Abstract: A tool for tensioning, cutting and/or punching a band of a band-type clamp, a band and buckle attachment, and a band punch attachment are provided. The tool includes a nose piece to receive a tail of the band and a lever pivotably secured to the nose piece. The band and buckle attachment includes a main body having a band guide slot and a blade guide intersecting the band guide slot. A blade is movably positioned in the blade guide. A blade biasing element is positioned between the blade and the main body. The band punch attachment includes a main body having a band guide slot and a punch mechanism rotatably mounted on the main body. The punch mechanism includes a punch guide having a passageway and a punch tool movably positioned in the punch guide. A spring is positioned in the passageway urging the punch tool in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a valve for an inflatable object. The valve is attached to the inflatable object and usable to control the flow of gas (such as air) into (or out of) the interior of the inflatable object to enable inflation (or deflation) of the inflatable object.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a strapping head of a strapping device for strapping packaged goods with a strap. The strapping head includes an advancing apparatus and tensioning apparatus having at most three rollers for transferring an advancing motion, a retracting motion, and a tensioning motion to the strap. A least one of the wheels is operatively connected to a driving apparatus to cause the at least one of the wheels to rotate about a rotational axis for the advancing, retracting, and tensioning motions. The rollers can be brought in contact with the strap in pairs on both sides of the strap in different combinations with each other.

Abstract: A mobile strapping device for wrapping material to be packed with a strap. The strapping device includes a modular assembly that includes a display and operating apparatus and at least part of a controller of the strapping device.

Abstract: A modular strapping machine feeds steel strapping material around a load, tensions the strapping material and welds the strapping material to itself in an end-to-end weld. The modular strapping machine includes a frame, a feed head removably mounted to the frame, a tension head removably mounted to the frame, a sealing head removably mounted to the frame and a strap chute. A strap straightener is mounted between the tension head and the sealing head. A leading end of the steel strapping material is conveyed from the feed head, through the tension head and the sealing head, through the strap chute and back to the sealing head. The sealing head is configured to grip the leading end, grip and sever a trailing end of the strapping material to form a loop end and weld the leading end to the loop end in an end-to-end weld.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a pneumatic inflator for automatically inflating inflatable articles, such as dunnage bags, to a desired pressure. Generally, once activated, the pneumatic inflator of the present disclosure inflates an inflatable article via a compressed air source until the air pressure inside the inflatable article reaches an operator-selected desired pressure. Thereafter, the pneumatic inflator automatically stops inflating the inflatable article. In various embodiments, the pneumatic inflator also includes a manual shut-off that, when activated while the pneumatic inflator is inflating the inflatable article, causes the pneumatic inflator to stop inflating the inflatable article. The pneumatic inflator of the present disclosure thus enables automatic inflation of inflatable articles to particular, operated-selected desired pressures with limited operator input.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a box sealer including a first box measurer including a top flap engager configured to move downwardly from a disengaged position above a box at a box measuring position to an engaged position in which the top flap engager engages one or more of the four upright open top flaps of the box. The amount of movement of the top flap engager is partially used to determine the height of the box. The determined height is then used to position a combined flap closer and flap sealer at an appropriate position.

Abstract: A strapping tool for tensioning overlapping sections of steel strap around a load and forming a notch-type seal in a seal element positioned over the overlapping sections of steel strap includes a body having a foot, a tensioning section and a sealing section. The tensioning section has a tensioner motor assembly operably mounted to the body. The tensioner motor assembly has an electrically powered tensioner motor. A tensioning wheel is operably connected to the tensioner motor. The sealing section has a notcher assembly that includes an electrically powered notcher motor operably mounted to the body. The notcher assembly includes a linkage and at least one pair of jaw elements. The linkage is configured to pivot ends of the jaw elements toward one another in a sealing cycle to form the notch-type seal in the seal element. A control system controls operation of the tensioner motor and the notcher motor.

