GB1588480A - Packaging machines - Google Patents

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO PACKAGING MACHINES (71) We, H. F. HANSCOM & COMPANY, INC. a corporation of the State of Rhode Island, located and doing business at 225 Chapman Street, Providence, Rhode Island 02905, United States of America, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement This invention relates to a packaging machine having a mechanism for engaging a package during wrapping or tying of the same.

The invention is particularly, but not exclusively, applicable to an apparatus for compressing and holding a hank of flexible material such as insulated wire or cable during fastening after transfer of the hank from a previous winding station.

Two basic approaches have been used in the past to obtain high production rates in the commerical hanking and packaging of precut lengths of insulated wire and other relatively flexible materials. The first involves a multi-station turret type of machine which is loaded and performs a winding operation at one station (or between the first and second station), a fastening operation at a second station and ejection of the finished package at a third station. In this technique, several winding heads are mounted on a rotatable turret. The turret indexes and stops at each station, dwelling long enough to allow an already wound and fastened package to be ejected at the third station while another wound cord is fastened at the second station and a fresh cord is being loaded and wound at the first station.It is apparent that this technique allows various operations to be performed simultaneously on different cords at different stations, thereby yielding maximum production rates.

The second approach to obtain optimum production rates with a simpler and less expensive machine which is quickly adjustable to accommodate a very wide range of package configurations is detailed in Hanscom U.S. Patent 2,770,183 and British Patents Nos. 1,228,198; 1,221,251; and 1,165,318. In thsi technique, a single winding station and a single fastening station are affixed to a basic machine frame. An automatic hand is used to transfer the package from the winding to the fastening station which hand simply picks up the wound bundle, transfers and deposits it at the fastening station, and returns for the next transfer cycle. This approach obviously allows simultaneous loading and winding, transfer, fastening, and ejection operations and is therefore very efficient. The simplicity of the machine makes it relatively inexpensive and widely adjustable.

According to the present invention, there is provided a packaging machine comprising a mechanism for engaging a package during wrapping or tying of the same, the mechanism including a support for a package, package engaging means including at least one arm mounted for pivotal movement relative to said support between an initial position and a package engaging position and an actuating member coupled with the or each said arm via a resilient connection whereby by opera tion of said actuating member the or each said arm can be swung into engagement with a package on said support ot grip the package between said support and said arm or arms via said resilient connection, and means for wrapping or tying a package when the latter is engaged by the arm or arms.

An embodiment of the invention is described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a machine embodying the invention showing a package being transferred to a binding position; Figure 2 is a similar view showing the position after transfer of the package to the binding position and with the mechanism holding the package to be bound; Figure 3 is a side elevation view of part of the machine, with the hold-down mechanism in a raised position; Figure 4 is a side elevation view looking from the opposite side from Figure 3, of the part of the machine shown in Figure 3, and showing the hold-down mechanism in a lowered position; and Figure 5 is a plan view from above of the part of the machine shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Referring to Figures 3 and 4, reference numeral 10 designates the base of the mechanism from which there arises an upright stand which is shown as comprising two parts 11 and 12 welded to the base 10 and joined together by a plate 13 at their upper ends.

Package engaging means designated generally 15, comprises a pair of similar hold-down arms 16, 161 generally parallel with each other and fixed upon a common rotatable shaft 17 which extends horizontally through and is journalled in upright stand 12, the arms 16, 161 being spaced from each other in the longitudinal direction of shaft 17 so as to be able to engage a package at spaced apart locations. The arms 16, 161 extend outwardly on one side of the stand 12 and can swing with shaft 17 about the axis of shaft 17. A cross brace 18, spaced from the shaft 17, supports the arms in this spaced relation as best shown in Figure 5. The hold down arms 16, 161 which extend on one side of the support 12 are fixed with respect to a second arm 19 (Figure 4) which is fixed on shaft 17 and extends downwardly and at an angle to the arms 16, 161 for a purpose to be described.

A bell crank lever designated generally 20 (see Figure 4) is mounted on a shaft 23 which extends through the upright stand portion 11 parallel with the shaft 17 and is rotatably journalled in stand portion 11. The bell crank lever 20 has legs 21 and 22. Leg 21 extends into a location beneath a vertically reciprocating actuating part 25 of the machine (see Figures 1, 2 and 4) the leg 21 carrying, on its free end, a roller 26 engageable by this part 25 whereby part 25 can swing the bell crank lever 20 about its pivot at axis defined by shaft 23.The bell crank lever arm 22 is resiliently connected to the second arm 19 by means of a rod 27 pivotally attached at 28 to the free end of the second arm 19 and which rod 27 is free to slide through a tube 29 pivotally attached at 30 to the leg 22, a coil compression spring 31 being inserted between the tube 29 and the base of rod 27 so that these two parts are resiliently connected and will allow some compression through the action of spring 31 as the bundle or package is engaged by spaced arms 16, 161. The leg 22 is also connected to the stand by a rod 35 pivotally attached at 36 to the leg 22 and which can slide through a tube 37 pivotally connected to the upright stand portion 12.

