DE-WIRING APPARATUS

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of de-wiring a pair of stacks of bales, the two stacks being kept closely together by means of a plurality of steel wires, and a de-wiring apparatus being utilised, which comprises a frame unit surrounding two longitudinal conveyors, which are intended to take the bales through the frame unit, the bale stacks being positioned one after the other, seen in the moving direction of the pair of bale stacks through the frame unit. According to the invention the method is characterized by the combination of the following steps: the pair of bale stacks is introduced into the frame unit (1), the pair of stacks being forced to stop when it has taken a portion essentially in the very middle of the frame unit; a cutting unit (4) is forced to come into contact with the top side of the pair of the stacks, whereafter the steel wires (9) surrounding the pair of stacks are cut off; the front stack is forced forwards a distance, the length of which somewhat exceeds the width of a tool which is intended to be introduced between the separated stacks; the mentioned tool comprising two claw-like means (6, 7), movable towards each other, is forced in between the two separated stacks, the means being forced towards each other so that the wires, cut off, are forced together essentially at the longitudinal centre line of the frame unit; a rotatable means (10) with a claw-like head (11) is forced up to a contact with the underside of the two claw-like means (6, 7) in such a way that the steel wires (9), forced together, slide into the head of the rotatable means, whereafter the last-mentioned means is forced into rotation, so that the steel wires are rolled up to a ball; the steel wires, rolled up to a ball, are taken away to a laying off-place. The invention also relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method.

Description: t>E-WIRING APPARATUS J This invention relates to a method of de-wiring a pair of stacks of bales, the two stacks being kept closely together by means of a plurality of steel wires, and a de-wiring apparatus being utilised, which comprises a frame unit surrounding two longitudinal conveyors, which are intended to take the bales through the frame unit, the bale stacks being positioned one after the other, seen in the moving direction of the pair of bale stacks through the frame unit. It is previously known to de-wire separate bales in a mechanical way, which means that a risky working moment of the bale handling has been able to be eliminated. This invention intends to mechanise the handling when de-wiring two stacks of bales, the number of bales of each stack usually amounting to at least two and not more than four. The mechanisation is made in that way that the different working moments can be automated. Due to the mechanisation of the de-wiring of the bale stacks, a risky as well as a physically hard manual working efforts can be eliminated. The de-wiring method according to the invention comprises the following steps: - The pair of bale stacks is introduced into the frame unit, the pair of stacks being forced to stop when it has taken a position essentially in the very middle of the frame unit; - A cutting unit is forced to come into contact with the top side of the pair of the stacks, whereafter the steel wires surrounding the pair of stacks are cut off; - The front stack is forced forwards a distance, the length of which somewhat exceeds the width of a tool which is intended to be introduced between the separated stacks; - The mentioned tool comprising two claw-like means, movable towards each other, is forced in between the two separated stacks, the means being forced towards each other so that the wires, cut off, are forced together essentially at the longitudinal centre line of the frame unit; - A rotatable means with a claw-like head is forced up to a contact with the underside of the two claw-like means in such a way that the steel wires, forced together, slide into the head of the rotatable means, whereafter the last-mentioned means is forced into rotation, so that the steel wires are rolled up to a ball; - The steel wires, rolled up to a ball, are taken away to a laying off-place. An apparatus for carrying out the method according to the invention shall be described more closely below with reference to the accompanying drawings, where Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of the new apparatus comprising a surrounding frame unit. Fig. 2 shows a view of the apparatus, seen inside of the frame unit and provided with two claw-like means, directed towards each other, Fig. 3 shows the two claw-like means applied against each other, and Fig. 4 shows a means for rolling up the steel wires. Referring to Figs. 1, 2 is shown there the new de-wiring apparatus comprising a surrounding frame unit 1 , which has an essentially rectangular, horizontal cross section, and into which the two bale stacks, kept together by steel wires, are intended to be introduced. In this connection a first 2 and a second 3, respectively, conveyor are utilised for the passage of the bale stacks through the frame unit, which conveyors accordingly are arranged inside of the frame unit. The steel wires, keeping the two bale stacks together, are arranged around the bales in that way that the horizontal portions of the wires have a direction that is essentially parallel with the moving direction of the bales through the frame unit. Thus, these steel wires surrounding the bale stacks are those wires that are intended to be removed and shall at first be cut off. For this purpose the de-wiring apparatus comprises a cutting unit 4, which is arranged at the upper part of the frame unit, and which is movable to and fro laterally as well as upwards and downwards so that it can be applied on the top of the two bale stacks, kept together. In order that this placing of the cutting unit 4 