US2993332A

US2993332A - Evergreen roping machine

Info

Publication number: US2993332A
Application number: US21295A
Authority: US
Inventors: Unabelle H Hughes
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-07-27
Filing date: 1960-04-11
Publication date: 1961-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 1978-07-25

Description

July 25, 1961 u. H. HUGHES EVERGREEN ROPING MACHINE Original Filed July 27, 1959 zvtli Pi INVENTOR.

UNABELLE H. HUGHES ATTORNEYS 2,993,332 EVERGREEN ROPING MACHINE Unabelle H. Hughes, 444 Marion St., Pontiac, Mich. Driginal application July 27, 1959, Ser. No. 829,893. Divided and this application Apr. 11, 1960, Ser. No.

'7Claims. (Cl.573)

This invention relates to evergreen roping machines and refers more particularly to machines for continuously producing evergreen roping composed of a flexible linear member having evergreen boughs bound thereto by a wire or like element.

This application is a division of my co-pending application, Serial No. 829,893, filed July 27, 1959.

One object of the invention is to provide an evergreen roping machine having means for securely binding the evergreen boughs to a flexible linear member in a continuous manner as the flexible linear member is moved along a predetermined path.

Another object of the invention is to provide an evergreen roping machine having means for supporting the evergreen boughs during the period of time they are being tied to the flexible linear member, thereby providing greater stability and assuring a tighter, more firmly wrapped length of roping.

A further object of the invention is to provide an evergreen roping machine having means for advancing a flexible linear member through an elongated guide, and means for winding a flexible linear element around the guide to bind together the portions of the evergreen boughs placed against the outer side of the guide, the

tes atent O guide extending axially beyond the winding means and 1 serving as an inner support for the boughs during binding, and as a support for the flexible linear member.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an evergreen roping machine as described in the preceding paragraph in which the portion of the guide against which the boughs are placed for wrapping is of reduced cross section, and in which the boughs are bound with suflicient tension that they will be held together and be bound to the flexible linear member when it passes beyond the exit end of the guide and yet in which the boughs are not bound so tightly that they will not move along the guide and beyond the exit end thereof.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a semi-diagrammatic side elevational view of an evergreen roping machine, according to my invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the machine shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a detail of the machine.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the evergreen roping machine there illustrated includes a supporting frame .10 having mounted thereon an upright spindle 11 rotatably supporting a spool of twine 1 2. The twine 12 is the flexible linear member to which the evergreen boughs 13 are secured in the manufacture of the roping. An elongated tubular guide 14 is supported on the frame and disposed so that it extends fore and aft of the machine. The twine 12 is drawn from the spool through the tubular guide 14 by anadvancing and winding drum 15. Between the spool and the guide 14,- the twine extends over a pulley 16 mounted on a bracket 17 carried by the machine frame. ports a counter 18 which is operated by the shaft of pulley 16 to record the length of twine passing over the pulley, thereby providing a measure of the amount of The bracket 17 also suproping produced. The twine may be wrapped several times around the pulley to provide enough friction between the twine and the pulley to prevent slipping, and

the resistance to operation of the counter results in a resistance to turning of the pulley 16. Accordingly the length of twine between pulley 16 and the drum 15 is held under tension, which is desirable in facilitating the tying of evergreen boughs thereto.

The elongated tubular guide 14 comprises a tube 20 of relatively large diameter extending fore and aft of the machine, the rear end of which is mounted on the frame 10. The guide 14 also includes an exit end portion 21 of reduced cross section. The exit end portion 21 is in the form of a unit composed of a tube 22, a flat plate 23 and a rod-like tube 24. The tube 22 is sleeved over and secured on the forward end of tube 20, and the flat plate 23 is formed with an elongated slot 25 which extends over and is secured to the end of tube 22 so that portions of the plate are on diametrically opposite sides of the tube. The plate 23 has a bore 26 aligned with the tubes 21) and 22 but of much smaller diameter than the inside of tube 20. The rod 24 is secured to the plate 23 and has an internal diameter approximating that of the bore 26.

The rod is lined up with the bore 26 to receive the twine or flexible linear member as it passes therethrough. The internal diameter of the rod 24 and the bore 26 is only slightly greater than the diameter of the twine so that the twine is closely confined but its longitudinal movement is not in any way obstructed. The outside diameter of rod 24 is small relative to tube 20 and only slightly larger than the inside diameter thereof, for a purpose to be explained below. The exit or forward end portion of the rod 24 is tapered substantially to a point as shown at 27.

