US2066971A

US2066971A - Machine for bundling stacks of rings

Info

Publication number: US2066971A
Application number: US663042A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gora Henry
Original assignee: JENKINS BROS
Current assignee: JENKINS BROS
Priority date: 1933-03-27
Filing date: 1933-03-27
Publication date: 1937-01-05
Anticipated expiration: 1954-01-05

Description

Jan. 5, 1937. u GQRA 2,066,971

MACHINE FORYBUNDLING STACKS OF RINGS Filed March 27, 1955 a Sheets-Sheet 1 TTORNEYS Jan. 5, 1931. H. GORA 2,066,971

' MACHINE FOR BUNDLING STACKS OF RINGS Filed March 27, 1933 a Sheets-Sheet 2 7270 !NVENTOR K .Hw @fll.

ATTORNEYS Jan. 5,1193% H. GORA MACHINE FOR BUNDLING STACKS OF RINGS 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 27, 1933 INVENTOR flew-g7 -om ATTORNEYS Jali. 5, 1937. r RA 2,066,971 MACHINE FOR-BUNDLING STACKS OF RI NGS Filed Marh 27, 1933 .8 Sheets-Sheet 5 avg I .1

III!

ATTORNEYS HLGORA I MACHINE vFOR BUNDLING STACKS 013' RINGS Jan. 5, 193 7.

Fil d March 27, 1933 a Sheets-Skeet 7 INVENTOR Jae my Qora EZA'ITORNEYS'W Jan. 5, 1937. v GORA 2,066,971

MACHINE FOR BUNDLING STACKS OF RINGS Filed March 27, 1933 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 y u I I 5.9 I I P I. HIIIHIIHI llll l lilll lllll mun e ATI'ORNEYS patented jan. 5 1937 PATENT OFFICE 2,066,971 MACHINE FOR. BUNDLING sTAoKs F RING Henry Gora, Bridgeport, 00:111., assignor to Jenkins Bros., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New Jersey Application March 27,

24 Claims.

The invention relates to improvements in machines for bundling or clipping stacks of superposed articles, such as rings, by wrapping or bending strip binding material about the stacks, the machine including a magazine feed for segregating the articles into stacks containing a predetermined number and delivering the stacks to a holder, means for feeding the strip binding mama terial to position for application to the stacks and coordinated means for clamping thestacks in the holder and for bending the strip binding material about the clamped stacks, as fully shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Fig. 1 is a side elevation, of the machine.

Fig. 2'is a, front elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan view."

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on line 4-4 of Fi 3.

Fig. 4a is an enlarged section on line la -4a of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a partial plan and horizontal section of the conveyer and the strip applying means.

Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing the conveyer and one of the clip applying slides.

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are detail views of a slide, with one-half removed, showing successive positions of the bending or clipping means.

Fig. 11 is an enlarged plan view of one of the subsidiary slides.

Fig. 12 is an-elevation thereof.

Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional detail of the stripfeed and crimping device.

Fig. 14 is a section online I l-I4 of Fig. 13.

Figs. 15 and 16 are perspective views of the knives.

Fig. 17 is a section on line II-I1 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 18 is a section on line IB-IB of Fig. 12.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged plan View of the magazine, stack former and feeder in its association with the conveyer.

Fig. 20 is a section on line 20-20 of Fig. 19.

Fig. 21 is an elevational detail of the rock lever.

Fig. 22 is a section on line 22--22 of Fig. 20.

Fig. 23 is a section on line 23-23 of Fig. 20.

Fig. 24 is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the magazine.

Fig. 25 is a fragmentary elevation of the magazine.

Fig. 26 is an elevation of one of the elements of the stack former.

Fig. 27 is a detail of one of the stack forming fingers.

1933, Serial No. 663,042

Fig. 28 is a plan view of a clipped or bundled stack of rings.

Fig. 29 is a side elevation thereof. As exemplified in the accompanying drawings,

the machine is designed to segregate and feed 5 stacks of jar rings, each stack containing twelve rings, to an intermittently moving conveyer made up of receptacles to hold a unit stack and present the stacks successively to means for feeding the strip binding material thereto, means for severing the binding material into predetermined lengths, means for clamping each stack in its receptacle, so that the stacks will be of substantially uniform thickness, and means for folding or bending the binding strip about the'stacks, so that the latter will be delivered from the machine as unit bundles to facilitate distribution to ultimate users or purchasers.

