US904223A - Package-tier. - Google Patents

Description

J. C. PIGKENS.

PACKAGE TIER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.14, 1907.

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PACKAGE TIER.

APPLICATION FILED 001214, 1907.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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PAGKAGE'TIER, APPLICATION FILED 00T.14, 1907.

904,223. Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

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UNITED STATE? PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. PIOKENS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ROMANZO N. BUNN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PACKAGE-TIER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1908.

Application filed October 14, 1907. Serial No. 397,334.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it. known that I, JOHN C. PlOKENS, a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and vState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Package Tiers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates more particularly to a machine or apparatus adapted to tie up bundles or packages with string, twine, or the like; and as it is particularly adapted for tying up packages of letters or-other mail matter, I will describe the invention in connection with such use of the apparatus, although, I do not wish to be limited to this particular use of the apparatus.

' It is well known that at the present time a large amount of string or twine is wasted in the post. ofliees throughout the country in tying up packages of mail matter. Carriers or clerks, in order to make the package more secure and in order to make the knot easily, will usually or frequently wind the twine around the package many times before tying the knot, and will also waste a considerable amount of twine in making the knot, leaving long, free ends dangling from the package. I urthermore, it requires considerable skill and time to tie up the packages, even in this undesirable manner.

Among the objects of the present invention are to save twine used in tying up the packages, by making fewer turns around the package, and wasting less twine in making the knots; to enable the tying of the package to be donemuch more rapidly and by persons who are not particularly skilled in this kind of work.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings, showing one form or embodiment thereof, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same as seen from the right-hand side of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a top-plan view showing a portion of the machine; Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail of the cord or twine holder; Fig. 5 is a detail showing the operation of the cam for raising the presser; parts being omitted or broken away in these various figures for convenience in illustration; and Fig. 6 is a plan view of a bundle of letters, showing the method of tying.

Briefly stated, the method of operation comprises the passing of t-hctwi nc around a bundle of letters in one direction, then turning the bundle so as to form a crossing of the twine, then passing the twine around the bundle in a direction at ninety degrees from the first winding, and finally tying the twine at a point as near as possible to the bundle. As shown in the accompanying drawings illustrating my machine for performing these operations, 8 represents a frame of any suitable form, which carries bearings 99 for the main shaft 10. This shaft may be turned in any desired manner, either by power or by means of a crank as indicated at 11. The shaft 10 carries a gear-wheel 11 which meshes with a pinion 12 on a sleeve 13 which is mounted on a second shaft or rod 14 which is rigidly secured to one end of the frame 8 by means of nuts 15. As shown particularly in Fig. 2, the teeth of the gearwheel 11 are cut away for about one-half of its circumference, so that the pinion 12 will only be revolved part of the time for purposes which will be explained hereinafter. The gear-wheel 11 is provided around the toothless portion with a plate or flange 16 which engages with rollers 17 on the face of the pinion 12 in order to hold the sleeve 13 securely in position while certain operations are being performed. The sleeve 13 is held in position by means of collars l8, and this sleeve carries a bent arm 19 for guiding the twine, and also the twine receptacle 20 for carrying a ball of twine, as indicated at 21. 22 indicates a suitable tension device for the twine, this tension device being preferably mounted on the support for the arm and twine receptacle. The twine 23 passes out through an opening 24. in the twine receptacle, to the tension device 22, then through suitable guides 25 and an eye 26 in the end of the arm 19, to a twiiie holder 27. The rod 14 also carries at its inner end, one part of the table 28 which is divided at 29 to permit the passage of the twine around the package. In order to press the twine down to the same,

position, regardless of the size of the package, so that it may be engaged by the knotter, I have provided a finger 30 which is pivoted at- 31 to a bracket 32 on the table 28 and is normally held inraised position by means of a coiled spring 33. This'finger is provided at its lower end with a segmental extension having teeth which engage with a vertically reciprocating rack 34. This rack is rounded at its lower extremity and engages with a cam on the sleeve 13 and is adapted to be operated thereby,'the arrangement being such that as the cam raises the rack, the finger 30 will be depressed until its outer end rests against the table, thereby pressing the twine, after it has'been passed around the bundle and is ready for tying, at each time to the same position.

