Abstract: A method and device for strapping one or more packets with a band, which device substantially comprises a frame, a lying conveyor belt supported by the frame for moving forward the packets, a pair of band clamping and guiding jaws movable toward and away from each other transversely of the conveyor belt, a supply reel associated with a jaw and guide members for the strapping band in addition to welding means co-acting with the jaws for welding together the band portions supplied by the pair of jaws, wherein means for arranging one or more label means at a time on the band are placed along the guide path of this band.

Abstract: A strapping machine applies a strap diagonally across a load. The machine draws a drape of strap material at a lower edge on the front of the load to an upper edge on a rear of the load, tensions the strap material and seals abutting courses of the material to one another around the load and forms a subsequent drape of strapping material. A carriage is movable longitudinally relative to the load. Opposing reciprocating sealing heads are mounted to the carriage and move toward and away from one another. The heads are movable vertically between a position above the upper edge of the load and a position at about the upper edge of the load. A strap supply and a strap lifter is associated with each of the sealing heads. The lifters lower the drape of strap material to the lower edge of the load, and raise the drape of strap material as the carriage moves relative to the load, such that the drape of strap material is drawn toward the upper edge of the opposite side of the load.

Abstract: A strapping machine that includes a strap chute defining an arch through which loads are conveyed, the arch having an entrance and an exit, infeed and outfeed conveyors positioned at the arch entrance and exit, respectively, the conveyors defining a work surface, and a strapping head disposed at about the arch for conveying the strap around the loads, tensioning the strap, and securing the strap. The machine further includes a sensor disposed above the work surface and a controller. During operation in a back-to-back mode, the infeed and outfeed conveyors are actuated to move a first, strapped load, and a second, to be strapped load, through the arch, wherein the outfeed conveyor is driven at a faster speed than the infeed conveyor to create a gap between the first and second loads.

Abstract: A strapping machine feeds strapping material around a load, positions, tensions and seals the material around the load. The machine includes a work surface, a portion of which is upwardly pivotal. A conveyor mounted within the work surface has a friction belt drive. The conveyor roller closest to the strap chute has a middle portion that has a smaller diameter than the end portions. The middle portions are fitted together to rotate as a unitary element. A load compression assembly is mounted at the strap chute. A side squaring assembly aligns the load in the direction transverse to the load direction. A strap guide extends between a pre-feed assembly and the feed assembly and includes a fixed portion and a movable portion forming a guide path that is opened to access the guide path. An interlocked enclosure is mounted to the machine frame below the work surface to access the sealing head and the feed assembly.

Abstract: A package pacer is configured for use with an automatic strapping machine having a strap chute through which strap material is fed and from which strap material is tensioned onto a package. The strapping machine has an in-feed conveyor defining a plane and is configured to automatically move a package into a packaging region bounded by the chute. The pacer includes a frame that is mountable to the strapping machine. A plurality of rollers are mounted to the frame in a stationary plane about coplanar with the in-feed conveyor plane. The rollers extend forwardly of the strapping machine and permit conveyance of the package therealong and onto the in-feed conveyor. A pacing element is movable between a stop position in which the pacer element is out of the in-feed conveyor plane and interferes with movement of the package onto the in-feed conveyor and a feed position in which the pacing element resides about coplanar with the planar stationary rollers and the in-feed conveyor.

Abstract: A strapping machine feeds strapping material around a load, positions, tensions and seals the material around the load. The machine includes a work surface, a portion of which is upwardly pivotal. A conveyor mounted within the work surface has a friction belt drive. The conveyor roller closest to the strap chute has a middle portion that has a smaller diameter than the end portions. The middle portions are fitted together to rotate as a unitary element. A load compression assembly is mounted at the strap chute. A side squaring assembly aligns the load in the direction transverse to the load direction. A strap guide extends between a pre-feed assembly and the feed assembly and includes a fixed portion and a movable portion forming a guide path that is opened to access the guide path. An interlocked enclosure is mounted to the machine frame below the work surface to access the sealing head and the feed assembly.

