US3135076A - Method of and means for counting, sorting and bundling of bars, pipes and the like - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1964 w. J. HILL 3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SORTING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPES AND THE LIKE Filed March 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. li jj William }.H1'ZZ @ELOLQ W04 afflm4 June 2, 1964 w. J. HILL 3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SORTING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPES AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 26, 1962 5 54 m fn NH r W ,0 m fi aw H J1me 1964 w. J. HILL 3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SOR'IING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPES AND THE LIKE Filed March 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. ll/illiam Hill M 842122 rflwd H I Zorneys (DASH/J 3 June 2, 1964 w. J. HILL 3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SORTING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPES AND THE LIKE Filed March 26, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR.

William Hill all, @ZZZIM ff/Md Hflwr -s June 2, 1964 w. J. HILL 3,135,076

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTING, SORTING AND BUNDLING OF BARS, PIPES AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 26, 1962 H m E n w s E m R U l A R I- 5 7 1 T Au 0 y NBC E R E III E em... 0 u- 5 u 5 am T H OH s b S l. l l I III MASTER BIN FULL ROTATEI SHAFT 74' STOPS I MOTOR 33 INVENTOR.

William FII'ZZ MfiLizi/z 5% H orneys machine.

METHGD OF AND MEANS FOR COUNTWG,

This invention is concerned with assembling and'strapping into bundles a plurality of elongated elements, such as bars and pipes. The bars that would ordinarily be bundled by the present invention are those coming from a rolling mill. The bars, which have been cut to length, are moved on by suitable conveying means to the location of the bundler, where the method of the invention is carried out by a preferred form of mechanism disclosed herein.

While reference hereinafter will be made to the bundling of bars, it will be understood that the invention is capable of bundling any type of elongated element, such as bar, pipe, or the like, regardless of its cross-section, which may be round, square, hexagonal, or otherwise.

The principal object of the present invention is to cause a selected number of bars of proper length to be tied into sub-bundles through the use of a known strapping The sub-bundles are immediately thereafter tied into master bundles, each master bundle consisting of a predetermined number of sub-bundles.

Since it occasionally happens in the cutting of the initially long bars that some shorts are generated, means is provided for weeding out the shorts one at a time as theyare presented to the bundler, collecting them in successive small groups and strapping each group as a bundle of shorts.

Stated in somewhat more detail, the object of the invention is to present a group of bars in parallelism to a mechanism which will pick olf one bar at a time from the edge of the group, inspect the bar for length and, if it is of proper length, cause this bar and a predetermined number of subsequent bars to be positioned in a subbundle tying notch. This desired number of bars is then strapped together and thereafter ejected from the subbundle tying notch to pass on to a larger master bin, where the first arriving sub-bundle awaits the arrival of a number of subsequently strapped sub-bundles. When the proper number of sub-bundles has been accumulated in the master bundle bin, all of the sub-bundles are then strapped together to form a master bundle. This master then be entered on a suitable ticket to be attached to the strapped master bundle, which is then removed for storage or shipment.

While a preferred form of the invention will hereinafter be explained in detail, it will be understood that the constructional elements may be modified while remaining within the present inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the invention showing the conveyor rollers that bring the cut bars from' the back shear, the stop, the adjacent vibrator feeding tables to which the bars are laterally shifted, the pick-off wheels and the bundling and strapping stations and related escapements. It will be understood that this plan view shows only a short length of the machine. In the com plete device, the elements are repeated and extend for at least the length of the longest bars that are to be bundled;

United States Patent "ice 3,135,076 Patented June 2, 1964 FIG. 2 is a vertical section taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged detail of the various bundling elements;

FIGS. 4-, 5, 6 and 7 show the series of operationsthat occur to produce asub-bundle of bars and subsequently a master bundle;

FIGS. 8 to 13 illustrate the means for causing actuation or" the several shafts that control the movements of the various elements; and

FIG. 14 is a schematic showing of the counting means used to put the various motors in and out of operation at proper times so that desired numbers of bars may be first sub-bundled and then master bundled.

Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, the bars 2 are brought to the bundling machine position by a customary series of aligned conveyor rollers 4. The leading ends of the bars 2 will engage a suitably positioned table stop 3 to be brought into alignment. With the bars 2 stationary against the stop 3, the transversely extending chains 6 are then raised and put into motion to move the bars 2 laterally to rest on the aligned vibrating decks 8 which automatically put the bars into parallel arrangement if they are not already in that condition. The bar which is most remote from the rollers 4 will rest against a plurality of aligned adjustable stops or depth gauges 10.

The chains 6, which are normally below the level of the rollers 4, are brought into operation by raising the outboard idler sprockets 11 and chain troughs 13 (see FIG. 2) through clockwise rotation of lever arms 12 that are secured to a control shaft 14. Not until the bars 2 have been raised by the chains 6 are the chains put in motion by the actuating sprockets 15. This prevents the bars 2 from rolling on the chains 6 as they are accelerated in the direction of the decks 8. With the bars 2 safely deposited on vibrating decks 8, the chains 6 are returned to their initial lower position below the elevation of the rollers 4 so that the rollers are then able to receive the next group of oncoming bars from the back shears.

The vibrating decks 8 oscillate in a lengthwise direction at sufiiciently high frequency to cause the bars 2 resting thereon to align themselves as they advance toward the righthand end of the decks, as viewed in FIG. 2. The decks 8 have a slight downward slope of about 1 in this direction so that the bars automatically congregate in a single layer at the righthand end. Vibration of the decks is achieved by the use of a continuously rotating shaft 18 driven by an independent adjustable speed motor 19. Shaft 18 has at each deck 8 an eccentric of short throw equal to the desired stroke of the deck. This eccentric is connected by link 20 to a bracket on the under side of the deck so that the eccentric motion of the link is transmitted to the deck. Each deck is carried by two flexible strips 22 and 24 fixed at their lower ends at 23 and 25. These strips offer adequate support for the deck and load imposed thereon but permit the required vibratory motion.

Advance of the leading bar beyond the ends of decks 8 is prevented by a plurality of aligned stops or depth gauges 10, already referred to. As can be seen in FIG. 2, each of these stops is pivoted at 26 and is capable of limited swinging movement by operation of a Worm and gear adjustment mechanism 28. In a manner which will be explained, proper positioning of the stops according to the size of the bar will result in only a single bar being picked up by the fingers of the continuously rotating pick-off wheels 32.

Referring to FIGS. 1 to 7 and 12, there is a shaft 30 which extends the length of the machine and carries at spaced intervals a series of pick-off wheels 32. Shaft 30 is driven continuously by an independent convenonly a single bar 2.

tional motor reducer drive 33. The pick-oft wheels 32 are preferably located between the vibrating decks 8. Each pick-oil wheel carries a plurality of pick-oil fingers 34 spaced at suitable angular distances apart. In the form shown, they are spaced at 60. The fingers 34 ex-' maximum size, the stops it will be in maximum retracted position to the right, as viewed in FIGS. 2 to 7. Thus the rising fingers 34 will pick up the end bar, and as soon as the fingers 34 have moved up out of the way the rest of the bars 2 will advance to the right until the new end bar has come into engagement with the stops 10. Pick-oil wheels 32 rotate rather slowly and at a rate timed to the subsequent bundling operations.

If the bars being bundled should, for example, be of a diameter equal to half the length of fingers 34, then to prevent the fingers 34 from picking up two bars togetherall stops ill will be moved to the left by adjusting mechanism 28 a distance in the vicinity of one bar diameter. In this Way, the rising fingers 34 will pick up it will thus be understood that appropriate simultaneous adjustment of all stops iii to a position properly related to the bardiameter makes it possible for the fingers 34 to pick up only a single bar of the size then being bundled.

The rising full length bar 2 initially shown at position A in FIGS. 4 to 7 is carried over top dead center as at position B, and as the wheels 32 continue their rotation the bar 2 starts rolling downhill along the skids 36 which carry the bar over the short bar pockets 38. The bar continues down the fixed slope 4% until it engages a sub-bundle accumulator notch 42 which is lo- .cated at the upper right end of a full length hold back in the form of member 44 pivoted at 46. Member 44 is actuated by an eccentric 48 on the eccentric shaft 50. The eccentric shaft, when rotated 180 by an independent motor reducer drive 51, actuates a connecting rod 52 which swings member 44 from its up position, as shown in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6, to down position, as shown in FIGS. and 7.

