Apparatus for tying and binding bales of compressed materials

An apparatus for tying a bale of material with a baling wire comprises an elongated body having a longitudinal axis and opposite ends, and a leg extending from each end of the body and including a forked portion. A retention clip is rotationally mounted about an axis proximate each of the forked portions, and the axis of rotation of each clip is oriented generally parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. The clips are operable to rotate automatically in a first direction on said axes when wires, oriented along the longitudinal axis of the body, are directed against the clips, and are further operable to automatically rotate in a second direction to capture wires directed thereagainst for maintaining wires along the body between the clips.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to the tying or binding of bales of 
compressed material, and more specifically, the invention relates to an 
apparatus for maintaining overlapped ends of baling wires together to 
assist in the tying and securing of the wires around bales. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Various types of loose materials are shipped, stored, and otherwise 
processed and distributed in the form of compressed bales. For example, 
cotton and recycled paper are processed into compressed bales so that a 
greater amount of such materials may be stored and shipped in a smaller 
space. Also, bales are generally easier and more efficient to handle than 
the loose, bulk material. 
When the loose material is compressed into bales, it is generally known to 
wrap and tie such bales with wire or other elongated binding devices to 
keep the bales in a compressed form, such as for shipping and storage. 
Wire is often most preferable as a binding device because of its low cost 
and the ease with which it is handled. One method of forming a bale 
directs the compressible material into an automatic baler where it is 
pressed into a bale by a ram and then moved on a path by the ram through 
the baler. Continuous wire strands extend across the bale path at 
different heights on the bale and, as the bale moves through the baler, 
the wire strands are wrapped around the front end and sides of the bale. 
For such automatic balers, automatic tying systems are often used to 
engage the bale and wire strands and tie the wire strands around the bale, 
such as by twisting together the overlapped ends of the wire strands. 
Examples of various automatic tying methods are illustrated in U.S. Pat. 
Nos. 4,120,238; 4,155,296; 4,167,902, and 4,459,904. 
While automatic tying methods and apparatuses have proven suitable for 
baling and tying compressed bales in certain applications, they generally 
require complex, expensive machinery which has to manipulate the wires and 
bales together to form and tie the bale. Certain applications require hand 
splicing or tying of the wires wrapped around a bale in order to reduce 
the complexities and costs associated with automatic tying mechanisms. 
Furthermore, the particular material being baled may dictate that hand 
tying is required, because of the complexities involved in trying to 
design an automatic tying apparatus. 
Hand tying or splicing mechanisms in the prior art have provided a means 
for splicing or tying two wires together. However, many such devices 
require that the wires be carefully positioned in the twisting gears or 
pinions of the mechanisms for proper operation. As will be appreciated, 
when a baling wire is wrapped around a bale of compressed material, the 
ends of the wire will have a tendency to extend or jut into various 
different directions. This is particularly so since the wires are 
generally under tension from the compressed material. The overlapped wire 
ends will rarely, if ever, lay side by side to be easily twisted and tied 
together. Therefore, hand tying a bale has been a two-person operation 
where one person holds the wire ends together in an overlapped fashion 
while another person actually twists and ties the overlapped wires. Even 
if a single person were to attempt the operation, it is very difficult to 
maintain the wire ends in an overlapped relationship while the ends are 
twisted together. 
To further exacerbate the problem, each bale of material will generally 
require several wraps and ties of the baling wire or other binding device. 
It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a simple 
and inexpensive apparatus to assist in tying a wire around a bale rapidly 
and easily. 
It is another objective of the invention to maintain overlapped ends of 
baling wire together during tying for a proper knot. 
It is a further objective of the present invention to simplify the tying 
process when wrapping a bale of material. 