Abstract: A strapping machine feeds strapping material around a load, positions, tensions and seals the material around the load. The machine includes a work surface, a portion of which is upwardly pivotal. A conveyor mounted within the work surface has a friction belt drive. The conveyor roller closest to the strap chute has a middle portion that has a smaller diameter than the end portions. The portions are fitted together to rotate as a unitary element. A load compression assembly is mounted at the strap chute. A side squaring assembly aligns the load in the direction transverse to the load direction. A strap guide extends between a pre-feed assembly and the feed assembly and includes a fixed portion and a movable portion forming a guide path that is opened to access the guide path. An interlocked enclosure is mounted to the machine frame below the work surface to access the sealing head and the feed assembly.

Abstract: An existing tying machine (20) is modified by the addition of components to produce a self contained automatic laundry tie-out station (210). The components for the modification include a linear slide support yoke frame (22), attached on top of the component mounting platform (24) having a pneumatic linear slide unit (34) mounted on top. A hanger slide shaft assembly (220 or 220a) is attached to the linear slide unit which retains a selected group of hangers with laundered clothing (36?). Gravity conveyer feed lines are aligned with the hanger slide shaft (230) and a pneumatic system operates the slide unit with controls integrated into the tying machines existing electrical system. The hangers are drawn into the tying machine where they are bunched together and bound with a twist tie and then returned to the gravity laundry conveyer system. After the tying is completed a remote signal releases the bound hangers.

Abstract: The press for forming bales of textile material comprises a first pre-pressing station (3) and a second pressing station (5), with transfer means for transferring the pre-pressed material from the first station to the second station. The transfer means comprise two containment walls, an upper and a lower (33, 35), approximately parallel with each other and defining a transfer path between said first and said second stations, and a ram (25) that pushes the pre-pressed material from the first station to the second station by sliding it between said two containment walls.

Abstract: A strapping machine configured to feed a strapping material around a load, position, tension and seal the strapping material around the load, includes hinged, readily removable in-feed and out-feed work surfaces with integral conveyors. The strapping machine includes a machine frame, the in-feed and out-feed work surfaces mounted to the frame and a strap chute mounted to the frame for carrying the strap around the load and for releasing the strap material from the strap chute. A feed assembly and a weld head are disposed below the work surfaces. The in-feed and out-feed surfaces are on opposite sides of the strap chute and are separated from one another by a lower portion of the chute. Integral conveyors for in-feeding the load into the strapping machine and for out-feeding the load from the strapping machine are formed in the work surfaces. The work surfaces are hingedly mounted for pivoting upwardly and outwardly for maintenance of the machine and for removing the surfaces and conveyors from the machine.

Abstract: A mechanism for rotating an object having a flat bottom surface on a conveyor system is described. Four circular disk segments whose rotational axes lie on a plane and are offset 90 degrees from each other are pressed against the bottom surface by a linear drive and subsequently rotated. The top surface of each disk segment lies against the bottom surface in the direction of a tangent of a circle around the rotational axis of the object. The recessed segments do not touch the bottom surface of the object. As the circular disk segments rotate, their outer circumferences rest against the bottom surface and rotate the object. This rotating mechanism is used in strapping machines and provides a method of rotation.

Abstract: A bundling assembly for use with a strapping machine that is configured to position a strap material around a load and tension the strap material around the load includes first and second moving belts positioned at the strapping machine entrance in opposing relation to one another. The belts each have a paddle mounted thereto and define a pathway through the bundling assembly. A movable stop is positioned at the exit of the strapping machine and is movable between a stop position and a convey position. The moving belts rotate to contact the paddles with the load, urging the load into the entrance of the strapping machine and into an area under the chute. The belts stop rotation, thus stopping movement of the load upon contact of the load with the stop. The movable stop then moves to the convey position and the moving belts rotate such that the paddles move the load out of the exit of the strapping machine. A stabilizing assembly applies a slight pressure on the load during the strapping cycle.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for dispensing labels onto cylindrical items includes an apparatus for applying a label onto a cylindrical object including a feed mechanism for feeding a label strip. A plate having a sharply angled separator edge is positioned to receive the label strip and peel a label from the label strip. A guide member has a pair of opposed rollers. The guide member and opposed rollers are positioned to receive the label. The opposed rollers are adapted to allow the cylindrical object to contact the label and affix the label to the cylindrical object as the cylindrical object is passed between the opposed rollers.

