US3211187A

US3211187A - Wire tying machine

Info

Publication number: US3211187A
Application number: US300300A
Authority: US
Inventors: Paule Kurt; Hettich Alfred
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 1962-08-22
Filing date: 1963-08-06
Publication date: 1965-10-12
Anticipated expiration: 1982-10-12
Also published as: AT251508B; GB995592A; DE1284075B; CH406605A

Description

Oct. 12, 1965 K. PAULE ETAL WIRE 'IYING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 6, 1963 a a V F r W Mi M #MA 12, 1965 K. PAULE ETAL 3,211,187

WIRE TYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 6, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 /NVEN70Q 5 1965 K. PAULE ETAL 3,21

WIRE TYING MACHINE Filed Aug. 6, 1963 6 Sheets-Sheet S United States Patent 3,211,187 WERE TYING MAfIHlNE Kurt Paule, Stuttgart-Oberturkheim, and Alfred Hettich, Echterdingen, Wurttemberg, Germany, assiguors to Robert Bosch G.m.b.H., Stuttgart, Germany Filed Aug. 6, 1963, Ser. No. 300,300 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 22, 1962, B 68,526 16 Claims. (Cl. 140-119) The present invention relates to a wire tying machine, and more particularly to a portable machine for tying twisted wire loops about so-called Monier rods which are iron rods for reinforcing concrete structures.

Known wire tying machines are applied to U-shaped wire pieces which are preformed with eyelets into which hooks of the machine are inserted for the purpose of twisting the ends of the U-shaped wire sections. Such prefabricated wire sections have disadvantages inasmuch as they are expensive to manufacture, are frequently lost and destroyed at the building place, and tend to hook into each other, so that the separation of the wire pieces is dilficult and time consuming.

When wire is cut off a supply spool, considerable difficulties are encountered when an attempt is made to tie the wires about the reinforcing iron rods in such a manner that the wire ends can be simultaneously clamped in a rotary twisting tool.

Particularly at locations where large concrete structures are erected, it is desired to tie the horizontal reinforcing rods, which cross vertical reinforcing rods, in such a manner with wire loops that workman can use the horizontal reinforcing rods as steps or rungs for climbing the structure.

It is one object of the present invention to provide a wire tying machine for tying the reinforcing rods of a concrete structure to each other.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable wire tying machine for this purpose which includes supply means for the wire of which the tying loops are formed.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a wire tying machine for twisting wires in such a manner that they form a tight loop about an object, such as a pair of concrete reinforcing rods.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable fully automatic wire tying machine which, when placed by the operator in the region of an object to be tied, will tie a twisted loop about the object when its motor is started.

Another object of the invention is to provide a wire tying machine including supply reels for wires, and cutting means by which a necesary length of wire is cut off before a loop is automatically twisted.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine for automatically making twisted loops about objects.

With these objects in view, the present invention relates to a tying machine which is particularly suited for forming twisted loops of wires. One embodiment of the machine comprises feeding means for transporting wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means for the wires spaced along the wires; and operating means for operating the feeding means and for rotating the holding means in a timed sequence.

When the feeding means insert a plurality of wires located on opposite sides of an object into the two rotary holding means, the wires are cut olf by cutting means, and then twisted together to form a tight loop about an object located between the two rotary holding means.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, two rotary twisting and clamping means having a common axis of rotation are disposed spaced along the axis of rotation from each other, and the feeding means are constructed to feed selected lengths of parallel wires unwound from supply reels to the twisting and clamping means so that the leading end portions of the wires are clamped between the farther twisting and clamping means, and other portions of the wires are clamped by the other twisting and clamping means. Cutting means are secured to the other twisting and clamping means for rotation to cut the wires, and when the feeding means, and the twisting and clamping means are rotated, the end portions and the other portions of the wires are twisted together and thereby shortened and withdrawn from the twisting and clamping means to permit removal of the tied object with the twisted loop which was formed of the cut off portions of the wires.

The term wire is used in the present application to denote any elongated thin element which may be used for tying purposes, and is not limited to metal wires, or wires made of plastic material. However, the preferred embodiment of the invention is intended to be used with metal wires.

