US3346022A - Strapping tool construction - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 10, 1967 N. A. POLIT STRAPPING TOOL CONSTRUCTION 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 8, 1965 ATTORNEYS Oct. 10, 1967 N. A. POLIT 3,346,022

STRAPPING TOOL CONSTRUGT ION 5 Sheets- Sheet 2 nvvslv TOR v 7- JVQL'Z @PO/J Arm/mars N. A. POLIT STRAPPING TOOL consmuc'rldn Oct. 10, 1967 5 Sheets-Shet 5 Filed April 8, 1965 IN'VENTOR 54% M? ATTORNEYS Oct. 10, 1967 N. A. POLIT sTRAPBInc- TOOL CONSTRUCTION Filed April a; 1965 wQ v5 mm A TTORNEYS 0140, 967 N. A. Pom 3,346,022

STRAI PING TOOL CONSTRUCTION v v Sheets-Sheet 5 //V l/E N TOR fizz Q 1 0/62 A TTORNEYS United States Patent 3,346,022 STRAPPING TOOL CONSTRUCTION Neil A. Polit, Cary, Ill., assignor to Signode Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 446,624 7 Claims. (Cl. 140-934) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A power operated strapping tool is disclosed as including a frame having a pair of elongated spaced apart frame members that define an elongated path 1n which the lead end portion and source end portion are disposed The instant invention relates to strapping tools. Particularly the invention relates to a power operated strapping tool of the class which is adapted to hold overlapped portions of a strap which is looped about an object such as a package or box and to tension such held strap and, while tensioned, shear the strap from the strap source and crimp a metal seal and the overlapped strap portions of the strap together.

Characterizing-strapping tools of the instant class are those which may embody the teaching of co-pending application Serial No. 73,885 filed December 5, 1960, now US. Patent No. 3,198,218 issued August 3, 1965. In accordance with the disclosures of such co-pending application, the strapping tool comprises a body or framework which is adapted to engage the surface of a package or box to be strapped. The lead portion of a strap is fed from a strapping source through an upper track in and projected from the forward end of the tool and then is looped about the package or box and thereafter carried through a lower track provided in the tool by means of which the lead portion of the strap is disposed below the fed portion of the strap in a manner such that the fed portion and the lead portion are in overlapped or superposed relationship. Means are provided for immobilizing the lead portion of the strap once it is disposed in substantially final strapping position, while slack is removed from the loop of the strap about the box or package, and the strap is tensioned by reverse'feeding and pulling of the fed portion of the strap toward the strapping source. The means for tensioning the strap'include a tensioning wheel which engages the fed portion to drive the same toward its supply source.

Within the frame of the tool, those structures which separate the upper and lower strap portions terminate to cause the overlapped strap portions to engage below a strap sealing mechanism. By reciprocative means, a metal seal is fed from a seal magazine under the strap sealing mechanism onto the upper surface of the upper of the overlapped and engaged strap sections. As a result of operation of the sealing mechanism, the seal is bent about the overlapped strap sections and crimped thereto, and the fed portion of the strap, being the uppermost of the connected together strap sections, is severed from the supply source by a cutter reciprocated with the sealing mechanism. Upon completion of the sealing operation, the strap sealing mechanism is caused to elevate and thereby actuates means for removing the tensioning wheel from strap engagement.

Following completion of the strapping operation, however, parts of the fed portion and the lead portion of the strap are yet disposed in their tracks and are not freed from the tool, and, as a consequence, tightly tie the tool to the box or package on which the strap has been sealed. Each of the strap tracks is provided with a slot through which the strap can be manually slid transversely of its longitudinal axis to liberate the tool. In practice, the trapped tool is manually withdrawn from the package transversely of the longitudinal axis of the sealed strap from one side thereof rather than the package being withdrawn from the tool, as the tool can be manipulated more easily than the box or package.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that the prior tool is not adapted for automaticstrapping, inasmuch as either the tool must be manually withdrawn from engagement with the strap after each box or package is strapped, or each strapped box or package must be manually pulled to separate the tensioned strap from the tool.

In accordance with the instant invention, and as an object thereof, there is provided in a strapping tool of the class described means whereby such tool can operate from a fixed position by obviating the requirement to remove the tool from the strap each time a box or package is strapped.

An additional object of the instant invention is the provision in a tool of the class described of means providing tracks for the overlapped fed and lead portions of a looped strap which are disengageable from the strap portions to free the strapping tool which may be mounted in fixed position.

i A yet further object of the instant invention is the provision, in a tool of the class described which is adapted to be operated from a fixed position, of means proyiding guides for the upper and lower overlapped portions of a strap looped about a package in which said means are rockably disengaged from the overlapped strap sections after sealing of the strap about the package or box sealed thereby.