In order to turn the bundle of letters after the twine has been passed around them in one direction, I have provided a holder or receiving plate 36 which is ivoted at 37 on the table 28, and which may e turned by means of a bent rod 38 forming the pivot and to one end of which the plate is" secured. The plate is held in normal position by means of a spring 39 engaging with said rod. The rod is turned to swing the plate 36 by the action of the cam 40 on one side of a cam-wheel 41 mounted on the shaft 10, which engages with the lower bent end of said rod and which is adapted to turn the rod substantially ninety degrees and to hold it in such position while the second winding around the package is being made and the knot formed.

In order to hold the letters securely on the plate 36 .while the twine is being passed around them, I have provided a presser bar 41 which is mounted at one end of an \arm 42, pivoted at 43 to a bracket 44 on the table 1 28. The arm 42 is normally pressed down by means of a coiled spring 43 to hold the bar 41 in close engagement with the letters after they have been placed on the plate 36. This arm, however, is held in a raised position to admit the placing of the letters or bundle by means of a cam-rod 45. which passes through a bearing 46 on the frame 8 and through ahole in the table 28 and engages with the lower side of the arm 42. The rod 45 is provided at its lower end with a roller 47 which rests on a cam 48 mounted on the shaft 10. This cam is so formed that it will hold the rod up at the time the letters are to be placed in position and will permit "the rod to move down as soon as the machine is started, so that theletters will be firmly held while the twine is being passed around in one direction and will again raise the rod to release the presser-bar at thetime the plate 36 is to be turned to permit the twine to be passed in the other direction, and will then allow the rod 45 to drop so that the letters will again be held while the twine is being passed around the second time [and being tie Any ordinary or preferred form of kno tter may be usedfor tying the twine, and the particular form of knotter does not form a part of thepresent invention, but I have indicated such knotting device at 49. The knotter proper is carried at the end of the slide 50, mounted. in suitable bearings under the table 28, and is held in normally retracted position by means of a spring 51 knot by means is so arranged that which acts on an extension 52 on the slide 50 and against one of the bearings through which said extension passes. The knotter is moved forward so that the beak will engage with two strands of twine, by means of a lever 53 which is pivoted at 54 to a bracket extending out from the main frame and t which has its lower extremity lying within the path of a cam 55 on the face of the camwheel 41, said cam being adapted to move the lower end of the lever outwardly so as to throw the knotter forward into line with the opening 29 in the table 28.- WVhen the knotter has thus been'moved forward at the.

proper time for the beak to engage two strands of twine, it is turned to form the of a gear-wheel 56 which is engaged by a gear segment 57 on the camwheel 41. After the knot has been tied, the knotter again assumes its normal position out of the way of the twine which is to be passed around a new package.

' The twine is severed by means of a knife or cutter 5 8 which is also mounted on a second slide 59, this second slide also being supported underneath the table, adjacent to the slide 50 and being held in normally retractecl position by means of a spring 60. This slide is operated by means of a second lever 61 which is adapted to be moved by means of a cam 62 on the camwheel 41.

- The cord-holder 27, heretofore referred to and which is shown enlarged in Fig. 4, comprises a bell-crank lever 63 which is pivoted at 64 to a bracket 65 onthe lower side of the 1.

table 28 and which is enlarged and bifurengagement with the twine. This disk is pivoted at 67 to the end of the lever 63 and when the twine 23 has entered between one of the teeth and similarly shaped projections 68 onthe sides of the bifurcated end of thelever 63, and the jcated at one end to receive a disk 66 having curved teeth at the outer edge thereof for disk is turned, the twine will be held between 3 said teeth and the adjacent sides of said bifurcated end, then after the twine has been severed, the short piece remaining in the holder will be dropped out as the disk con tinues to turn.