Referring to the drawings, I indicates the frame of the machine, which may be conveniently constructed of angle bars, thetop of the frame being provided with two parallel

longitudinal stringers

2, 2 connected at intervals by cross pieces which carry the

longitudinal rails

3, 3, which serve as guides for the conveyer mechanism.

Journaled in bearings 9 secured to the tops of the

stringers

2, 2 is a shaft 8. to which are keyed sprocket wheels I, I, which serve to drive the conveyer I ii, and secured to the forward ends of the

stringers

2, 2 are

bearings

6, 6 to which is secured a stationary shaft 5, upon which are mounted spaced disks 4, t about the peripheral edges of which the conveyer II] is guided. The conveyer or carrier I0 comprises a series of links II each having parallel tongues I2 on its ends adapted to intermesh with coordinate tongues on the adjacent links, the intermeshing tongues being provided with registering openings which are engaged by pintles I3 on the ends of which are journaled rollers I4 which engage the tracks 3, sprocket wheels I, I and guide disks 4, 4, respectively. Any slackness in the endless conveyer may be taken up by adjusting the

bearings

6, 6.

Each of the links of the endless conveyer is fashioned to constitute a receptacle or holder for a stack of superposed rings, each stack containing twelve rings, and to present each stack in proper relation to means for clamping the stack in position in its receptacle, reducing it to substantially uniform thickness and to other mechanism which will be effective in bending or clipping lengths of strip binding materialabout the stack to form the same into a unitary bundle capable of being freely handled. As indicated, there is formed in the body portion of each link a generally annular recess l5, somewhat larger than the rings to be bundled, which recess is defined by a central core !5, the sides of the link and the core being provided with diametrically opposite generally rectangular recesses ll, which constitute openings through which the strip binding material may be passed freely during the clipping operation, as will be hereinafter explained.

Stack forming mechanism The machine is designed to operate upon stacks of superposed rings, each stack preferably containing twelve rings and, in order to automatically supply stacks of the requisite number to each of the ring receptacles of the conveyer, the machine is provided with a novel form of magazine and stack forming device, which is illustrated in detail in Figs. 19 to 27, inclusive. The magazine comprises a skeletonized generally cylindrical casing 44 adapted to receive a relatively large number of rings, said casing being mounted in axial alignment with a cylindrical member 42, which is formed as an integral part of a yoke-like casting ll which is pivoted to brackets 40 mounted on one of the cross bars of the machine, so that the lower end of the cylindrical casing 42 will be in vertical alignment with the annular recess in each link of the conveyer chain, as the latter is intermittently halted in the operation of the machine. In order to accurately adjust and level the magazine, set screws 4! carried by brackets 40' are adapted to engage the lower face of the casting 4 I. It will be noted that the entire magazine may be swung to the left, as shown in Fig. l, to permit the clearing of any rings that may jam in the machine during the operation thereof. Under ordinary service conditions, however, the magazine will be maintained in vertical relation, so that the rings stored therein will feed downward by gravity.

Secured to the lower part of the magazine section 44 by lugs 45 and bolts 41 is a ring 45, from which is suspended the means for segregating the stacks of rings and delivering the stacks successively to the receptacles in the links of the conveyer chain. This stack forming mechanism includes an upper ring member 49 provided with recesses 50 in its lower face, an intermediate ring 5| and a lower ring 59, which is provided with recesses 60 in its upper face, which, in other respects, is a duplicate of ring 49. These ring members are secured together and to the ring 45 carried by the lower end of the magazine 44 by bolts 48. The intermediate ring 5! is provided with two sets of four

pins

52 and 62, respectively, the pins 52 projecting from the upper surface thereof and the pins 62 projecting from the lower surface of said ring. Pivoted to each of the pins 52 for swinging movement within the recesses 53 are separator fingers 53, which are generally shaped like a bell crank, each having a slotted or clevised outer end 55 and a thin blade-like portion 54 on its inner face, each of the blade-like members being adapted to operate in one of four vertical slots 43 formed in the tubular section Q2 of the magazine. Similar but reversely disposed separator fingers 53 are mounted on the pins 52 for pivotal movement within the slotted portions 60 of the lower ring 59, each of said elements 53 being provided with a slotted outer end 55 and knife-like inner end 64, which are also adapted to be moved into and out of registry with the slots 43 in the member 42. The intermediate ring 5! is of less external diameter than the upper and

