AU686349B2

AU686349B2 - Device for strapping compressible packing goods such as layers of corrugated cardboards

Info

Publication number: AU686349B2
Application number: AU20014/95A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Friedhelm Schulz
Original assignee: Signode Bernpak GmbH
Current assignee: Signode Packaging Systems GmbH
Priority date: 1994-05-13
Filing date: 1995-05-11
Publication date: 1998-02-05
Anticipated expiration: 2015-05-11
Also published as: DE59500012D1; DE4417382A1; EP0681958B1; KR950031785A; AU2001495A; TW284736B; EP0681958A1; KR0180940B1; ES2091146T3; DK0681958T3; ATE141877T1; JP3522891B2; JPH0840410A

Abstract

The device has a banding material storage unit (12) near the floor with banding material (14) wound on a drum (13), partic. thermically weldable plastic strapping. On posts (15,15') a cross bearer is vertically movable and forms a press plate for compressing the packing material. On the cross bearer is a unit (18) which is used for transport of the banding material and partic. for formation of a banding material closure unit. For the closure unit is provided a banding material accumulator, which like the closure unit is movably driven synchronously with the press plate. <IMAGE>

Description

Device for strapping compressible packing goods such as layers of corrugated cardboard The invention relates to a strapping device and more particularly to a device for strapping compressible goods to be packed such as layers of corrugated cardboard or the like.

Such devices, also called packing presses, have the task of strapping compressible packing goods on pallets, and sometimes without pallets, into compact bundles. In order to apply the high compression force of up to more than 5 tonne (weight) to the packing goods, the device features a vertically movable press plate. A fastening unit for the strapping material is movably coupled to the press plate; that is, it is also adjustable in a vertically displaceable manner. Normally a strapping material reservoir is arranged ahead of the fastening unit to hold an amount of strapping material, which therefore does not have to be directly withdrawn from the strapping material feed drum. The strapping zone is located underneath the press plate and, therefore, also underneath the fastening unit.

20 The packing goods are strapped by feeding and advancing the strapping material, which comes from the strapping material stock, from the fastening unit into a section of an upper horizontal strapping material guide, such that it goes via a first strapping material deflection device into a strapping material guide which forms a post of the strapping material frame. From there the strap goes again via a strapping material deflection device into a lower horizontally running strapping material guide, which, in the form of a tongue or "bayonet" goes underneath the palleted packing goods. At the end of the closed bayonet the strapping material then passes into a second post located opposite the first-mentioned post, and finally after passing a last strapping material deflector into the upper horizontal strapping material guide to the fastening unit.

The front strapping material end is secured in a clamping device of the fastening unit. Then the press plate moves down to the packing goods and k compresses it. If the strapping material is now withdrawn in direction towards the C:WVINWORD\KYUEPW \NODELP2O14 DOC strapping material stock, the strapping material encircling the packing goods is peeled out of the strapping material guides and stretches over the packing goods.

Following this, the fastening unit bonds the strapping material sections overlapping in its active area and cuts off the strapping material at the side leading to the strapping material stock. Thus the compressed packing goods are provided with a tight strapping.

If packing goods are within the strapping plane and the press plate with the fastening unit, therefore, cannot be moved downwards, at least the fastening unit associated with the press plate (and also the optional strapping material reservoir) is situated at a height beyond the reach of the operator due to the design of such devices.

In order to make the handling operations for supplying the strapping material to the fastening unit easier, whether after changing the strapping material stock or after the strapping material has torn or after some other stoppage concerning the strap, a known device provides a strapping material transfer in the form of a tube-shaped channel, the channel opening of which arranged laterally outside the strapping zone next to the strapping gantry forms a strapping material infeed, into which strapping material can be manually fed and advanced to the fastening unit, which then takes over the leading end of the strapping material. 0od* S 20 This aux'"iary device, although making the laborious handling operations of the goods being packed and manual machine controlling operations unnecessary, for instance in order to remove the packing goods from the strapping zone, to lower the press plate, to provide the fastening unit with new strapping material, to move the press plate up again and thereby bring the packing goods in strapping position, nevertheless the manual in-feed of strapping material at a height overhead is very laborious and causes time-consuming operational interruptions.

It would therefore be desirable to provide a device as mentioned at the beginning for which operational interruptions due to the required strapping material supply to the fastening unit are minimised.