The holder normally rests in the position shownin dotted lines in Fig. 4, and in order to swing it up to engage with the twine, a slide 69 is provided which is supported underneath the table in a manner similar to the slides above mentioned and which has a beveled forward end 70 which engages with a roller/4'1 on the opposite end of the lever 63; and by pushing this end down, swings the outer end up as shown in full lines in Fig. 4, so that the twine will enter the opening between one of the teeth on the disk 66 and the hooks 68. disk 66 after it has become engaged with In order to revolve the the twine, I provide a ratchet 7 2 which is j mounted on the pin 67 carrying the disk 66 and which is operated by means of a peculiarly shaped pawl 73. This pawl is pivoted at 7A: to the slide 69 and is slotted as indicated at 75 to engage with the pivot (st which carries the lever (33. The pawl is so arranged that it moves forward with the slide (it), and after the holder has been swung up to engaging position, the continued forward movement of the slide causes the pawl 73 to engage with the ratchet 72 and move it forward one notch. A springpressed dog 76 is provided for holding the ratchet from turning backward.

\Vith this description of the various parts of the machine, its operation as a whole will be readily understood. The operator first places a package of letters or the like on the plate 36 and then starts the machine, as by turning the crank 11 in the direction indicated by the arrow A, Fig. 2. This causes the sleeve 13 to be turned in the opposite direction, and, supposing .the twine to be threaded around through the guides on the arm 19, and with its end held by the holder 27, as the arm swings around it will carry the twine around the package. The package in the meantime has been securely held by means of the presser-bar 41. After the arm has passed once around, the cam 40 acts upon the arm 38 to swing the plate 36 and with it the package of letters, the twine having been passed around the projecting finger on said plate, insures the certainty of the movement of the package. The continued movement of the arm 19 causes the twine to be wound around the package a second time, and the finger 30 is swung down to bring the twine to proper position for engagement by the holder, and the holder 27 then swings up to engage the thread or twine passing from the package to the end of the arm. The knotter then moves forward andties the knot between the holder and the package, and then the cutter moves forward and severs the two threads between the knotter and the holder. These devices then recede under the table 28 and the operator removes the tied package, and the machine is ready for the next operation. \Vhile the machine, as thus described, winds the twine or cord around the package only once in each direction, it is obvious that, if desired, it can be so arranged and timed as to permit the cord to be wound around the package two or more times in each direction.

I am aware that various details in the coni struction of the machine as illustrated, may

be varied to greater 01' less extent, and I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction shown, but

\Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Let ters Patent is: i

1. In a package tier, the combination of means for winding twine around the package, means for turning the package whereby the twine will be crossed, said first-named means then continuing to wind the twine around in another direction, and means for knotting the free ends of the twine.

, 2. In a machine for tying packages or bundles, the combination of means for holding the bundle to be tied. means for winding twine or cord around the bundle in more than one direction, and means for kuotting the twine or cord to hold the bundle securely tied.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of means for holding a bundle of letters or the like, means for passing a cord around said bundle in one direction. means for turning said bundle substantially ninety degrees whereby said cord is crossed. said first-named means continuing to act to pass the cord again around the bundle, and means for knotting said cord.

4. In a package tier, the combinationot a plate or holder for receiving a bundle or package to be tied, a twine-holder, means for guiding said twine from a source of supplv to said twineholder, means for swinging said guide around said package or bundle, means for turning said plate whereby said twine maybe wound around said bundle in another direction, means for tying said twine, and means for severing said twine between said knotter and said holder. I

5. The combination of a frame, a table on said frame, a driving shaft mounted in said frame, a supporting rod also mounted in said 'frame, a guide-arm revolubly mounted on said rod, means for turning said arm from said main shaft, a plate mounted on said table and adapted to receive a package or bundle to be tied, a knotter adjacent to said plate, a severing device adjacent to said knotter, a twine-holder adjacent to said severing device. means for operating said devices from said main shaft ,whereby the twine or cord from a suitable supply maybe wound around the package in one or more directions and then knotted and severed, substantially as described.