In accordance with the present invention, the machine includes a portable support which is adapted to be manually held and directed by an operator. Drive means in the form of an electric motor are mounted on the support, and supply means, for example a pair of supply reels hold a supply of wires on the support. Guide means are disposed on the support for guiding wires transported by the feeding means from the supply reels into the region of the twisting and clamping means, and for placing the wire portions to be twisted in a parallel position in which they can be properly clamped by the twisting and clamping means.

The feeding means preferably include transporting rollers engaging the wires and driven from the drive motor through a one revolution clutch so that only a certain selected length of wires is fed to the combined twisting and clamping means when the motor is started by the operator. This selected length corresponds to the distance between the clamping and twisting means which may be adjusted in accordance with the dimensions of the object to be tied by a twisted wire loop. By coupling the feeding means sooner or later after the start of the motor with the drive shaft, the length of the fed wire portions can be selected.

When the twisting operation is completed, the twisting and clamping means are automatically stopped in a position in which, during the next following operation, the wires can be inserted into the clamping means in which they are automatically clamped during the twisting operation which is accomplished by rotating the clamping means.

In order to achieve a properly timed sequence of operations, the motor drives a control shaft with control cam means which operate first and second coupling means for first connecting the feeding means to the motor, and for then disconnecting the feeding means from the motor and for connecting the twisting and clamping means to the motor so that the twisting and clamping means are r0 tated. By adjusting the relative angular position between the control cams, the time period during which the control cams associated with the feeding means is effective can be adjusted, whereby the length of the wire portions fed to the combined twisting and clamping means is determined.

The novel features which are considered as charac teristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific J) embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View illustrating a wire tying machine according to one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken on line IIII in FIG. 2, with certain elements omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on line III-III in FIG. 2, certain elements being omitted for the sake of clarity;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary developed view illustrating transmission means forming part of the machine, and being partly omitted in FIGS. 2 and 3; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic developed view illustrating cam tracks of control cam means used in the machine.

Referring now to the drawing, and particularly to FIG. 1, a motor, not shown, is mounted within a housing part which is attached to the main housing of the machine. Another housing part 13 is connected to the main housing 12.

Supply reels

21 and 22 are rotatably mounted on the main housing 12 and are adapted to let off a pair of

wires

25 and 26 which are transported toward

clamping means

19, 20 which form clamping recesses 29, and are part of rotary twisting and clamping means 19 mounted in the housing portion 13. Other twisting and clamping means are mounted in the lower part of the main housing 12, and When an object is placed between

wires

25 and 26, the wires are cut off, and the ends of the cut off wire portions twisted together to form a tight loop about the object. The twisted loop is best seen in FIG. 2 where it is shown to tie two reinforcing iron rods 27 and 28 together.

When the motor, not shown, of the machine is started, the

feeding rollers

90 and 91 are rotated, as will be explained hereinafter in greater detail, and transport the

wires

25 and 26 which pass from the

supply reels

21 and 22 into a pair of curved guide channels 23 and 24. Since the ends of the guide channels are parallel, the wires are forced into a parallel position, and move spaced from each other along a vertical path. The

feeding rollers

90 and 91 rotate only a limited time, so that a selected length of the wires is fed and transported to move between a pair of clamping means 17 and 18 and further between two pairs 'of clamping means 19 and 20. Clamping means 19 and 20 have clamping

recesses

29, 30 for guiding the leading free ends of the

wires

25 and 26 into the proper position to be clamped by clamping means 19 and 20.

Clamping means 17, 18, 19 and 20 are urged by springs into a clamping poistion and move resiliently apart when the wires are inserted between the same. After the wires have been inserted into the clamping means, they are resiliently and frictionally held.

Each pair of clamping means forms part of rotary holding means 14 and 15. The rotary holding means 14 and are mounted in the housing for rotation about a common axis defined by ball bearings. The lower holding means 15 has an outer gear crown 15a meshing with a gear 16a on a drive shaft 16 which is mounted for rotation in ball bearings. A member 32 includes a tubular sleeve slidable along drive shaft 16, and being formed with a threaded bore into which a threaded shaft of a screw 33 projects. The shaft of screw 33 is located in a slot of housing 13 extending parallel to drive shaft 16, so that member 32 can be shifted along drive shaft 16 and secured by screw 33 in adjusted positions. Member 32 has an inner sleeve portion 34 to which the

outer rings

35 and 36 of ball bearings are secured, while the inner rings of the ball bearings are secured to the rotary holding means 14. Consequently, holding means 14 with clamping means 17 and 18 can be moved toward and away from holding means 15 with clamping means 19 and for adjusting the distance between the rotary holding means in accordance with the dimensions of the objects 27, 28 to be clamped. An annular cutting means 37 is secured to the tubular part 34 and has two bores, best seen in FIG. 3,

registering with

bores

38 and 39 in the holding means 14 in the initial position of the machine. The two

wires

25 and 26 are guided in corresponding parallel passages in tubular member 34, in the bores of cutting means 37 and in the

bores

38 and 39 of the rotary holding means 14 when they are inserted between the clamping means 17 and 18.