, Still a further object is the provision of a tool of the described class having separable tracks to release the strap portions held therein. for strapping a box or package. The. foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and ap pended claims, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein the same reference character or numeral refers to like or corresponding parts throughout the several views.

On the drawings:

' FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a tool embodying one form of the instant invention, looking toward what maybe considered a sideand showing the same in strapping association with a package.

' FIG. 2 is a bottom plan of said tool, parts thereof and strap portions being shown dotted for the purpose of illustration.

FIG. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

. FIG. 4 is a partial vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of FIG. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5 is a view of said embodiment taken on composite horizontal planes defined substantially by the line Patented Oct. 10, 1967 Q9 -5 of FIG. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows, parts of the tool being shown dotted and in phantom, as well as parts of the strap being shown in phantom, for the purpose of illustration.

FIG. 6 is a view of the embodiment similar to FIG. 5, however showing the parts in strap-liberated position.

FIG. 7 is a partial vertical sectional view of said embodiment taken substantially on the line 77 of FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 8 is a partial vertical sectional view of said embodiment taken substantially on the line 88 of FIG. 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 9 is a partial longitudinal vertical sectional view of the tool showing the relationship therein of the strap portions and taken substantially on the line 99 of FIG. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows. Referring now more particularly to FIG. 1, therein there is seen a frame generally designated by the numeral 10 which is fabricated from any metal suited for the purpose employed and well known to those skilled in the art. The frame 10 may be cast or otherwise suitably formed to provide a base 11, which is disposed in what may be considered herein as a horizontal plane, and an integral vertically normally extending support section 12. As used in this description, horizontal refers merely to the plane of the base 11, and vertical to the plane extending normally thereto, inasmuch as the device may be disposed with the base 11 in various positions depending upon convenience. Attention is also invited to adaptation of the frame 10 for rigid securance to and employment as a permanent part of various devices such as, for example, large automatic package handling equipment.

The vertical support 12 defines what may be referred to as the rear wall of the frame member 10 in which there is a slot or opening through which strapping generally designated as 13 is fed into the strapping tool from supply source (not shown) by any suitable means. To facilitate understanding, various parts of the strapping 13 are defined as follows: That part which is farthest from the supply source is considered as the lead portion and identified by S". That part which is next adjacent the source of supply is considered as the fed or source portion and is identified by S. The part between the fed portion S and the lead portion S" and disposed about a package or box 18 is referred to as the loop portion and identified by numeral 15.

By means of a shield 175, a strap portion 8' is confined from above and directed from Wall 12 into a track or chamber 94 below seal magazine 27, which will be presently more fully defined, and as clearly seen in FIG. 9. The package engaging loop portion 15 is projected forwardly from the front end 16 of frame 10, as an extension of strap portion S about the package or box 18 to be strapped, with the lead end S" of said strap returned into frame 10 in the direction of arrow 17 of FIG. 1 through a slot in the vertical support 12 into an appropriate chamber or track 165 to be presently described and which is separated from and disposed below the track or chamber 94. After the feeding of the strapping 13 and prior to removal of slack, tensioning and sealing, the disposition of the portions of strapping 13 are as shown in FIG. 9.

Extending forwardly from the rear support 12 adjacent one side of the frame 10 is a boss or lug 19 which is spaced upwardly from the base 11 a distance sufficient to accommodate the rear end or hub 20 of an elongated gate generally designated as 14 between said base 11 and 'said' boss 19. Hub 20 is carried on a journalling pin 176, one end of which is projected from said boss 19 and into the base 11, said pin providing an axis of rotation for gate 14 on the upper surface of base 11. Pin 176 may be held from vertical displacement by a split ring or clamp 177 mounted on the other end of said pin 176, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.

At the forward end portion of gate 14, being longitudinally opposite hub 20, said gate carries or is integral with a block 21 the elevation of which is higher than that of the remainder of the gate, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The block 21 has a forwardly opening recess 22 which extends transversely of said block 21; and a rail or track 23, which extends transversely of the longitudinal axis of frame 10, projects into engagement with a shoulder 24 defining said recess. Thus, upon rocking movement of the gate 14 about the pivot pin 176, the forward end or block portion 21 of said gate is guided by the engagement of the shoulder 24 with the rail or track 23. As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3-6, inclusive, said track or rail 23 has an integral forwardly extending flange 25 which is anchored to the forward end of said base 11 by means of fasteners 26 such as screws or the like.