shall be done smoothly, it is provided with a counterweight that to a certain extent balances the weight of the cutting means. These cutting means suitably consist of a type that is in the market today. In order to facilitate the cutting moment, the rear stack is suitably raised a little before the cutting so that the cutting unit easily can catch hold of the steel wires. This raising of the stack could for instance be made by means of the rear (first) conveyor 2, which is made vertically adjustable for this purpose. After the steel wires having been cut off, these ones have to be removed in an effective and secure way. This is made by specially designed means which shall be described more closely hereinafter. The de-wiring apparatus comprises a stationary unit 5, which is positioned between the first 2 and the second 3 conveyor. This unit 5 has a tool comprising two claw-like means 6, 7, which from an open side position are intended to move towards each other in a direction, that is essentially perpendicular to the moving direction of the bale stacks, to a central position where the two means form an essentially flat top side 8 (see Fig. 3). In this connection the two claw-like means 6, 7 have such a position and such a design thai when these means go into contact with each other there will be a secure capture of the steel wires 9 on the underside of the bales, so that the captured steel wires are held securely together between the means 6, 7, provided with claws, when these ones have gone into contact with each other (see Fig. 3). The next step in the de-wiring handling is that the captured steel wires shall be rolled up to a ball and thereafter be removed. For this purpose the de-wiring apparatus has a bar-like, essentially vertically directed, and rotatable means 10, which is provided with a claw-like head 1 1 , and which in an electric, hydraulic or pneumatic way is intended to be pushed essentially vertically up through a hole in a stationary plate 12. The claw-like head 1 1 is designed like a fork which, when the means 10 is pushed up, is intended to be brought on each side of the steel wires 9, brought together by the two claw-like means 6, 7, so that the steel wires are brought farthest down into the fork 11. The rotatable means 10 is forced into rotation by means of an electric or hydraulic motor or the like, which makes the rolling up of the steel wires to a ball possible. In order that the ball shall be kept in place during the rolling up procedure, the rotatable means 10 is surrounded by another means 13, which accordingly is positioned at a sufficient large, radial distance outside the rotatable means 10. The outer means 13, which is intended to have the same movement pattern vertically as the rotatable means, is also intended to be able to be pushed up through holes in the stationary plate 12 and inside of the claw-like means 6, 7, directed towards each other, the two means 10, 13, when pushed up, being in contact with the underside of the plate 8, formed by the means 6, 7. The outer means 13, according to this embodiment, is formed by four portions 14a-d, directed towards each other, which have the form of an arc of a circle, and between which openings 15a-d are arranged. In this connection the portions are arranged in that way that two 15a,d of the openings land up right before the wires 9 when the means 10, 13 are pushed up through the stationary plate 12. After the steel wires 9 having been rolled up to a ball, this one is taken away to a laying off place via a chute 16. The stationary unit 5 is suitably provided with a propulsion means 17, which goes into operation, when the two bale stacks shall be separated from each other a smaller distance. In order that a good security shall prevail during the de-wiring operation, the frame unit 1 is provided with sidewalls, provided with a grating, whereas the entry opening to and the exit opening from the frame unit are provided with shuttable doors. The new de-wiring apparatus functions in the following way: Two bale stacks which are kept together by means of steel wires 9 are brought into the inner part of the frame unit 1 on the first conveyor 2 to a position where the dividing line between the two bale stacks is close to the borderline for the stationary unit 5. In this position there is given a signal to the conveyor 2 to stop. At the same time is given a signal to the cutting unit 4 to begin to work, this one being lowered down onto the topside of the bale stacks and seeks up the steel wires 9 for cutting off these ones. When this moment is finished. the propulsion means 17 of the stationary unit 5 begins to work, the front bale stack being moved forwards a smaller distance, which is somewhat larger than the width of a tool comprising two means 6, 7, which are provided with claws and are movable towards each other, and which are intended to be brought into engagement with each other and by that capture the steel wires at the underside of the bale stacks. Two concentric means 10, 13 comprising an inner, rotatable means 10, which is provided with a claw-like head 1 1, are forced to be pushed up through a centrally positioned plate 12 of the stationary unit 5 so that they come into contact with the underside of the two means 6, 7, brought together, attention being given that fact that the steel wires 9 shall slide into the claw-formed head of the rotatable means 10. Thereafter, the rotatable means 10 is set into rotation, whereby the steel wires 9 are rolled up to a ball. This ball remains lying on the stationary plate 12, when the concentric means 10, 13 are taken back to their inactive positions under the plate 12. In the next moment the two conveyors are set in motion, the rear bale stack pushing away the ball to a laying off place via a chute 16. The invention is of course not limited to the shown and described embodiment but can be modified within the scope of the following claims.