Abstract: Apparatus for stacking bales of hay into large bundles such as, for example, three bales high and seven bales wide, positions bands about the stacked array to provide a tightly bound, compressed stack of bales. The stacking apparatus compresses the stacked bales during banding with a greater force applied to the same facing portions of the bales as applied during formation of the bales to form a solid, rigid, self-supporting large bundle made up of small bales. Parallel spaced compression zones extending inwardly are formed in the upper and lower rows of bales in the least compressed portion of the bales for receiving the bands which are applied without high tension so as not to damage the hay in holding the bundle of hay bales together.

Abstract: The invention provides texturized, baled hay or other animal fodder, preferably fortified with a flavoring or other additive. The hay is characterized by a substantial amount of long stems, substantial leaf retention, and substantial manipulation of stem structure, i.e., disruption of the lignin. Baled hay according to the invention is consistently uniform in texture, flavor, and appearance, bale after bale, for a given type or grade of hay. A machine and a method for making same are also described.

Abstract: Apparatus for stacking bales of hay into large bundles such as, for example, three bales high and seven bales wide, positions bands about the stacked array to provide a tightly bound, compressed stack of bales. The stacking apparatus compresses the stacked bales during banding with a greater force applied to the same facing portions of the bales as applied during formation of the bales to form a solid, rigid, self-supporting large bundle made up of small bales. Parallel spaced compression zones extending inwardly are formed in the upper and lower rows of bales in the least compressed portion of the bales for receiving the bands which are applied without high tension so as not to damage the hay in holding the bundle of hay bales together.

Abstract: .hsc A waste bale press of horizontal construction used for manufacturing bound bales of predominantly organic waste materials, such as paper, cardboard, wood boxes or other used packaging materials includes a press shaft with a filling shaft in front of the press shaft and a drive portion arranged in front of the filling shaft. The drive portion includes two hydraulic cylinders which are arranged so as to intersect in the basic position thereof and whose free piston rod ends act on the press plate. The ends of the hydraulic cylinders are connected in an articulated manner on brackets or the like located laterally of the press housing outside of the parallel limiting walls of the press housing in the most rearward part of the drive portion.

Abstract: A device for strapping a plurality of packets with a band includes a frame and a lying conveyor belt supported by the frame for moving the packets forward. A pair of band clamping and guiding jaws move toward and away from each other transversely of the belt. A band supply reel is associated with the jaws. A welding device coacts with the jaws for welding band portions together. Each jaw has a clamping surface that runs transversely relative to the forward direction and coacts with a counter-surface of an intermediate body carried by one of the jaws. A portion of the clamping surface and the counter-surface extend obliquely relative to the forward direction. One of the surfaces has tooth-like protrusions.

Abstract: A rectangular baler is disclosed comprising a bale case (6) into which successive charges of crop material are introduced; a plunger (7) disposed for reciprocating movement in the bale case (6) to compact the charges while advancing the compacted charges toward an exit opening in the bale case; and a knotter (8) for tying a flexible binding material, such as twine, in a form-stabilising manner around successive increments of compacted crop material while they advance in the bale case (6) to form bales. An elongated sensor (48), disposed on the knotter (8) in the trajectory of the flexible material (49) projecting from a twine holder (32) towards a billhook (33), is operable to detect the tensile forces occurring in the binding material during bale formation and to produce signals, which are processed by a microprocessor (24) to, if found necessary, lower the density of the bales in order to avoid twine failure.

Abstract: A baling apparatus is provided for forming fibrous material into rectangular bales. The apparatus includes a bale chamber having a rectangular cross-section with a substantially vertically (typically 10.degree.-12.degree. from vertical) disposed inlet end. Structure is disposed forwardly of the bale chamber for delivering a mat of material to be baled to the bale chamber. The structure includes a conveyor having a vertically reciprocating discharge chute for discharging the mat of fibrous material in a vertical zig-zag pattern at the inlet end of the bale chamber to form successive layers of folded material within the bale chamber. Dedicated structure is provided for compressing the fibrous material with a flat surface at upper and lower portions of the bale chamber in a direction towards the rear of the bale chamber.

