GB1559988A - Apparatus for the bundling of reeds for thatching long straws and like oblong parts of stems - Google Patents

Description

(54) APPARATUS FOR THE BUNDLING OF REEDS FOR THATCHING, LONG STRAWS, AND THE LIKE OBLONG STEMS (71) 1, JENS BFJE OLSEN, a Danish Subject, of St. Elmue, DK-A640 Fakse, Denmark, do hereby declare the invention, for which I pray that a patent may be granted to me, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: The present invention relates to an apparatus of the kind hereinafter referred to as an apparatus of the kind set forth) for the bundling of reeds for thatching long straws.

hemp flax and like oblong parts of stems, which are delivered in a regular stream, from a threshing machine for long straws or a like arrangement with a stem orientation mechanism and said bundling apparatus including conveying arrangements which are arranged for driving the stems along a path of advance through two binding apparatus, and a separating mechanism that separates two successive bundles of stems between the two binding apparatus.

A separating mechanism is known from the specification of Danish Patent 134801 and includes an arm which is revolvable about a horizontal axis between two extreme positions and directed at right angles to the feeding course of the stems, which arm in one of the extreme positions is introduced transversally between the stems.

Unfortunately in the finished bundle of stems the finger remains inside the bundle which is a disadvantage in practice.

According to the present invention this disadvantage is avoided by the provision of apparatus of the kind set forth wherein the separating mechanism includes at least one arm that is introduced into a position behind a bundle at one binding apparatus and moved with the bundle to the other binding apparatus and from there is led out of the path of advance of the stem parts in order to return to the same said position behind the following bundle.

The invention will be more fully understood from the following description given by way of example only with reference the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic showing a side elevation of an embodiment of an apparatus for the bundling of reels for thatching, combined with a harvester or reed cleaning machine shown with its supply belts only, and Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of Figure 1.

Referring now specifically to the said figures a harvester or reed cleaning machine delivers by means of its supply belts the harvested or cleaned stem parts of thatching reeds 6 onto an alignment plate 2, where the reeds stand as shown in a loose vertical position. The reels 6 are gripped immediately after the reed cleaning machine by catching fingers 3, which are resiliently attached to endless juxtaposed conveying belts 4, 41, whereby the fingers 3 form advancing compartments 5, in which the reeds are guided and advanced in a path parallel to the plate 2.

The delivery end of the conveying belts 41 is immediately in front of another system of endless horizontally guided conveying belts 7, which in a number of at least four are in couples opposite each other and above each other. - The belts 7 cover with their receiver-end the hindmost part of the plate 2 and said pairs of belts 7 are spaced apart a distance equal to the size of the reed bundles, whereby the belts are arranged to run parallel for gripping the bundles between them. The belts are equipped with fingers (not shown).

The reeds 6 are given up in a regular stream immediately in front of the receiver opening of the belts 7 and while still lying on the plate 2. To facilitate the introduction of the reeds between the belts 7 there is on a level with each set of belts 7 an arm 8 which is rotatable about a vertical axis, which during its motion forcibly presses the reeds 6 in between the belts 7.

The belts 7 are moved stepwise concurrently with known binding apparatus 9 and 10, of which the apparatus 9 is on a level with the receiver opening of the belts 7 and near the root ends of the reeds and the other apparatus 10 is in a more recessed position in the direction of motion of the reeds and placed above apparatus 9. It is thereby achieved that during the forced advancing of the reeds 6 by the conveying belts 4, 4' towards the belts 7, portions of reeds are accumulated in front of these, which portions concurrently with the function of the binding apparatus 9 and the stepwise motion of the belts 7, are pressed in between the belts 7 as bundles of reeds 11, which by the binding apparatus 9 are tied up with a string 9a near the end of the root. The introduction in portions of the reeds is supported by the arm 8 which is moved concurrently with the belts 7.

The bundles 11 are moved forwards stepwise gripped between the belts 7 in the direction of arrow 12. After one or several steps of motion the other binding apparatus 10 ties up the bundle at lOa.

A separating mechanism includes an arm 15, which is introduced transversally between the reeds whereby it defines the first bundle of reeds 11 tied up by the binding apparatus 9 which can be carried on concurrently with the stepwise movement of the belts 7 to the second binding apparatus 10. During the movement from the first binding apparatus to the other in the direction 12, the arm can at the same time move up on a level with the other binding apparatus 10. All the reeds which have been tied up by the first binding apparatus 9 and only these reeds will, therefore, be pressed against the other binding apparatus 10 by the arm, and will consequently also be comprised by the second tieing-up at 10a.

Before the return of the arm 15 to the initial position at the first binding apparatus 9 it is led out of the path of advance of the bundles.