These and other objectives will become more readily apparent from the 
Summary of the Invention and Detailed Description set forth hereinbelow. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises an apparatus to assist in the tying of a 
bale of compressed material with a baling wire and specifically is usable 
with a hand or manual tying device. The apparatus comprises an elongated 
body having a longitudinal axis and opposite ends. Legs extend from each 
end of the body generally at a right angle to the body. The legs each 
include a forked portion to which a retention clip is mounted to receive 
the overlapped ends of the wires wrapped around the bales. The apparatus 
is mounted or positioned proximate a bale of material and the overlapped 
ends of the baling wire are placed against the retention clips. The 
retention clips are rotationally mounted about a pin extending through the 
forked portions and defining an axis proximate each of the forked 
portions. 
The axis of rotation of each clip is oriented generally parallel to the 
longitudinal axis of the body, and the clips are operable to automatically 
rotate in a first direction on the defined axes automatically when wires, 
oriented along the longitudinal axis of the body, are directed against the 
clips. That is, simply directing the wires against the clips is sufficient 
for securing the overlapped wire ends in the standoff apparatus without 
any additional steps. The clips are further operable to automatically 
rotate in a second direction to capture the overlapped wire ends directed 
thereagainst for maintaining wires along the body between the clips. The 
retention clips are biased by biasing springs coupled between the clips 
and the body which are operable for biasing each of the retention clips in 
the second direction against the body for automatically capturing wires 
against the body. In one embodiment of the invention, the biasing springs 
are stretched under tension between the retention clips and the body. In 
another embodiment of the invention the springs are compressed between the 
retention clips and the body. 
To guide the wires into position under the clips, an embodiment of the 
inventive apparatus has clips which include sloped surfaces configured to 
slope toward the body, the sloped surfaces causing the clips to move in 
the first direction automatically when the wires are oriented along the 
longitudinal axis and are directed against the sloped surfaces of the 
clips. Alternatively, the forked portions of the legs comprise sloped 
surfaces configured to slope toward the retention clips. The sloped 
surfaces cause the clips to move in the first direction when wires 
oriented along the longitudinal axis are directed against the sloped 
surfaces of the body. 
To provide tension of one of the overlapped wire ends captured in the 
standoff mechanism, a cam is rotationally mounted with respect to at least 
one of the clips and is oriented along the longitudinal axis of the body. 
The cam is configured for engaging wires captured by the clip and is 
rotatable in one direction to allow a wire to pass thereby as the wire is 
moved along the body in that direction. The cam is generally not rotatable 
in the other direction and thereby grips the tensioned wire which wants to 
move in the opposite direction. 
To align the standoff apparatus with a hand tying device, the apparatus 
further comprises comprising a projection which extends from the body and 
is configured to engage a opening in a hand tyer to align the hand tyer 
with the body. In that way, the twist of the wires made by the hand tyer 
us usually at the center of the overlapped wire ends as desired.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective disassembled view of one embodiment of the 
present invention. The standoff apparatus 10 includes an elongated body 12 
having a longitudinal axis 13. At opposite ends, legs 14a, 14b extend from 
each end of the body 12 at generally right angles to the longitudinal 
axis. Each of the legs 14a, 14b includes a forked portion 16a, 16b, 
respectively. Part of the forked portions extends generally at right 
angles to the rest of the legs. The legs 14a, 14b of the embodiment 
illustrated in FIG. 1, therefore extend from the body 12 generally 
perpendicular to longitudinal axis 13 of the body and also form a 
90.degree. angle as illustrated in FIG. 1. To use the standoff apparatus 
10 of the invention, the body 12 is generally mounted or otherwise 
positioned horizontally or vertically next to a bale of material to 
receive overlapped wire ends of wires wrapped around the bale. 
Retention clips 18a, 18b are mounted proximate each of the respective 
forked portions 16a, 16b. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the retention clips 
are mounted between the prongs 20 of the respective forked portion 16a, 
16b and rotate about a pin 22 extending into appropriately formed 
apertures 26, 28 in the forked portions 16a, 16b, and retention clips 18a, 
18b, respectively. The pins 22 form axes of rotation 30 which are 
generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 13 of the body 12. 