lower rings

49 and 59 and disposed in the annular space formed by the assembled rings is an outer ring 10, which is provided with four pins H on its upper face engaging the slotted r clevised ends of the separator fingers 53 and four pins 72 projecting from its lower face engaging the corresponding slotted ends 55 of the separator fingers 53, so that, when the ring 70 is oscillated, one set of separator fingers will be moved to project the knife-like ends thereof through the slots 43 in the lower part of the magazine into the path of movement of the rings in the magazine, while the other set of separator fingers will be retracted; therefore, for each complete oscillation of the outer ring 10, a stack of twelve rings will be segregated from the rings in the upper part of the magazine by the upper set of separator fingers 53, while the previously separated stack of twelve rings will be released by the lower set of separator fingers 53 and dropped into the registering receptacle in the conveyer chain, as indicated in Fig. 20. The necessary oscillatory motion of the outer ring 70 is effected by means of a rock lever pivoted to a yoke 16, which is secured to one end of the casting 41, said rock lever comprising an arm 86 connected to a hub 85 by studs 81 and locked in position by a screw 88, engaging a threaded socket in a stud 11 secured to the bracket 16, and an arm 18 secured to the hub 85 and provided at its lower end with a longitudinal bore engaged by pin 80 secured to a clevis 19, which engages pins 82 carried by a pintle 8| secured in the periphery of the ring 70. The arm 86 has mounted on its outer end a roller 89 adapted to be engaged in a groove in one of the cams which operates the clipping mechanism to be hereinafter explained. Ring is anchored to member 42 of the magazine by a set screw l5, which is ap plied to or removed from its locking relation through an enlarged opening 14 in ring 10, as shown in Figs. 22 and 25.

Conveyer drive The movement of the conveyer is intermittent to permit each link to be arrested with the re ceptacle therein in alignment with the discharge end of the magazine to permit the stack of rings to be delivered from the latter into said receptacle. The intermittent movement of the conveyer is eifected by the following mechanism: An electric motor 20, mounted on the frame, is connected by shaft 20 with a set of reducing gears of any appropriate type, mounted in casing 2|, which reducing gears are adapted to be connected by a clutch to a sprocket wheel 23, which is connected by a sprocket chain 24 with a sprocket wheel 25 on shaft 26 journaled in bearings I03 mounted on the

stringers

2, 2. Fast to the shaft 26 is the driving disk or plate 21 forming part of a Geneva gear, said disk having mounted on its face a pin and roller 28, which is adapted to impart partial rotations to the cooperating Geneva gear member 30 by successively engaging the radial slots therein in the manner and form characteristic of this type of gear. Also connected to the plate 21 is a segmental boss 29, which serves to lock the member 30 against rotation, after the pin 28 has passed out of engagement with any slot in the member 30. Said member 30 is secured to shaft 8 upon which the sprocket wheels 1 driving the conveyer ID are secured, as hereinbefore explained. The Geneva gear, as described, is effective to move the conveyer a distance equal to the length of one of the conveyer links and then to arrest the movement of the conveyer until the pin 28 on the driving plate or disk 21 engages the next succeeding slot in the member The operation of the Geneva gear brings each link in the conveyer into' alignment with the lower end of the magazine 44 to receive a stack of rings and advances the preceding link containing a stack of rings to the next position of rest, where the stack is operated upon by certain means for clamping the stack and other means for clipping strip binding material about the stack to form the latter into a unitary bundle, as will be hereinafter explained.

Binder strip feeding means In the preferred form of the machine, the strip material, comprising a flexible metal band or ribbon which is capable of being readily bent and will retain the form to which it is bent, is supplied to the machine in the form of rolls or coils carried by reels or spools I I I disposed on opposite sides of the machine frame and carried by stub shafts IIO, the hub of each spool being engaged by a'friction braking device IIO, which may be adjusted to prevent the free rotation of the spools, but will admit of the latter turning upon the application of a pull to the, strip material carried thereby. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each strip of binding material H2 is led from its spool under a guide pulley II4 mounted on the lower part of the machine frame, thence over and under the rollers of a tensioning device II3, over a final guide roller I I5 mounted on the inside of the machine frame, through an adjustable guide I50 secured to a housing I20, which is formed as an extension of a central table or cross plate 2 on the top of the machine frame. From the guide I50, the strip passes between feed rolls, thence through a final guide I5I through an opening in the cross plate 2, to a position adjacent one of the lateral openings I1 in a link of the conveyer chain. There are two sets of feed rolls, one pair for each strip of binding material, and one set is shown in detail in Fig. 13, and the mechanism for operating both sets is indicated in Fig. 6. Shafts I30 and MI, journaled in housing I20, carry'rolls I43 and I42, respectively, shaft I4I being mounted in an adjustable bearing I4I', which is engaged by a spring I45 carried by set screw I44, by means of which the pressure exerted by the feed rolls on the binding strip may be regulated and which permits roll I42 to yield under abnormal pressure, such as would be exerted when one of the rolls'is provided with indicia on its face to be embossed'on the strip material as an identifying mark for the rings. The other pair of feed rolls is carried by shafts I35 and I31, the latter being journaled in an adjustable bearing I41 engaged by spring I49 carried by set screw I48, similar in all respects to the corresponding elements of the other pair of rolls.