A gear crown of substantial axial length is provided on a tubular portion 14a of the rotary holding means 14, and meshes with the gear 1612 on shaft 16. Due to the axial length of the gear, the rotary holding means 14 can be displaced by shifting member 32 in axial direction of drive shaft 16, while the driving connection between drive shaft 16 and the rotary holding means 14 is maintained.

If in the position of FIG. 3, drive shaft 16 rotates the two

rotary holding means

14 and 15, the cutting means 37 will cut off

wires

25 and 26 adjacent clamping means 17, 18, and during further rotation of the

rotary holding means

14 and 15, the ends of the cut off wire portions which project in axial direction from the objects 27 and 28 will be twisted so that a wire loop having the form shown in FIG. 2 will be formed. Since the twisting of the wire ends causes a reduction of the length of the wires, the twisted end portions are drawn out of the resilient clamping means 17, 18, and 19, 28 so that the completed wire loop is held only by the objects 27, 28 which thus can be removed together with the wire loop by which they are tied.

Drive shaft 16 is then automatically stopped in the initial position thereof in which the clamping means 17, 18, 19 and 20 are again positioned as shown in FIG. 3 to be adapted to receive the wires fed and transported during a following operation. Thereupon, the machine can be placed by the operator in a position in which the holding means 14 and 15 are again located on opposite sides of a pair of objects 27, 28 which, however, have to be placed between the clamping recesses 29 and 30 of clamping means 19, 20 to assure that the wires fed during the following operations will be located on opposite sides of objects 27, 28 as is required for the formation of a twisted loop.

From the above description of a tying operation, it will become apparent that the feeding means including feeding

rollers

90, 91, and the rotary holding means 14, 15, which may also be termed twisting and clamping means, are operated in a timed sequence. The necessary operating means will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

A finger operated member 40 is mounted on the handle portion 11 and held by a spring 41 in a normal position in which a switch, not shown, controlled by member 40 disconnects the motor, not shown, located in the housing portion 10 and driving the motor shaft which has a pinion portion at its end, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 4. This pinion drives a gear 51 which is secured to a shaft 52 which has a pinion portion 53 adjacent gear 51, and carries at the other end thereof a freely turnable gear means including a pinion 54 and a gear 55 which meshes with a pinion 64 which is connected to a gear 63. Another gear means is mounted on a transmission shaft, and includes a gear 56 meshing with shaft pinion 53 and having a pinion 57 meshing with a gear 58 which is connected for rotation with a main shaft H. Consequently, shaft H is continuously driven as long as the motor operates and drives its shaft 50. A pinion 62 is secured to auxiliary shaft H and meshes with gear 63. Consequently, pinion 54 is continuously driven from the motor through shaft H and the above described gear trains, and drives a gear 48 which is freely turnable on a control shaft S. Gear 48 has coupling fingers 47 cooperating with coupling fingers 46 on a coupling disc 45 which is fixed to control shaft S. Spring means 47a oppose axial movement of a gear 48 with coupling fingers 47 to the right into a position engaging coupling fingers 46. A pin 49 on gear 48 is embraced by the fork-shaped end of a bell crank lever 43 which is mounted on the housing for turning movement. The end of bell crank lever 43 is connected by a link to the finger operated member 40, as best seen in FIG. 2, so that upon actuation of the finger engaging member 40, the coupling fingers 47 are shifted into engagement with the coupling fingers 46 whereby control shaft S is coupled to the driven gear 48, and starts its rotation. A catch portion 42 at the end of the upper arm of hell crank lever 43 normally engages a recess 44 in the coupling member 45 to block control shaft S in an initial position of rest when member 40 is operated, catch portion 42 is withdrawn from recess 44 so that coupling disc 45 can rotate with control shaft S. When member 40 is released by the operator, spring 47a cannot move gear 48 with coupling fingers 47 to an inoperative uncoupled position, since catch member 42 slides on the outer periphery of the coupling disc 45 until the same has completed one revolution. After a single revolution, catch member 42 can snap into recess 44, and arrest control shaft S in its initial position. The feeding and twisting operations are carried out during this single revolution, and when catch 42 snaps into recess 44, the finger operated member 40 is free to return to its normal position whereby the switch of the motor is disconnected so that the motor stops.

