Abstract: A twine tension relief assembly for a baler including a tension detection apparatus for detecting the tension in a line of twine, a biased cutting element displaceable between a first retained position and a second released position and an actuator adapted to cause the biased cutting element to move from the first retained position to the second released position in response to a signal issued by the tension detection apparatus. The practical application includes when the tension in a strand of twine exceeds a predetermined threshold, the tension detection apparatus causes movement of the biased cutting element so that a strand of twine passing though the twine tension relief assembly is severed and damage to the knotter mechanism and its component parts is avoided.

Abstract: A medication dispenser provides automation to the steps of locating and acquiring medications to be administered to a patient. The medication dispenser includes an enclosure providing a secure environment for storing medications in multiple sized medication storage bins. The medication storage bins are hung in storage racks located within the enclosure. A robot system is also provided within the enclosure for moving bins between the storage racks and a medication dispensing area. The medication dispensing area includes doors configured to open to define an opening for passing a selected bin through the enclosure. The medication storage bin includes a bulk bin loading drawing for loading medication storage bins into the medication dispensing apparatus.

Abstract: Methods that identify data that is related to and associated with data that has been selected from a multidimensional database. The overwhelming amount of data in a multidimensional database that may be viewed by a user, such as a data analyst, is reduced to the selected and associated data by use of index data and related index data, according to the present invention. The views of selected data and related data may be highlighted and formatted for presentation to the user. Further, irrelevant data is filtered out and not presented to the user. Existing systems have not been able to efficiently and adequately identify data that is related to and associated with selected data in a multidimensional database.

Abstract: A banding fixture including a body having a horizontal opening therein, a carriage movable into and out of the horizontal opening, a recess in the carriage, the carriage with the recess therein movable into the horizontal opening with an upper surface on the carriage in underlying near contiguous relationship to an undersurface of a plate on the body, and a workpiece-receiving slot in the body above the horizontal opening. A method of banding a workpiece including the steps of placing a band into spaced slots having sides, pressing a workpiece overlying a central portion of the band which is not in the slots into a recess in a member, and moving the member relative to a surface so that the ends of the band which extend beyond the workpiece are pressed together in overlapping relationship as the member passes in contiguous relationship to the surface.

Abstract: An automatic bale strapping device is mounted on a baling press and is configured to present overlapping lengths of flexible thermoplastic strapping for welding in a region corresponding to either the top or bottom of a compressed bale. Baling straps are precut to a predetermined length and preloaded into the device while the press ram is still operating. Articulated strap tying assemblies are mounted to either side of the press and include locks which grip opposing ends of the precut baling strap. The strap tying assemblies rotate around the compressed bale so as to direct the baling strap circumferentially around the bale and articulate to bring the opposite ends of the baling strap into an overlapping relationship for welding while the press is still forming the bale. The straps are gripped tightly within the locks in order to wrap the strap tightly around a bale, but a short welding portion of each strap is free-floating in order to allow sufficient movement for friction welding.

Abstract: A banding fixture including a body having a horizontal opening therein, a carriage movable into and out of the horizontal opening, a recess in the carriage, the carriage with the recess therein movable into the horizontal opening with an upper surface on the carriage in underlying near contiguous relationship to an undersurface of a plate on the body, and a workpiece-receiving slot in the body above the horizontal opening. A method of banding a workpiece including the steps of placing a band into spaced slots having sides, pressing a workpiece overlying a central portion of the band which is not in the slots into a recess in a member, and moving the member relative to a surface so that the ends of the band which extend beyond the workpiece are pressed together in overlapping relationship as the member passes in contiguous relationship to the surface.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of interfaces between systems having data needs such as databases and input devices. Specific examples include SAP systems and bar-code readers. In general, these systems are referred to as “external systems.” A need exists for a method and system for providing an interface between external system; such that the user of the external systems can configure an interface based solely on knowledge of the data in the external systems, without a need to have an in-depth understanding of the database model and communication protocols of each of the external systems.