Intermittent movement is imparted to the two sets of feed rolls to advance predetermined lengths of the strip binder material between shearing knives and in position to be bent or folded about a stack of rings. A countershaft 9 I, journaled in bearings mounted on the

stringers

2, 2, has secured thereto a second element 90 of a Geneva gear, similar to element 30 hereinbefore described, and which is intermittently actuated by the same driving disk or plate 21, the disposition and arrangement being such that, when element 30 is being rotated by driving disk 21, element 90 is :held in stationary or locked relation and vice versa. Keyed to the shaft 9 I is a bevel gear I24 meshing with a bevel pinion I23 on longitudinal shaft I2 I, which latter is journaled at one end in yoke I22 and near its other end in housing I20, this end of said shaft having keyed thereto gear I30 which is the first in a train of gears driving the two pairs of feed rolls, said gear I30 meshing with gear I3I, which engages pinion I34 on shaft I35 of one feed roll, said pinion meshing with pinion I36 on shaft I31 of the cooperating feed roll. GearI3I also drives gear I32, which drives pinion I38 on shaft I39 of feed roll I43, said pinion meshing with pinion I40 on shaft I4I of feed roll I42. The two pairs of feedrolls are thus actuated simultaneously to project equal lengths of the binder strips into position to be severed and to be applied to opposite sides of the stacks of rings, the movement of the feed rolls being effected during a period of rest of the feed chain or conveyer, so that the ends of the binder strips will be projected upwardly adjacent to and on opposite sides of a link of the conveyer chain, and in general parallelism with the lateral openings I1 in said link.

Cutting and clipping mechanism Extending from cross plate 2 are two bracketlike members I60, slotted longitudinally at their outer ends and provided with dovetailed guides I6I, which are engaged by cooperating grooves formed in the bottoms of the slides which carry the clamping and clipping mechanism, said grooves being faced with wear plates I62 which are adjusted by set screws I63. Each slide comprises two castings I54 and I65 locked together by cross bolts I66. The rear end of each slide is recessed, as indicated at Fig. 5, to permit the entrance of the periphery of an actuating cam I05. Mounted on a stud I68 on each of the slide members IE4 is a roller I61 which engages a groove I01 in one face of the corresponding disk I05, fashioned to advance and retract the cooperating slide with an intermittent dwell during substantially one-half revolution of the cam and to hold the slide stationary during the other half rotation. The member I65 of each slide is provided with a slot I69, extending from its outer end, forming a guide for an auxiliary slide I10, which carries a roller I1I journaled on stud I12 and engaging a cam groove I06 on the oppositeface of disk I05 tothat in which groove I01 is located, said groove I06 conforming to groove I01, except in the intermediate dwell portion of the latter, which, as shown in Figs. 6, 9 and 10, is substituted by a sharp reverse bend extending toward the periphery of the disk I05. This arrangement of the cam slots I06 and I01 in each disk I05 causes the main slide and the auxiliary slide to operate in unison, except during the dwell between the completion of the advance and the beginning of the retraction of the main slide, when the auxiliary slide is advanced and retracted independently of the main slide by this sharply curved portion of the cam groove I06, which independent movement of the auxiliary slide is effected to actuate the clipping means, which secures the binder strips about the stacks of rings.

Each auxiliary slide I10, as shown in detail in Figs. 11, 12, 17 and 18, carries a rack bar I having teeth on its upper and lower edges, the function of which is to operate the clipping fingers, the movement of which fingers should be accurately regulated and' adjusted, to which end the rack I80 is made adjustable longitudinally of the slide I10. The innerend of slide I10 is slotted to form guides for a block II5 to the face of which rack bar I is secured by screws IBI, said block having two spaced perforated lugs I'I6 on its rear face engaged by an adjusting screw I'I8 having a collar I'II secured thereto between the lugs I16, the threaded end of the screw engaging a screw threaded boss I19 on slide I10 and being provided with a lock nut I19 to hold the set screw I18 and the rack bar I86 in any position of adjustment.

