Signode Corporation

Kanami Kato

Kouichi Kusakabe

Ryozo Hayasaka

Strap binding apparatus is disclosed as including a traction wheel (2T) and a back-up wheel (2B) wherein the traction wheel (2T) is rotatably mounted upon an axis (t) which is fixed within a binding head framework, while the back-up wheel (2B) is rotatably mounted upon an axis (b) which is eccentrically disposed, by means of an eccentric shaft (10), with respect to a base axis (X) through means of an eccentric distance (x). A support plate (9) is pivotably mounted within the binding head framework about the axis (t) and is biased in its pivotable movement by means of a spring (8) interposed between the support plate (9) and the binding head framework. A lever (10a) is mounted upon the eccentric shaft (10), and a linkage member (11) has one end thereof connected to the lever (10a) and the other end thereof connected to the support plate (9) such that upon pivotable movement of the support plate (9) under the biasing influence or force of the spring (8 ), the back-up wheel (2B) is rotated into engagement with the traction wheel (2T). The degree to which the back-up wheel (2B) is rotated into engagement with the traction wheel (2T) is adjustable either by changing the length of the linkage member (11) or by altering the connection location defined between the lever (11) and the support plate (9) at any one of the plurality of holes (9a) formed within support plate 9.

Binding strap operating apparatus

A strap binding machine for binding articles includes a traction operating wheel and a back-up operating wheel rotatable in opposite directions so as to achieve forward advancement and rearward retraction of the binding strap whereby feeding, retraction, and high-torque tightening of the binding strap is accomplished with respect to an article to be bound. The back-up wheel is mounted upon an eccentric shaft which is, in turn, mounted upon a connecting link by means of a lever, attached to the eccentric shaft, and a pin engaged within an arcuate slot defined within the lever. The connecting link is attached at one end thereof to a supporting plate upon which is mounted the traction wheel wherein the supporting plate is spring-biased so as to be pivotable in a counterclockwise direction, and the other end of the connecting link is attached to a pneumatic piston-cylinder mechanism. An opening handle is also operatively attached to the eccentric shaft mounting the back-up wheel whereby the gap, bight, or nip defined between the traction and backup wheels is able to be readily enlarged or opened, for insertion of the leading end portion of the binding strap in order to initiate a binding operation, as permitted by means of the lever and connecting link members having the arcuate slot and connecting pin defined and provided therein, respectively.

Operating apparatus for feeding, taking up and tensioning a binding strap

A method for bonding overlapped end portions of a binding strap encircled about articles to be bound and tightened to a tensioned state by means of a gripper disposed at a gripping station for gripping a leading end portion of the binding strap, and drive rollers driven in their reverse mode so as to retract a trailing end portion of the binding strap, comprises the steps of interposing a plate electrode between the article being bound and the overlapped portions of the binding strap, lowering a single electrode tip, disposed above the overlapped portions of the binding strap, into contact with the overlapped portions of the binding strap such that the latter is compressed between the electrode tip and the plate electrode, and energizing the electrodes so as to perform a spot-welding operation at a first location, upon said overlapped portions of the binding strap, which is remote from the gripping station. The electrode tip is then raised and moved to a second location closer to the gripping station at which the electrode tip is again lowered into contact with the overlapped portions of the binding strap such that the latter is against compressed between the two electrodes. Upon energization of the electrodes, a second spot-welding operation is performed. A cutter disposed at the gripping station is actuated, so as to sever the trailing end portion of the binding strap from the residual supply portion of the binding strap, either before or after performance of the second spot-welding operation. In either case, the second spot-welding operation is performed under essentially no-load or no-tension conditions.

Bonding method of binding strap end portions by spot-welding

A method of gripping a leading end portion of a binding strap so as to facilitate the bonding of strap end portions to each other, and apparatus therefore, includes the provision of a movable jaw and a stationary cutter wherein the jaw and cutter are provided with convex and concave portions which intermesh with each other with the convex portions of the jaw and cutter being substantially longitudinally aligned or disposed opposite the concave portions of the other. In this manner, the strap portion being gripped is gripped in an undulated or corrugated manner so as to insure secure gripping thereof even under high-tension, high-torque conditions, such as, for example, as the binding strap is being tightened and tensioned in preparation for the bonding operation of the overlapped leading and trailing end portions of the binding strap encircling the article being bound.

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Sakai, Japan

Kanami Kato