Signode Corporation

Illinois Tool Works Inc.

Robert J. Nix

Nelson Cheung

Janusz Figiel

Robert J Nix

David E Crittenden

Charles Pycha

Jason R Nasiatka

Peter Lems

Barry R Angarola

John A Rometty

William A Meier

Robert J Massion

A pneumatic strapping tool for tensioning a strap around a load, adhering the strap onto itself, and cutting a feed end of the strap includes a piston, a weld motor operably connected to the piston and a vibrating weld element operably connected to the piston for contacting the strap and adhering the strap onto itself. A tensioning motor is configured for unidirectional rotation. A feed wheel is operably connected to the tensioning motor by a drive assembly to tension the strap prior to adhering the strap onto itself. A transmission cooperates with the drive assembly and is switchable between a first state in which the transmission engages the drive assembly to permit only one-way rotation of the drive assembly and a second state in which the transmission permits two-way rotation of the drive assembly. The strapping tool includes a self-contained pneumatic module that is removably mounted to a cylinder housing. The module includes a compressed gas inlet, a plurality of valves and passageways between the inlet and the valves to provide compressed gas to the cylinder housing, a pneumatic weld motor and the pneumatic tensioning motor. The module includes at least one timer for operation of the weld motor and for providing pressure to the cylinder. An articulating guide is disposed at the strap path and moves between an open path position when the tensioning motor housing is pivoted to the loading/unloading position and a closed path position when the tensioning motor housing is pivoted to the strap engaging position. The guide aligns the strap with a second strap to which the strap it is adhered and aligns the straps with the feed wheel and anvil.

Dual motor strapper

A time-out indicator is adapted for use in a pneumatic strapping tool for tensioning a strap around a load, adhering the strap onto itself, and cutting a feed end of the strap. The strapping tool has a cylinder housing, a piston disposed within a cylinder in the cylinder housing, a pneumatic weld motor operably connected to the piston, a vibrating weld element operably connected to the piston for contacting the strap and adhering the strap onto itself. A pneumatic module is mounted to the cylinder housing to provide compressed gas to the cylinder housing and the pneumatic weld motor. The time-out indicator includes a sleeve fitted into an opening in the module. The opening is disposed above and in communication with the cylinder. The sleeve defines a central, longitudinal opening. An indicator is biasedly mounted in the sleeve and disposed for contact with the piston. The indicator reciprocates between a retracted position and an extended position and indicates a cycle of the strapping tool as an in-cycle state in which the cylinder is under pressure, pressurizing the piston to urge the weld element into contact with the strap and a timed-out state in which the piston is not pressurized.

Time-out indicator for pneumatic strapper

An electric strapping tools and methods therefor having an electric motor with an output shaft coupled to a feed wheel, a modulator circuit coupled to a power input of the motor for controlling strap tension. A magnet is disposed on an end of the motor armature and offset from the rotation axis thereof, and a magnetic field detector is disposed near magnet to detect rotation of the armature. The motor rotates the feed wheel and vibrates a welding jaw when the shaft rotates in the same direction, and tool parameter adjustment potentiometers are isolated from abuse by the tool user by corresponding control knobs coupled thereto.

Electric strapping tool and method therefor

A strapping tool has a timing control circuit incorporated therein which comprises a first pressure-operable valve for time-controlling a plastic strap welding operation, and a second pressure-operable valve for restricting fluid line flow from a source of fluid to an air drive motor of the tool during the tensioning phase of the strapping operation while permitting unrestricted fluid line flow from the source of fluid to the air drive motor of the tool during the welding stage of the strapping operation.

Pneumatic circuit for strapping tool having adjustable tension control

Hand operated strapping tool

A tensioning mechanism for a strapping tool. The tensioning mechanism comprises a housing structure, a shaft mounted rotatably to the shaft, a handle coupled to the shaft, and a coupler for coupling the handle to the shaft. The handle is a tension-sensing handle comprising plural members capable of pivotal movement relative to each other and biased in such manner that tension limits can be user-adjusted within a separately adjustable range. Pivotal movement of the handle is limited in such manner that the handle cannot be further pivoted, even in small increments, after sufficient tension has been sensed by the handle.

Tensioning mechanism for strapping tool

In a mechanism for converting oscillatory rotation of an input shaft to unidirectional rotation of an output shaft, two bevel gears are mounted around the input shaft and a bevel gear intermeshed therewith is coupled to the output shaft. Each bevel gear mounted around the input shaft can be alternately coupled to and uncoupled from the input shaft via an associated pawl disposed in a socket in the input shaft and biased toward an operative position wherein such pawl is extended into a single recess in a bearing surface of such bevel gear. Paired pawls and paired recesses may be optionally employed where high torque is encountered. Oscillatory rotation of the input shaft is limited to a range of approximately 180.degree. between two limiting positions. Camming surfaces on the pawls and the gears respectively provide for movement of each pawl from its operative position.

Mechanism for converting oscillatory rotation of input shaft to

An improved joint and method for providing the improved joint structure in joined or fused thermoplastic strap positioned about a package or article is disclosed. The improved joint includes means for increasing the peel separation resistance of overlapping portions of the joint above the peel separation resistance provided by a weldment between the overlapping portions providing for a joint strength that approaches the tensile strength of the strap material or weldment.

Strapping joint and method for forming same

An apparatus is provided for creating an improved configuration of overlapping lengths of flexible thermoplastic strap to accommodate the formation of an improved joint between the strap portions. The apparatus includes first and second strap engaging members respectively defining first and second contoured surfaces for engaging respectively first and second strap lengths to position the joint portions between the strap engaging members in an overlapping relationship along an interface region and to position the trailing portion of each strap length to extend in a plane generally parallel to a reference plane with at least a part of the length of the interface region being non-parallel to the reference plane. In the preferred embodiment, the strap engaging members are each provided with a convex surface and a concave surface and are disposed to align the concave surface of one member generally in registry with the convex surface of the other member.

Apparatus for forming an offset joint in flexible thermoplastic strap

A tool is provided for constricting a loop of thermoplastic strap that encircles an article and has overlapping strap segments and for sealing the segments with a friction fusion weld. A multiple drive shaft assembly is driven by a motor which can be rotated in a first direction and then in a second, opposite direction. The drive shaft assembly is engaged to a tension wheel in the first direction of rotation to constrict and tension the loop. A sensing and control means senses a predetermined loop tension level and reverses rotation of one of the drive shafts to the second direction. A mechanism responsive to the rotation of the shaft in the second direction is provided for pressing the overlapping strap segments together and for moving one of the segments relative to the other segment to effect the friction fusion weld.

All electric friction fusion strapping tool

A strapping tool for tensioning a strap loop around an article and for crimping or notching a push-type seal around the overlapping strap portions is provided with a frame, an arm pivotally mounted on the frame for pivoting movement in a first direction and in a second, opposite direction, an abutment nose on the arm for engaging the seal during tensioning, a spring biasing the arm in the first direction during tensioning, a motor-driven tension wheel for pulling one of the overlapping strap portions through the seal to tension the loop whereby the tension reaction urges the abutment nose against the seal and, at a predetermined tension level, causes the arm to overcome the spring and pivot relative to the frame in the second direction. A jaw assembly is provided for crimping or notching the seal and a control means is provided for actuating the jaw assembly in response to the movement of the arm in the second direction at the predetermined tension level.

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Algonquin, IL, United States of America

Robert J Nix