 includes two detachably mounted covers 71,72 having connecting portions 73 detachably mountable to the frame 10.

A rubber pad 74 may be mounted on the peripheral border 66 of the spool assembly 64 on top of the opening 68. The rubber pad 74 has a central slit for frictionally contacting the pintle 2 to contain a withdrawal of the pintle 2 into the spool assembly 64. Also, a rubber pin 75 extending transversely with respect to the pintle 2 may be provided for further frictionally contacting the pintle 2 to contain the withdrawal of the pintle 2 into the spool assembly 64.

Preferably, a lubricant reservoir 76 is mounted adjacent to the opening 68 along a path taken by the pintle 2 for lubricating the pintle 2 to facilitate insertion thereof in the intermeshed loops 4. The lubricant reservoir 76 has a generally rectangular shape with a side groove for receiving the pintle 2. The lubricant reservoir may also take the form of an inverted bottle.

In use, a user installs the system 1 by clamping it on the side edge of the endless belt 9 so that the path followed by the pintle 2 in the device 11 is aligned with the tubular passage 3. The user then presses on the lever 20 to squeeze the pintle 2 between the pawl 18 and the contact surface 14 of the carrier 12, a continued pressure on the lever 20 forces the pawl 18 to move forward, along with the carrier 12 and guiding nozzle 16. This in turn thrusts the pintle 2 forward in the tubular passage 3. Once the lever 20 is released, the pawl 18 also releases the pintle 2 and returns to a home position by action of the spring member 22. The same movements are repeated so that the pintle 2 is thrust forward along the path and is pushed into the tubular passage 3 formed of the intermeshed loops 4 while the belt sections 5,6 are kept in adjacent position by means of the clamp 24.

The above mentioned device 11 can be used as such and held manually by the user, but it will more efficient if used in combination with a spool assembly 64 containing the pintle 2 to be inserted into the tubular passage 3.

An advantage of the above device 11 and system 1 is that the user can easily squeeze the lever 20 without having to exert any excessive force as compared to the prior art devices. Another advantage is that the lever 20 is automatically pulled back in the release position, thus allowing the user to save time and effort. The pintle 2 is then more quickly inserted in the tubular passage 3. Yet another advantage of this device 11 and system 1 is that it can accept a large range of pintle sizes.

While embodiments of this invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described above, it will be evident to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the essence of this invention. All such modifications or variations are believed to be within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.