Patent ID: 7789017

Claim:
A bale banding machine comprising a band receiving assembly mounted on a translating overhead press head assembly and a stationary band feeding assembly, said stationary band feeding assembly delivering a band into said band receiving assembly of said overhead press head assembly, said overhead press head assembly reciprocating between a raised retracted position and a lowered sealing position onto a bale to perform a sealing operation; said stationary band feeding assembly comprising a feed channel receiving said band and a feed guide pivoting member; said band receiving assembly comprising a head channel receiving said band and a head guide pivoting member; said machine further comprising means for pivoting said feed guide pivoting member between an open and a closed position, and means for pivoting said head guide pivoting member between an open and a closed position, upon movement of said overhead press head assembly relative to said stationary band feeding assembly; whereby when said overhead press head assembly moves from said retracted position to said lowered sealing position, said feed guide pivoting member pivots to said open position to widen said feed channel and said head guide pivoting member pivots to said open position to widen said head channel; and further whereby when said overhead press head assembly moves from said lowered sealing position to said retracted position, said feed guide pivoting member pivots to said closed position to narrow said feed channel and said head guide pivoting member pivots to said closed position to narrow said head channel.