Before the ready reed bundles 11 leave the belts 7, the root ends of the reeds 11 pass one or several disks 19 which are rotatable about horizontal axes 191 parallel to the belts 7 and near the root end of the bundles (Figure 1); resilient or flexible fingers 20 are attached to said disks and are able to disentangle bent or broken reeds from the bundles 11. The root ends of the bundles 11 are suitably tied pass a cutting mechanism 17 with two sets of knife blades, which work opposite each other and by a guide mechanism 18 is pushed in transversally to the guide path of the bundles. The cutting mechanism hereby cuts the bundles clean of frayed and broken root pieces.

The cutting height, i.e. the height of the cutters in relation to the plate 2 is adjustable so that a larger or smaller part of the root ends can be cut off.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. Apparatus of the kind set forth wherein the separating mechanism includes at least one arm that is introduced into a position behind a bundle at one binding apparatus and moved with the bundle to the other binding apparatus and from there is led out of the path of advance of the stem parts in order to return to the same said position behind the following bundle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it includes one or more resilient or flexible fingers which are rotatable about a horizontal axis that is parallel to the said path of advance of the stems and near the root end of the bundles.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 including a cutting mechanism placed under the said conveying arrangements and which is transverse to or transversally pushable through the path of advance of the reed bundles the said cutting mechanism having two sets of knife blades, which work opposite each other.

4. Apparatus for the bundling of reeds for thatching, long straws, hemp, flax and like oblong parts of stems, the apparatus being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the figures of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. during its motion forcibly presses the reeds 6 in between the belts 7. The belts 7 are moved stepwise concurrently with known binding apparatus 9 and 10, of which the apparatus 9 is on a level with the receiver opening of the belts 7 and near the root ends of the reeds and the other apparatus 10 is in a more recessed position in the direction of motion of the reeds and placed above apparatus 9. It is thereby achieved that during the forced advancing of the reeds 6 by the conveying belts 4, 4' towards the belts 7, portions of reeds are accumulated in front of these, which portions concurrently with the function of the binding apparatus 9 and the stepwise motion of the belts 7, are pressed in between the belts 7 as bundles of reeds 11, which by the binding apparatus 9 are tied up with a string 9a near the end of the root. The introduction in portions of the reeds is supported by the arm 8 which is moved concurrently with the belts 7. The bundles 11 are moved forwards stepwise gripped between the belts 7 in the direction of arrow 12. After one or several steps of motion the other binding apparatus 10 ties up the bundle at lOa. A separating mechanism includes an arm 15, which is introduced transversally between the reeds whereby it defines the first bundle of reeds 11 tied up by the binding apparatus 9 which can be carried on concurrently with the stepwise movement of the belts 7 to the second binding apparatus 10. During the movement from the first binding apparatus to the other in the direction 12, the arm can at the same time move up on a level with the other binding apparatus 10. All the reeds which have been tied up by the first binding apparatus 9 and only these reeds will, therefore, be pressed against the other binding apparatus 10 by the arm, and will consequently also be comprised by the second tieing-up at 10a. Before the return of the arm 15 to the initial position at the first binding apparatus 9 it is led out of the path of advance of the bundles. Before the ready reed bundles 11 leave the belts 7, the root ends of the reeds 11 pass one or several disks 19 which are rotatable about horizontal axes 191 parallel to the belts 7 and near the root end of the bundles (Figure 1); resilient or flexible fingers 20 are attached to said disks and are able to disentangle bent or broken reeds from the bundles 11. The root ends of the bundles 11 are suitably tied pass a cutting mechanism 17 with two sets of knife blades, which work opposite each other and by a guide mechanism 18 is pushed in transversally to the guide path of the bundles. The cutting mechanism hereby cuts the bundles clean of frayed and broken root pieces. The cutting height, i.e. the height of the cutters in relation to the plate 2 is adjustable so that a larger or smaller part of the root ends can be cut off. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. Apparatus of the kind set forth wherein the separating mechanism includes at least one arm that is introduced into a position behind a bundle at one binding apparatus and moved with the bundle to the other binding apparatus and from there is led out of the path of advance of the stem parts in order to return to the same said position behind the following bundle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein it includes one or more resilient or flexible fingers which are rotatable about a horizontal axis that is parallel to the said path of advance of the stems and near the root end of the bundles.

3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 including a cutting mechanism placed under the said conveying arrangements and which is transverse to or transversally pushable through the path of advance of the reed bundles the said cutting mechanism having two sets of knife blades, which work opposite each other.

4. Apparatus for the bundling of reeds for thatching, long straws, hemp, flax and like oblong parts of stems, the apparatus being constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to, and as shown in, the figures of the accompanying drawings.