Patent GB-637023-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to machines for binding bunches
IPC: A01D39/00
Filed: 1947-09-22
Abstract: 637,023. Bundling watercress &c. HOLLIDAY, E. W., and ROWLAND (ALRESFORD) WATERCRESS, Ltd., F. Sept. 22, 1947, No. 25753. [Class 94(i)] [Also in Group XXX] A machine for binding bunches of stems, comprises a receiver for holding a bunch of stems, means for moving the bunch into engagement with a length of binder, gripping means which encircle the bunch to carry the binder therearound, and means for fastening the ends of the binder, the gripping means being openable to release the bound bunch. Bunches of watercress are fed by holders 17 of a conveyer A (see Group XXX), to U-shaped plates 36 of a transfer carrier C which carries each bunch 54 successively to a tying device D. The device D comprises a plate-like body 43 (Fig. 4) rigid with a cylindrical barrel 44 in which a plunger 51 reciprocates by motion derived from a camshaft 20 and through a link 82. Upper and lower jaws 48 have a common pivot 49 which extends between lugs 45 rigid with the body 43, and are connected by respective links 50 with the upper and lower ends of a member 46 rigid with the plunger 51. The jaws 48 links 50 and member 46 are built up from laminations which are interleaved at the respective joints. The face of the body 43 is formed with a vertical groove 76. Partially overlapping each edge of the groove 76 are a pair of respective plates 77 which are pivotally mounted at their upper ends to the face of the body 43. At their lower ends the plates are connected by short links 81 to diametrically opposite points on a disc 79 carried by a shaft 80. A binding strip 53 is fed from a supply 55 via feed rollers 56, 57 and a funnel 63, into the groove 76. Fixed and movable cutters 64 are operative to sever a pre-determined length of strip. The strip is momentarily held in the groove 76 by the plates 77 but on rotation of the shaft 80 (via linkage 87, 89 associated with an eccentric on the shaft 20) the lower ends of the plates 77 are forced apart and the strip is freed. As the bunch 54 is held against the face of the body 43 by the plates 36 of the carrier C the rod 51 is driven inwardly to move the jaws 48 through slots provided in the body 43, through the position shown in dot and dash lines to that of Fig. 6 (not shown) in which the length of strip is encircled by the jaws 48 about the bundle 54. The inner faces of the ends of the strip are held in abutting relation and project outwardly so that they can be stapled or eyeletted by a fastening device F which may be of known form. The fastening device is swung from an inoperative position (Fig. 3) to an operative position (Fig. 9) by a link 92 pivotally mounted to the machine frame at 93 and having a slot 105 engaged by a pin 104 rigid with a rod 100. A pin 99 carried by the bifurcated end 102 of the rod 100, engages a slot 98 formed in one end of an arm, the other end of which is pivotally connected with a crank disc 94. A retaining wall 103 extends around a predetermined length of the periphery of the disc 94. As the disc 94 rotates from the position of Fig. 9 the device F is held in the fastening position by the interaction of the pin 99 and retaining wall 103, the pin moving in the slot 98 as the arm 97 is displaced. As the wall 103 moves out of engagement with the pin the latter reaches the left hand end of the slot and the arm 92 is thus swung back to the inoperative position. In the construction described in the Provisional Specification each bunch is fed directly to the tying device D by the conveyer A. Also the strip 58 may be formed with spaced lines of perforations engageable with pins formed on the feed rollers and the plates 77 are movable wholly laterally instead of being pivotally mounted at their upper ends.