According to a broad aspect, present invention provides a device for strapping compressible goods to be packed such as layers of corrugated R Acardboard or the like, by means of a strap-shaped strapping material, such as a Q\WINWO R E, PWGVO0DEL\P20014 DOC 0 I- thermoplastic synthetic strap, from a strapping material stock, the device including: at least one strapping material guide frame arranged in a substantially vertical plane; a press member for compressing the packing goods; a fastening unit for the ends of the strapping material tightened around the packing goods; if required, a strapping material reservoir for holding a quantity of strapping material ahead of the fastening unit; a strapping material feeder; and a strapping material supplying device between the strapping material stock and the fastening unit or the strapping material reservoir, respectively; whereby the fastening unit and, if required, the strapping material reservoir are arranged vertically movable with the press member, while the strapping material stock is arranged near the floor laterally away from the strapping zone and the press member; the strapping material supplying device including at least one channel-like strapping material transfer leading to the fastening unit or strapping material reservoir, respectively, and the strapping material feeder being accessible from S 20 an outer side of the device where the strapping material stock is arranged; wherein the strapping material feeder is associated with a lower section of a strapping material guide channel extending substantially vertically adjacent an upright of the strapping frame, wherein a strapping material deflection device for passing on the strapping material into the strapping material transfer is height- 25 adjustably guided longitudinally of the strapping material guide synchronously with the press member and wherein the strapping material guide channel is provided with a channel closure, which opens automatically through the movement of the strapping material deflection device, at its side facing the strapping zone.

Thus, in any operational position of the machine, and that is of the press plate and the fastening unit also, it is possible to supply a new strapping material leading end to the fastening unit. Moreover, there is the possibility to do this at C:\WINWORD KYLIE\PWG\NODELP20014 DOC least semi-automatically by means of a strapping material insertion device associated with the strapping material feeder, which, like the strapping material stock, can be arranged near to the ground and, therefore, be easily accessible.

Moreover, the invention avoids a further disadvantage of the known device, namely that a free chord of strapping material is always stretched between the strapping material stock and the opening of the free end of the strapping material transfer, which is located at a level of varying height. As a result, in the known device the chord can not only be damaged by carelessly carried loads, but the chord itself constitutes a source of injuries to people approaching it. Furthermore, an additional strapping material stock needs to be installed within the area of the strapping material feed drum in order to accommodate the excess strap when the press plate is lowered.

The above and further features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: •Fig. 1 shows a view of the device with the strapping material introduced into the fastening unit for the first time, S:Fig. 2 shows a view corresponding to Fig. 1 with strapping material guided around the packing goods in the strapping frame, Fig. 3 shows a corresponding view, now with strapping material tightened around the packing goods, Fig. 4 shows a top view of the device during operation according to Fig. 1, Fig. 5 shows a partial view of the strapping material supply, S: 25 Fig. 6 shows a section according to line VI-VI in Fig. 5, and Fig. 7 shows a partial view in direction towards arrow VII in Fig. 1.

A device designated generally by 10 for strapping especially compressible packing goods 11 such as layers of corrugated cardboard or the like includes firstly a strapping material stock 12 arranged close to the ground, the stock 12 including strapping material 14, in particular thermally bondable plastic strap, wound around a drum 13.

-z /C.AWINAVORD\K(YLIEPWG\NODEL P2cX),4 DOC 1. I A transverse support bar 16 is vertically movably arranged at posts 15, in direction of the double arrow 17. The transverse bar 16 forms a press plate, or at least a part thereof, for compressing the goods 11 to be packed and has a unit 18 on its upper side to be explained in more detail later on. The unit 18 is for the transport of the strapping material 14, and especially for the formation of a strapping material join, which is why the unit 18 will be henceforth referred to as a fastening unit. A strapping material reservoir 19 is allocated to the fastening unit 18, and just like the fastening unit 18, is driven and movably guided synchronously to the press plate 16 in uniform movements.

Strapping material guides 20 to 23 in form of straight channels or channel sections, respectively, of known construction are associated with the posts 15, and the transverse bar 16. It is likewise known to construct the gantry-like strapping material guide channels 20 to 23 to form a frame closed on itself, by advancing a lance or bayonet 24, also containing a linear strapping material guide channel, which slides under the packing goods 11 or the pallet on which it rests, at the bottom side in direction of arrow 42 of Fig. 1 into the position according to Fig. 2 or Fig. 3.