The twine 12 is advanced through the tubular guide 14 by the advancing and winding drum 15. This drum is rotated by a motor 28, the output shaft of which has a pulley 29 which drives a larger pulley 30 by a belt 31. The pulley 30 is secured to a shaft 31 which also carries a pulley 32 fixed thereon and driving a pulley 33 secured to shaft 34 by belt 35. The shaft 34 has a 3-step pulley 35 secured thereto driving the 3-step pulley 36 by a belt 37. The pulley 37 operates a speed reducer 38 to drive the sprocket 39 at a low speed. Sprocket 39 is connected to sprocket 40 by a chain 42, and sprocket 40 is connected to shaft 43 which rotates freely in bearings 44 on the frame. The winding and advancing drum 15 is keyed to shaft 43. The flexible linear member or twine 12 is secured to the drum by any suitable means so that rotation of the drum by the motor 28 and intermediate transmission mechanism advances the roping and simultaneously wraps it on the drum. The evergreen boughs are tied to each other and to twine 12 by structure including a winding head assembly 45. The winding head assembly 45 comprises a rotatable wheel 46 mounted on the tubular guide 14 for free rotation. The axis of rotation of the wheel 46 coincides with the axis of the tubular guide. The wheel 46 has a grooved periphery for receiving the belt 47 which also extends over a pulley 48. Pulley 43 is keyed to a shaft 49 mounted on the frame of the machine, and a second pulley 50 is also keyed to shaft 49. A belt 51 extends over pulley 50 and over a pulley 52 secured on shaft 31 Hence the motor 28 not only drives the drum 15 but rotates the winding head assembly 45 as well.

The wheel 46 has a forwardly projecting needle or arm 54. A spool 53 of wire 55 or like flexible linear'element is journaled on a bracket 56 carried by the wheel and the wire extends through a slot 57 in the wheel and through an eye 58 in the needle. The Wire from the eye of the needle wraps the evergreen boughs to the flexible linear member or twine 12 during advance of the latter. There is sufficient resistance to rotation of the spool 53 to place the wire under tension and therefore provide a strong tightly wrapped length of roping.

In operation, the end of the twine 12 is drawn through the tubular guide and attached in any suitable manner to the winding drum 15 so that as the drum is rotated the twine is advanced continuously and wrapped on the drum. When the motor is started the drum begins to rotate and to advance the linear member. The evergreen boughs are placed against the exit end portion 21 of the tubular guide with their stems 60 to the rear and the wire from the winding head wraps about the bough stems in the area of the tube or rod 24 to bind them firmly together. The winding head assembly 45 is driven con tinuously by the motor 28 at a rate of speed related to the rotation of the drum such that sufiicient wire is applied to the boughs to hold them together. The wire may be started initially by hand after which no attention need be given. As succeeding boughs are placed in position for binding, the leafy portions thereof overlie the wire binding the preceding boughs to the twine 12, concealing the wire and providing an attractive length of evergreen roping. When the drum is loaded with roping, the roping may be removed. This may be accomplished by removing an end flange of the drum, for example, so that the roping may be removed from the drum in an endwise direction.

The forward end 27 of the tubular guide extends ax ially beyond the eye of the needle which is accordingly disposed to one side of the exit end portion of the guide. Hence the twine within the portion of the boughs being wrapped is separated from the boughs by the guide. However, the twine wraps the boughs together with sufficient tension that they will be held together and be bound to the twine when the roping passes beyond the exit end 27 of the guide. The boughs are not bound to the exit end of the guide so tightly that they will not move along the guide and beyond the exit end. The boughs being tied are carried along in a forward direction by contact with those boughs beyond the tubular guide already bound. The reason for the extended guide in the :area of binding is to provide a rigid support for the boughs at this point in the operation. The twine has been found to be somewhat unstable during binding despite the tension thereon, unless supported in the manner shown. Thus the exit end portion of the guide closely supports the twine and provides a rigid support for the boughs which could not otherwise be obtained. The tube 24 is of minimum outside diameter to reduce the area of contact with the boughs so that whatever drag effect the tube 24 has on the forward advance of the roping is negligible. The tube 2.4 is tapered at its exit end for this purpose also. The sides of the plate 23 at diametrically opposite sides of the guide provide anti-rotating members 649 engageable with the ends of the boughs during binding to prevent them from rotating.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. An evergreen roping machine comprising a tubular guide having an elongated rigid exit end portion of reduced outside diameter, means for advancing a flexible linear member axially through said guide and beyond the exit end portion thereof, and means for winding a flexible linear element around said exit end portion of said guide to bind together the portions of evergreen boughs placed against the outer side of said exit end portion of said guide with sufficient tension that the boughs will be firmly bound together and to said linear member when advanced beyond the exit end portion of said guide, said winding nieansincluding a rotatable member mounted for rotation on said guide about the axis of the latter, a needle mounted on said rotatable member carrying said'linear element and spacedlaterally of said exit 77 I end portion of'said guide, said exit end portion of said guide terminating beyond 'said needle and'serving as an inner support for said boughs during, binding, and antirotate members rigid with and projecting laterally outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of said guide adajcent' the exit end portion thereof for engaging and preventing rotation of the boughs during binding.