To the end that a conventional seal 62, fabricated of metal or the like, may be applied on the upper of the overlapped strap portions S and S" for bending thereabout and subsequent crimping thereto, a seal magazine, comprising a housing 27 which may have vertical side walls 28 and 29 spaced apart longitudinally of the frame 10, is suitably supported by the frame 10 with its side wall 29 defining a lower delivery slot 30 in delivery alignment with a chamber 31 in which two overlapped strap sections S and S are exposed, as will become apparent presently and as illustrated in FIG. 9. The side walls 28 and 29 have a pair of flanges 32 which extend toward each other and serve as retainers for a stack of seals 33 disposed in the magazine. A spring biased seal hold-down pad 34 which may be actuated by a spring mechanism 78, the precise construction of which may be according to the aforesaid co-pending application, serves to press downwardly on the stack of seals 33, whereby the lowermost thereof will be disposed in alignment with delivery slot 30 for ejection on top of the overlapped strap segments S and S.

For successivelly ejecting the lowermost seal 62 of the stack of seals 33, a reciprocative seal ejector arm 35 is pivotally connected by means of a pivot pin 37 to a boss or car 36 which extends rearwardly from the magazine wall 28. One end of a spring 38 engages against said pin 37, and the other end of said spring engages said arm, as illustrated in FIG. 1, to bias the arm 35 into ejection position. For ejecting the lowermost seal 62 of the stack 33, the ejector arm 35 has secured in its lowermost end portion by means of pin 49 an ejector finger 39 which extends through a slot 40 in magazine side wall 28, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, 7 and 9. Reciprocation of ejector arm 35 may be controlled in the manner and by means taught in said co-pending application.

Adjacent the forward wall 29 of the magazine and disposed above the position or chamber 31 to which a seal 62 is shown in FIG. 9 as having been delivered to the overlapped strap portions S and S", is a sealing mechanism generally designated by numeral 53. The sealing mechanism comprises a plurality of longitudinally spaced vertical seal crimping jaws 54 between which there are disposed notch bars 55. The upper end of the sealing mechanism 53 is operably connected by a pin 57 to a link 56 by which the sealing mechanism is connected to a ram (not seen). Illustrated in FIG. 1 is the block of the sealing mechanism 53, into a recess 61 of which there extends a cam rod 59 about which a spring 60 bears against the walls of said recess 61 to aid in operation of the sealing mechanism to bend the end of the seal 62 and crimp the same over the overlapped strap portions S and S" to complete the seal in the manner illustrated in FIG. 7. I

An elongated vertical cutter 58 is carried against wall 29 by the block of the sealing mechanism 53 to sever the strap section S at 178 from its source, as illustrated in FIG. 9; so that the bound package 18 may be removed after the seal is formed about the strap. The sealing mechanism 53 together with the cutter 58 are reciprocated ing mechanism 53 is driven downwardly, and, upon com.

pletion of the strap-sealing operation, the sealing mechanism 53 will be actuated to withdraw or rise from chamber 31 whereupon the jaws 54 will release the sealed strap portions S and'S".

An elongated vertically extending latch 63 is pivoted on a pin 65 which is projected forwardly from the sealing mechanism 53. The latch 63, biased by a spring 64 which is disposed about the pin 65, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is urged to engage under a boss 66. The boss is rigidly secured to a plate 67 which at its upper end portion is rigidly secured to a rocking shaft 68 on which there is carried a tensioning motor housing 69. The lower end of motor housing 69 supports a driven shaft 70 which is journalled in the lower end portion of the plate 67, as illustrated in FIG. 1. As the sealing mechanism 53 rises, therefore, its force will be transmitted through the latch 63 to lift the lug 66 to rock the plate 67 and the shaft 68 to which said plate is connected. Thereby, the tensioning motor housing 69 will be caused to rock clockwise with respect to FIG. 1, carrying with it the shaft 7.0 and a tensioning wheel 71 which is mounted on said shaft 70. In addition, means can be provided for temporarily locking the tensioning motor housing out of position, if desired. The latch 63 may be reset by any suitable means, that is, disengaged from the lug 66. Mechanisms capable of performing these functions are set forth in the aforestated copending application.

By referring to FIG. 9, the manner in which tensioning wheel 71 operates will readily be appreciated when considered with the narration that, after the strap 13 has been disposed about package 18, a gripper foot 72 is actuated to engage and hold a strap segment S"-in a manner and by means which presently will become apparent. Thereafter, the strapping feeding means (not shown) be comes reversed to pull the loop portion 15 about package 18 by removing slack. Tension wheel 71, having then assumed the dotted line position of FIG. 9, exerts a downward force on the overlapped segments S and S" which is adequate to immobilize segment S" on gripper base 120 which will be presently described. The friction between the segments S and S" is not adequate, however, to overcome the clockwise torque of tension wheel 71 which will drive strap portion S toward its source, thereby tensioning the strap about package 18.