Abstract: A defective-portion marking method and defective-portion marking apparatus which can put a mark all around a long body (1), ensure easy removal of the mark, and eliminate the need for securely joining both ends of a line-like elastic body (2′) into a ring shape. A long elastic body (2) supplied from an elastic-body feeding mechanism (6) is held by a pair of pinchers (51), and as the pinchers are turned by a rotary mechanism (52), the long elastic body is wound on a holder (3). Then, the contact pin (41) of an entwining mechanism (4) moves forward to entwine the long elastic body, which is cut to the line-like elastic body by a cutter (516) provided on one of the pinchers. The contact pin moves further to free the line-like elastic body from the holder so that the line-like elastic body is wound around the long body at a defective portion or in a vicinity thereof due to its own elasticity.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a tape binding device winding a tape piece having an adhesive surface on one side around an electric wire bundle to bundle it. In the device, a pair of arms having a holding surface are lowered while holding the tape piece cut into a predetermined length on the holding surface. As it is lowered, free ends of both arms are lowered to both sides separated by a top portion of the electric wire bundle. At the time of lowering, after winding the tape piece by pressing it around a surface of the electric wire bundle, the free ends of both arms make adhesive surfaces of both ends of the tape piece under the electric wire bundle to adhere each other and are clipped between them, thereby laminating adhesive surfaces each other.

Abstract: Apparatus for handling and packaging coils of sheet material, especially steel strip, comprises a rotary capstan with arms that can project through the hollow core of a coil to support the coil. Successive operations of the packaging process are performed at a number of operating stations, at least one of which is so placed that its packaging operation is performed while a coil is so supported. The packaging may comprise an outer sheet metal wrapping applied by rotation of a wrapping arm about the coil to carry the wrapping sheet around the coil circumference. A feed table is provided to align the metal wrapping sheet initially with the coil. Two overlapping wrapping sheets making up a wrapping for a wider coil can be secured together by a welding arm that operates on the sheets as they are wrapped around the coil.

Abstract: A tying machine for tying articles of varying size utilizing tying material is disclosed that has a pair of normally spaced rotatable gripping devices, tying material being fed to the rotatable gripping devices in a pre-adjusted controlled length, said gripping devices moving together maintaining a grip on the ends of the tying material and then rotating to twist the material together about the article.

Abstract: There is disclosed an apparatus for manufacturing angle-section members and binding these members in bundles, in which the angle-section members, formed at a manufacturing station drop, apex upwards, onto supports carried by a conveyor to form a nested stack of the angle-section members on each support. The stacks thus formed are conveyed, on their supports, under binding devices at a bending station where each binding device bends a fastening element about the stack to form a bound bundle. Each bending device comprises a vertically slidable slide element having a bifurcated lower end defined by two downwardly extending arms the lower ends of which have pulleys around which a chain passes to extend between the arms, and upwardly from the pulleys, on the outsides of the arms, the chain being kept resiliently under tension.

Abstract: A bale tying device whereby a wire is secured by knots around a bale of material, the device comprising means for receiving the distal portions of the wire in spaced, parallel relationship with the wire ends extending past each other in the opposite directions, means for bending each other in the opposite directions, means for bending each wire distal portion in the direction of the other distal portion at an angle so that each distal end passes through the vertical plane of those portions of the wire which are not bent and means for folding the distal ends about each unbent portion of the wire to form an open rectangular link or knot in which portion of each wire is looped around the other wire and then angles downwardly and in engagement with the bale.

Abstract: Apparatus for wrapping tape around the end of a stator coil. The apparatus advances tape from a spool to a position near the coil end, where it is clamped by clamping members and cut, and a section of the tape adjacent the leading end is pressed against one side of the coil end. The trailing end of the tape is then pushed around the opposite side of the coil end where it is received by the clamping members. The trailing end is moved by the clamping members toward the leading end to draw the trailing end tightly around the coil and press it to the leading end.

Abstract: A tying machine for tying articles of various sizes utilizing a twist-tie ribbon. The tying machine may be quickly adjusted to control the length of the tying ribbon that is metered out by the machine and to center the article to be tied at the tying station in accordance with the size or diameter of the article to be tied.

Abstract: A binding device for bundling the openings of bags or other material to be bound which comprises: a slidable plate fitted on a vertical support plate; a reel carrying a bundling material such as wire; a feeding mechanism delivering the bundling material; U-shaped carriers attached on rocking arms for supporting the open end of a material to be bound; a movable winding arm for guiding and winding the bundling material round the open end of the material to be bound; and a twisting mechanism for twisting the cut ends of the bundling material that is wound round the material to be bound.