2. An evergreen roping'macbine comprising an elongated tubular guide having an elongated tube of relatively large inside diameter, and having at its exit end a second elongated tube of relatively small inside diameter aligned and rigid with one another, means for advancing a flexible linear member of a diameter only slightly less than the inside diameter of said second tube axially through the tubes of said guide and beyond the exit end of said second tube, and means for winding a flexible linear element around said second tube to bind together the portions of evergreen boughs placed against the outer side of said second tube with suflicient tension that the boughs will be firmly bound together and to said lineat member when advanced beyond the exit end of said second tube, said winding means including a rotatable member mounted for rotation on said guide about the axis of the latter, a needle mounted on said rotatable member carrying said linear element and spaced laterally of said second tube, said second tube terminating axial- 1y beyond said needle and serving as an inner support for said boughs during binding, and anti-rotate members rigid with and projecting laterally outwardly from diametrically opposite sides of said guide adjacent said second tube for engaging and preventing rotation of the boughs during binding.

3. An evergreen roping machine comprising an elongated tubular guide having an elongated tube of relatively large inside diameter and having at its exit end a second elongated tube of relatively small inside diameter, said tubes being aligned with one another, said guide also having a plate rigidly interconnecting said tubes which is slotted to receive the first mentioned tube and formed with a passage aligned with said tubes, means for advancing a flexible linear member of a diameter only slightly less than the insidediameter of said second tube axially through said tubes and through the passage in said plate and beyond the exit end of said second tube, means for winding a flexible linear element around said second tube to bind together the portions of evergreen boughs placed against the outer side of said second tube with sufficient tension that the boughs will be firmly bound together and to said linear member when advanced beyond the exit end of said second tube, said winding means including a rotatable member mounted for rotation on said guide about the axis thereof, a needle mounted on said rotatable member carrying said linear element and spaced laterally of said second tube, said second tube terminating axially beyond said needle and serving as an inner support for said boughs during binding as well as a support for the linear member, said plate having portions projecting'laterally outwardly with respect to said tubes from diametrically opposite sides thereofto provide anti-rotate members for engaging and preventing rotation of the boughs duringbinding, the outside diameter length of the linear member, comprisingan elongated tube, an elongated supporting member extendingbeyond said tube in continuation thereof, means for advancing the flexible linear member axially through said tube and along said supporting member, and means for winding a flexible linear element around said supporting member to bind together the portions of evergreen boughs placed againstsaid supporting member with sufficient tension that the boughs will be firmly boundtogetherjand to said linear member when advanced beyond said supporting member, said supporting member extending axially beyond said winding means and serving as an inner support for said boughs during binding.

5. A machine for binding to a flexible linear member a plurality of evergreen boughs distributed along the length of the linear member, comprising an elongated tube, an elongated supporting member extending beyond said tube in general alignment therewith, means for advancing the flexible linear member axially through said tube and along said supporting member, and means for winding a flexible linear element around said supporting member to bind together the portions of evergreen boughs placed against said supporting member with sufiicient tension that the boughs will be firmly bound together and to said linear member when advanced beyond said supporting member, said winding means including a rotatable member mounted for rotation about the axis of said tube, and a needle on said rotatable member carrying said linear element and spaced laterally outwardly from said supporting member, said supporting member extending axially beyond said needle and serving as an inner support for said boughs during binding.

6. A machine for binding to a flexible linear member a plurality of evergreen boughs distributed along the length of the linear member, comprising a tube, an elongated rod-like supporting member extending beyond said tube and generally coaxial therewith, means for advancing the flexible linear member axially through said tube and along said supporting member, and means for winding a flexible linear element around said supporting member to bind together the portions of evergreen boughs placed against said supporting member with sufiicient tension that the boughs will be firmly bound together and to said linear member when advanced beyond said supporting member, said winding means including a rotatable member mounted for rotation on said tube about the axis of the latter, and a needle mounted on said rotatable member carrying said linear element and spaced laterally outwardly from said supporting member, said supporting member terminating axially beyond said needle and serving as an inner support for said boughs during binding.

7. The machine defined in claim 6 wherein said rod-like supporting member tapers toward its end remote from said tube.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,494,667 Moore Ian. 17, 1950 2,653,439 Angiolino et al. Sept. 29, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 573,050 Canada Mar 31, 1959