Mounted in the recessed inner walls of the slide sections I64 and I65 are two gear trains I90, I9I and I92 and I90, I9I and I92, gears I90 and I90 engaging the teeth on the opposite edges of rack bar I80 and the gears I92 and I92 engaging,

- respectively, mutilated gears I93 and I93, which are also journaled in the side walls of sections I64 and I65, said mutilated gears having angular fingers I94 and I94 formed thereon, adapted to engage the strip binding material and crimp or bend the same about the stacks of rings, in the manner and form shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10.

In order to reduce the stacks of rings to uniform thickness, while the binder strips are being applied, each of the main slides, constituted by the half sections I64 and I65, is provided with two clamping dogs 200 pivoted on studs 20I mounted on the sides of the slide near the upper part of the forward edges thereof, each dog having substantially the form of a bell crank lever, one arm of which carries an adjustable set screw 204 adapted to engage the side walls of a link of the conveyor chain, when the main slide is advanced toward the conveyer, and rock the dog into engagement with the top of the stack of rings carried by said link. Each dog is normally swung into inoperative position by a spring 202 having one end secured to the dog by a cross pin and the other end attached to the stud on which the dog is pivoted. The retractile movement of each dog is limited by a stop pin thereon, which may be the pin by which the spring 202 is attached to the dog, said pin engaging the lower edge of a lug I95 projecting from the forward face of the main slide. These lugs I95 also constitute guides for the binding material, as the latter is fed to position for application, and are located in pairs at the top and bottom of the front faces of each of the main slides.

Secured in recesses in the cross plate 2' are fixed knives I96, one of which is shown in detail in Fig. 16, which cooperate with knives I96, one secured to the lower face of each main slide, each pair of knives cooperating to cut the section of strip binding material that has been fed to position in the front face of each slide, as indicated in Figs. 8 and 10. The detail of knife I96 is shown in Fig. 15.

As hereinbefore stated, the rings are fed from the magazine 44 into the receptacles in the individual links of the conveyer chain, in stacks of twelve, by the automatic segregating and feeding means described, and the latter means is preferably actuated by one of the cam disks I05, which, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, is provided on one face with an additional cam groove I08 engaged by the roller 89 on the end of rock lever 86, said groove being formed to impart properly timed swinging movements to said rock lever, which effects alternate advance and retractile movements of the sets of segregating

fingers

54 and 64, as hereinbefore described.

The cam disks I are secured to the ends of shafts I02, journaled in brackets I03 and I04 mounted on the

stringers

2, 2, each of said shafts having on its other end a bevel gear IOI, which meshes with a similar bevel gear I00, the latter being secured to the respective ends of cross shaft 26, which is constantly driven during the operation of the machine.

Disposed longitudinally of the machine is an endless belt conveyer 220 operating over pulleys 22I, 222, which latter is driven by belt 223 from a pulley 224 mounted on a cross shaft 26. The conveyer belt 220 is designed to receive the bundles of rings, as the latter are discharged from the conveyer I0, and to deliver the same into suitable receptacles or containers. In order to retain the bundled rings in the individual receptacles of the conveyer chain I0 until the links reach the position to discharge individual bundles onto the conveyer belt 220, there is provided a spring finger 240 which is conveniently attached to bracket I22, the lower portion of said finger engaging the top surfaces of the links II, as the latter pass successively around the sprocket wheels I, thereby preventing the clipped or bundled stacks dropping out of the links prematurely.

As stated, the operation of the machine is controlled by a clutch adapted to connect and disconnect the sprocket wheel 23 with the shaft of the reducing gearing in casing 2|, said clutch being operated by conventional linkage, such as 233 and 23I, and foot pedal 230.

Operation In the normal operation of the machine, the motor 20 drives the main shaft 26 continuously through reducing gearing in casing 2I and the chain and sprocket gearing 23, 24 and 25, and shaft 26 rotates driving disk 2'! and Geneva gearing and the cam disks I05 in unision and at the same speed. Member 30 of the Geneva gear operates the conveyer I0 intermittently, advancing the latter by an amount equal to the length of one link of the conveyer during part of each rotation of the shaft 26 and driving disk 21, and holding the conveyer stationary during the remainder of each rotation of said shaft 26, thereby moving the links and chain successively under the discharge end of the magazine 44. As each link is halted under the magazine, cam slot I08 in one of the cam disks I05 acuates rook lever 86, which moves ring II) of the stack segregating unit to retract fingers 64 from under a stack of rings in the lower part of the magazine, permitting the stack to drop into the annular receptacle I5 in the subjacent link of the conveyer, said ring I0 simultaneously projecting fingers 54 into the tier of rings in the magazine to support the tier of rings above the segregating unit. As the disk I05 continues its rotation, lever 86 is rocked in the opposite direction by the cam slot, thereby reversing the movement of ring 10, causing the latter to retract the upper set of fingers 54 of the stack segregating unit and project the lower set of fingers 64 into the path of movement of the rings in the magazine. As the distance between the two sets of