A compression spring 38 will permit the rod 35 to slide through the tube 37 against the action of the spring 38 and will force the leg 22 and the bell crank lever clockwise as viewed in Figure 4 to return to the raised position shown in Figure 3 if there is no pressure upon the roller 26 so that it may rise.

As will be appreciated from Figures 1 and 2, the apparatus includes a supporting surface or surfaces, not shown in Figures 3 to 5, and which engages or engage below a package to be engaged on its upper side by arms 16, 16l.

This supporting surface is normally disposed at a level intermediate the upper and lower ends of the stand 11, 12.

When the bell crank lever 20 is depressed by the vertically moving part 25, the lever 20 will be rocked clockwise in Figure 3 to bring the arms 16, 161 down against the package supported by said supporting surface and a latch 40 having a hook portion 41 and a bevelled end 42 will slide over a roller 43 on the end of the leg 22 and hold the bell crank lever 20 against pivoting counter-clockwise in Figure 4 and hold down the arms 16, 161 in their depressed position, while the package engaged is tied. A spring 44 (Figure 3) braces this latch 40 in its lower position but as the bell crank roller 43 engages the bevel 42 of the latch, the latch will lift and roller 43 will slide under and be hooked by the portion 41.Latch 40 is mounted on a shaft 45 extending parallel with shafts 17 and 23, through upright 12 from one side to the other of upright 12, the latch 10 being on one side of upright 12 whilst on the other side of the upright stand 12 an arm 46 is fixed to the shaft 45 and extends from the shaft substantially parallel with the latch 40. Arm 46 carries a roller 47 (Figures 3 and 5) at its end distant from its shaft 45 and the roller 47 co-operates with a face cam 48 on a horizontally rotating disc 49 which makes one revolution for each package engaged and which may be coupled to the drive of a tying mechanism.

By way of example, the tying mechanism may be of the kind disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 2,770,183 to Hanscom, in which case the cam 48 may be coupled to the shaft bearing the sprocket 46 visible in Figure 2 of U.S.

Patent Specification No. 2,770,183.

The cam 48 will swing the latch upwardly to release the latch once each revolution or once each completion of the tying of a package, thus permitting spring 38 to raise the bell crank lever 20 to a raised position and at the same time raise the hold-down arms 16, 16' through the resilient connection 27 to 31 to the raised position for the discharge of the completed package from the machine and the insertion of a newly wound package into the machine for tying.

Figures 1 and 2 illustrate the manner in which the hold-down arms can operate in conjunction with a mechanism which is available for hanking electric cords and the like. For example, if one tries to hank an S cord, that is an electrical cord which has two or three conductors and an outer jacket consisting of a rather stiff neoprene sleeve, the entire cord is one which is stiff and does not lend itself well to being wrapped with an automatic tying machine. For example, as seen in Figure 1, the transfer arm is bringing a hanked electrical cord from a previous winding operation by way of gripping fingers over into a tying station which is generally indicated by the numeral 60. In Figure 2 the electrical cord has been lowered between guides at the tying station and the arms 16, 161 have been lowered to engage the cord set, compress it and hold it down against the support surface.As previously explained, the arms will hold the cord set or other bundle against the support with automatic adjustment for the size of the bundle, inasmuch as the spring 31 will take up the differential and urge the arms 16, 161 downward by sufficient to compress the bundle so that the tying echanism can tie the bundle.

As indicated above, the tying mechanism may be of the kind disclosed in U.S. Patent Specification No. 2,770,183, and may thus comprise two jaws such as indicated at 110 and 111 in U.S. Patent Specification No.

2,770,183 extendable from a position below said support surface, upwardly, through a hole in said support surface, on either side of the bundle to be tied, to project, at their upper ends above the level of the bundle, so that a binding strip, such as indicated at 5 in said U.S. specification, can be extended between said jaws above the bundle, to be drawn down around and under the bundle by the jaws and subsequently have its ends twisted to fasten the tie, all as disclosed in said U.S. specification.

After tying the cord set, or the like, the arms 16, 161 compressing the cord set will release the package and an ejector, (not shown), at the wrapping station 60 will push the packaged cord set out of position into a receptacle (not shown).

WHAT WE CLAIM IS 1. A packaging machine comprising a mechanism for engaging a package during wrapping or tying of the same, the mechanism including a support for a package, package engaging means including at east one arm mounted for pivotal movement relative to said support between an initial position and a package engaging position and an actuating member coupled with the or each said arm via a resilient connection, whereby by operation of said actuating member the or each said arm can be swung into engagement with a package on said support to grip the package between said support and said arm or arms via said resilient connection, and means for wrapping or tying a package when the latter is engaged by the arm or arms.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said package engaging means in cludes a pair of said arms so arranged as to engage said package at spaced apart points of engagement in the package engaging position.