In order to be able to guide the strapping material 14 around the packing goods 11 it must first be supplied to the fastening unit 18. For this reason a 20 strapping material insertion device 25 is provided close to the floor and directly behind the strapping material stock 12. The insertion device 25, by means of strapping material transport rollers 26 at least one of which is mechanically driven and the others forcibly coupled therewith, brings forward the strapping material 14 •into a strapping material guide 28 at the strapping material feeder designated by 25 27, whereby the strapping material guide 28 is arranged parallel and next to the post-like strapping material guide 21. Longitudinally to this strapping material guide 28 a strapping material deflection device 29 is vertically movably arranged.

This deflection device 29 has the task of handing over the strapping material 14 to a horizontally arranged strapping material transfer 30 at the place where the strapping material deflection device 29 is located, whereby the strapping material transfer 30 then brings it forward to the fastening unit 18. In the embodiment this is carried out through the strapping material reservoir 19. As soon as the leading C:\WINWORD\KYLIUE\PWG\NODEL\P2 O14.DOC free end of the strapping material contacts a switch 31 located in front of the fastening unit 18 in the direction of insertion, the initial position for a first strapping of packing goods 11 is reached see Fig. 1.

The packing goods 11 to be strapped, being either with or without a pallet, are now transported horizontally to the drawing plane within the strapping zone, for example, on a roller conveyor (non-illustrated). The strapping material 14 is then fed out by means of transport rollers 32, i.e. concerning Fig. 2 counterclockwise through the strapping material guide 20, 21, 24, 22 and 23, as well as through the strapping material deflections 33 to 36 situated therebetween in the strapping material path, until the front end of the strapping material 14 again enters the fastening unit 18.

Already during this guidance of the strapping material or immediately afterwards, the press plate 16, the fastening unit 18 and the strap reservoir 19 move downwards on the upper side of the goods 11 to be packed which are now, depending on composition and requirements, compressed with appropriate force.

In order to then tighten the strapping material 14 around the compressed Spacking goods 11 the actuation of the strapping material transport rollers 32 is reversed so that they pull back the strapping material supplied from the strapping material stock 12 while the other strapping material end is secured at the S 20 fastening unit 18 by a clamp. Due to the retraction of the strapping material, the strapping material 14 is pulled out from all strapping material guides, the insides Sof which are designed in the known manner for this purpose. For example, the guides may be provided with flexible lips 39 as shown in Fig. 6 or with flaps which can open against the action of a spring bias.

S 25 The produced excess amount of strapping material is transported back to the strapping material reservoir 19 and forms a stock to be used in the starting phase of the next strapping process. To make this feasible a controllable strap guiding corner 43 is allocated to the strapping material deflection designated by within the strapping material reservoir 19 (for example by means of a lifting magnet 41 Fig. 4).

At the first insertion of strapping material 14 and also after clearing a fault which affects the strapping material, strapping material 14 can be fed to the C:\WINWORDVMlIE\PGWODELP20014.DOC II I 8 fastening unit 18 from the floor in any position of the device 10. After removing possible strapping material residues from the machine the new strapping material leading end is introduced into the insertion device 25, which then charges the device 10 automatically with the strapping material 14 until it is passed on by the strapping material transport rollers 32 at or in the fastening unit 18. For this purpose it is essential according to the invention that the additional strapping material guide 28 is provided with the strapping material deflection 29, which moves in vertical direction synchronously with the strapping material transfer device 30 which is associated with the press plate 16, moving in step with it.

If the press plate 16 is raised, further packing goods or the same packing goods can be strapped once more in the described manner after those goods have been advanced. In the latter case it is known to provide two strapping planes El and E2 (Fig. 4) parallel to each other, whereby the described strapping material guides and strapping material deflections are provided twice while the fastening unit and, if required, a strapping material reservoir are provided only once. The fastening unit (and reservoir) can therefore be moved transversely to S* the two strapping planes El and E2, i.e. in or counter to the transport direction of the packing goods. In this case the strapping material transfer 30 is arranged to be adjustable in accordance with displacement of the unit. In the embodiment it S* 20 can swing around the joints designated by 37 and 38, the joint 37 being fixed spatially and arranged in front of the strapping material deflection 29 and joint 38 is guided along by fastening unit 18 or, as in the embodiment, by the strapping to material reservoir 19. Consequently, it is not only immaterial at which vertical height the press plate 16 is located in the event that strapping material 14 has to 25 be inserted anew, but also the fastening unit 18 can be in any transverse position with respect to the strapping planes El and E2.