Abstract: A strapping machine of the type that feeds, retracts, tensions and seals strap to itself to form a loop of strap around a load, has a shock absorbing feed wheel assembly. The machine includes a frame, a feed head having a motor, a tension head, a sealing head and a strap chute mounted to the frame. The feed wheel assembly has a friction engaging surface and at least one pocket formed therein. A spring hub is engaged with the feed wheel and has at least one pocket formed therein corresponding to the feed wheel pocket. The spring hub is operably connected to the feed head motor. At least one spring is positioned in the feed wheel pocket and the spring hub pocket and is sandwiched between the feed wheel and the spring hub. The feed wheel is driven by rotation of the spring hub and engagement of the spring with the feed wheel pocket and spring hub pocket.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a portable dunnage bag inflator that provides a compact, pressurized source of air and that is easily mounted onto a movable cargo mover (such as a forklift truck or a pallet jack). Generally, the portable dunnage bag inflator includes an impellor-driven blower that, in operation, draws air at atmospheric pressure through an air intake grid or air inlet into the impellor and expels the air through an inflation hose. Since the portable dunnage bag inflator includes an impellor-driven blower, the pressure of the expelled air is higher than atmospheric pressure. This enables dunnage bags to be inflated to the desired specifications at point-of-use (e.g., during or after loading of cargo into a cargo container) and eliminates the need for a compressed air supply.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for gathering-up a tubular film portion on at least two gathering fingers of a packaging machine and to a gathering apparatus of a packaging machine for carrying out the method as claimed in the invention. The method is distinguished in that the tubular film portion is expanded at least in a part region when being gathered-up onto the gathering fingers. The gathering apparatus as claimed in the invention is distinguished in that the gathering fingers can be driven into a gathering-up position for gathering-up the tubular film portion, in which gathering-up position the tubular film portion is expanded at least in a part region.

Abstract: A storage system includes a rack with a plurality of layers, each layer including an aisle and a plurality of rows extending from the aisle defining storage locations for items. A shuttle usable with the rack includes a first cart movable along the aisle and a second cart configured to be carriable by the first cart and to be movable along a row. The second cart is configured to carry an item between the first cart and the storage locations. A conveyor is located on one of the first or second carts to move the item onto or off the first cart. Related methods of storing and/or retrieving items from a rack are also disclosed. A rack system is disclosed and is readily assembled without welding, transferring loading so that the weight of the rack and any item stored therein is supported by the upright elements via support brackets.

Abstract: A strapping device including a tensioner operable to apply a strap tension to a loop of wrapping strap, a friction welder operable to produce a friction weld connection at two areas of the loop of wrapping strap disposed one on top of the other, a motor operable in a first rotational direction to drive the tensioner and in a second opposite rotational direction to drive the friction welder, and a control device. The control device is configured to, in response to receiving a first designated input: (1) operate the motor in the first rotational direction to drive the tensioner until a predetermined strap tension is reached in the loop of wrapping strap; and (2) afterwards, automatically operate the motor in the second different rotational direction to drive the friction welder to produce the friction weld connection.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a strapping apparatus of a strapping device for strapping packed goods with a strap. The strapping apparatus includes a strap-advancing apparatus for advancing the strap during the formation of a strap loop, a strap-retracting apparatus for retracting the strap after the strap loop has been formed to bring the strap in contact with the packaged goods, and a tensioning apparatus configured to increase a strap tension of the strap lying against the packed goods. The problem addressed by the present disclosure is improving said strapping apparatus to the effect that the strapping head can be made as compact as possible. This problem is solved in that only one common motor drives the rollers of the strap-advancing apparatus, the strap-retracting apparatus, and the tensioning apparatus.

Abstract: A tool for sealing overlying courses of a strap that includes a gripping unit, a power supply unit detachably affixed to one end of the gripping unit, and a motor in the gripping unit. A cam is coupled to the motor and a notching unit is coupled to the cam by a plurality of linkages.