The clips are operable to rotate about the pins 22 and axes 30 to capture 
and hold wires inserted into the standoff apparatus 10, as discussed 
further hereinbelow. To that end, the clips 18a, 18b are operable to 
automatically rotate in one direction about the axis 30 when baling wire 
to be tied is directed against the clips, and are further operable to 
automatically rotate in a second, or opposite, direction about the axis 30 
to capture wires that are directed thereagainst from maintaining those 
wires along the body between the ends of the body and the retention clips 
18a, 18b (see FIGS. 2A, 2B). 
Referring to FIG. 1, each retention clip is generally L-shaped and includes 
a mount 32 for receiving an end of a biasing spring 34. An opposing mount 
36 is fixed to body 12 spaced from the forked portion and receives another 
end of the bias spring 34. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the respective bases 
17 of each of the L-shaped retention clips 18a, 18b face rearwardly into 
the forked portions 16a, 16b and thus position the mount 32 behind the 
various pins 22 and axes 30. The mount 36 also extends rearwardly of the 
pins 22 and axes 30. The ends of the biasing spring 34 are hook-shaped and 
extend through the appropriately formed apertures 33, 37 in the mounts 32, 
36, respectively. The springs 34 bias the clips 18a, 18b into a position 
against the forked portion 16a, 16b of the legs 14a, 14b so that the clips 
18a, 18b will capture wires positioned against the standoff apparatus 10. 
As illustrated, the biasing springs 34 are stretched to extend between the 
mounts 32, 36 and are operable to pull the mounts 32 in the base of the 
L-shaped retention clips against the stationary mount 36. The forked 
portions 16a, 16b each include a stop surface 19 formed to engage a 
surface of the clips 18a, 18b and prevent over-rotation (see FIGS. 2, 2A 
and 2B) Each of the retention clips includes an appropriate arm 40a, 40b 
which extends therefrom to assist in capturing the wires against the clips 
18a, 18b. In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, one of the retention 
clips 18a, includes a cam 42 rotationally mounted with respect to the clip 
18a. As discussed further hereinbelow, the cam 42 is oriented along the 
longitudinal axis 13 of the body and is configured for engaging wires 
captured by the clip 18a. The cam 42 is rotatable in one direction and 
allows the wire to pass thereby as the wire is moved and tensioned along 
the body 12 in that direction. The cam generally does not rotate in the 
other direction to thereby grip the tensioned wire when it seeks to move 
in that opposite direction. That is, the cam rotates generally in one 
direction and then back to a rest position so that tension may be placed 
on wires captured by the standoff apparatus 10 as discussed further 
hereinbelow. 
Referring to FIG. 2, a side view of the standoff apparatus 10 is 
illustrated. FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a retention clip engaging and 
holding overlapped wire ends 46 in the captured position. Referring again 
to FIG. 2, body 12 is shown from the side thereof wherein clip 18b pivots 
about pin 22 and axis 30. Each clip 18a, 18b includes a forward portion 44 
with arms 40a, 40b which generally capture the wire overlapped ends 46 and 
a biased portion 48 which is generally biased by the biasing spring 34 to 
thereby direct the capture portion 44 to capture the wires 46. As noted, 
capture portion 44 of each clip 18a, 18b will generally include the arms 
40a, 40b of the retention clips. Bias portion 48 which includes part of 
the base 17 of the L-shaped retention clip secures mount 32. Mount 36 is 
rigidly fixed to the body 12. The biasing spring 34 is stretched under 
tension between the mounts 32, 36 and thus is stretched under tension 
between body 12 and the retention clips 18a, 18b. That is, when the bias 
spring 34 is hooked into the apertures 33, 37 of the respective mounts, it 
will be stretched as illustrated in FIG. 2 to provide a biasing force on 
the respective clips. 
FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate operation of the clips for capturing the wires 
against the standoff apparatus 10. Referring to FIG. 2, when wire ends 46, 
oriented generally along the longitudinal axis 13 of body 12, are directed 
against the clips 18a, 18b the clips are operable to automatically rotate 
in a first direction 50 wherein each of the clips, and specifically the 
respective arms 40a, 40b are moved in the direction of arrow 52 away from 
the respective forked portions 16a, 16b of the legs. In that way, the 
wires 46 slide between the clips and the forked portions 16a, 16b of the 
legs 14a, 14b. The forked portions 16a, 16b, and specifically the prongs 
20 of the forked portions, include sloped surfaces 54 which act to direct 
the wires 46 against the respective arms 40a, 40b of the clips so that the 
clips automatically rotate in the first direction 50 to capture the wires 
46, which are forced against the standoff apparatus. Arm 40b includes a 
notched section 56 for receiving the overlapped wire ends 46. As shown in 
FIG. 2B, the wires 46 are captured by the notch 56 and the retention clip 
18b rotates in a second direction 51 to capture the wires 46. At the other 
end of body 12, the wires are captured under the cam 42. 
Referring to FIGS. 3 and 3A, the cam 42 includes a serrated edge 43 which 
grips the section of the wire ends 46 positioned thereunder. Arm 40a also 
includes a sloped surface 45 to assist in sliding the wires 46 thereunder 
and beneath the serrated edge 43 of the cam 42. As shown in FIG. 3, when 
the overlapped wire ends 46 are captured by the retention clips 18a, 18b 
the overlapped wire ends are stretched between the legs 14a, 14b of 
apparatus 10 and along body 12 generally parallel to axis 13. The wire 
ends 46 are thereby held in position. 
Referring to FIG. 3, cam 42 operates by rotating in one direction, but 
generally not in the other direction. For example, cam 42 will generally 
not rotate in the clockwise direction, as illustrated by arrows 60, but 
will rotate in a counterclockwise direction. In that way, one of the 
individual wire ends 46a of the overlapped ends may be pulled to create 
tension on the baling wire 46. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 3, 
when the overlapped wire ends 46a, 46b are positioned together and 
inserted into the standoff apparatus 10 to be held by the retention clips, 
the wire ends may be loose. In accordance with one aspect of the present 
invention, one of the wire ends, such as wire end 46a, may be gripped and 
pulled in the direction illustrated by arrow 62. When that occurs, the cam 
42 will generally not rotate clockwise (arrow 60) as the wire end 46a 
moves thereunder against the serrated edge 43. Therefore, the short axis 
of the cam 42 remains against the wire end 46a to allow it to pass under 
the cam. Arm 40a and cam 42 are rotationally mounted to clip 18a to rotate 
about an axis 63. Once the wire end 46a is pulled tight, as illustrated in 
FIG. 3A, the serrated edge of cam 42 will grip end 46a and prevent it from 
losing tension. 
Referring to FIG. 3A, the tension on the wire end 46a will be in the 
direction of arrow 65, thus driving cam 42 in a counterclockwise direction 
as illustrated by arrow 67. However, since cam 42 will rotate in the 
counterclockwise direction 67, the long axis of the cam 42 is directed 
against the wire, and the wire end 46a is gripped. While the cam will 
generally rotate significantly in the counterclockwise direction 67, it 
will generally not rotate in the clockwise direction 60, although slight 
rotation in the clockwise direction 60 may be acceptable. 
Once the wire ends 46 are captured by standoff apparatus 10, a manual tying 
device or other tying device 75 is directed between the ends of the 
standoff apparatus and between the respective legs and retention clips to 
engage the overlapped wire ends 46 and twist and tie the ends with a twist 
or knot structure 70 as illustrated in FIG. 3A. To that end, the standoff 
apparatus 10 includes a projection 72 extending from body 12 generally 
between the two legs 14a, 14b. The projection is configured to engage an 
opening 74 formed within a tying device 75 which is moved against the 
standoff. As mentioned above, the standoff is positioned against a bale of 
material to be tied either vertically or horizontally. Generally, the 
standoff apparatus 10 will be utilized with a manual tying device; 
however, an automatic tying device may be used as well. Once the 
overlapped wire ends 46 are tied together with a twist or knot 70, the 
wire ends may be removed from the standoff structure so that the bale may 
move on for further processing. 
