Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Rainer Ropers

Allison Dudley Tipton

James Martin Roberts

Richard K Balling

Timothy B Pearson

Kevin A Bruzzesi

A dispenser having a start-assist for starting rotation of a coil for dispensing flexible material from the coil includes a frame, a support, a shaft mounted to the support for supporting the coil and configured for rotation with the coil and an arm mounted about the shaft by a one-way element. The arm is connected to the shaft for rotation such that when the arm rotates in a first direction the one-way element engages the shaft to rotate the shaft and when the arm rotates in a second, opposite direction the one-way element is disengaged from the shaft to permit the shaft to freely rotate. When the flexible material is pulled from the coil the arm is rotated in the first direction to begin rotation of the coil by tension in the flexible material.

Strap dispenser with start assist

A flexible strap guide for an overhead strapper having a feed head for feeding the strapping material from a supply to a strapping head being mounted to a movable platen. The guide includes an elongated flexible spine formed from a plurality of hinged elements. Each of the elements is hingedly connected to and independently movable relative to each adjacent element. The elements define a central channel therein defined by a contiguous inner periphery. A hollow tubular element is positioned within the flexible spine and is flexible with the spine. The tubular element defines a pathway for movement of the strapping material therethrough between feed head and the strapping head. The guide is flexible at points between the feed head and the strapping head and is configured to permit movement of the strapping head upward and downward and to retain the hollow tubular element in an unobstructed condition as the strapping head moves upward and downward. A strapping machine having the flexible strap guide is also disclosed.

Flexible strap feed guide for overhead strapper

An insulation strapping machine comprises a vertically reciprocable platen and horizontally reciprocable opposed pairs of compressors which are able to have their relative positions adjustably controlled such that the platen and compressors cooperate together so as to form or define a variably sized package cavity within which the variously different or different sized articles, packages, or materials to be strapped can be disposed for properly achieving a strapping or packaging operation. A vertically movable package stop is incorporated within the package cavity conveyor system so as to predeterminedly longitudinally center articles, packages, or materials of various different length dimensions within the package cavity, and each one of the package compressors can develop 10,000 pounds of compressive force so as to achieve a predetermined amount of compression with respect to certain insulation materials. Still further, the articles, packages, or materials may be strapped or packaged in accordance with different strapping modes, depending upon, for example, the particular packages, articles, or materials being strapped or packaged as well as the compression levels impressed upon such packages, articles, or materials, whereby failure of the packaged or strapped articles, packages, or materials is effectively prevented.

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Lake Zurich, IL, United States of America

Rainer Ropers