fingers

54 and 64, measured axially of the magazine, is equal to the height or thickness of a stack of rings to be bundled, each rota-- tion of shaft 26 and cam disk I05 will effect the delivery of one stack, in the present instance twelve rings, to the receptacle in the link of the the conveyer chain immediately blow the magazine. While one link of the conveyer chain is receiving a stack of rings, the preceding link, which has already received a stack, isat rest between the slides which effects the compression and clipping of the stack, as

shown in Figs. 5 and 6. After the conveyer, chain has been'halted, member 90 of the Geneva gear is given a partial rotation by pin 28 on the driving. disk 21, thereby operating the two pairs of feed rolls I42 and, I43 through shaft 9I, bevel gears I24, I23, gshaft I2I and the train of gears in the housing I20, each pair of feed rolls feeding a length of strip binding material II 2 upward through the guide I5I and opening in plate 2 inte position opposite one of the lateralopenings I! in the proximate link and immediately adjacent the portion of the'stack of rings exposed through said opening. Immediately following the feeding of the strip of binding material to position, the cam slots I06 and I01 in disks I05 move'the main slides andthe auxiliary slides carried therebyin unison toward the sides of the stationary link II containing the stack of rings to be-clipped or bundled. As the operation of these coordinated main. and auxiliary slides are the. same, the operation of one of them will be particularly described. The roller I5! carried by the main slide engages the cam slot I01 in disk I05 and, when the roll passes out of the portion of the cam slotconcentric with the axis of rotation of the cam, the main slide is moved forward until'the front end thereof engages the side of link II of the conveyer chain and assumes the position shown in Fig;" 6. Simultaneously, the

rollerI'II on the auxiliary slide II0 moves the" auxiliary slide withthe main slide, that is to say, the'mainand auxiliary slides are moved simultaneously to the same extent until theyattain the position-shown in Fig. 6. Dining the next partial rotationofcam disk I05, the inain slide remains stationary, as the roller I61 engages the outer concentric portion ofthe cam groove I01. As the main slide approaches the end of its movement toward the conveyer, the

set screws 204 carried by the clamping dogs 200 rock the latter on their pivots, causing the noses of the dogs to engage the top of the stack of rings ment, theknife I90 carried the'reby, in cooperation. with the stationary knife I96, seversl the portion of the binding-strip projectingabove' the .kniveSQsaid severed section being held in align- ,ment-betweenthe two setsof lugs I95 and I95 on the'forwardrf'ace of the slide. As soon as the f orward movement of the main slide ceases, the .roller IfII on theiauxiliaryslide I10 passes into the, sharply curvedsection of. camslot I06, thereby causing the auxiliary slide to move forward .independentlyof. the main slide, which forward movement. causesthe rack bar-I80 to actuate the two trai'nsgoflgearing journaled in the main slide,

which ieffect "a partial rotation of the clipping fingers I94 and I94 which latter engage the l upperand lower portions ofith e severed section ,of thebindingistrip-I mend bender fold the same over the top and; bottom of the I stack and-thence down and up against the inner surface of the stack,fin the manner. and. form particularly illus- I-trated in the;-,cornpletion of the clipping operation being effected when the roller I'II reaches-the high'pointin the cam slot I06. Im-

tra'cting the auxiliary slide 0 I I0, together withrack bar I80, which reverses the movement of the gear trains and swings the clipping fingers I94 and I94 backward into their retracted position. The further rotation of the cam disk I05 causes the rollers I61 and Ill to engagethe declining portions of the cam slots I01 and I06, respectively, thereby causing both the main and auxiliary slides to move backward together until the rollers aforesaid engage the inner concentric portions of the respective cam slots, when the motion of both slides is arrested. Immediately after the retractile movement of the slides has been completed, the pin 28 0n the driving disk 21 ofthe Geneva gear again engages element 30 of said gear to move the conveyer chain ahead the distance of another link and the series of operations hereinbefore described is repeated. The clipped or bundled stacks of rings are retained in the receptacles in the links until the links pass partially aroundthe sprocket wheels I and each link reaches the ultimate point of discharge immediately above the conveyer belt 220, the spring finger 240 engaging the stack in the partially inverted link, as indicated in Fig; 4, to prevent the premature discharge of the bundled stack.

