Patent ID: 6419283
Filing Date: 2002-07-16
Classification: B65H

Abstract:
A knot-tying machine, comprising:(a) a package support for holding a package having a supply of a strand material with an exposed free end wound onto an outer surface of the package; (b) a strand gripper for releasably gripping and holding a length of the strand adjacent the exposed free end of the strand; (c) a loop-forming assembly for forming a loop in the length of the strand adjacent the exposed free end of the strand and intermediate the gripper and the package, said package support and said loop-forming assembly mounted for rotational movement relative to each other for forming the loop in the strand; and (d) a knot-forming assembly for forming a slip-knot in the loop of the strand formed by the loop-forming assembly adjacent the free end thereof, the slip-knot being adapted to be subsequently removed when desired by pulling on the free end of the strand.