The gripper foot-72, which is reciprocated to grip the strap portion S" against a base 97, to be presently described, during removal of slack from and tensioning of the strap, may be controlled by a pneumatic cylinder 41. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the pneumatic cylinder 41 has its upper end portion supported on an ear, holder or bracket 42 which is carried on vertical support 12 and to which said cylinder is secured by means of a pin 43. From the lower end portion of the cylinder 41, a retractable pressure-actuated piston or rod 44 is projected V downwardly, being adjustably threaded into a block or connector 45 to control the effective length of the rod 44, with the connection in adjusted position being secured by a nut 46. The rear end portion 121 of a forwardly extending elongated link or arm 47 is pivoted to the adjustable connector 45 by means of a pin 48, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and in phantom in FIG. 5. The forward end portion 88 of said arm 47 is rigidly secured to a gripper mounting boss 86 of gripper foot 72 by means of a stem 93 which serves as a tie. At its inner end, stem 93 is rigidly secured to said boss 86, its opposite threaded end 87 being projected through arm portion 88 with a nut 89 completing the fastening. A spacer 100 is mounted on said stem 93 and is disposed with opposite ends abut- 6 ing arm portion 88 and mounting boss 86. In regard to the latter, see FIGS. 6 and 7.

The boss 86 extends vertically from and carries or is rigidly secured to the gripper foot 72, the gripping force of which is augmented by an expansion spring 99 one end of which is anchored on arm 47, as illustrated in FIG. 9, and the other end of which may be suitably anchored on a portion of frame 10. Reciprocation of the rod 44 and accordingly of gripper foot 72 is effected through pressure control means (not shown) disposed in an enlarged housing 50' supported on the frame 10, said pressure control means communicatively connecting to the cylinder 41 through a fluid duct 51 one end of which is connected in the housing 50 and the opposite end of which is connected to a fitting 52, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Referring now to FIG. 2, therein the base 11 is shown comprising an elongated side part 92 against the upper surface of which the face gate 14 is rockable clockwise and counterclockwise with respect to FIG. 2 about the pin 176. An opposite side part 73 of said frame 10 extends longitudinally of said frame member 92, and is disposed laterally thereof, being of substantially the same length thereof. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the base members 92 and 73 are spaced apart providing therebetween an elongated gap 83 extending the length of the frame 10. At their forward end portions 74, however, base members 92 and 73 are connected together by an integral strap guide 75 that bridges the front span 76 over gap 83 between the front end portions 74, said guide being U-shaped extending vertically upwardly from the base and having a U-shaped guide flange 77 integral with or rigidly secured to the front wall 16.

The base section 73 has a pair of inwardly extending longitudinally spaced bosses or extensions the rearward of which is numbered 79 and the forward of which is identified by the numeral 80. Between the extensions 79 and 80 an inwardly opening recess 81 is formed in the base member 73. The bottom wall or base 82 of magazine 27 is partially visible in the recess 81 when viewed from the bottom plan of FIG. 2. Additionally, jaws 54 of the sealing mechanism 53, as well as cutter 58, are also seen] in the recess 81 forwardly of base 82 when viewed from the bottom plan of FIG. 2,

As illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 6 and 7, the previously identified gripper or gripper foot 72 is spaced below the magazine floor 82 and is disposed transversely of the longitudinal gap 83. The gripper foot 72 comprises an upper portion 85 which is connected to boss 86 and a toothed or serrated base 84 which has downwardly extending gripping teeth 90. A fixed cutter is mounted adjacent and forwardly of the gripper foot 72 below magazine floor 82. As illustrated in FIG. 9, the cutting edge 179 of fixed cutter 95 is in vertical alignment with the cutting edge 180 of cutter 58 by reason of which the strapping portion S will be severed at 178 as-the cutter is lowered as aforesaid.

The gripper foot 72 and the fixed cutter 95 define a floor for chamber 94 through which strap portion S will be guided longitudinally of the frame 10 through the chamber 31 outwardly from the front end 16 of the frame, being retained from lateral shifting by engagement with segment S of the strap, when projected forwardly from the chamber 94 out of the forward end 16, merges into the loop 15 which is carried about the box or package 18. The lead portion S which extends forwardly from the loop portion 15 is carried back into the device as aforesaid through the wall 12 into the chamber 165. The top of the chamber is defined by the gripper foot 72 and the fixed cutter 95. i

' The bottom of the chamber 165 is defined by the transversely or inwardly extending base, shoe or foot 96 of a right angular boss 97, the vertical portion 98 of which depends from the inner edge portion 91 of the gate 14 with which said boss 97 may be integral, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 7. The gripper base 96 is spaced below the teeth 90 when the gate 14 is in closed position, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, and said gripper base 96 presents an'upper flat which serves as a retractable floor for chamber 165 and against which the strap portion 5' is grippable by the teeth 90. As illustrated in FIG. 6, the upper surface of gripper base 96 has a roughened or knurled section 102 against which the strap portion 8'' is adapted to be held by the teeth 90, and a smooth section 101 which will be disposed below the fixed cutter 95 when gate 14 is closed. From the foregoing, it is appreciated that when gate 14 is closed, as in FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5, the gripper base 96 is disposed beneath the magazine base 82 which is superposed with respect to the gripper foot 72 which is disposed between said gripper base 96 and the magazine base 82, as illustrated clearly in FIGS. 2, 3, 7 and 9.

As illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, when the gate 14 is open, that is, rocked counterclockwise with respect to FIG. 2 and clockwise with respect to FIG. 5, the gripper base 96 will be moved from below the strap section 8'. The base of the chamber 94 then will become the top of the package 18, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

The inwardly or transversely extending gripper plate 120 of a right angular boss 103 bridges the gap 83 when the gate 14 is closed, as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, abutting the recess-defining frame extension 80 and thereby providing a floor for a tensioning chamber 174. The boss 103 has a vertical part 104 which depends from the inner edge 91 with which said boss may be integral. Boss 103 is disposed forwardly from the boss 97 and the sealing mechanism 53,-and said bosses 103 and 97 together with the frame extensions 79 and 80 define an opening, when gate 14 is closed, which might or could be characterized as a floorless base for chamber 31, whereby the sealing mechanism 53 is exposed through recess 81 of frame from below, being separated from package or box 18 only by those portions of strap 13 and seal 62 which may have been delivered below the sealing mechanism 53.

As illustrated in FIG. 6, the gripper plate 120 is defined by an upper forward gripper part 119 and a rearwardly angularly downwardly sloping strap guide part 122. A gripper plug 124 extends above and is secured in the gripper part 119 by means of a screw 125 which is seen in the plan view of FIG. 2. The gripper plug 124 presents an upper serrated surface 123 which is disposed in tensioning alignment below the tensioning wheel 71 when gate 14 is closed. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 8, the gripper plate 120 has an integral outwardly extending lug or extension 118 which employs the frame extension 80 as a backup or bottom support when the gate 14 is closed in the position of FIG. 4.

The requirement for such support results from the function of the plug 124 which serves as a table over which the strap segment S is driven toward the rear of the strapping machine during the tensioning operation hereinbefore described. That is to say, the tensioning wheel 71 which is rigidly secured on the reduced end portion 127 of shaft 70 by means of a nut 128 is journalled in driving relationship in the lower end portion 126 of the tension motor housing 69, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 8. When the tension motor housing 69 is caused to rock counterclockwise with respect to FIGS. 1 and 9, in accordance with the teachings of the aforestated co-pending application or by any other suitable means to assure tensioning position, the strap portion S" will be held by the gripper foot 72. By then engaging the tensioning wheel 71 against the strap portion S and rotating said tension wheel 71 clockwise with respect to FIGS. 1 and 9 on the axis provided by the shaft 70, the strap portion S will be tensioned in the direction of its source. It is appreciated that such tensioning torque will create a substantial downward force on the gripper base 120; such force is resisted by the extension 80 which supports lug 118.

Inasmuch as the smooth face of strap portion S provides the best surface over which to slide the strap portion S during the tensioning operation, the leading edge 117 of the lead portion S is extended beyond the chamber 31 onto the gripper surface 123. Under the tensioning torque, the strap portion S will be driven against the upper surface 123 which will tend to bite into the lower surface of the strap portion S to immobilize it to form a bed on the upper surface of which the portion S will slide toward its source under tensioning torque as it is driven by the knurled surface of tensioning wheel 71.

When tensioning torque reaches a level at which no further slack is removable from the strap 13 and while the tensioning force is maintained, a seal 62 is applied to the overlapped strap portions S and S and the strap portion S is severed at 178. By reason of the pull at the strap supply source which occurs during strap tensioning, the strap portion S rearward of cut 178 may be withdrawn from chamber 94. Upon completion of tensioning, strap sealing and cutting, gate 14 will be made to move from the position illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4 and 5 to the position illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 8. While such occurs, the gate 14 carries the gripper base 96 and gripper plate clockwise with respect to FIG. 6. Thereby, the floors are removed from beneath chambers 94, 165 and 174, as a result of which the sealed strap about package 18, which theretofore, after sealing and prior to opening the gate 14, had secured the tensioning tool to the package 18, will draw tightly about and against the package by the tension then in the strap.

In addition to providing means for controlling the tensioning wheel 71 by raising and lowering tension wheel housing 69, heretofore described, means, which depend upon completion of tension build-up in the strap 13 and accordingly the torque in wheel 71, may be used to actuate a mechanism for control of gate 14. It is observed that the illustrated mechanism for operating the face gate 14 is not critical to the instant invention, as others than that described herein will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Nevertheless, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, the face gate control mechanism comprises a pneumatic gate control cylinder 131 which is carried in the lower end portion 133 of a block or valve housing 132, a threaded end 131 of said cylinder being projected through a side face 136 of said housing 132 and secured by a nut 137, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The block or housing 132 is rigidly secured to the frame 10 by suitable fasteners 134. As clearly illustrated in FIG. 6, the piston or extensible and retractable rod 135 of said cylinder 13-1 is projected through the outside surface 136 through the nut 137, said piston or rod 135 being rigidly secured to a vertical boss 138 which is extendable from the position of FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 6 and then withdrawable back to the position of FIG. 5 as a result of corresponding action of rod 135.