After the bars 2 are individually picked up by the finfiers 34 of the pick-off wheels 32, the opposite ends of each bar 2 of full length will engage detectors 53a and 53b which actuate an electronic counting mechanism (see FIG. 14) so that when a predetermined number of full length bars 2 have been collected in the sub-bundle accumulator notch 42, as shown in FIG. 4, the eccentric shaft 59 is automatically actuated for a half turn which drops the accumulator notch 42 to the position shown in FIG. 5, thus allowing all of the collected full length bars 2 to roll down into a sub-bundle tying notch 54. As this occurs, the lefthand end 56 or member 44 rises above the slope 4t) and acts as a hold back. The eflect of this is that subsequent full length bars 2 coming down the slope from pick-off wheels 32 are temporarily accumulated atthe escapement hold back 56, as shown in FIG. 5.

While these subsequent full length bars 2 are being accumulated at this position, a commercially available band strapping machine 57 (see FIG. 2), having units located along the bars 2 at suitable distances, automatically straps the bars that are resting in the sub-bundle tying notch 54. The AcmeSteel Company Model F5 Powered Strapping Machine illustrated in their sales Bulletin AD 342 1259 is an example of a strapping unit capable of being utilized in this manner. Tying of each sub-bundle is accomplished in a relatively short time and well before there has been an accumulation of full length bars 2 at escapement hold back 56 equal to the number of bars that are to be next (tied at the sub-bundle tying notch 54.

After the sub-bundle has been tied, eccentric shaft 59 is automaticallyrotated another half turn by motor 51 which returns member i4 to the position shown in FIG. 6. As it moves to this position, the ejector surface 58 at the right end of member 44 lifts the noW strapped subbundle so out of notch 54, permitting it to roll down fixed slope 62 to fall into a large master bundle assembly bin '64. With accumulator notch 42 now back in up position, the full length bars 2 that had been accumulating behind escapement hold back 56 now roll down slope 4th to be stopped and collected at the accumulator notch 42. When the sub-bundle counting mechanism (which has reset itself) has determined that the proper number of full length bars 2 are-again present ataccumulator notch 42, the above described action is repeated. The second counted group of full length bar falls into tying notch 54 where they are strapped and then ejected as ejector surfacefiil moves upward, thus to cause a second sub-bundle to join the first sub-bundle in bin 64. This series of operations continues automatically until the correct number of sub-bundles counted by the master bundle counter (see FIG. 14) has arrived in the master bundle bin or to be strapped as a masterbundle. This strapping is accomplished by either manual or automatic strapping machines of known design which need not be shown or explained herein.

In the same manner that the escapement hold back 56 prevents the descent of any more full length bars until the strapping of the sub-bundle at notch 54 has been accomplished, there is a sub-bundle hold back in the form of notch 66 on the righthand end of member 63 pivoted at 70. Actuation of member 68 is under the control of connecting rod 69 and related eccentric 72 on shaft 74. Shaft 74 is actuated in timed 180 rotation by an independent motor reducer drive 75. With member 68 in the position shown in FIG 7, the previously strapped subbundle on is now caught by hold back notch 66 and held there until the strapping of the sub-bundles then in master bundle bin 64 can be completed. .If the strapping of the master bundle should take overly long, it is of no consequence as the next sub-bundle 60 coming down slope 62 from tying notch 54 will stop in a position behind the previous sub-bundle then resting in hold back notch 66.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the master bundle bin 64 is carried on a load cell weighing bridge 77 which by known means automaticflly weighs the master bundle, and this information along with information as to the number of bars in each sub-bundle and the number of sub-bundles in the master bundle may be printedon a ticket to be applied to the master bundle. The master bundle is then removed from bin l by a crane. With bin 64 clear, the operator starts motor to cause rotation of hold back shaft 74 which will drop the notches 66 so that all sub-bundles accumulated thereabove will then immediately roll downinto master bundle bin 64 to start the assembly of the next master bundle.