From the foregoing description, it is apparent that the strip binding material is drawn off of the reels in accurately predetermined lengths by the feed rollers and any kinks or deformations of the strip material is ironed out by the guide rollers and the stationary guides through which it is led, sothat the proper length of smooth strip is ultimately presented to the clipping mechanism in position to be folded about the stack of superposed rings. If desired, the feed rolls may be provided with means for marking or impressing-indicia in the strip binding material, the latter being of a character to take and retain the impressions, and, while capable of being readily bent or folded about a stack are of a consistency to retain the form into which they are so bent or folded, thereby insuring the stability and compactness of the clipped bundle of superposed rings, which latter may be handled and distributed without impairing their integrity, but nevertheless permitting the individual bundles to be broken down by passing a thin bladed instrument between the binding clips and the stack and bending back one end of each binding strip to free the rings.

What I claim is:

1. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings comprising a' holder for a stack, means for feeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of rings to positions adjacent opposite sides of the stack, means for compressing the rings in a direction parallel to their axes, and means disposed on opposite sides of the stack for respectively bending the binding :material around the ends of the stack while the latter is subjected to the compressing means.

2. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising a holder for a stack,

means for feeding strip binding material to position adjacent the holder, and mechanism movable transversely of the axis of the stack involving means for severing a predetermined length of strip and means for bending the severed strip in opposite directions within the stack.

3. In a machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, the combination with a conveyer having unit receptacles for the stacks, of means for'feeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of rings to positions adjacent opposite sides of the stack, means-for compressing the rings in a direction parallel to their axes, t l? means for severing predetermined lengths of the strip material, and means disposed on opposite sides of the stack for respectively bending the severed lengths of strip material about the stack while the rings are compressed, each of said bending means including a pair of rigid fingerlike members respectively adapted to bend a sev-v ered length of strip material across the ends of the stack and in opposite directions Within the stack.

4. In a machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, the combination with a conveyer having unit receptacles for the stacks, of means for feeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of rings to a position adjacent the stack, a slide movable transversely of the axis of the stack, and mechanism mounted on said slide including means for compressing the rings in a direction parallel to their axes, means for severing a predetermined length of binding material, and means for bending the severed length of binding material about the stack while the latter is subjected to the compressing means.

5. In a machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, the combination with a conveyer having unit receptacles for the stacks, of means for feeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of rings to a position adjacent the stack, a slide movable transversely of the conveyer, and mechanism mounted on said slide including pivoted dogs movable into engagement with the receptacle containing the stack for compressing the rings in a direction parallel to their axes, means for severing a predtermined length of strip binding material, and means for bending the severed length of binding material about the stack while the latter is subjected to the compressing means.

6. In a machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, the combination with a conveyer having unit receptacles for the stacks, of means for feeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of rings to a position adjacent the stack, a slide movable transversely of the conveyer, and mechanism mounted on said slide including pivoted dogs for compressing the rings in a direction parallel to their axes, means for severing a predetermined length of binding material, and pivoted finger-like members for bending the severed length of binding material about the stack while the latter is subjected to the compressing means.

7. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising an intermittently movable conveyer having receptacles for stacks of rings, means for feeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of rings to position adjacent the stack and mechanism movable edgewise of the stack involving coordinated means for clamping the stack and for bending the binding material about the stack while the latter is subjected to the clamping means.

8. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising an intermittently movable conveyer having receptacles for stacks of rings, means for feeding strip binding material to position adjacent the stack, coordinated means for clamping the stack, and mechanism movable edgewise of the stack involving means for severing a predetermined length of said strip and for bending said severed length about the stack while the latter is subjected to the clamping means.

9. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising a conveyer having receptacles for unit stacks of rings, means for feeding strip binding material parallel to the axis of a stack of rings to present said material in an upright position adjacent the stack, clamping means for pressing each stack in its receptacle when the latter reaches the position in which the stack is to be bundled, means movable transversely of the axis of the stack for bending the binding material about the stack while the latter is subjected to the clamping means, and timed gearing for intermittently operating the conveyer, the strip feeding means, the clamping means and the strip bending means.

10. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising a chain conveyer having links each provided with a recess to receive a unit stack and lateral openings extending into the body of the link, means for presenting strips of binding material to the stacks in alignment with the lateral openings in the links, transversely moving main slides having means for clamping the stacks in the receptacles and for bending the binding material about the stacks, auxiliary slides carried by the main slides and having means for actuating the strip bending means carried by the main slides, and timed driving gearing for intermittently operating the conveyer, the strip presenting means and the slides.

11. A machine as described in claim 10, in which the main slides are provided with means for severing the presented binding material into predetermined lengths.

12. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising a holder to receive a unit stack, means for feeding strip binding material to position adjacent the stack, a main slide movable toward and from the holder and having means for clamping the stack in the holder and for bending the binding material about the stack, an auxiliary slide on the main slide having means for actuating the bending means carried by the main slide, and timed gearing for operating the strip feeding means and the main and auxiliary slides.

13. A machine as described in claim 12, in which the clamping means comprises dogs pivoted on the main slide and moved into clamping position by engagement with the stack holder.

14. A machine as described in claim 12, in which the bending means comprises angular fingers pivoted to the main slide and having gear teeth, and means for actuating said fingers includes gears on the main slide and a rack bar on the auxiliary slide for driving said gears.

15. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings, comprising an intermittently moving conveyer having spaced receptacles for holding unit stacks, feed rolls for delivering strip binding material in position to be applied to a stack in one position of rest of the conveyer, main slides on opposite sides of the conveyer movable toward and from the latter, dogs on the slides actuated by engagement with the receptacles for clamping the stacks in the receptacles, bending fingers on said slides for clipping the binding material about said stacks, auxiliary slides on the main slides carrying means for operating said fingers on the main slides, and timed gearing actuating the conveyer, feed rolls and the main and auxiliary slides.

16. A machine as described in claim 15, in which the main slides are provided with knives for severing predetermined lengths of binding material after the latter has been delivered by the feed rolls.

17. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings involving means for feeding strip binding material in a substantially vertical direction to present said material in an upright position adjacent a side of a stack in parallelism to the axis of the, stack, and means movable transversely of the axis of the stack for bending said material about the top and bottom of the stack- 7 and downwardly and upwardly within the stack.

18. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings involving means for feeding strip binding material in a substantially vertical direction to present said material in an upright position adjacent a side of a stack in parallelism to the axis of the stack, means for severing a predetermined length of said material while the latter is in an upright position, and means involving pivotally mounted members for bending said material around the ends of the stack and in opposite directions within the stack.

19. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed articles involving means for feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent a stack, means for severing a predetermined length of said strip material, and pivoted members respectively adapted to bend intermediate portions of the severed strip across the ends of the stack and to bend the respective end portions of the severed strip downwardly and upwardly along a side of the stack, each of said pivoted members having rigidly connected angularly disposed arms one of which is adapted to extend over the adjacent end of the stack in engagement with the severed strip and the other of which is adapted to overlap said side of the stack in engagement with the strip.

20. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed rings involving 'means for feeding strip binding material in a substantially vertical direction to present said material in an upright position adjacent a side of a stack, means for severing a predetermined length of said strip mate:- rial, and pivoted members respectively adapted to bend intermediate portions of the severed strip across the ends of the stack and to bend the respective end portions of the strip downwardly and upwardly within the stack of rings, each of said pivoted members having rigidly connected angularly disposed arms one of which is adapted to extend across the adjacent end of the stack in engagement with the severed strip and the other of which is adapted to extend within the stack in engagement with said strip.

21. A machine for bundling stacks or superposed articles involving means for feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent the stack, movable means for compressing the stack engageable with the top thereof, and mechanism movable edgewise of the stack for actuating said compressing means, said mechanism having means for bending said strip material about the stack while the latter is subjected tothe compressing means.

22. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed articles involving. means for feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent a stack, and a slidable member movable edgevvise of the stack, said member having movable means for clamping the stack engageable with the top thereof and also having means for bending the strip material about the stack while the latter is subjected to the clamping means.

23. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed articles involving means for feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent a stack, a slidable member movable edgewise of the stack having means; for bending said material about 7 the stack, and means for clamping the stack during operation of said bending means, said clamping means being engageable with the stack on opposite sides of said bending means.

24. A machine for bundling stacks of superposed articles involving means: for feeding strip binding material to a position adjacent a stack, and a slidable member movable edgewise of the stack having means for clamping the stack engageable with the top thereof, said member also having a pair of pivoted fingers for bending the strip material about the stack while the latter is subjected to said clamping means.

HENRY GOR