Claims: Claims 1. A method of de- wiring a pair of stacks of bales, the two stacks being kept closely together by means of a plurality of steel wires, and a de- wiring apparatus being utilised, which comprises a frame unit surrounding two longitudinal conveyors, which are intended to take the bales through the frame unit, the bale stacks being positioned one after the other, seen in the moving direction of the pair of bale stacks through the frame unit, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the combination of the following steps: - The pair of bale stacks is introduced into the frame unit (1), the pair of stacks being forced to stop when it has taken a position essentially in the very middle of the frame unit; - A cutting unit (4) is forced to come into contact with the top side of the pair of the stacks, whereafter the steel wires (9) surrounding the pair of stacks are cut off; - The front stack is forced forwards a distance, the length of which somewhat exceeds the width of a tool which is intended to be introduced between the separated stacks; - The mentioned tool comprising two claw-like means (6, 7). movable towards each other, is forced in between the two separated stacks, the means being forced towards each other so that the wires, cut off, are forced together essentially at the longitudinal centre line of the frame unit; - A rotatable means (10) with a claw-like head (1 1) is forced up to a contact with the underside of the two claw-like means (6, 7) in such a way that the steel wires (9), forced together, slide into the head of the rotatable means, whereafter the last-mentioned means is forced into rotation, so that the steel wires are rolled up to a ball; - The steel wires, rolled up to a ball, are taken away to a laying off-place. 2. Apparatus for de-wiring a pair of stacks of bales, the two stacks being kept closely together by a plurality of steel wires, and the apparatus comprising a frame unit surrounding two longitudinal conveyors, which are intended to take the bales through the frame unit, the bale stacks being positioned one after the other, seen in the moving direction of the pair of the bale stacks through the frame unit, c h a r a c t e r i z e d by the combination of the following features: - A cutting unit (4) is designed in that way that it can cut off the steel wires (9). keeping the bale stacks together, on the topside of the baies; - A tool comprising two means (6, 7), provided with claws and movable towards each other, is arranged for collecting the steel wires (9), cut off, on the underside of the bales, the topsides of the two means forming a plate (8) when coming into contact with each other; - A rotatable means (10) provided with a claw-like head (11) is intended from a lower, inactive position to move to an upper, active position, where its head is intended to go into contact with the underside of the plate (8), formed by the topsides of the two means (6, 7) in such a way that the steel wires (9), brought together, get a position in the head (11) of the rotatable means. 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, c hara c t e r i z e d in that the tool comprising the two means (6, 7), provided with claws, is an integral part of a stationary unit (5), which is arranged between the two conveyors (2, 3), and that the two means (6, 7), provided with claws, are intended from an open side position to go into contact with each other in a direction that is essentially perpendicular to the moving direction of the bales through the frame (1), the steel wires (9) being kept securely together between the means (6, 7), provided with claws, when the means have come into contact with each other. 4. An apparatus according to claim 3, the stationary unit (5) comprising an essentially horizontal, stationary plate (12), characterized in that the rotatable means (10) is bar-like and has an essentially vertical extension, and that the means (10), when taking its upper, active position, is intended to go through a hole in the stationary plate (12). 5. An apparatus according to claim 4, characterized in that the rotatable means (10) is intended to cooperate with an outer, concentric means (13), which has essentially the same movement pattern vertically as the rotatable means (10), and which accordingly also is intended to go through holes in the stationary plate (12) when taking its upper, active position. 6. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that the outer means (13) is created by four portions (14a-d), which are directed towards each other and have the design of an arc of a circle, and between which openings (15a-d) are arranged, two (15b, d) of the openings being so positioned that when the means (10, 13) are pushed up through the plate (12), they land up right before the wires (9). 7. An apparatus according to any one of the claims 3-6, characterized in that the stationary unit (5) comprises means (17) by which the bale stacks can be moved forwards. 8. An apparatus according to any one of the claims 2-7, characterized in that the movable elements/means, being integral parts of the apparatus, are set in motion in an electric, hydraulic and/or pneumatic way.

Inventors: OEDMARK SOEREN, OEDMARK, SOEREN
Applicants: OEDMARK SOEREN, SUNCO TECH AB, OEDMARK, SOEREN
Application year: 1997
Main classification: B65B69
IPC codes: B65B69