GB2047194A - Luggage strapping apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

In the weighing machine 2 of an airport check-in station 1 strapping apparatus 5 is provided to enable luggage to be strapped to protect it against bursting and interference. The apparatus 5 includes a strapping head (not shown) disposed below a gap 8 across the platform 3 of the weighing machine and means for feeding a length of strapping up a feed track 11 until a portion 14 hangs out of its upper end. The operator takes the end portion 14, passes it through the handle of the suitcase and inserts it in a re-entry chute 12 where there is means for detecting the presence of the strap and rollers for drawing it in and feeding it back to jointing means below the platform. The strapping is then pulled tightly around the suitcase, its ends joined together and the loop cut free from the strapping supply. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Luggage strapping apparatus This invention relates to apparatus for strapping luggage, which is particularly, though not exclusively, suitable for use in airports.

it is desirable that passengers' luggage should be secured during transit, and especially when it is not under the control and supervision of the owner, firstly for security reasons to discourage interference with and pilfering from luggage and in a way which will indicate when interference has occurred and secondly prevent a piece of luggage from bursting open during handling Package strapping equipment in which overlapping ends of a loop of strapping passed round the luggage are permanently secured together by jointing apparatus offers protection of this nature. Plastics strapping is particularly suitable because it is flexible, is unlikely to damage the luggage to which it is applied and when no longer required can easily be removed by the owner without the need for special cutting equipment such as metal shears.Such equipment has been made available at airports for the use of passengers, but the strapping of luggage is left to passengers' discretion and not many take advantage of it.

It is an object of the present invention to provide more convenient means for applying strapping to luggage and so encourage its use.

The present invention in its broadest aspect consists in a luggage weighing machine including strapping apparatus.

In airport use the strapping apparatus would be included in the luggage weighing machine at the passenger check-in points. The ready availability of the strapping apparatus would at least encourage its use and as it would be under the control of airway employees its use could be made compulsory and this ruse should be enforceable.

Atrack is preferably provided for forming the part of a loop of strapping to go under the piece of luggag-? and bring the free end of the strapping to a position convenient for the operator to take and pass it over the top or through the handle or handles of a piece of luggage and insert it into a re-entry chute to enable the apparatus to complete, tension and join the ends of the loop.

Means may be provided for detecting the insertion of the free end of the strapping in the re-entry chute to initiate the remainder of the cycle of operations of completing, tensioning and joining the ends of the loop.

The means for forming the joint may be disposed in or close to the region of the weighing machine platform on which the luggage is stood to be weighed. The jointing means may be carried by the platform or be independently mounted in the weighing machine. A gap across the platform is necessary to allow the strapping to pass through the platform and be drawn into engagement with the piece of luggage during tensioning. The platform may form part of a roller conveyor which may further be power-driven for moving the luggage on.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of an airport checking station with a luggage weighing machine including strapping apparatus according to the invention.

Figure2 is a part elevation and Figure 3 is a plan of the station of Figure 1.

Figures 4 to 7 are diagrammatic elevations of the luggage weighing machine and strapping apparatus included in the previous figures and representing succesive stages in the operation of the strapping apparatus.

The check-in station shown in Figures 1 to 3 comprises a desk 1 and weighing machine 2 which has a luggage supporting platform 3 provided with power-driven rollers 4 and including strapping apparatus 5. A short belt conveyor 6 leads from the end of the roller conveyor formed by the rollers 4 to a main belt conveyor 7 for taking luggage on to the baggage handling department.

The weighing machine 2 has next to the desk 1 a scale on which the weight of the luggage can be read. There is a gap 8 across the platform 3 and below the gap is a jointing head (not shown) of the strapping apparatus 5. The gap 8 is extended on each side of the platform 3 by openings 9 in a casing 10 of the weighing machine 2. At the outer side of the casing 10 and in line with the end of the adjacent opening 9 is an upright strap feed track 11 of inverted J-shape. At the side of the casing 10 nearest the desk 1 is an upright strip re-entry chute 12 which is not as high as the strap feed track 11.

The strapping apparatus uses plastics strapping drawn from a supply reel 13 (Figure 2) housed inside the desk 1 by feed mechanism (not shown) of the strapping apparatus and disposed adjacent the jointing head under the platform 3. The feed mechanism pushes strapping up the strap feed track 11 until a portion 14 long enough for the operator to grasp hangs out of the upper end of the strap feed track as shown in Figures 1 and 4. The feed mechanism then stops. The strap feed track 11 and the re-entry chute 12 have walls on the sides facing the luggage which are cdnstructed to retain the strapping for feed purposes but to allow the strapping to be pulled laterally out of the track 11 and chute 12.

After weighing the luggage the operator takes the end portion 14, passes it through the handle of the piece of luggage and inserts it into the upper end of the re-entry chute (Figure 5). Within the upper end of the re-entry chute 12 are rollers (not shown) and means for detecting the insertion of the end of strapping so that the rollers are driven and pull the strapping further into the chute 12 (Figure 6) until it reaches the jointing head. As indicated in Figure 5 and 6 these operations cause the length of strapping contained by the strap feed track 11 to be pulled laterally from the track 11.

Means, such as a switch (not shown), is provided which is actuated by the arrival of the strapping at the jointing head and causes the end of the loop of strapping to be gripped and the initiating of the further operation of the strapping apparatus to tighten the loop of strapping around the piece of luggage, join its ends and cut the completed loop from the strapping supply. The plastics strapping used is thermo-plastic material and the jointing head welds together the overlapping ends of the strapping by friction, externally applied heat or ultrasonic means.

When the luggage has been strapped, the strapping apparatus feeds a fresh length of strapping into the strap feed track 11 and stops. The operator actuates the platform rollers 4 and short conveyor 6 to send the luggage on towards the main conveyor 7. The weighing machine and strapping apparatus is then ready to deal with another piece of luggage (Figure 7).

Claims (13)

1. In a luggage weighing machine apparatus for strapping the luggage.

2. Strapping apparatus according to claim 1 wherein a track is provided for passing strapping under the luggage to form part of a loop of strapping around the luggage.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the track is arranged to bring the free end of the strapping to a position convenient for the operator to take and pass it over the top or through a handle or handles of the luggage before the loop of strapping is secured by the apparatus.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 which includes a re-entry device to receive the free end of the loop of strapping to enble the apparatus to complete and tension the loop and join the ends thereof.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein means is provided for detecting the insertion of the free end of the loop of strapping into the re-entry device to initiate the remainder of the cycle of operations of completing and tensioning the loop and joining the ends thereof.

6. Apparatus according to any preceding claim which is operative to strap the luggage while that luggage is on the platform of the weighing machine.

7. Apparatus according to any one of preceding claims 1 to 6 wherein means for forming the joint is disposed in or close to the region of the weighing machine platform.

8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or claim 7 wherein a gap across the platform is provided to allow strapping to be drawn into engagement with the piece of luggage.

9. In a luggage weighing machine apparatus for strapping the luggage substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

10. A method of processing luggage for transport comprising the steps of weighing the luggage and while the luggage is at the weighing station, securing it against bursting and/or interference by means of a band of strapping.

11. A method of processing luggagefortransport according to claim 10 wherein the luggage is secured by the band of strapping while the luggage is on the platform of a machine for weighing the luggage.

12. A piece of luggage strapped by the apparatus or processed by the method of any of the preceding claims.

13. An airport check-in station including a weighing machine and apparatus according to any one of preceding claims 1 to 9.