According to the invention, the strapping material guide 28 provided for the at least semi-automatic injection of new strapping material 14 can be similar or identical to one of the strapping material guides 21, 22 and the strapping material deflection device 29 can be similar or identical to one of the strapping material deflection devices 33, 36. As is shown in Fig. 7 the strapping material guide 28 is then merely upwardly offset as against those associated with the strapping planes CAWINWORDVMVUE\PWG\NOOELV'20014.DOC 9 El and E2, since the strapping material 14 has to be fed above the press plate 16.

ft CAWINWORDVKYI'-WGkNODEUJ'2W14.DOC

Claims

1. Device for strapping compressible packing goods such as layers of corrugated cardboard or the like, by means of a strap-shaped strapping material, such as a thermoplastic synthetic strap, from a strapping material stock, the device including: at least one strapping material guide frame arranged in a substantially vertical plane; a press member for compressing the packing goods; a fastening unit for the ends of the strapping material tightened around the packing goods; if required, a strapping material reservoir for holding a quantity of strapping material ahead of the fastening unit; a strapping material feeder; and a strapping material supplying device between the strapping material stock and the fastening unit or the strapping material reservoir, respectively; •whereby the fastening unit and, if required, the strapping material reservoir are arranged vertically movable with the press member, while the strapping material stock is arranged near the floor laterally away from the strapping zone 20 and the press member; the strapping material supplying device including at least one channel-like :strapping material transfer leading to the fastening unit or strapping material reservoir, respectively, and the strapping material feeder being accessible from an outer side of the device where the strapping material stock is arranged; wherein the strapping material feeder is associated with a lower section of a strapping material guide channel extending substantially vertically adjacent an upright of the strapping frame, wherein a strapping material deflection device for passing on the strapping material into the strapping material transfer is height- adjustably guided longitudinally of the strapping material guide synchronously with the press member a, id wherein the strapping material guide channel is provided with a channel closure, which opens automatically through the CAWINWORDUYIE\PWG\NODELkP20014 DOC 11 movement of the strapping material deflection device, at its side facing the strapping zone.

2. Device according to Claim 1, wherein a strapping material insertion device is associated with the strapping material feeder.

3. Device according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, wherein the strapping material guide channel corresponds to an upright of the strapping frame, and the corner deflection device corresponds to that which deflects the strapping material from the strapping material guide of the upright to the horizontal direction.

4. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the strapping material guide channel has the same length as a strapping material guide channel associated with the upright of the strapping frame, but which is displaceable upwardly with respect thereto. Device according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, having at least two strapping material guide frames provided in parallel vertical planes, between which the fastening unit and, if required, the strapping material reservoir can be displaced, wherein the strapping material supplying device is arranged between two uprights of the strapping material guide frames and the strapping material transfer is pivotably arranged between the strapping material deflection device and the fastening unit or the strapping material reservoir.

S 25

6. Device according to Claimrn 5, wherein the strapping material transfer is pivotably coupled with the fastening unit or the strapping material reservoir, respectively.

7. Device according to any omr of Claims 1 to 6, wherein the press member is a plate. C:\WINWORD\KYLIE\PWG\NODEL\P200'4 .DOC L 12

8. Device for strapping compressible packing goods substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. DATED: 30 October, 1997 SIGNODE BERNPAK GMBH By their Patent Attorneys PHILLIPS ORMONDE FITZPATRICK *S *.a Se a a e

9 CA\WINWORDKYIUVPWGNODELP20014 DOC i i Abstract With a device (10) for strapping especially compressed packing goods (11) by means of a strap-shaped strapping material (14) with at least one strapping material guide frame arranged in a vertical plane, a press plate (16) for compressing the packing goods, a locking aggregate (18) for the ends of the strapping material tightened around the packing goods, if required, a strapping material reservoir (19) before the locking aggregate, and a strapping material transfer (30) between a strapping material feeder (25, 26, 27) at the outside of the machine and the locking aggregate the strapping material feeder (25, 26 27) is allocated to a lower section of a strapping material guide channel (28) 6gig fee**: vertically extending next to a post (15, 15') of the strapping frame, longitudinally to the strapping material guide a strapping material deflection device (29) for :so handing over the strapping material (14) into the strapping material transfer to the locking aggregate (18) is height-adjustably guided synchronously to the press plate (16) and the strapping material guide channel (28) is provided with a a channel lock, which opens automatically through the movement of the strapping material deflection device at its side facing the strapping zone. Thus a new .strapping material fron' end can be fed to the locking aggregate (18) in any position, comfortable and near to the ground, easily also by means of automatic injection, whereby loss times during operation in connection with the strapping °a0 material can be considerably reduced.