Abstract: A leaf baler including a compression chamber, a feed chamber, and a hydraulic ram being longitudinally aligned and mounted on a portable frame. The compression chamber includes an end wall and top and bottom walls that include pairs of communicating slots for receiving a flexible line, such as baling twine. A foot member is attached to the end of the hydraulic ram and is disposed to selectively extend through the open end of the compression chamber. The foot member also includes a pair of slots that communicate with the slots of the top and bottom walls when the foot member extends into the compression chamber. A needle including both a top and bottom notched eye is selectively received into the end wall slots and foot member slots to train and guide a pair of twine strings around a compressed bale to secure it before releasing it fromt he compression chamber.

Abstract: A conveyor apparatus has a conveying member on which an article such as a bundle of newspapers to be conveyed is laid, a driving device for driving the conveying member, and a lifting device to lift the article so as to separate at least a part of the article from the surface of the conveying member. Thyis lifting device is located near by the tail end of the conveyor member. This lifting device consists of a mechanical lifting unit or a pneumatic lifting unit, or the combination of them. This lifting device is actuated in accordance with a signal from a sensor for detecting the article.

Abstract: Elongate products such as slide fasteners discharged from a finishing station are successively received and stored in at least one tray assembly including a plurality of tray members spaced longitudinally thereof. The products are then transported on endless conveyors to a binding station, during which time the products are embraced by at least one binding strip. The binding strip is welded by a welder-cutter at opposite ends of such embraced portion to provide a band encircling the elongate products and simultaneously the band is severed by the welder-cutter at the welded portion, whereby the elongate products are tied together into a bundle. The tray assembly includes tray members are spaced apart from each other to receive the binding strip between adjacent tray members. Product specifications for each group of the elongate products are automatically printed on the binding strip while the products are received and stored in the tray assembly.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for delivering twine to a baler knotter. The baler (10) which performs the method includes a bale chamber (16) having a forward inlet end. A knotter (64) is disposed to one side of the bale chamber and the baler is of the type having feeding means including a pair of rollers (36) which are moved back and forth across the inlet end of the bale chamber. A portion (90) of the twine is supported on the lower feed roller as the rollers are moved back and forth across the inlet end of the bale chamber. A pickup needle (110 or 302) is associated with the knotter, and at the initiation of the tying cycle moves from an at rest position towards the lower roller to pick up the twine and then to a position above the twine disks (140) of the knotter to deliver the twine to the knotter and then returns to its at rest position. The twine is tensioned by a twine drag (144) and a pigtail type tensioning mechanism (146) both during the formation of a bale and during tying.

Abstract: An automatic vegetable buncher for use in combination with a mechanical harvester of leafy green vegetables conveys the greens to a packing station where a pair of packer fingers driven by a novel rectangular motion generator incrementally feeds the greens into one of a plurality of pockets mounted on a rotatable wheel. When a predetermined bunch size is accrued, the wheel rotates to position an empty pocket at the packing station and to advance the vegetable bunch to a device which ties it into a marketable bundle.

Abstract: A partition slotting machine having a punch and die assembly built as a unit to be separable from the machine for repair, replacement and adjustment of punch, die and operating parts away from the machine, so that the machine may continue operating by installation of a substituted pre-assembled punch and die unit during such servicing. The separable unit includes the die bed with dies adjustably positionable thereacross, a press head movably connected to the die bed and containing punches adjustable positioned thereacross to mate with the dies, and parts of a press head moving mechanism involved in adjusting the position of the press head relative to a drive shaft on the machine which drive shaft is coordinated with other machine functions.

Abstract: Apparatus for tying packages in which a stretch of a tying strand is spanned across a transport path, the package is entrained along this path to draw the strand around it lateral side, and a tying arm is swung across the remaining side of the package and cooperates with fastening means to anchor the strand about the perimeters of the package.