By means of a pair of vertically spaced links or ties 139 which extend normally outwardly from outwardly extending lugs 140 of the boss 138, said boss is connected to the block 21 of gate 14. To effect the connection, the inner ends of said links or ties 139 are pivotally connected to said lugs 140 by means of fasteners generally designated by the numeral 141 in FIGS. 5 and 6. At their outer end portions, said links 139 are pivotally connected to the block 21 by means of suitable fasteners designated 142 and seen in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6.

An elongated transversely extending sensing bar 143 may be splined or keyed, as at I144, in the housing 132 to provide for movement of the sensing bar 143 transversely of the longitudinal axis of the strapping tool. The sensing bar 143 carries at its outer end a depending striker flange 145 which is aligned in the path of a striker bar, boss or lug 146 which is carried or rigidly secured to the housing 21. An inner end flange 147 of said sensing bar 143 is slidably mounted on the threaded outer end portion of a screw 148, said flange being trapped between opposed nuts 150 which are spaced apart longitudinally of the stem v149. A valve cap 151 is rigidly secured to the valve stem 149 medially thereof between the innermost of the nuts 150 and the housing of a pilot valve 153. The pilot va-lve by means of a suitable fitting including a nut 152 is rigidly carried on the valve housing 132.

Pneumatic fluid to control the cylinder 131 is provided through a pair of tubes 155 which at their upper ends communicatively connect with a conventional fluid reservoir in the head 50 and which at the other ends communicatively connect to the valve housing 132 by means of fittings 1-54. The fluid line in which pressure is controlled by the pilot valve 153 does not appear in the drawings.

After strap tensioning, sealing and cutting, as aforesaid, the gate control cylinder 131, through suitable manage ment of fluid pressure in the lines 155, will cause extension of the piston or rod 135 from the position of FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 6. Accordingly, the extension force will be transmitted to the block or head 21 through boss 13 8 and links 139 to cause the gate 14 to swing from the position of 'FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. 6. Thereby, striker 146 will be carried into engagement with the striker flange 145 to cause the striker bar 143 to slide and push the valve stem 149 from the position of FIG. 5 to the position of FIG. '6 to actuate the valve 153.

Upon such actuation, the flow to gate control cylinder 131 is reversed by means well known in the art, and, accordingly, the gate '14 will be retracted from the position of FIG. 6 back to the position of FIG. 5. As illustrated in FIGS. 1, 5 and 6, upon closing of the gate 14, a valve 161 mounted in housing 132 is actuated by compression of its stem 160 by a striker pin 162. The striker pin 162 is projected inwardly toward said stern 160 from the rear of the vertical boss 13 8, said striker pin 162 having a threaded end portion projected through said boss 138 and on which there is mounted a nut 163 which secures said striker pin 162 in operable alignment with the stem 160 which is projected from valve housing 132. Upon depression of the stem 160, means (not shown) are actuated which commence feeding of the strap '13, to the end that the same can be disposed in package or box encircling position.

The manner in which the gate 14 operates is now recapitulated to facilitate comprehension. At the outset, the observation is made that the gate 14 provides a removable floor for an unnumbered double chamber and chamber 174, which are disposed in spaced apart relationship lon git-udinally of frame 10, separating such chambers from the top of the package or box 18 to be strapped. The unnumbered double chamber is divided by the gripper foot 72 into an upper portion or chamber 94 and a lower portion or chamber 165. The chambers 165 and 94 merge into a fioorless chamber 31, at the front of the gripper foot 72 beneath the sealing mechanism 53. The chamber 94 is in alignment with the delivery opening in wall 12 through which strap portion S is fed from and withdrawn to a strapping supply source. The strap portion S is projected forwardly from the chamber portion 165 into the merged chamber 31, then into chamber 174 and then through the front 16 of the frame where strap portion S merges into the loop 15. The loop 15 is carried about the package or box to be strapped to the rear of the frame 10 through wall 12 of which it is projected as strap portion S" into the chamber 165 which is disposed below chamber 94. From the chamber 165, strap portion S is projected beneath strap portion S' through chamber 31 and into chamber 174 where lead end 117 of strap portion S" terminates, being disposed on the surface 123 of gripper plug 124.