A pair of

control cams

66 and 72 are mounted on control shaft S for rotation therewith. Control cam 66 has two

cam tracks

67 and 68, and control cam 72 has a cam track 75. Cam 66 has an elongated hub 65 with a helical groove 69 which extends over about 60. A coupling ball 70 slides in groove 69 and is confined in an opening of an elongated sleeve 71 which is mounted for sliding move ment in axial direction on shaft S. A manually oper ated means 73 is connected with sleeve 71, and has a handle portion 73 projecting through a slot in housing 10, so that sleeve 71 can be shifted by the operator. A ball bearing between the manually operated means 73 and sleeve 71 permits rotation of sleeve 71 with control shaft S while the manually operated means 73 is blocked against rotary movement.

Control cam 72 has an inner axial groove 69 into which coupling ball 70 projects. Consequently, when sleeve 71 is shifted in axial direction of shaft S while the same is at a standstill, cam 72 is angularly displaced relative to cam 66 by the adjusting means 73, 71, 70, 69 and 74. The

displacement of cam track 75 corresponds to the angle a indicated in FIG. between the position of the cam lobe 101 shown in solid and broken lines, respectively.

Cam tracks 65 and 67 cooperate with cam follower pins 77 and 76, and cam track 75 cooperates with the cam follower pin 78. The cam follower pins 76, 77 and 78 are mounted on a slide member 79 which is guided on control shaft S, on sleeve 71, and on the elongated hub of a pinion 62 which is mounted on main shaft H. It is evident that in accordance with the shape of the cam tracks 65, 67 and 75, the cam follower slide member 79 will be displaced in axial direction. An arm of slide member 79 is secured to the outer ring of a ball bearing 79a whose inner ring is fixed to a hub portion of gear 58. When slide member 79 is shifted in axial direction, gear 58, which is slidable in axial direction along main shaft H, is correspondingly displaced. The hub of gear 58 carries a fixed coupling part 80 with coupling fingers 81 on one side and has on the other side another coupling part with coupling fingers 83. Coupling fingers 83 are part of a first coupling means which includes a spring loaded coupling part 61 carrying coupling fingers 84, and a gear 85. Coupling fingers 81 cooperate with coupling fingers 82 on a second coupling means 60 which has a bevel gear portion meshing with a bevel gear 94 secured to drive shaft 16. As best seen in FIG. 4, gear 85 meshes with a gear 86 on a transmission shaft 87 which carries a pinion 88 meshing with a pair of gears 89 to which the feeding and transporting

rollers

90 and 91 are connected. Only one gear 89 connected with feeding roller 90 is shown in FIG. 4 for the sake of simplicity. Feeding

rollers

90 and 91 6 have grooves 92 of wedge-shaped cross section into which the

wires

25 and 26 are respectively pressed by counter rollers cooperating with feeding

rollers

90 and 91 and located on the other side of

wires

25 and 26 as viewed in FIG. 3.

When cam track of cam 70 displaces cam follower 78 to the right, gear 58 is coupled with gear by the first coupling means 61, 83, 84 and feeding rollers and 91 are driven to transport

wires

25 and 26. When cam track 75 perm-its springs 61a to move coupling means 61 to a disengaged position, the feeding

rollers

90, 91 are no longer driven, and the Wires stop. As a .result, the length of the wires fed to the rotary holding means 14 and 15 depends on the time during which cam lobe 101 was effective to cause drive of the feeding means 90, 91.

Cam track 67 of cam 66 is effective to shift gear 58 with the

coupling parts

80, 81 and 83 to the left by acting on cam follower 77 which displaces slide 79. Cam track 68 is effective to shift slide member 79 with gear 58 and its coupling parts to the right. Cam track 68 effects shifting of gear 58 to an intermediate position in which neither the first coupling for the feeding means nor the second coupling for the drive shaft 16 is effective.