The description given above has been based on the assumption that all the bars 2 will be of correct full length within predetermined limits. However, it occasionally occurs that a short bar will arrive at the vibrating decks 8; The present invention is designed to weed out any such short bars in a manner which will preclude any short bars being in the sub-bundles 60 which are accumulated at the master bundle bin 64 for final strapping. The removal of the short bars is achieved in the following manner:

Any short bar will, of course, be picked up by the fingers 34 the same as the full length bars, but as the short bar is carried up and over by the rotating pick-off wheels 32 the left end of the bar will not touch the left detector 53b although detector 5311 will be actuated. Thus, as distinguished from a .full length bar which actuates both detectors 53a and 53b to send one full length count signal to the sub-bundle counter, the short bar will actuate only detector 53a to send one short lengt count signal to an electronic counting device (see reject bar counter in FIG. 14). The short length signal will initiate actuation of a solenoid 79 (see FIG. 11) which opens skids 36 as follows: The skids are pivoted at 76. In the lower part of each skid body is an arcuate slot 7 8 (see FIG. 3) in which is a crosswise extending pin 80 attached to a link 82. Link 82 is in turn pivoted at 84 to another link 86 keyed to an actuating shaft 88. When shaft 88 is rotated by solenoid 79 counterclockwise through a sulficient arc, the pin 80 will move downwardly to the left to cause skids 36 to swing clockwise suificiently to open up short bar pockets 38. With pockets 38 open, skids 36 will be in the position 36' shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, and in this position a short bar 2 leaving the pick-off wheels 32 will automatically fall into the pockets 38. The opening of skids 36 is only momentary, and solenoid 79 will promptly return shaft 88 to its original position. Skids 36 will likewise be returned to normal position, closing pockets 38 so that subsequent full length bars may descend to the sub-bundle tying notch 54.

When another short bar comes along, the above described procedure is repeated. In course of time, a predetermined number of short bars will have accumulated in pockets 38, and the counting mechanism gives an alarm and stops motor 33 and the pick-off wheels 32. Then through the use of manual controls, the operator actuates motor 91 (see FIG. 10) -to cause 180 rotation of the eccentric shaft 92 which through connecting rod 94 causes a reject pocket unloading arm 96 pivoted at 46 to swing clockwise a sufficient distance to lift all of the short bars out of the pockets 38, as shown in FIG. 3. The raised short bars then commence to roll down the upper surface of the reject pocket unloading arm 96 and onto the slope 40 where they will be caught by the, escapement hold 'back 56 or the accumulator notch 42. As the short bars are lifted by arm 96, the skids 36 are pushed up and counterclockwise by the short bars to open position at 36", as shown in FIG. 3. Counterclockwise movement of skids 36 is possible because of the arcuate slot 78 which is of sufficient length to provide the necessary swinging movement before the lower end of slot 78 engages pin 80. The short bars are then permitted to roll on into sub-bundle tying notch 54, which at this time will be empty. While in notch 54, the short bars may be strapped by the same strapping means (manual or automatic) that straps the sub-bundles of full length bars. The bundle of strapped short bars may subsequently be picked up by a crane operator for suitable disposition. Preferably, however, the bundle of short bars should be advanced to the master bundle bin 64 so that they may be weighed and be in a more accessible location for crane removal.

The electronic counting mechanism will now be described. One form which may be used consists of three independent signal receiving channels, each of which may be manually preset to provide an output signal when the predetermined number of counts has been received.

The first channel is arranged to receive full length signals from the detectors 53a and 53b; the second channel is arranged to receive short length signals from the detectors 530V and 53b; and the third channel is arranged to receive signals from the first channel.

Assume that it is required to assemble full length bars in each sub-bundle and 6 sub-bundles in each master bundle. The dial controlling the first receiving channel is placed over the figure 15 and the dial controlling the third receiving channel is placed over the figure 6. The second receiving channel is adjusted to a number corresponding to the maximum number of short bars that could be conveniently assembled in the reject pockets 38 in consideration of theirassembled cross-sectional area 8 (the bigger the size of the bars the fewer the number of bars).

