Patent GB-683769-A (GB)
Title: Automatic wire tying machines
Inventor: BATTEN ALFRED JOHN
IPC: B65B13/12
Filed: 1949-11-14
Abstract: 683,769. Packing-machines. GERRARD 'INDUSTRIES, Ltd. Dec. 20, 1950 [Nov. 14, 1949]. No. 29137/49. Class 94(i) [Also in Group XXIV] A power-driven automatic wire-tying machine of the ring type has a winding ring driven in one direction or the other through one or the other, respectively, of a pair of clutches engaged alternately to wrap wire about a package. Two wire carrying rings 6, 7 supported by rollers 8, the ring 7 on a sub-frame adjustable to or from the other ring 6, are adapted to be rotated together to carry wires around a package fed on to a table 2 within the rings. The rings are externally toothed and are driven in one direction by gears 12, 12a on a driving shaft 14, having a telescopic splined coupling, and in the other direction by gears 13, 13a on a similar driving shaft 15. A main shaft 22 driven from a motor 4 drives intermediate ring driving shafts 28, 29, Fig. 3, in opposite directions, the shaft 28 having a clutch 34 intermediate its ends and driving the shaft 14 and the shaft 29 having a clutch 35 intermediate its ends and driving the shaft 15. The clutches 34, 35 are actuated by members 36, 37 carried by rods 62, 63 moved by means, Fig. 7, which comprises a pedal lever 41 carrying a freely pivoted arm 43 having a slotted plate 44 at its upper end engaging a pin 45 on a sprocket wheel 46 driven by a chain 47 from a sprocket 49 on a shaft 64, Fig. 3, driven by gearing 50 from the shaft 15, which drives the rings 6, 7 in one direction and is driven by them in the opposite direction, one revolution of the sprocket 49 giving half a revolution of the sprocket 46. To engage a clutch to rotate the rings the pedal lever 41 is depressed to move the pin 45 from position shown in Fig. 7 into contact with a bell-crank 60 connected to the rod 62, the clutch 34 is thus engaged and the sprocket 46 is rotated half a revolution until a pin 57 thereon contacts a stop 58 on the crank 60 to disengage the clutch 34, the winding rings having made one and a third revolutions. Movement of the sprocket 46 has meanwhile carried the pin 45 and plate 44 into a position above a bell-crank 61 connected to the rod 63 so that on next depressing the pedal 41 the clutch 35 is engaged and the winding rings are driven one and a third revolutions in the opposite direction until the pin 57 engages a stop 59 on the crank 61 to disengage the clutch 35. After each actuation of the winding rings tying and cutting mechanisms, 17 associated with the ring 6 and 18 with the ring 7, are actuated to knot and cut off the wires which have been passed around the package. The shaft 22 drives, through a clutch 24, a shaft 19, half a revolution of which accomplishes the knotting and tying. The clutch 24 is operated by a member 70, Fig. 4, carried by a rod 69 having cam followers 73, 74, Fig. 6. pivoted thereon and spring urged against stop plates 71, 72 fixed to opposite sides of the rod 69, the followers being engaged by opposite handed cams 67, 68 carried on the shaft 64 which is turned in one direction or the other during rotation of the winding rings 6, 7 in one direction or the other, one cam 67 causing the clutch 24 to engage for rotation of shaft 64 in one direction and the other cam 68 causing the clutch 24 to engage for rotation of shaft 64 in the other direction. On completion of the tying and cutting operation after half a revolution of the shaft 19 the cam 24 is disengaged by means which include, Figs. 3, 5, levers 82, 83 pivoted to the machine frame and connected to the rod 69 which are moved to disengage the clutch by links 84, 85 actuated by cam means 92 on the shaft 19. The cam 92 is loose on the shaft 19 but is connected thereto by a tension spring 93 so that when cam 92 first engages a pin 87 in the link 85 (or 84) the shaft 19 rotates relatively thereto until a pawl 95 in the shaft 19 engages a slot 94 in the cam 92 to push the pin 87 to commence movement of the link 85, which movement is completed by the action of a spring 91. As the pin 87 is pulled clear of the cam 92 the cam snaps forward under the action of the tensioned spring 95. Brake means may be automatically operated to stop rotation of winding rings after their clutches have been disengaged.