Patent ID: 7263928

Claim:
A strap chute opening system for a strapping machine of the type for feeding a strapping material around a load, positioning, tensioning and sealing the strapping material around the load, the strapping machine having a frame, a work surface for supporting the load to be strapped, the work surface being movable relative to the frame between a closed position and an open position, a strap chute defining a strap path through which the strapping material is passed, a portion of the strap chute disposed below the surface, the strap chute being openable to release the strapping material therefrom during the strapping operation, and a strapping head disposed below the work surface, a portion of the strapping head interposed in the strap chute, the chute opening system comprising: a torsional element operably connected to the strap chute to move the strap chute between an open position and a closed position; an actuator operably connected to the torsional element, the actuator including a work surface engaging element engageable with the work surface and movable with the work surface between the open and closed positions, the work surface engaging element including a cam surface thereon, the actuator including a pivoting arm having a first end having a cam engaging element and a second end having a roller operably engageable with the torsional element, wherein when the work surface is in the closed position, the work surface engaging element is engaged with the work surface to urge the cam surface into engagement with the cam engaging element to pivot the pivoting arm to release the torsional element to urge the strap chute to the closed position, and wherein when the work surface is in the open position, the work surface is moved off of the work surface engaging element and the cam surface out of engagement with the cam engaging element to move the second end of the pivoting arm into operable engagement with the torsional element to apply a torque to the torsional element to open the strap chute.