Each full length bar passing by the two detectors 53a and 53b causes a full length signal to be received on channel one. When 15 full length bars have passed the detectors, channel one then sends a signal to channel three, starts a timer, and through operation of motor 51 initiates rotation of shaft 50 (see sequence FIG. 4 to FIG. 5). This causes member 44 to be lowered from the raised position, at which accumulator notch 42 was exposed'and any tied sub-bundle was lifted out of tying notch 54, to the lowered position, where the assembled bars at accumulator notch 42 advance into the tying notch 54. The bars from the pick-off wheels 32 are held back by the forward raised ends of member 44.

The timer is manually adjusted for a length of time slightly in excess of the time required to place straps on the sub-bundle in tying notch 54. At the end of the time period, the timer passes a signal which through operation of motor 51 initiates 180 rotation of shaft 50, thus causing the member 44 to assume the raised position, which lifts the tied sub-bundle out of tying notch 54 and permits the full length bars held back at 56 to advance to the accumulator notch 42 (see sequence FIG. 5 to FIG. 6).

After 6 counts of 15 pulses each have been received on channel three from channel one, channel three sends a signal which starts a second timer and through operation of motor 75 initiates 180 rotation of shaft 74, thus,

raising the member 68 to prevent the seventh sub-bundle from entering the master bundle assembly bin 64. The second timer is manually adjusted for a length of time slightly in excess of the time required to place straps on the master bundle, weigh the bundlle, and remove it by overhead crane. When the preset time is spent, the second timer passes a signal which through operation of motor 75 initiates 180 rotation of shaft 74, thus lowering the notches 66 of member 68, permitting any tied subbundles to slide into the empty bin 64.

When the number of short length signals received on channel two equals the preset figure, channel two passes a signal which energizes an alarm (horn, bell, lamp) and stops the pick-off wheel shaft motor 33, thus preventing any bars from passing the pockets 38 during the short bar stripping process. By manual control, shaft 92 is rotated through 360. Thus the unloading arm 96 raises the assembled short bars and allows them to slide to the hold back surface 56 of member 44. Skids 36 are raised by contact with the short bars, and they re-assume the position shown in FIG. 4 after the bars are removed.

It must be understood that the count signal for a full short bar pocket 38 allows space for a few more short bars so as to provide time to complete the current subbundle tying operation. This is accomplished by a manual override control on the pick-off wheel motor, which permits the wheel to rotate and pick up sufiicient bars to complete the current sub-bundle count of 15 bars. The automatic signal from channel one indicating the assembly of 15 bars causes the shaft 50 to rotate 180 through sequence FIG. 4 to FIG. 5, raising the hold back surface 56 of member 44 against which the short bars have assembled upon removal from pocket 38. When the allowed time for tying is completed, the first timer passes a signal which causes shaft 50 to rotate 180, thus lifting the tied full length sub-bundle from tying notch 54 and advancing the short bars to accumulator notch 42.

When the short bars have piled up at accumulator notch 42, shaft 50 is rotated 180, thus allowing the short bars to drop into the tying notch 54 and exposing the hold back surface 56 of member 44. At this time the machine is placed on automatic run control. The short bars are tied and subsequently lifted out of notches 54 and pass into the master bundle bins 64, where they may be weighed prior to removal.

The electronic counting device, with its several counting channels and timer controls, may have a master control superimposed which will automatically select the specific count and time required for each operation relative to the particular size or diameter of bar being processed. Thus the operator would only be required to turn the pointer of the master control knob to the graduation or number on the dial indicating the size of the bar in process and by inbuilt switching of the circuitry all of the settings for count and time corresponding to each bar requirement would be automatically set up.

From the foregoing description, it can be seen that I have provided a machine capable of practicing the method of my invention. The machine picks up one bar at a time, measures the bar to determine that it is of proper length, counts the number of full length bars picked up, and causes the bars to be assembled in a sub-bundle tying notch, at which position they are automatically strapped. Thereafter each strapped sub-bundle is caused to be deposited with other similar sub-bundles in a master bundle bin Where, when the correct number of sub-bundles has accumulated, strapping of the master bundle will occur. I have also provided means for determining when a short bar has been picked up and have provided means for taking this short bar out of the normal stream, causing it to be positioned in a particular location where it may re main until a suitable number of other short bars has similarly been collected. ,Thereafter the short bars are removed and bundled individually and are not mingled with the sub-bundles in which the bars are all of normal length.

