Patent ID: 7185480

Claim:
In a machine for bunching plant stems wherein plant stems are transported by a supply mechanism to a receiving mechanism that collects the plant stems into bunches, the improvement wherein the receiving mechanism includes a mechanical gripper that receives and bunches the plant stems, the gripper including a pair of mechanical fingers movably mounted in the machine so as to be capable of mutually gripping together when the fingers are moved to a closed position, the fingers also having an open position wherein the fingers are separated, at least a part of a flexible band being tensioned between the fingers, the finger and flexible band being positioned on a discharge side of the supply mechanism, the flexible band resiliently receiving and engaging stems that are received laterally from the discharge side of the supply mechanism between the fingers when the fingers are in an open position, the fingers causing the flexible band to encircle the stems and hold them in a bunch when the fingers are moved to a closed position, the fingers being moved between an open and closed position by an opening and closing mechanism.