FIG. 4 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention which 
operates in a somewhat similar fashion as the standoff apparatus 
previously described. Standoff apparatus 80 has a body 82 and two legs 
84a, 84b. Each of the legs includes forked portions 86a, 86b. The legs 
84a, 84b extend generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis 92 of the 
body 82. The forked portions 86a, 86b extend generally at right angles to 
the legs 84a, 84b. Retention clips 88a, 88b are rotationally mounted on 
pins 89 which define a rotational axis 90 generally parallel to the 
longitudinal axis 92 of the body 82. Each of the clips includes a biased 
portion 94 and a capture portion 96 for capturing overlapped wire ends 98 
positioned against the standoff apparatus 80. A biasing spring 100 biases 
each of the retention clips 88a, 88b against the overlapped wire ends 98. 
Referring to FIG. 5, the biasing spring 100 fits into depressions formed in 
each of the body 82 and retention clips 88a, 88b. Specifically, an 
indentation 102 is formed in the biased portion 94 of each retention clip, 
and a similar indentation 104 is formed in a portion of the legs 84a, 84b 
directly below the indentation 102 of the clips. Biasing spring 100 is 
compressed between the two indentations 102 and 104 and biases the clips 
88a, 88b in a direction indicated by reference arrow 105. In that way, the 
clips 88a, 88b are spring biased to grip the overlapped wire ends 98 
positioned in the standoff. The clips rotate about the axis 90 defined by 
pins 89. 
When the overlapped wire ends 98 are positioned on the body 82 of the 
standoff apparatus 80 generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 92, the 
clips 88a, 88b grip the ends to hold them stretched and side-by-side 
between the ends of the standoff structure 80 as illustrated in FIG. 4. To 
that end, each of the clips includes a downwardly sloped front surface 108 
which engages the overlapped wire ends 98 as they are directed against the 
clips 88a, 88b. The wire ends 98, as they are directed against the clips 
88a, 88b, will engage surfaces 108 and will cause the clips to pivot 
upwardly automatically to allow the wire ends to slide thereunder. That 
is, the clips pivot under the force of the wire ends against the standoff 
structure. No additional steps are required. An indent 110 is formed in 
each clip and thereby forms openings 112 between the clips 88a, 88b and 
the legs 84a, 84b of the standoff apparatus. The openings 112 capture the 
overlapped wire ends as illustrated in FIG. 4 as the wires are moved 
against the clips and the clips pivot upwardly. Due to the action of the 
wires against the sloped surfaces 108, the bias spring 100 is compressed 
and seeks to drive the clip in the direction indicated by the arrow 105. 
Once the overlapped wire ends are positioned in the openings 112, the 
clips will pivot downwardly to again contact the legs 84a, 84b of the 
standoff apparatus 80. In that way, the overlapped wire ends 98 are 
captured by the standoff and held parallel to each other for tying. The 
surface 83 of body 82 is also sloped to assist in directing the wires 
against the clips. 
Referring again to FIG. 4, a tying apparatus is moved between the legs 84a, 
84b of the standoff apparatus 80 when the wire ends 98 are in position. 
Like the other embodiment disclosed herein, the standoff apparatus 80 is 
positioned against a bale of material. The tying apparatus, which may be a 
manual tyer, will then wrap or twist the overlapped wire ends to form a 
twist or knot 116. Similar to the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, 
standoff apparatus 80 includes a projection 118 which is configured to fit 
into an appropriately formed opening 120 in the tying apparatus 114. In 
that way, the tying apparatus 114 is aligned between the opposite ends of 
the standoff apparatus to twist and tie the overlapped wire ends 98 
proximate the center of the overlap. 
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the 
embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in 
considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict 
or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. 
Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those 
skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not 
limited to the specific details representative apparatus and method, and 
illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be 
made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of 
applicant's general inventive concept.