It is my intention to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

1 claim:

, l. Mechanism for bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprising means for presenting a succession of single elements in horizontal position against aligned stops, a succession of rotatably mounted upwardly moving horizontally aligned fingers for lifting said elements one at a time away from the said stops and thereby permitting another element to move against said stops, means for rotating said fingers and means permitting said elements to travel away from said fingers by gravity to a collecting position, means for strapping said collected elements in a bundle, and means for temporarily interrupting the descent of subsequent elements into said collecting position while the strapping means is strapping the previously collected elements.

2. Mechanism for counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprising means for presenting a succession of single elements in horizontal position against aligned stops, a succession of rotatably mounted upwardly moving horizontally aligned fingers for lifting said elements one at a time away from the said stops and thereby permitting another element to move against said stops, means for counting the elements lifted by said fingers, means for rotating said fingers and means permitting said elements to travel away from said fingers by gravity to a collecting position, means for strapping said collected elements in a bundle, said strapping means operable when a predetermined number of elements counted by said counting means have assembled in said collecting position, and means for temporarily interrupting the descent of subsequentelements into said collecting position while the strapping means is strapping the previously collected elements.

3. Mechanism for bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprising a slightly sloping vibrating table, a plurality of aligned stops along the lower part of said table, said table acting to align said elements so that only a single element will engage said stops, a succession of rotatably mounted upwardly moving horizontally aligned fingers for lifting said elements one at a time away from the said stops and thereby permitting another element to move against said stops, means for rotating said fingers and means permitting said elements to travelaway from said fingers by gravity to a collecting position, means for strapping said collected elements in a bundle, said strapping means operable when a predetermined number of elements have assembled in said collecting position, and means for interrupting the descent of elements into said collecting positionwhile the strapping means is in operation.

4. Mechanism for counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprising a slightly sloping vibrating table, a plurality of aligned stops along the lower part of said table, said table acting to align said elements so that only a single element will engage said stops, a succession of rotatably mounted upwardly moving horizontally aligned fingers for lifting said elements one at a time away from the said stops and thereby permitting another element to move against said stops, means for counting the elements lifted by said fingers, means for rotating said fingers and means permitting said elements to travel away from said fingers by gravity to a collecting position, means for strapping said collected elements in a bundle, said strapping .means operable when a predetermined number of elements counted by said counting means have assembled in said collecting position, and means for interrupting the descent of elements into said collecting position while the strapping means is in operation.

5. Mechanism for counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprising means for presenting a succession of single elements in horizontal position against aligned stops, a plurality of sets of radially disposed and aligned fingers mounted for rotation on a common shaft parallel to each element as it rests against said stops, the outer ends of said fingers extending beyond said stops not more than one and one-half diameters of the said elements, element supporting means extending between adjacent fingers, stationary downwardly sloping sldds for receiving each element from said supporting means after it has been carried by said fingers upwardly past dead center to commence downward gravitationally induced movement along said supporting means, a collecting position for el ments at which the elements will assemble on leaving said skids, means for counting the number of elements deposited in said collecting position, means for strapping said collected elements in a bundle and operable when a predetermined number of elements counted by said counting means have assembled in said collecting position, and means for interrupting the descent of elements into said collecting position while the strapping means is in operation.

6. Means for measuring, counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprising means for presenting a succession of single elements in horizontal position against a plurality of aligned adjustable stops, a shaft adjacent and parallel to said elements, a plurality of radially extending groups of fingers mounted on said shaft, the lingers in each group being aligned with the fingers of the other groups, said fingers of such length that when the shaft is rotated one set of'aligned fingers will pick up only the element that is against said stops, elemerit supporting means extending between adjacent fingers of each group so that as the shaft is rotated each element will be supported by the fingers and the supporting means, skids for receiving each successive element from said support means as the element commences movement downward by gravity after its supporting fingers have passed upper dead center, a plurality of aligned collecting notches positioned below said skids to receive elements, means for counting the number of elements picked up by'said fingers, means for strapping said elements into a bundle and operable when a predetermined number of elements counted by said counting means have been deposited in said collecting notches, a switch in said skids, means for detecting a short length element after the element has been picked up by said fingers, and means operable by 9 said detecting means to open said switch whereby said short length element is deposited in a second collecting notch.