(5. The combination of a. frame, a table on said frame having an opening across the same, a driving shaft mounted in said frame, a revoluble arm mounted above said main shaft and adapted to swing around said table, gears for driving said arm from said driving shaft, a receptacle for holding twine also mounted with said arm, a tension device on said arm, a plate for receiving a bundle or package to be tied pivotally mounted adjacent to the opening across said table and having a projection extending across said opening, means for pressing down and holding a package or bundle on said plate, a knotter mounted adjacent to said plate, a twine cutter mounted adjacent to the knotter,

a twine-holder mounted adjacent to said cutter, and means coacting with said driving.

. shaft for swinging said plate and operating said ,presser device, knotter,cutter and holder, whereby the twine from said twine supply may be passed around said bundle or package in one or more directions and then knotted and severed.

7. In a package tier, the combination of means for'holding the free end of the twine to be Wrapped around the package, means for winding the twine around the package, a knotter arran edadjacent to said means for holding the free end of the twine, and a swinging arm or finger arranged transversely to the path of the twine and adapted to press one strand of the twine into position to be path of the twine and operating the same for the purpose described.

9. In a package tier, the combination of a narrow bar adapted to engage with the package to be tied adjacent to and parallel with the line of engagement of the twine to hold the package while the twine is being passed around the same, a spring for pressing said bar into engagement with the package, and

means for raising said bar to release said package.

10. In a package tier, the combination with a table, of a plate pivoted on said table, a bent arm depending from said plate and adapted'to turn the same, a driving shaft, and a cam'mounted on said shaft for turning said arm. 9

11. A cord-holder for a package tier,.comprising a pivoted bell-crank mounted on a suitable bearing under the table, said crank being bifurcated and enlarged at one end, a toothed disk mounted in said bifurcated end 1 and adapted to engage thescord between said teeth and projections on said bifurcated end, a ratchet for moving said disk, a slide having a beveled end engaging with the opposite end of said bell-crank to swing said for the purpose described. I 12. The combination of a frame, a table supported by said frame, a.-driving shaft mounted in said frame, a supporting rod mounted above said driving shaft, a sleeve on said rod, a pinion on said sleeve, a segmental gear on said'shaft for turning said inion a late on said ear rollers on said a es 7 pmion'adapted to engage with said plate tohold the sleeve during a portion of the revolution of said shaft, a bent arm mounted on said sleeve and adapted to swing around the table, a receptacle for a twine supply also mounted onsaid sleeve, a twine depressing finger mounted on said table, a

spring for holding said finger in normally raised position, a gear and rack for' swinging said finger, a cam on said sleeve for operating said rack, a plate mounted adjacent to an opening across said table, an arm for swinging said plate, a cam on said shaft for turning said arm, a presser-bar pivotally mounted on said table, a spring to press said bar downwardlyfa cam rod for raising said bar, a cam on said shaft for operating said rod, a knotter slidably mounted underneath said table, adjacent to' said opening, means for holding said knotter in normally retracted position, a cam lever for moving said knotter forward, a cam on said shaft for operating said lever, means connected with said shaft for turning said knotter, a severin device slidably mounted underneath said table, means for holding said device in normally retracted position, a cam lever for moving ,said device forward to sever the twine, a cam on said shaft for operating said lever, a twine-holder mounted underneath said tableadjacent to the opening, means for swinging said twine-holderup to engage with the twine, a cam lever for operating said swinging means, and a cam on said shaft for operating said lever.

- JOHN C. PICKENS.

- Witnesses:

A. W. FENSTEMAKER, 1L. Lane.

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