Arm 95 of slide 79 carries a pin 96 cooperating with a corresponding bore 97 in bevel gear and coupling 60. When bevel gear and coupling means 60 is in the initial position of rest after rotating with gear 58, spring 60a shifts coupling means 60 to the left so that pin 96 enters bore 97 and stops coupling means 60 with its bevel gear so that bevel gear 94 and drive shaft 16 are stopped, resulting in stopping of the rotary holding means 14 and 15 in the initial position in which clamping means 17, 18 and 19, 20 are properly positioned to receive in their gaps the wires fed through the guide channels in the tubular portion 34 during a following operation.

The machine is operated as follows: In accordance with the dimensions of the reinforcing rods 27, 28 to be tied, the spacing between the two rotary twisting and clamping means is adjusted by shifting the upper rotary twisting and clamping means 14, 17, 18 in axial direction with member 32 moving along drive shaft 16. FIG. 2 shows the widest spacing for the largest rods 27, 28 since screw 33 is at the upper end of slot 13a. Screw 33 is tightened so that the upper twisting and clamping means 14 is secured in place. i

The operator, holding the machine by handle 11, 'holds and directs the machine to such a position that the reinforcing rods 27 and 28 are located between clamping means 17, 18 and 19, 20. Thereupon the operator presses member 40 into the handle against the action of spring 41. This causes an automatic sequence of operations. First, the main switch, not shown, of the motor in housing part 10 is closed so that mot-or shaft 50 rotates. At the same time, catch 42 of bell crank lever 43 is moved out of recess 44 so that coupling member 45 is free to rotate with control shaft S which was blocked by catch member 42. The movement of finger engaging member 40 also turns bel-l crank lever 43 in counterclockwise direction as viewed in the drawing so that the coupling parts 47 and 46 are connected. Since gear 48 of coupling part 47 is driven through the

gear train

50, 51, 53, 56, 57, 58, H, 62, 63, 64, 55 and 54, control shaft S starts to rotate together with main shaft H which is driven by gear 58.

By operation of the adjusting means 73, 71, 70, control cam 72 has been placed in a selected angular position relative to control cam 66, and upon rotation of control shaft S, both cam means 66 and 72 rotate in synchronism. The cam tracks 67 and 68 of cam 66 are in the position indicated in FIG. 5 as 0 since this position is determined by catch member 42. The first coupling means 61, 84, 83 and the second coupling means 80, 81, 82 are both disconnected. In accordance with the angular adjusted position of cam 72 cam lobe 101 is either in the position shown in solid lines, or in the position shown in broken lines, or in an intermediate position. In the position shown in solid lines, cam follower pin will be immediately engaged by cam lobe 161, so that the first coupling means 61, 84, 83 are coupled whereby the feeding means 90, 91 are driven through

gear train

89, 88, 87, 86 and 85, as best seen in FIG. 4.

Wires

25 and 26 which in the initial position of the machine extended only to the cutting means 37 by which they were cut during the preceding operation, are now advanced until the ends of

wires

25, 26 pass into the

recesses

29, 30 of clamping means 19 and 20 whereupon the feeding means stop. The feeding means will stop when the slide 79 is moved back to its neutral position by cam track 67.

Depending on the time during which slide 79 was in ts right hand position, the feeding means will be effective for a longer or shorter time, and feed a corresponding longer or shorter portion of

wires

25, 26. The fed length of wires must correspond to the spacing between the two rotary holding means, or twisting and clam-ping means, which was previously determined by the adjusting means 32, 33. The wires must be fed such a distance that the free leading ends thereof just project into the clamping means 19 and 20 and are held by the same. The variation of the time of rotation of the feeding means 90, 91, and the corresponding adjustment of the fed length of the pair of wires, is determined by operation of the adjusting means 73, 71, 70 which turn feed control cam 72 relative to twisting control cam 66.

When the adjusting means '73, 71, 78 is in the right hand end position shown in FIG. 2, cam lobe 101 is in the position indicated in broken lines in FIG. and will not be effective during the entire angular movement of control shaft S corresponding to the length of the cam lobe 101, but will be effective during an angular turning move ment of control shaft S which is smaller by the angle a, as will be understood from FIG. 5. Since coupling means 61, 84, 83 is thus effective only during a small turning angle of control shaft S, that is for a shorter period than in the other position, feed rollers 90 will not turn as long as before, but for a .shorter time so that the

wires

25 and 26 are fed a shorter distance, which corresponds to the minimum spacing between the two rotary twisting and clamping means. In this manner, irrespective of the space between the two rotary twisting and clamping means, the wires will be fed such a distance that the ends thereof are just located in the clamping means 19, 20.

