Patent ID: 6584891
Filing Date: 2003-07-01
Classification: B65B

Abstract:
An apparatus for bundling one or more objects with a length of wire, comprising: a track assembly extending substantially about a bundling station sized to receive the one or more objects, the track assembly configured to receive the length of wire and guide the length of wire about the one or more objects, and to passively release the length of wire, wherein the track assembly included a front plate and a back plate together forming an enclosed, contoured channel region, the front and back plates being biasly attached by one or more fasteners, the one or more fasteners being positioned opposite the wire guide path from the bundling station, the front and back plates each having an obliquely angled surface for receiving the wire under tension such that the plates are separable by forces exerted by the wire on the contoured channel region; and a twister assembly having a gripping mechanism enagageable with the length of a wire, a twisting mechanism including a twisting motor operatively couple to a twist pinion engageable with the length of wire and a multipurpose cam, the twist pinion being rotatable to twist a portion of the length of wire to form a knot, a cutting mechanism engageable with the length of wire to disengage the length of wire from the twister assembly, wherein the gripping mechanism includes: a gripper block having a wire receptacle formed therein, an opposing wall positioned proximate the wire receptacle; a gripper member constrained to move and frictionally engageable with the length of wire disposed within the wire receptacle, the gripper member being driven frictional engagement with the length of wire and pinching the length of wire against said opposing wall when the drive motor is operated in the tension direction; and a gripper release engageable with said gripper member and actuatable by said multipurpose cam.