The chamber floor formed by gate 14 is imperfect or partial in that it comprises a pair of gripper bases or plates 516 and 120 which are spaced apart longitudinally of base 11 and which extend transversely of the space 83 on the top surface of the box or package 1 8 when the gate 14 is closed. Between such gripper bases or plates 96 and 120, the bottomless chamber 31 is exposed to the top of the box or package 18 when the gate 14 is closed, and above such exposure the sealing mechanism is disposed and will perform its sealing operation against the top of the box or package 1 8. From the foregoing, it is apparent that in superposed relationship the strap portions S and S" pass from beneath the floor 82 of magazine 27 beneath the sealing mechanism 53 into the chamber 31 in which chamber the floor comprises the top of the package 18.

The two components which form the floors for the chambers 165 and 174, namely the gripper base 96 and the gripper plate 120, comprise platforms, work tables or back-up members. The gripper base 96 provides a table against which the lead end S" is gripped and immobilized by the gripper foot 72 while the slack is removed from the loop 15 by pulling, and the tensioning wheel 71 ten- 1 sions the strap 13 by driving the strap portion S back toward its source. The gripper plate serves as a platform against which the tensioning is performed by the tensioning wheel 71. The same is achieved by provision of a gripper pad 124 for holding by biting into the lead end S" under tensioning torque of the tensioning wheel 71 while said wheel 71 causes the strap portion S to slide back toward its source until the strap tension is equal to feed back torque.

In the instant embodiment, when such occurs the tensioning wheel 71 will slip, and actuation of the sealing mechanism 53 ensues to bend and crimp a seal 62 which has been delivered by ejector finger 39 about the overlapped portions S and S" which are disposed below the sealing mechanism 53.

The tool is reciprocated to cause gate 14 to open after the strap sealing and cutting operation has been completed.

Upon outward rocking or opening of the gate 14, the members 96 and 120 will be withdrawn from the space 83, thereby removing the floor to the chambers and 174, with a consequent snapping or tightening of the sealed strap around the box or package 18 under its then eXiSting tension. At such time the strap 13 will have been liberated from the strapping tool, and the package or box 18 sealed with the strap 13 can be removed from beneath the base 11.

Attention is invited to the adaptability of the strapping tool for incorporation as a permanent part in large auto- Inatic package handling equipment by reason of the rockable gate 14 which permits the tension-sealed strap to be removed from the strapping tool once thestrapping operation has been completed, as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8 which show the sealed strap liberated from the tool. As illustrated in FIG. 7, when the package 18 is ready for removal, the strap portion S, which is aligned with the chamber 94 (as shown in phantom) and which has been previously severed from the sealed part of said portion S, which as part of the sealed strap is disposed in the chamber 165, is again ready for projection through the strapping machine and about a new package.

As many substitutions or changes could be made in the above described construction, and as many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention within the scope of the claims could be constructed without departing from the scope and spirit thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as being illustrative and not in limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In a strapping tool for connecting the lead end portion and the source end portion of a strap from a strapping supply source in binding relationship about an article, said tool having a frame, means for disposing in said frame in overlapped relation the lead end portion and the source end portion of a strap disposed about an article to be bound and connected to a strapping supply source, gripping means for holding the lead end portion of the strap against the pull of thereto applied slack removal and tensioning force, means for connecting together the lead end and the source end portions of the strap, and means for severing the source end portion of the strap from the strapping supply source, the improvement characterized by said frame including a pair of elongated spaced apart frame members defining an opening through which the strap is removable from said tool, a reciprocative base releasably retaining the strap therein and pivotally connected to one of said frame members to be rockable into said opening, said base providing a floor against which the lead end portion of the strap is held by said gripping means, and reciprocating means for rocking said base into said opening to move away from the lead end portion of the strap to enable removal of the strap with connected together end portions from the tool.

2. The strapping tool defined in claim 1 further characterized in that said frame members are elongated to define an elongated path in which the lead end portion and the source end portion are disposed.

3. A strapping tool for connecting the lead end portion and the source end portion of a strap from a strapping source in binding relationship about an article, said tool comprising a pair of elongated spaced apart frame members defining a frame, said frame defining a path in which the lead end portion and the source end portion of a strap connected to a supply source and looped about an article to be bound are adapted to be disposed in overlapped relationship, said frame members defining therebetween an opening extending longitudinally of said path and communicatively connected therewith; a reciprocative gate having an end portion pivoted to one of said frame members, said gate having a pair of extensions removably disposed across said opening and releasably retaining the end portions of the strap in said path, said extensions Spaced longitudinally of said path; means mounted within said frame and disposed between said extensions for securing together the end portions of said strap and severing the source end portion of the strap from the supply source; means for gripping the lead end portion of the strap against one of said extensions against the pull of a slack removal and tensioning force; strap tensioning means directing a tensioning force against the other of said extensions for feeding the source end portion toward the strapping supply source, and means for reciprocating said gate after connection of the end portions of the strap, whereby said strap may be removed from said frame.

4. In a strapping tool for connecting the lead end portion and the source end portion of a strap from a strapping supply source in binding relationship about an article, said tool having a frame, means in said frame for disposing in overlapped relation the lead end portion and the source end portion of a strap disposed about an article to be bound and connected to a strapping supply source, means for connecting together the lead end and source end portions of the strap, means [for severing the source end portion of the strap from the strapping supply source, gripping means for holding the lead end portion of said strap against the pull of thereto applied slack removal and tensioning force, and means for tensioning said strap prior to connecting said end portions, the improvement characterized by said frame defining an elongated path in which the lead end portion and the source end portion are disposed, a reciprocative member connected to said frame and defining a base construction having a pair of extensions spaced apart longitudinally of said path and releasably retaining the lead end portion and the source end portion Within the path, against which the lead end portion of the strap is held and the strap tensioned, and means for shifting said reciprocative member from strap holding and tensioning position after connection of said portions to permit disengagement of the strap from the tool.

5. In a strapping tool in accordance with claim 4 and wherein said frame includes a pair of elongated spaced apart members defining said elongated path and further defining an elongated opening communicating with said path and through which the strap with connected to- :gether end portions is withdrawable from said tool.

6. In a strapping tool for connecting the lead end portion and the source end portion of a strap from a strapping supply source in binding relationship about an article, said tool having a frame, means in said frame for disposing in overlapped relation the lead end portion and the source end portion of a strap disposed about an article to be bound and connected to a strapping supply source, means for connecting together the lead end and source end portions of the strap, means for severing the source end portion of the strap from the strapping supply source, gripping means for holding the lead end portion of said strap against the pull of thereto applied slack removal and tensioning force, and means for tensioning said strap prior to connecting said end portions, the improvement characterized by said frame including a pair of elongated spaced apart frame members that define an Opening through which the strap is removable from said tool, a reciprocative member pivotally connected to said frame and definin a base construction against which the lead end portion of the strap is held and the strap tensioned, and means for rocking said reciprocative member into said opening to permit disengagement of the strap from the tool after connection of said end portions.

7. In a strapping tool in accordance with claim 6 and wherein said frame members define an elongated path in communication with said opening and in which the lead end portion and source end portion of the strap are disposed.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,169,011 2/1965 Rlutty '32 3,198,218 8/ 1965 Ericsson et a1 l4093.4 3,241,579 3/ 196-6 Partridge -932 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

E. M. COMBS, Assistant Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,346,022 October 10, 1967 Neil A. Polit It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 4, line 38, for "successivelly" read successively column 6, line 61, after "with" insert the sides of the strap guide 75. As earlier herein described, the column 7, l 1ne 6, for "assure" read assume column 9, line 2, after 148 insert of a valve stem 149 column 12 line 15 after "said" insert end Signed and sealed this 12th day of November 1968.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD J. BRENNER Commissioner of Patents Edward M. Fletcher, Jr. Attesting Officer

Claims (1)

1. IN A STRAPPING TOOL FOR CONNECTING THE LEAD END PORTION AND THE SOURCE END PORTION OF A STRAP FROM A STRAPPING SUPPLY SOURCE IN BINDING RELATIONSHIP ABOUT AN ARTICLE, SAID TOOL HAVING A FRAME, MEANS FOR DISPOSING IN SAID FRAME IN OVERLAPED RELATION THE LEAD END PORTION AND THE SOURCE END PORTION OF A STRAP DISPOSED ABOUT AN ARTICLE TO BE BOUNDED AND CONNECTED TO A STRAPPING SUPPLY SOURCE, GRIPPING MEANS FOR HOLDING THE LEAD END PORTION OF THE STRAP AGAINST THE PULL OF THERETO APPLIED SLACK REMOVAL AND TENSIONING FORCE, MEANS FOR CONNECTING TOGETHER THE LEAD END AND THE SOURCE END PORTIONS OF THE STRAP, AND MEANS FOR SEVERING THE SOURCE END PORTIONS OF THE THE STRAP FROM THE STRAPPING SUPPLY SOURCE, THE IMPROVEMENT CHARACTERIZED BY SAID FRAME INCLUDING A PAIR OF ELONGATED SPACED APART FRAME MEMBERS DEFINING AN OPENING THROUGH WHICH THE STRAP IS REMOVABLE FROM SAID TOOL A RECIPROCATIVE BASE RELEASABLY RETAINING THE STRAP THEREIN AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS TO BE ROCKABLE INTO SAID OPENING, SAID BASE PROVIDING A FLOOR AGAINST WHICH THE LEAD END PORTION OF THE STRAP IS HELD BY SAID GRIPPING MEANS, AND RECIPROCATING MEANS FOR ROCKING SAID BASE INTO SAID OPENING TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE LEAD END PORTION OF THE STRAP TO ENABLE REMOVAL OF THE STRAP WITH CONNECTED TOGETHER END PORTIONS FROM THE TOOL.

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