After the operation of the feeding means has been started by cam 72, the edge 100 of a lobe of cam track 67 engages cam follower pin 72 and shifts the coupling parts 81, 83 to the left as viewed in the drawing, so that the first coupling means 61, 84, 83 is disconnected and the feeding means stop.

When cam 66 has turned through 210, the leading edge 106 of a cam lobe of cam track 67 engages cam follower pin 76 and shifts coupling parts 83, 31 to the left so that coupling fingers 81 engage coupling fingers 82 of the second coupling means 61). The bevel gear of coupling means 60 rotates bevel gear 94 with drive shaft 16 and gears 16a and 161) so that the holding means 14 and are rotated. Since cutting means 37 rotates with holding means 14, the wires are immediately cut, whereupon the ends of the cut off wire portions which are respec tively clamped in clamping means 17, 18 and 19, are twisted and thereby shortened to tightly embrace the reinforcing rods 27, 28, while the shortening of the twisted 'wire portions also draws the wire ends out of the clamping means in which the wire ends are resiliently and frictionally held during the twisting operation.

The rotation of holding means 14 and 15 is terminated when the cam lobe of cam track 68 engages cam follower pin 77 shortly before the end of the single revolution of control shaft S and displaces sleeve 79 to the right so that coupling means 60, 82, 81 is disengaged. Springs 60a urge coupling means 61) to the left so that the stop pin 96 enters the bore 97, and arrests drive shaft 16 in the desired initial position in which the clamping gaps of clamping means 17, 18, 19, 20 are properly located in the path of movement of the

wires

25 and 26 whose ends are now located at the cutting disc 37. The plane defined by the

parallel wires

25, 26 passes through the gap between the clamping means 17, 18 when pin 96 is located in bore 97. Inertia causes coupling means 60 to move to the position in which stop pin 96 is aligned with bore 97 after coupling means 60, 82, 81 has been disengaged.

Directly after drive shaft 16 is thus stopped, catch member 42 arrives at the recess 44 of coupling member 45 and snaps into the same so that the coupling 64, 67 is disengaged. Member 40 moves to its inoperative position illustrated in solid lines in FIG. 2, so that the motor switch, not shown, is disconnected and the motor is stopped with its shaft 50 which constitutes a drive means for all movable elements of the machine.

The wire tying machine of the present invention has the particular advantage that it can be operated by unskilled workers since the operations are carried out in a completely automatic sequence by the operating means which include control shaft S, earns 66 and 72, and the first and second coupling means mounted on the main shaft H.

Since the rotary holding means 14, 17, 18 and 15, 19, 20 include the clamping means 17, 18 and 19, 20, respectively, and effect the twisting of the wire ends, they have also been referred to in the above description as twisting and clamping means.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of tying machines for tying loops of elongated elements, such as wires, differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a wire tying machine for tying a twisted loop about reinforcing rods of a concrete structure, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, feeding means for transporting wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means spaced along said path, each holding means being adapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cutting means located between said feeding means and one of said holding means for cutting said wires; and operating means for operating said feeding means, for rotating said holding means and for actuating said cutting means in a timed sequence.

2. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a portable support adapted to be manually directed and including a handle; drive means mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting said wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding means being adapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cutting 9 means located between said feeding means and one of said holding means for cutting said wires; and operating means mounted on said support and driven by said drive means for operating said feeding means, for rotating said holding means and for actuating said cutting means in a timed sequence.

3. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drive means mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting said wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding means being adapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cutting means located between said guide means and one of said holding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to out said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means and cutting means; and operating means mounted on said support and driven by said drive means for operating said feeding means and for rotating said holding means and said cutting means in a timed sequence.

4. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drive means mounted on said support; supply means for two Wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting said wires; guide means for guiding the transported wires from said supply means to a parallel position so that said feeding means transport said wires parallel to each other a selected distance along a path; two rotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said path a distance corresponding to said selected distance so that the leading ends of the transported wires are inserted into the holding means which is farther spaced from said feeding means, each holding means being adapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cutting means located between said guide means and one of said holding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to out said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means and cutting means; and operating means mounted on said support and driven by said drive means for operating said feeding means and for rotating said holding means and said cutting means in a timed sequence.

5. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a portable support adapted to be manually directed and including a handle; drive means mounted on said support and including a one revolution clutch; supply mean-s for two wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting said wires; guide means for guiding the transported wires from said supply means to a parallel position so that said feeding means transport said wires parallel to each other a selected distance along a path; two rotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said path a distance corresponding to said selected distance so that the leading ends of the transported wires are inserted into the holding means which is farther spaced from said feeding means, each holding means being adapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cutting means located between said guide means and one of said holding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to cut said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means and cutting means;

W and operating means mounted on said support and driven by said one revolution clutch of said drive means for operating said feeding means and for rotating said holding means and said cutting means in a timed sequence.

6. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, feeding means for transporting wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means spaced along said path, each holding means including automatic clamping means adapted to clamp and frictionally hold portons of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby on object located between said two holding means and said Wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cutting means located between said feeding means and one of said holding means for cutting said wires and the twisted wire portions are shortened and drawn out of said clamping means; and operating means for opera-ting said feeding means, for rotating said holding means and for actuating said cutting means in a timed sequence.

7. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drive means mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting said wires; guide means for guiding the transported wires from said supply means to a parallel position so that said feeding means transport said wires parallel to each other a selected distance along a path; two rotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said path a distance corresponding to said selected distance so that the leading ends of the transported wires are inserted into the holding means which is farther spaced from said feeding means, each holding means including automatic clamping means adapted to clamp and frictionally hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop and the twisted wire portions are shortened and drawn out of said clamping means; cutting means located between said guide means and one of said holding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to out said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means and cutting means; and operating means mounted on said support and driven by said drive means for operating said feeding means and for rotating said holding means and said cutting means in a timed sequence.

8. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drive means mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting said wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding means being adapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cutting means located between said guide means and one of said holding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to cut said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means and cutting means; first coupling means for connecting said drive means with said feeding means; second coupling means for connecting said drive means with said rotary hold ing means; and control means driven by said drive means and operatively connected with said first and second coupling means for successively operating the same so that said feeding means transports said two wires a selected distance for inserting the ends of the transported wires into the holding means farther spaced from said feeding means and then stops whereupon said holding means and cut-ting means are rotated to cut said wires and to twist said wire portions.

9. A Wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drive means mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting said wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding means including automatic clamping means adapted to clamp and frictionally hold portions of said Wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop and the twisted wire portions are shortened and drawn out of said clamping means; cutting means located between said guide means and one of said holding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to out said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means and cutting means; first coupling means for connecting said drive means with said feeding means; second coupling means for connecting said drive means with said rotary holding means; and control means including a control shaft, a one revolution clutch connecting said drive means with said control shaft, and means operatively connecting said control shaft with said first and second coupling means for successively operating the same so that said feeding means transports said two Wires a selected distance for inserting the ends of the transported wires into the holding means farther spaced from said feeding means and then stops whereupon said holding means and cutting means are rotated to cut said Wires and to twist said wire portions.

10. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drive means mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting said wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on said support spaced along said path, each holding means being adapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation thereof whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; cutting means located between said guide means and one of said holding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to cut said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means and cutting means;

first coupling means for connecting said drive means with said feeding means; second coupling means for connecting said drive means with said rotary holding means; and control means including a control shaft, a one revolution clutch connecting said drive means with said control shaft, first and second cam means mounted on said control shaft for rotation therewith, adjusting means for adjusting the angular position of said first cam means, means connecting said control shaft with said first and second coupling means and including first and second cam follower means respectively cooperating with said first and second cam means for successively operating said first and second coupling means so that said feeding means transports said two wires a selected distance for inserting the ends of the transported wires into the holding means farther spaced from said feeding means and then stops whereupon said holding means and cutting means are rotated to cut said wires and to twist said wire portions.

11. A wire tying machine comprising, in combination, a support; drive means mounted on said support; supply means for two wires mounted on said support; feeding means mounted on said support for transporting said wires spaced from each other along a path; two rotary holding means having a common axis extending along said path, said holding means being mounted on said 12 support spaced along said path, each holding means being adapted to hold portions of said wires and to twist the held wire portions together during rotation there-of whereby an object located between said two holding means and said wires is tied by a twisted wire loop; first adjusting means for moving one of said holding means toward and away from the other holding means so that the holding means are spaced from each other in accordance with the dimensions of the object; cutting means located between said guide means and one of said holding means connected to the latter for rotation therewith and adapted to out said wires at the beginning of the rotation of said holding means and cutting means; first coupling means for connecting said drive means with said feeding means; second coupling means for connecting said drive means with said rotary holding means; and control means including a control shaft, a one revolution clutch connecting said drive means with said control shaft, first and second cam means mounted on said control shaft for rotation therewith, second adjusting means for adjusting the angular position of said first cam means corresponding to the adjustment of said one holding means by said first adjusting means, means connecting said control shaft with said first and second coupling means and including first and second cam follower means respectively cooperating with said first and second cam means for successively operating said first and second coupling means so that said feeding means transports said two wires a selected distance corresponding to the adjusted distance between said two holding means under the control of said adjusted first cam means for inserting the ends of the transported wires into the holding means farther spaced from said feeding means and then stops whereupon said holding means and cutting means are rotated to cut said wires and to twist said wire portions.

12. A machine as set forth in claim 11 wherein said second cam means has a hub surrounding said control shaft, said hub having a helical groove; wherein said second adjusting means include a sleeve mounted on said hub for axial movement surrounded by said first cam means and having an opening, said first cam means having an axial groove disposed on said opening; a ball mounted in said opening and partly located in said helical and axial grooves and axially movable with said sleeve; and manually operated means for axially shifting said sleeve whereby said first cam means is turned relative to said second cam means.

13. A machine as set forth in claim 9 wherein said drive means is a motor shaft connected with said one revolution clutch; and including a drive shaft driven from said second coupling means and having an axis perpendicular to said motor shaft and parallel to said common axis of rotation of said two rotary holding means; and transmission means connecting said drive shaft with said holding means for rotation and including means connecting said drive shaft with said one holding means so as to permit movement of said one holding means in axial direction.

14. A machine as set forth in claim 13 and including a pair of meshing bevel gears respectively connected to said second coupling means and to said drive shaft for rotation; and a stop for arresting said second coupling means, bevel gears and driving shaft in a position of rest in which said clamping means are positioned to receive said wires.

15, A machine as set forth in claim 13 and including a gear driven from said motor shaft; a main shaft; a gear means mounted on said main shaft for axial movement connected thereto for rotation and meshing with said gear; said first and second coupling means each including first coupling parts secured to said gear means and second coupling parts mounted for rotation on said main shaft so that by axial shifting of said gear means with said first coupling parts said first or second coupling means is selectively placed in a coupling position.

16. A machine for tying and twisting elongated elements about an object, comprising two rotary twisting and clamping means adapted to frictionally clamp the elements, having a common axis of rotation and being spaced along said axis of rotation from each other; feeding means for feeding selected lengths of parallel elongated elements outwardly of an object located between said twisting and clamping means to said twisting and clamping means so that the leading end portions of said elongated elements are clamped by one twisting and 10 clamping means and other portions of said elongated elements are clamped by the other twisting and clamping means; cutting means for cutting said elements adjacent said other portions; and means for operating said feeding means, cutting means, and twisting and clamping means so that said end portions and said other portions are, respectively, twisted together and thereby shortened and withdrawn from said twisting and clamping means to permit removal of said object with a twisted loop formed of the cut off portions of said elongated elements.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,726,598 12/55 Tice IUD-31 2,796,662 6/57 Saum 10031 3,169,559 2/65 Working 140119 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A WIRE TYING MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, FEEDING MEANS FOR TRANSPORTING WIRES SPACED FROM EACH OTHER ALONG A PATH; TWO ROTARY HOLDING MEANS SPACED ALONG SAID PATH, EACH HOLDING MEANS BEING ADAPTED TO HOLD PORTIONS OF SAID WIRES AND TO TWIST THE HELD WIRE PORTIONS TOGETHER DURING ROTATION THEREOF WHEREBY AN OBJECT LOCATED BETWEEN SAID TWO HOLDING MEANS AND SAID WIRES IS TIED BY A TWISTED WIRE LOOP; CUTTING MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID