Apparatus for binding an article or bundle of articles

Abstract: Method and apparatus for forming a binding around an article or bundle of articles by means of a length of stiff wire (3) wherein at least two and preferably three turns of the wire are made, the wire is joined at its ends and thereafter a lifting loop is made in at least one turn, for use in mechanical handling of the article or bundle. The lifting loop is formed by pulling the turn away from the article or bundle and at the same time another turn is tightened around the article or bundle.

Description: This invention relates to an apparatus for binding at least one article by means of a length of stiff wire, Where a plurality of articles is bound they are referred to in this description as a bundle of articles. Typically the articles bound are elongate, e.g. are metal rods or strips. EP-A-74985 describes a method and apparatus using a piece of stiff wire for forming a binding around a bundle of rod material, in which the piece of wire is led around the bundle once and a join is made between the head and tail of the piece of wire. The apparatus for binding comprises an annular structure provided with a channel for guiding the wire, which channel is U-shaped in cross-section with the open side of the U facing the bundle inserted for binding by the annular structure. By this method and apparatus the wire is guided once around the bundle to be bound. Then, with its head held fast, the wire is pulled back so that it lies in one tight turn around the bundle, then it is knotted and cut so that a binding with one turn is created. GB-A-1001385 illustrates a similar method and apparatus in which it is additionally suggested that the guide path for the wire in the annular guide may have more than one turn, so that two or more turns of the wire around the article being bound are made. Again the wire is pulled tight by pulling its ends, before it is knotted. The bound bundles created by these methods consist of, for example, concrete reinforcing steel rods. In general the bundles subsequently must be transported and stored several times. In practice the bundles are handled by lifting. A problem with this is that the bundles bound in the known manner have no suitable lifting points. It has been found that the known binding cannot serve as lifting point because, when the binding is taut, a lifting hook cannot be hooked around the wire, and even if that is possible with a slightly looser binding the knot does not hold. The result is that many different means of lifting have to be available for handling and storage. Typically, along the handling route of the bundles there are chains and strops which have to be placed around the stored bundles before they can be lifted. An object of the invention is to solve the problem described above. The invention can also achieve further advantages which are explained in the following. According to the invention there is provided an apparatus for binding an article or bundle of articles by means of stiff wire comprising: annular guide means for guiding the wire around the article(s) to form at least two turns around the article(s); and means for joining the ends of the wire; characterized by: pulling means insertable within at least one of said turns for forming at least one lifting loop in the form of a portion of said wire spaced from the article(s) by pulling at least one of said turns away from the article(s). Preferably the apparatus has restraining means, to hold back the article or bundle when the turn or turns of wire are pulled to create the lifting loop or loops, i.e. to hold the article or bundle against the pulling force. In a preferred embodiment of the apparatus in accordance with the invention the annular guide is separable into at least two parts, one of which carries the pulling means. This can achieve the effect that opening the annular structure, for example by lifting up the top part, is accompanied by the pulling one or more turns of the wire, so that the lifting loop or loops are available from the moment that the articles are bound into a bundle. Preferably, to form an annular channel of helical shape for guiding the wire, side wall parts are attached to an annular base. The channel is thus composed of replaceable elements, so that maintenance is simplified, as is fabrication of the annular structure. The invention will be described below by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 shows an apparatus in accordance with the invention for binding articles or bundles in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the annular structure of the apparatus of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 shows elements which form the helical channel of the annular structure shown in Fig. 2. In the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 3, a bundle, for example of rods of concrete reinforcing steel, is shown lying in an annular structure 1 which constitutes a wire guide and, as Figs. 1 and 2 show, is in three separable parts which can be closed together to form a ring around the rod bundle. A wire conveying device 2 conveys the wire 3, for example 7 mm outside diameter steel rod wire, via a sleeve 4 through an inlet opening 5 in the annular structure 1 now in its closed position. The inlet opening 5 allows access to a groove-shaped helical channel 6 (Figs. 2 and 3) that guides the wire head as it is advanced. The more the wire conveying device 2 conveys wire, the more the wire following behind the head and guided by the channel 6 will be advanced and encircle the rod bundle. After making three turns (in the case illustrated here) around the bundle the head of the wire meets a stop not shown in the drawing. The wire is then cut off close to the inlet opening 5 and its ends knotted. It should also be noted that it may be considered surprising that it is possible for a stiff wire of this type to be advanced continuously from behind its guided head and for such a long distance as three times the circumference of the annular structure. Details of the apparatus, and in particular a cutting and knotting device which is not shown, are known in the art and need not be given (reference is made to EP-A-74985 and GB-A-1001385). There are now three turns around the bundle, two without and one with a knot. One of the top parts of the annular structure 1 carries a pin 7 extending axially within the circle made by the turns of wire pushed along the channel 6. The axial location of the pin 7 is such that it is within two of the turns of wire, but not within the third turn which includes the knotted ends of the wire. The lower part of the annular structure 1 carries a restraining bar 8 extending across it above the bundle of rods. When the annular structure 1 is now opened as shown in Fig. 1, the pin 7 inserted on the top of the bundle between two of the turns and the bundle is moved upwards away from the bundle while the bundle is unable to move any further than the bar 8 permits. This movement pulls the wire and results in formation of two lifting loops, which are suitable as a lifting point for the bundle, in the two wire turns so pulled by the pin 7. At the same time the third turn is tightened around the bundle. The channel 6 is formed by a combination with side wall elements 9 which are attached by suitable means of attachment to the annular base of the structure 1, as shown in Fig. 3. A turn of the channel 6 lies between each adjacent pair of the elements 9.

Claims: An apparatus for binding an article or bundle of articles by means of stiff wire (3), comprising: annular guide means (1) for guiding the wire (3) around the article(s) to form at least two turns around the article(s); and means for joining the ends of the wire; characterized by: pulling means (7) insertable within at least one of said turns for forming at least one lifting loop in the form of a portion of said wire spaced from the article(s) by pulling at least one of said turns away from the article(s). An apparatus according to claim 1 having restraining means (8) for holding back said article(s) when said pulling means (7) acts on said wire. An apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein said annular guide means (1) comprises an annular structure (1) with a helical channel (6) of at least two turns, and there are means (2) for feeding the wire (3) into said channel. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said channel (6) is formed by side wall parts (9) attached to an annular base (1). An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein said annular guide means (6) is adapted for guiding the wire around the article(s) to form three turns. An apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said annular guide means (6) comprises at least two separable parts, one of which carries said pulling means (7), whereby separation of said separable parts effects the pulling of at least one of the turns of the wire by the pulling means (7) to form the lifting loop or loops.

Inventors: VERHART WILLEM JAN, VERHART, WILLEM JAN
Applicants: HOOGOVENS GROEP BV, HOOGOVENS GROEP B.V.
Application year: 1993
Main classification: B65B27
IPC codes: B65B27