3. A machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said support comprises an upright stand, and including a second arm fixed with respect to the first mentioned arm or arms to pivot therewith, a bell crank lever pivoted on said stand on an axis spaced from the pivotal axis of said first mentioned arm or arms, resilient means extending from said second arm to one of the legs of the bell crank lever, the other leg of the bell crank lever being engageable to swing it and move said second arm and the package engaging means into engagement with a package, catch means being provided to hold said lever in the said package engaging position, and means actuatable to release said catch means from said bell crank lever and means for returning said bell crank lever to its initial position.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said catch means is resiliently urged into its position holding saie bell crank lever in a package engaging position.

5. A machine according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said means for returning said bell crank lever to its initial position is also arranged to return the first mentioned arm or arms to their intial position.

6. A machine according to claim 5, wherein said means for returning said bell crank lever to its initial position is arranged to return the first mentioned arm or arms to the position thereof through the resilient connection of said second arm and one of the said legs.

7. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said means for wrapping or tying a package is operated in synchronism with said arm or arms.

8. A machine according to claim 7 including transfer means adapted to grip a hank of flexible material constituting a said package and formed at a hank forming station, the transfer means being operable to transfer the hank to said support for engagement by said arm or arms, said transfer means being operable in synchronism with said arm or arms.

9. A packaging machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. automatic tying machine. For example, as seen in Figure 1, the transfer arm is bringing a hanked electrical cord from a previous winding operation by way of gripping fingers over into a tying station which is generally indicated by the numeral 60. In Figure 2 the electrical cord has been lowered between guides at the tying station and the arms 16, 161 have been lowered to engage the cord set, compress it and hold it down against the support surface. As previously explained, the arms will hold the cord set or other bundle against the support with automatic adjustment for the size of the bundle, inasmuch as the spring 31 will take up the differential and urge the arms 16, 161 downward by sufficient to compress the bundle so that the tying echanism can tie the bundle. As indicated above, the tying mechanism may be of the kind disclosed in U.S. Patent Specification No. 2,770,183, and may thus comprise two jaws such as indicated at 110 and 111 in U.S. Patent Specification No. 2,770,183 extendable from a position below said support surface, upwardly, through a hole in said support surface, on either side of the bundle to be tied, to project, at their upper ends above the level of the bundle, so that a binding strip, such as indicated at 5 in said U.S. specification, can be extended between said jaws above the bundle, to be drawn down around and under the bundle by the jaws and subsequently have its ends twisted to fasten the tie, all as disclosed in said U.S. specification. After tying the cord set, or the like, the arms 16, 161 compressing the cord set will release the package and an ejector, (not shown), at the wrapping station 60 will push the packaged cord set out of position into a receptacle (not shown). WHAT WE CLAIM IS

1. A packaging machine comprising a mechanism for engaging a package during wrapping or tying of the same, the mechanism including a support for a package, package engaging means including at east one arm mounted for pivotal movement relative to said support between an initial position and a package engaging position and an actuating member coupled with the or each said arm via a resilient connection, whereby by operation of said actuating member the or each said arm can be swung into engagement with a package on said support to grip the package between said support and said arm or arms via said resilient connection, and means for wrapping or tying a package when the latter is engaged by the arm or arms.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said package engaging means in cludes a pair of said arms so arranged as to engage said package at spaced apart points of engagement in the package engaging position.

3. A machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said support comprises an upright stand, and including a second arm fixed with respect to the first mentioned arm or arms to pivot therewith, a bell crank lever pivoted on said stand on an axis spaced from the pivotal axis of said first mentioned arm or arms, resilient means extending from said second arm to one of the legs of the bell crank lever, the other leg of the bell crank lever being engageable to swing it and move said second arm and the package engaging means into engagement with a package, catch means being provided to hold said lever in the said package engaging position, and means actuatable to release said catch means from said bell crank lever and means for returning said bell crank lever to its initial position.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said catch means is resiliently urged into its position holding saie bell crank lever in a package engaging position.

5. A machine according to claim 3 or claim 4, wherein said means for returning said bell crank lever to its initial position is also arranged to return the first mentioned arm or arms to their intial position.

6. A machine according to claim 5, wherein said means for returning said bell crank lever to its initial position is arranged to return the first mentioned arm or arms to the position thereof through the resilient connection of said second arm and one of the said legs.

7. A machine according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said means for wrapping or tying a package is operated in synchronism with said arm or arms.

8. A machine according to claim 7 including transfer means adapted to grip a hank of flexible material constituting a said package and formed at a hank forming station, the transfer means being operable to transfer the hank to said support for engagement by said arm or arms, said transfer means being operable in synchronism with said arm or arms.

9. A packaging machine substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawings.