Signode Corporation

William A Meier

Peter Lems

Robert J Nix

Barry R Angarola

David E Crittenden

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.

Tension sensing mechanism for power-operated push-type strapping and

A metal strap segment is provided for forming a loop about compressible material and has a first joint-forming portion on one end and a second joint-forming portion on the other end, each of the joint-forming portions containing an array of longitudinally spaced joint elements which are adapted to interlock to form a sealless strap connection when the joint-forming portions are overlapped. An abutment is provided at the distal end of the second joint-forming portion and a disengageable anti-reverse engaging means, such as a tab or receiving aperture, is provided on the first joint-forming portion. The engaging tab or aperture is located, with respect to the distal end of the first joint-forming portion, inwardly of and adjacent the array of longitudinally spaced joint elements. The engaging tab or aperture is also associated with the inner side of the strap so that when the strap loop is placed about the material and is outwardly bowed, the abutment is forced against the inner side of the first joint-forming portion and is aligned to engage the engaging means to prevent disengagement of the connection when the joint-forming portions are moved relative to each other in a disengaging direction. The connection is easily disengaged, however, by orienting the overlapping joint-forming portions in a generally inwardly bowed position and then displacing one of the joint-forming portions longitudinally relative to the other portion in the disengaging direction.

Strap for forming a readily disengageable anti-reverse sealless strap

A method is provided for binding a first low density bale with a plurality of straps and then reusing sections of the straps to bind a second, smaller bale which is compressed from the first bale. A plurality of primary straps are provided with a multiple of discrete arrays of longitudinally spaced joint elements, the joint elements of each array being adapted to interlock with the joint elements of another array to form a sealless connection therebetween. Each primary strap is looped around the first low density bale and the ends of the strap are connected through two of the arrays of interlocking joint elements. Each primary strap further has, at spaced locations along its length, severance indicia and readily disengageable anti-reverse engaging tabs. When desired, the first bale may be subsequently further compressed to allow removal of the primary straps. When this is done, the primary straps now being larger than the bale, may be pushed inwardly, in the region of the interlocking joint element connection, towards the bale surface to permit disengagement of the anti-reverse tabs and release of the connection. Next, with the preferred embodiment, each primary strap is severed in two places to create second and third strap segments and a disposable waste end portion. A number of similar second strap segments are connected together to form a composite strap of a length equal to the third strap segment. The bale can then be recompressed to a smaller size and bound with one or more equal lengths of the composite straps and third strap segments.

Method of readily disengaging anti-reverse sealless strap connection to

A metal strap segment adapted for forming a first loop about material to be tied and for forming a sealless strap connection between overlapping strap ends of the segment is provided with an integral smaller strap segment adapted for forming a second smaller loop and for forming a sealless strap connection between overlapping strap ends of the smaller segment when the smaller segment is severed from the larger segment. The severed ends of the remaining portion of the larger strap segment are also adapted for being reconnectable and forming a sealless strap connection therebetween.

Growing community of inventors

Hoffman Estates, IL, United States of America

William A Meier