7. Mechanism for counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprising means for presenting a succession of single elements in horizontal position against aligned stops, a succession of upwardly moving horizontally aligned fingers for lifting said elements one at a time away from the said stops and thereby permitting another element to move against said stops, means for counting the elements lifted by said fingers, means for inverting said fingers and means permitting said elements to travel away from said fingers by gravity to a collecting position, means for strapping said collected elements in a bundle and operable when a predetermined number of elements counted by said counting means have assembled in said collecting position, means for interrupting the descent of subsequent elements into said collecting position while the strapping means is in operation, a second collecting position adjacent said first collecting position, means for moving each strapped bundle to said second collecting position prior to entry of other elements into the said first collecting position, and means for preventing entry of a strapped bundle into said second collecting position whenever a predetermined number of strapped bundles are in said second collecting position.

8. Means for bundling bars into a succession of subbundles and thereafter bundling a plurality of sub-bundles into a master bundle, said means comprising a plurality of aligned upwardly moving fingers to engage the end bar of a plurality of aligned bars to carry said endbar upwardly and away from said other bars, means for determining that said bar is at least a certain length, means for successively delivering said bars laterally to a subbundle tying notch by gravitational movement, alternative means for stopping movement of said bar onits way to said sub-bundle tying notch, means for determining the number of bars collected at the last intermediate stopping position before said sub-bundle tying notch, whereby upon removal of said last intermediate stopping means a predetermined number of bars will simultaneously fall into said sub-bundle tying notch, means for tying said bars While in said notch, means for moving a tied sub-bundle from said sub-bundle tying notch to a master bundle bin, and means intermediate said sub-bundle tying notch and said master bundle bin for stopping a tied sub-bundle on its way to the said master bundle bin whereby the sub-bundles then in said master bundle bin may be strapped and removed before the arrival of any more sub-bundles at said master bundle bin.

9. The method of counting and bundling a plurality of elongated elements comprising the steps of arranging the elements in side-by-side relation with the first element disposed against a stop, picking up the first element and shifting the other elements laterally until the next element is against said stop, moving the first element upwardly, laterally and downwardly to a collecting position, moving successive elements in the manner aforesaid to be deposited with preceding elements in said collecting position, counting the elements as they are picked up and after a predetermined number of elements have reached said collecting position then temporarily stopping movement of subsequent elements, strapping the said counted elements while in said collecting position, removing the strapped elements from said collecting position, and then allowing the temporarily stopped elements to resume movement into said collecting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,648,252 Aldrich Nov. 8, 1927 1,969,160 Slusher Aug. 7, 1934 2,361,783 McLaughlin Oct. 31, 1944 2,543,323 Marsh Feb. 27, 1951 3,018,596 Dvorak n--. Jan. 30, 1962

Claims (1)

1. 9. THE METHOD OF COUNTING AND BUNDLING A PLURALITY OF ELONGATED ELEMENTS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF ARRANGING THE ELEMENTS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION WITH THE FIRST ELEMENT DISPOSED AGAINST A STOP, PICKLING UP THE FIRST ELEMENT AND SHIFTING THE OTHER ELEMENTS LATERALLY UNTIL THE NEXT ELEMENT IS AGAINST SAID STOP, MOVING THE FIRST ELEMENT UPWARDLY, LATERALLY AND DOWNWARDLY TO A COLLECTING POSITION, MOVING SUCCESSIVE ELEMENTS IN THE MANOR AFORESAID TO BE DEPOSITED WITH PRECEDING ELEMENTS IN SAID COLLECTING POSITION, COUNTING THE ELEMENTS AS THEY ARE PICKED UP AND AFTER A PREDETERMINED NUMBER OF ELEMENTS HAVE REACHED SAID COLLECTING POSITION THAN TEMPORARILY STOPPING MOVEMENT OF SUBSEQUENT ELEMENTS, STRAPPING THE SAID COUNTED ELEMENTS WHILE IN SAID COLLECTING POSITION, REMOVING THE STRAPPED ELEMENTS FROM SAID COLLECTING POSITION, AND THEN ALLOWING THE TEMPORARILY STOPPED ELEMENTS TO RESUME MOVEMENT INTO SAID COLLECTING POSITION.

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